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Portable with changeable control panels - Complete (More or less)
njay:
Yeah we should teach the new age the old classics :applaud:
Hawkweber:
Been scraping together bits of time here and there between taking care of the new baby to work on this. Over the past several weeks I have gotten the following done...
I attached L-brackets at each side corner and the bottom front and back. Then I installed the fans:
Attached the painted/finished back plate (for audio/video out):
Attached the handles:
Installed the power supply - had to drill holes into the PS case to secure L-brackets to it:
I attached the panel lock-downs to the case as well as the undersides of the control panels. Then I installed the motherboard - used 1/4" nylon spacers to keep it off the base of the box:
Now the fun part begins - the wiring. First I secured the modular RJ45 box to the base:
Then I had to wire the modules to the KeyWiz encoder (which I installed to the base again using 1/4" spacers):
I then installed the Flash Disk to the base. Didn't use screws or brackets, but the double sided sticky foam that came in the package with the RJ45 modular box. Works really well:
I have started working on the admin panel in getting the sound system installed. Been having some problems with securing the volume control to the panel as it doesn't have the locking nut. So, I've been scratching my head on the best way to secure it. I think I have an idea, somewhat inelegant, but it should work. Will update once I have implemented it and will also include more photos.
Hawkweber:
Got more work done on the admin panel where the volume control and speakers are concerned.
For the volume control, since I don't have the lock nut for it, I had to improvise. First, I hot-glued the control to the back of the panel to secure it:
Then I built a "cage" around it using slices of scrap ply that I had already painted and sealed and glued these in place. This is to prevent the volume board from twisting around when the knob is turned (should the hot-glue alone not be up to it):
Then I mounted the audio amp next to the knob:
The speaker covers are the fabric that I ripped off of the enclosures from a cheap PC speaker set. Put it over the speaker hole and pressed the speaker down into it:
After this, I put in the admin buttons and discovered that when measuring available clearances I did not take into account the extra distance that the microswitches add. One of the buttons was now banging into the composite plug for the video out (had to move it from its top location to the middle and the audio out is now on top). Also, the right-most button switch lead was banging into the power supply. That has been fixed by rotating the switch so it now just barely misses it. So, when the wiring of this panel is done and the pics are posted you won't be wondering why that one switch is facing in a different direction.
Hawkweber:
Got the admin panel wired up:
Finally finished up the wiring for the main control panel. Had some issues with the USB connectors - apparently all the messing around with them to remove them from the previous PCB board and soldering them in place loosened them up too much and the Trackball and spinner kept failing. So, I ended up cutting apart a 4-port chassis USB cable and using 2 of them in place (the picture has still has the original connector shown). Finished up wiring that panel and it works! I had to keep the slack on the RJ45 connectors down to a minimum so they wouldn't snag on any of the wiring, either on the bottom of the panel or the bottom of the case, so plugging them in to the jacks is a bit tight, but workable.
Joysticks and spinner area - the 2 joysticks are wired up as player 1 as the middle one is set for 4-way and the left one is set for 8-way:
Buttons and trackball area:
And finally, the wonderful custom vinyl that was requested and done by Pongo - he did a great job and was wonderful to work with on this:
Hawkweber:
Well, the project is mostly complete. I was able to get the Stargate/Defender/Asteroids control panel finished. I will be holding off completing the 2-player panel as I do not have enough quick-disconnects to wire it up completely (I ordered enough of them for everything with some left over, but the budget crimping tool that I originally purchased screwed up a bunch of them - bought a better one after that - and not paying attention to some of the wiring and crimps left me short). Not in a great rush for 2-player games right now, so the only games that will be left out are Crazy Climber and Crazy Climber 2.
Overall, the unit with the main panel (the heaviest of them) weighs in at only 29 lbs. Very Portable! Also, discovered that the panels are heavy enough to keep in place without having to lock them down - will only have to do it when transporting.
Anyway, here is the Admin panel with the buttons labeled (Thanks Pongo!):
Some more vinyl on buttons - Power:
and the button to allow access to the "Service" feature on the games:
Here is the Stargate/Defender/Asteroids Panel wired up:
and the top of the panel:
Here we have the complete unit with the main panel in place:
and here is the unit with the stargate/defender/asteroids panel in place:
Wait, what's this? Can it be Rygar on a 50" Plasma? ;D
and R-Type as well? :applaud:
Just need to figure out how to adjust the overscan on the video card (or on the tv) to it doesn't cut off a bit from the top and bottom.
Now I need to spend some time on determining which front end to use - either Mala or Hyperspin...