Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: pathdoc2 on August 21, 2003, 10:13:45 am
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Yesterday I found out that small sit down cabs were being used in doctor's offices. Patients would sit down and could type and retrieve/printout medical information at these little consoles. Well the company that sold/operated these little cabs went out of business and lots of doctor's offices are throwing them away. The 2 I got yesterday in Dallas don't have computers or monitor but they will make awesome sitdown cabs with very little work. I'll post a pic as soon as I can. Ask your local dr. if they have any of these small cabs and you may be able to snap one for yourself.
The cabs have a molded plastic exterior which is very tough and a lower front locking access door with an upper rear locking access door with a builtin fan unit on the lower rear. The tray area is supported by a solid aluminum plate which is very sturdy. Any one else ever see one of these?
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Pictures?
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I'll post pics Friday morning. I tried yesterday but my digital camera's batteries were dead and I left my charger at the office. I just found a third one (cab) and I'll get in the AM. These little cab have casters and a mdf frame. Very well made. I can't wait to show you guys.
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I can't say I've ever heard of those things before...
What company makes them?
Any chance there might be any in south Texas?
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Is this a local dallas company or did they operate nation wide? just curious if you are going to be the only one to cash in on this and taunt us with your divine fortune ;D
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That'll make 3!!!
Any chance you want to off-load one of them?
I'm willing to meet you some where... ::)
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I'll have to check out the companies name. Its printed very nicely on the cab, and its E something or other. If anyone lives close to Dallas I'll give them cab number 3. You'll have to pic it up and I live in Allen, TX about 25 north of Dallas. So Tmasman let me know.
My email address is Hebert11@swbell.net
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My brother in law just called and asked if he could have cab number 3, so its spoken for. He new into Mame and doesn't have a cab yet. Sorry Tsmasman I didn't hear from you before he called. I'll still post pics in the AM.
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sniff... :'(
Did you check your email?
eh...
Don't worry about it.
If he doesn't have a cab yet pass it on, but I'm still anxious to see pics.
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Okay, in the spirit of fairness I'll give you one of the first 2 cabs. Deal?
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Just got your email. I emailed you back with info on how to contact me and where to pick up cab. ;D
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Oh you're in the Dallas area?!? My brother lives in Plano and REALLY could use one. Otherwise, you can leave it in his garage and I'll come get it. ;D
I'm not suggesting one of the 3 you have, but perhaps if ya'll come across another one? Do these things come with monitors in them? What type of mounts do they use if they don't have monitors? What size screens do they support? Where are the pictures!!!
(Ya'll all got lucky at the auction, and I went home with nothing. You owe me!) ;D
Is this thing like a sit-down cabinet or a cocktail or what?
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I don't want to take something you might have plans for, but if you don't need it I'll give it a good home. ;D
Your call, it's not a problem either way.
Thanks for the offer either way!
~ tmasman
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Its a sit down, basically looks like a small upright. None I've seen have monitors in them they but do have an aluminum monitor shelf. I'm guessing they used to have a 17 or 19 inch computer monitor in them. They don't have a glassfront over the monitor and the monitor cutout has a nice curve to it. The cab reminds me a plastic arcade cab I saw in a previous post here on this board. I can't remember the name of that game but it kinda looks like that. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more of these.
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The cab reminds me a plastic arcade cab I saw in a previous post here on this board. I can't remember the name of that game but it kinda looks like that. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more of these.
sounds like your describing a duramold, but i dont think there were any duramold sit downs, and the likelyhood of finding any type of duramolds is pretty low.
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I'm not saying they are duramolds, I'm saying they look kinda of like that. Very well made and very tough.
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Totally off-topic, there was a duramold at the Mesquite auction, but I left before they sold it.
Now... how many of these things do you think there are in the Dallas are? And do you think there might be any this far south. I've never seen one...
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It sounds like you were describing one of those Japanese style cabs. There are a couple of those in the local Walmart. I really like to look of them.
On the DuraMold subject...
There was one at the last Mesquite auction that went for $225. It was a little beat up, but not too bad shape. I made sure to stick around for that one, but it went higher than I was hoping. (And the monitor seemed a little off...).
Those Duramold cabs are pretty slick. There were even a couple of guys talking about trying to recreate a cab similar to it. With talk of using 24" PVC as the base...
<edit>
dang, AlanS17 keeps beeting me to the punch...
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I wish I could answer that but I have no idea how many of these little cabs are floating around. I'd like to know what happened to the monitors. Try giving your local doc's office a visit and simply ask them. Later I'l'l look at the cabs again and get the exact name of this company so anyone interested can do some research. The quality looks like a company that would operate on a national level but thats just a guess.
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I'm in Plano .. so if you find any more let me know and I'll be there !
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I guess I'm going on a hunt for plastic doctor's office kiosks... It's doubtful that I will find anything, though... I live at the bottom of nowhere...
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Interesting Ebay auctions for kiosks that may double as arcade machines:
Full-size:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2552220491&category=4660
Bar-top:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2748595024&category=11188
Granted, these wouldn't make GREAT arcade machines, but they provide cheap cabinets with potential.
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Here is a link to a pic.
http://home.swbell.net/hebert11/arcade_cab_pic.jpg
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I found out who made these little cabs, Creative Kiosk of Atlanta GA.
http://www.creativekiosk.com/
I think this is a model HH-1616
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Reminds me of the EZ-bake oven my sister had when we were little. ;)
Cool find though, I'd like to see a pic once you've converted one into a MAME cab.
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It will be a while before I convert one of these but I don't think it will take long once I get started. I even considered building a 4 inch riser and making one a standup unit. I meaused the monitor cutout and it measures 17 inches diag. so I think a 19 inch monitor will fit just fine. My 17 inch monitor here in my office only measure 16 inches diag.
The control panel will simply attach to the existing panel. I'll have to cut away some of the existing panel so the buttons an joysticks won't bottom out. Then I'll mount a new keyboard tray beneath the exist constrol panel. I even considered building a rectangular lightbox with 2 speaker and mounting in on top of the machine. I'd like to paint the unit I'll be keeping but I'm not sure how to prime this type of plastic.
If anyone has any suggestions or comments, lay them on me because I'm open.
Take care.
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They were distributed by Helios Health, which is no more. Here's a link with a pretty good picture...bottom right of page:
http://www.kioskpro.com/home
Pathdoc,
Prolly won't have to prime if you use Krylon Fusion...Good Stuff!
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Thanks for the excellent link. Great pic. So there were 1450 of these cabs out there. Now if we could find of list of where they are we could all have several.
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Looks like 2 is the limit. I couldn't get cab number 3. Seems someone else snagged it. Bummer.
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Any chance of finding a list of cabinet owners?
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I've been attempting just that all day with no luck.
I found a phone number on one of the cabs.
1-877-264-3680
Its a help line for the e.station but I think its defunct.
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Well I'll admit I've never seen anything of the sort in the doctors' offices here in south Texas. Only kiosks I've seen that may be suitable are on campus at UT- Pan American...
Hmmm... You think they'll notice if one of their touchscreen monstrosities goes missing? ::)
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Those would make a great Jukebox machine, with a proper paintjob :D
Failing that, they'd be great little arcade blasters if you stuck two back to back and networked em. ;)
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Good ideas. I looked at the cabs more closely and it looks as if the top portion would simple unscrew from the bottom half. I considered building a riser that would house the new control panel and would simple bolt in between the existing halves. Anyone else able to find one of these yet?
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I called around about 8 doctor's offices to no avail...:(
Oh well... It was definately a cool idea.
~ tmasman
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I began working/ converting one of these cabs and I've run into a serious problem. A 19 inch monitor will not fit. I think anything smaller wouldn't look very good. Bummer.
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Start carving.
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I totally removed the mdf skeleton of the upper portion of one of the cabs. Not easy to take apart. I will redesign a frame that the plastic skin will be attached to. I have to admit I prefer building a cab from scratch.