Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: SONIC on January 23, 2006, 05:26:23 pm

Title: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on January 23, 2006, 05:26:23 pm
Project complete... a site has been made for it here:
http://www.sonic-media.dk/barcade


Have made the first steps... some thoughts on what I want... a mini cab :D
Have got me a 14" screen for it today... more to come next month :)
Here's a bit of concept art 'till next time :D

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas.jpg)
Full size here: http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas.jpg


-- DONE --

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas11.jpg)

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas12.jpg)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: dmsuchy on January 23, 2006, 06:09:40 pm
Love the colors and artwork.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: javeryh on January 23, 2006, 06:36:50 pm
Nice design... so is this a bartop or an upright mini?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 24, 2006, 04:30:34 am
Yeah, it's gonna be a bartop arcade. Always thought those were really cute :)

Will build it up aroud the monitor I guess (width and depth).
So I guess next up must be to order a joystick, some buttons, some other hardware, and some wood :)

Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: Dizzle on January 24, 2006, 06:01:29 pm
The artwork and colors are awesome  :)
I'm really liking the design!  ;D  Did you come up with that one yourself?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 24, 2006, 07:17:32 pm
Yeah I did. Even the form of the arcade, ll from scratch.
Have changed the height of it now though, to make it a bit lower, but the form is mainly the same, just with a bit lower socket.

Today I bought the PC pieces for it, and prepared the HD and stuff. I will most likely prepare the sides for it this thursday, and order the stick and buttons tommorow.

Stay tuned people :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: teetu on January 24, 2006, 11:05:57 pm
very very cool
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: vrf on January 25, 2006, 03:17:14 am
Very cool! I'll be watching the progress on this one.

Check out this this guy's "micro MAME" cabinet. You might get some ideas.

http://www.yvan256.net/projects/micromame/
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: spriggy on January 25, 2006, 05:54:55 am

Will build it up around the monitor I guess (width and depth).


Definately do it that way.   Then you can make it as compact as practically possible... whilst still trying to keep the aspect ratio of your original cab design.

EG.  If your using a 15" PC monitor... strip the case off..... make the mounting frame or bracket mounting setup...add your required bezel dims......figure out the overall internal width and monitor depth.... make some cardboard mock-up sides for a semi-accurate rough test.....and then off you go!

Nice side art.

Good Luck.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 25, 2006, 06:15:32 am
Thanks for the tips and the words everyone :)

Got the pc installed yesterday.
Bought me a Celeren D 2.66 GHz with a Asus motherboard, 512 Megs og Kingston DDR ram and a 450W powersupply. Allready had a harddrive and a cd-rom drive.
So, installed windows on it, placed my Mame collection on it, updated my romsets, and practically it's good to go now :)

Today I ordered 1 x J-stick, 1 x J-Pac 2, 4 red buttons, 1 x white button (for coin), and 1 x one player start button, all from ultimarc.com.

Now, the wiring from the buttons and joystick to the j-pac... how? :D I see there must run 2 wires into one, and into the j-pac? Does anyone have any good advice on how to make those wires?

Anyways, will most likely order orange t-mold as soon as we got the sides for the cabinet cutted out :)

Stay tuned :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: spriggy on January 25, 2006, 08:05:19 am
Just clarifying...you running a 14" Arcade monitor?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 25, 2006, 08:43:55 am
Nopes, a 14" pc monitor.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: walls83 on January 25, 2006, 08:57:20 am
why only 4 buttons? 

You PC can run the higher end games why not put 2 extra buttons for fighting games?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 25, 2006, 10:09:40 am
Well, what isn't readable from my above post is, that I have a couple at home, just hope they somehow match  :o
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: javeryh on January 25, 2006, 11:37:56 am
Check out this this guy's "micro MAME" cabinet. You might get some ideas.

http://www.yvan256.net/projects/micromame/

That is simply amazing.  I wish he posted more pictures...
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: spriggy on January 25, 2006, 04:40:46 pm
Nopes, a 14" pc monitor.

Sonic, just curious then....  J-Pacs are for PC to JAMMA interfacing... hence....why are you using a J-Pac (unless I've missed something??) instead of an I-Pac?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 25, 2006, 04:58:28 pm
Oh silly me :D
Ofcourse, it was an I-pac 2 interface I ordered :D
Am getting old and retarded here  :D
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: electricd on January 25, 2006, 06:10:30 pm
IPAC is easy to wire.  Simply connect one wire the NO contact on the button to the appropriate terminal on the IPAC (ie, the up switch to P1UP on the IPAC, the button 1 switch to the P1B1 switch on the IPAC and so on.)

Now the second wire is the ground (which should be the botton contact on the swtich).  These should all be wired together (ie, daisy-chain them) and then finally to the GND terminal on the IPAC. 
So basically you have 1 wire for each button going to the proper terminal on the IPAC, and then one wire connecting all of the grounds on the buttons together and then into the IPAC.  Does this make sense??
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: spriggy on January 26, 2006, 05:12:36 am
Oh silly me :D
Ofcourse, it was an I-pac 2 interface I ordered :D
Am getting old and retarded here  :D

 :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 26, 2006, 05:19:57 am
IPAC is easy to wire.  Simply connect one wire the NO contact on the button to the appropriate terminal on the IPAC (ie, the up switch to P1UP on the IPAC, the button 1 switch to the P1B1 switch on the IPAC and so on.)

Now the second wire is the ground (which should be the botton contact on the swtich).  These should all be wired together (ie, daisy-chain them) and then finally to the GND terminal on the IPAC. 
So basically you have 1 wire for each button going to the proper terminal on the IPAC, and then one wire connecting all of the grounds on the buttons together and then into the IPAC.  Does this make sense??

That makes somewhat sense yeah. Do you have any sort of "picture" that shows exactly how to do this, since I don't wanna f**k it up in any way :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: electricd on January 26, 2006, 08:20:11 am
(http://www.ultimarc.com/images/wiring.gif)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 26, 2006, 11:05:35 am
Thanks for that pic :) Clears things a bit up.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: electricd on January 26, 2006, 11:17:37 am
Any chances of getting the plans for this bartop?  I am getting ready to build one and like the overall design of yours.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 26, 2006, 11:51:07 am
Yeah ofcourse, but I don't have any other measures than the ones in illustrator though. But if you like I can send you all the files for it :)

Btw, here is another pic with the redone size and measure:

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/arkade-mini.jpg)

As said, it's gonna be about 100 mm x 100 mm in height and depth :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: vrf on January 26, 2006, 08:59:32 pm
As said, it's gonna be about 100 mm  x 100 mm in height and depth :)

wow.... that IS small. You'll have to use tweezers to play.  ;)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: IG-88 on January 26, 2006, 09:33:55 pm
You do mean 100cm x 100cm correct? Otherwise you are talking approx. 4" x 4"  I'd love to see you squeeze a 14" monitor in a box that big  ;D
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 27, 2006, 03:33:40 am
I've been hit by the flue :D Ocourse it's 100 cm x 100 cm, lol
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 27, 2006, 07:03:35 am
Got my controls today, here's a YAY for fast delivery (2 days from USA to Denmark, that's pretty neat!)

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas3.jpg)

Will most likely buy wood today, and if all plays along, cut it tommorow :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 28, 2006, 04:36:37 pm
Woodwork almost done... in one day :D
Preparing it for painting tommorow.

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas4.jpg)

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas5.jpg)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: c64rulez on January 29, 2006, 06:16:59 am
looks cool, but it seems it could have been even smaller. There's a lot of frame area around the monitor.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 29, 2006, 06:56:06 am
It could be yeah, but it would look odd with the height then. I think this is going to be quite ok :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: c64rulez on January 29, 2006, 07:11:19 am
It's just that the artwork you sketched on your first posts doesn't seem to fit this kind of frame
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 29, 2006, 07:30:05 am
That's true. I could throw a bigger screen in it, but for now I'm pretty happy with it.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: nullb0y on January 30, 2006, 07:20:30 am
prety cool
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SNAAKE on January 30, 2006, 08:38:00 am
cute !

Hey what kind of stick is that ??
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 30, 2006, 11:41:54 am
cute !

Hey what kind of stick is that ??

It's a J-Stik Ball-Top Red 4-8 Way Switchable Joystick from ultimarc.com
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on January 31, 2006, 05:33:33 am
So, got me speakers now, cooling fan, and ordered orange t-mold today... one step further to completion :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: Flinkly on January 31, 2006, 04:52:49 pm
ultimarc is based in the uk, so that's why your controls shipped so fast, but andy usually sends things lightning fast anyways.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 04, 2006, 03:38:14 am
Finally, got the complete woodwork done. Last steps ahead... painting, getting sidearts printed, and mounting of the insides :) So close now!


Stay tuned!

Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 06, 2006, 08:03:54 am
Instead of painting I found some black laminate stuff that looks really good, so last saturday I did put that on the cabinet.
Today (monday) I got my orange t-mold, and ordered the stickers/sideart and the cp overlay.

Only thing I need to buy now is the backlite marquee for the top of the cab :)

Stay tuned, this will be done soon :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 09, 2006, 04:15:02 pm
Huge updates...
As of now, I only need to install the sideart. marquee, some speaker grills, the t-mold, and that's it :)

Here's some pics of the progress so far....

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas6.jpg)
Motherboard has been installed

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas7.jpg)
Joystick and buttons wired

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas8.jpg)
Monitor and CP mounted

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas9.jpg)
The inside

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas10.jpg)
Time for a test :)


Hope my sideart will arrive tommorow :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: vrf on February 09, 2006, 06:18:19 pm
Looking great! (And, of course, now that it is playable, you won't get any further work done...  :))
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: captainpotato on February 10, 2006, 06:51:57 am
Looking great! (And, of course, now that it is playable, you won't get any further work done...  :))

Don't say that to him... you don't want to curse him to path that I've gone with my bartop :P
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 10, 2006, 08:45:39 am
No worries :) I'm just waiting for my sideart and marquee to arrive... in fact, it should be here allready, dunno what the dear postman is upto though!!!
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 10, 2006, 06:31:18 pm
Got my sideart and all today, really nice quality. I will most likely put it on tommorow, and post some new pics here :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 11, 2006, 06:33:35 pm
Sideart and marquee is now mounted. Don't have any pics though, since I didn't bring my camera to my friends place today.
Also, my dear friend who is helping me, accidently smashed the rear glass tube today, so the monitor is dead! Damnit! But another friend came by, and he, thank god, had a spare 15" screen which he gave me for free. So, this could've been finished today, but thanks to a smashed screen we will have to finish it tommorow! Grr!

Pics coming up tommorow :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: arcadefever on February 11, 2006, 10:59:36 pm
cute !

Hey what kind of stick is that ??

It's a J-Stik Ball-Top Red 4-8 Way Switchable Joystick from ultimarc.com

i've few of them  (love it )  :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: arcadefever on February 11, 2006, 11:02:27 pm
nice cab  :)
look great, did you have any problem to decase the monitor? how did you mount it ?

Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: SONIC on February 13, 2006, 03:43:08 pm
It's done :)

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas11.jpg)

(http://www.sonic-media.dk/spas12.jpg)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: teetu on February 14, 2006, 01:01:30 am
a lot of guys fall short around here of their initial conceptions- but yours turned out extremely well.  its one of my favorite mini cabs on the site
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: vrf on February 14, 2006, 03:23:22 am
Very nice work! The artwork is great.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on February 14, 2006, 03:24:44 am
Thanks for the nice words mate :) Glad that someone likes what I've done :)
I must say, that it's an incredible feeling to build one of these on yur own! I'm really satisfied with the result :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: leapinlew on February 14, 2006, 08:07:25 am
Awesome - could you give me some details on:

What you did to cut the slot for the t-molding? Router I presume.

And - the bezel. It looks very nice, did you just paint that peice of wood?
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on February 14, 2006, 09:03:41 am
First Q: A router, yes :)
Second Q: The bezel isn't painted, it's some "grainy" vinyl I found in a hobby shop.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: m3talslug on February 15, 2006, 12:02:34 am
Love the design of your cab.  I have a few questions for you.

1)  How did you cut the curves on the side panels so well
2)  Where did you get your side art printed.  It's vibrant and glossy.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on February 15, 2006, 01:15:34 am
1) Think it's called a jigsaw in english
2) I ordered the stickers/sideart from a printer that does carstickers :)

Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: gonzo90017 on February 22, 2006, 05:05:00 pm
What kind of speakers are those? They're just the right size and look I'm looking for.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on February 27, 2006, 06:31:45 pm
Sorry for the wait... speakers are... uhm... Altec Lansing... pulled the actual speakers out of their plastic casings, and installed them into the wood, and placed some grills over the speakers :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: melidian on February 28, 2006, 12:45:19 pm
i like your cab alot!...but can you get a bigger screen in that thing...it looks like you have some prime real estate available for it!
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on February 28, 2006, 06:43:40 pm
Ofcourse I could put a bigger screen in it, but that would have to be a TFT screen then, because of the depth and stuff... so yeah, everything is possible.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: mod on April 29, 2006, 08:47:42 am
Sonic,

Very nice cab, well done. Any plans for another one?

You mentioned in an earlier post that you would send illustrator files on the design, are you still willing to do so? I would like to build one. If so, please sent it to gamecab@multimediaworld.com.au

Thanks,

Mod.
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade *COMPLETED*
Post by: SONIC on May 04, 2006, 05:22:28 am
Yeah ofcourse... will send you my humble plans today m8 :)
Title: Re: Wanna try a mini arcade
Post by: Yvan256 on May 15, 2009, 05:30:52 pm
Check out this this guy's "micro MAME" cabinet. You might get some ideas.

http://www.yvan256.net/projects/micromame/

That is simply amazing.  I wish he posted more pictures...

I'll be posting updates in the following months. I'm ditching the CompactFlash for an IDE Flash Module. Actually I'm kind of re-making the same cabinet but from MDF and with a different control panel, etc. Micro-MAME Mark II, sort of.