Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: golfboyusa on February 12, 2008, 11:49:18 am
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Hi everyone. Here is a cabinet that I have been wanting to build for a long time. I visited my local pub, took a few measurements and finished with something that is very close to the original design. The laid back look for the monitor is a new design for me and the results look great during gameplay.
Any questions or feedback is appreciated as always!
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The sides are finished in blue and black formica - the monitor is a 27" Wells Gardner.
I wanted to re-create the rubber bumper on the front of the new GT cabs. This turned out to be one of the more difficult aspects of the build. I ended up flattening one side of a 1-1/2" dowel and covering it with rubber water hose normally used with automotive engines.
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Here is the completed cab. There are two speakers hidden behind some grill cloth above the monitor, Knievel suggested I add a subwoofer - I did and it sounds great. Kudos to the master! I still need to illuminate the trackball and a few other small things, but it's basically ready to go.
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Nice - I love the laid back look
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Nice cab, I like the monitor setup.
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Very nice! It looks quite professional. :cheers:
Whatta ya gots under da hood?
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Thanks IG ;D
The computer is a brand new Compaq Presario SR5234X. AMD Athlon 64 Processor 4000+ (whatever that means)
1024MB and a 160 Gig HD. (running Vista pro :banghead:)
This machine has two times ram of my last one and I'm experencing a weird lag issue. When I start a game, Golden Tee for example - everything is fine. When I hit tab to enter the user menu the music gets choppy and it takes the machine 4 times as long to scroll down each line. Once out of the menu, it runs perfectly. What is going on? I've not had an issue like this ever and this is my 12th cab! I've had lag during a game due to USB trackball issues and with slower computers, but this has got me a bit confused.......
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This is very close to what I am planning...did you happen to make plans that you can share?
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When I started this, I didn't think that I'd get requests for the plans, so they are kind of scratched down. I'll re-write them and try to scan them in as a photo....hopefully you will get the idea. Sometimes I measure in a way that makes sense only to me, so if I can explain more, please let me know!
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My guess is Vista is robbing all your resources. Drop back to XP or even 98 and that thing would blaze.
Can you get into msconfig and see all thats running in the background and start shutting them off? I'm not sure how that goes in Vista....
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Sure, but how do you know what to shut off? Like I said before, I've run Vista with less RAM and had no issues....
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OK. Here are the plans I drew up. Sorry if the measurements don't make sense to some people...they made sense to me! I will surely follow up if anyone has any questions.....
Getting the curve of the upper part was a bit tricky. I used a pencil attached to a piece of string. You have to find an anchor point off in the distance a bit. As long as the curve starts and ends at the top and bottom, you win!
Note - If there is an asterisk by the number, I used the 1st measurement, the second number was the number from the actual cabinet.
** I can zoom in on these and read them fine....can everyone else? **
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:cheers: Looks great. It looks like it's very "comfortable" to play, the monitor layout is nice. Good job, this might have to be my next machine.
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Golfboy, This thing is awesome. Great job!
What kind of monitor are you using?
As for vista, turn off the vista theme. Use the windows classic theme, make sure the sidebar is off, and if all else fails, double check the startup folder.
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Nice work!
:applaud:
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The monitor is a Wells Gardner D-9400 Flat screen. I'm hooked on 'em!
Thanks for all the positive feedback guys.....
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not only do you have an amazing cabinet but a great dog as well :applaud:
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Thanks! Bailey is a Weimeraner. I highly recommend one.........Love her to death!!
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One sharp build, very commercial looking indeed. :cheers:
Gotta love that monitor.
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Thanks! Bailey is a Weimeraner. I highly reccomend one.........Love her to death!!
i've already got one weim in the house...don't know if i could keep up with two :P completely agree though, Diesel is more family than family-pet.
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Go to the start menu, type in MSCONFIG. Then go to the startup tab, and uncheck all the boxes with the crap you dont need. MAKE SURE WINDOWS DEFENDER IS DISABLED. That program is a huge memory hog. Turning off everything you dont need should help a ton. Make sure Aero and the sidebar is off also.
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I have come to the conclusion that Vista sucks. I am in the process of loading XP. I'll let you guys know what happens...... :angry:
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Awesome :applaud:
The next time I build an upright im going to look at this design for inspiration :applaud:
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I have performed an exorcism and removed the vile beast Vista from my computer. I am now running XP and all my problems have been solved! Pin Mame now runs like a champ as well...... :cheers:
I highly reccomend that future MAME'rs stay away from Vista unless the computer is a real powerhouse......
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I've had no problems with Vista since RC1.
If the hardware is brand specific, you're likely not going to do well with an O/S other than what it's designed for. If it's a build your own, stability tends to be find with whatever O/S.
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What's RC1?
You are correct about the hardware being brand specific. I had to chase down an XP audio and video driver to get it working correctly, but it was well worth the time.
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Great work golfboyusa!!
I like the way it looks. Very professional.
I have vista on a laptop, I like the way it looks, but I dont think it would do good on an arcade cab.
Its kinda like having a 600 HP diesel engine driving a crane with a vacuum cleaner belt coming off the shaft between them driving your emulators.
(Does this make any sense at all, or am I just ranting again??)
Plus ole Big Bro Bill keeps adding stuff to new Windows Versions that requires more juice..
Anyway, good work! I think it should be on the examples page of this site, if it isnt already.
:applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud:
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You selling this already???
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/ele/576314688.html (http://phoenix.craigslist.org/ele/576314688.html)
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I'm secretly hoping to hang onto this one for a few months.....usually when I get a call about the cabinet, they will want something different as far as graphics or wanting to add a spinner or some kind of different configuration, which turns into an opportunity to start a new project. But, if I happen to see it go, I like this one so much I'll do another just like it.
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Thanks for the comments DaOld Man, I would be pleased if the cabinet ended up on the examples page, but don't forget, I basically copied an existing design. I wish that I was a bit more creative like Knievel but I'll just try to continue to take great designs and make them a little better.
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**F.Y.I**Whenever I build a cabinet, I disconnect the momentary power switch on the front of the computer and wire it up to a regular Happ pushbutton mounted somewhere on the cabinet. The computer plugs into a Smartstrip Powerstrip and everything will turn on and off with the push of a button. The last Smartstrip I bought was not functioning correctly and needed constant adjustment to power off all of the switched outlets. I called Smartstrip and they said they had a run of bad strips get out with incorrect resistors and a replacement is on it's way to me. If anyone else has this problem, let them know and they will replace the unit.
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GolfBoy thank you for posting your notes. I asked you for those a while back and well I totally forgot to check this thread and I lost it in my favorites. Luckly search works. :cheers:
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Very nice cab :cheers:
love the look :) nice and clean :applaud: