My 2 Player Bartop Cab!

[barnes]

Just wanted to share my progress on my Bartop.








My blog page. Lots of detail on the process of building it.

My flickr account.

[leapinlew]

Hey bud - congrats on your first build. I just read your blog and your being much too hard on yourself. I wasn't happy with my first cabinet either, and I think you'll find many folks around here who build a 2nd/3rd (etc.) cabinet so they can keep improving their design.

How she play?

[barnes]

Gameplay is great right now. 2 player is cramped, but alright. Having issues with Maximus Arcade right now I'm trying to fix. Crashed out of MAME alot and won't go back to the menu when I exit a game.

[leapinlew]

Cool - keep tweaking it.

Was there a reason you didn't use the laptops monitor? Whats the dimensions?

[barnes]

2 reasons: The LCD dosn't do justice to retro games, and I would have to rip it out and move it to the front of the cabinet, which I hate doing. Those little fiber wires in electronics scare me. They are too difficult to work with.

[Kaytrim]

There is an added benefit of using a CRT in your setup.  The weight, it allows players to yank on the sticks and not move the cab around.   That is one colorful wireing job.  Where did you get the wire from?

TTFN
Kaytrim

[barnes]

There is an added benefit of using a CRT in your setup.  The weight, it allows players to yank on the sticks and not move the cab around.   That is one colorful wireing job.  Where did you get the wire from?

TTFN
Kaytrim

Ultimarc sells a "Wiring Kit" that comes with about 50 crimps perfect for the pins, enough diffrent colored wire for each switch, a crimping tool, and zip ties. Pretty handy. Ran me like 15 bucks, and I was already buying the 70 buck I-PAC so why not.  (Though I wish I just used the keyboard hack method.

[leapinlew]

Though I wish I just used the keyboard hack method.

Trust us, you did the right thing - you wouldn't like a keyboard hack in a game of street fighter.

[barnes]

Though I wish I just used the keyboard hack method.

Trust us, you did the right thing - you wouldn't like a keyboard hack in a game of street fighter.

Oh, on that topic...any ideas why MAME seems to run slowly? Its a Dell Inspirion 8000...its old, probably a Pentium 3, 256 RAM, not sure about it. My sister didn't take care of it and trashed it physically so now its going in the cabinet.

[leapinlew]

Though I wish I just used the keyboard hack method.

Trust us, you did the right thing - you wouldn't like a keyboard hack in a game of street fighter.

Oh, on that topic...any ideas why MAME seems to run slowly? Its a Dell Inspirion 8000...its old, probably a Pentium 3, 256 RAM, not sure about it. My sister didn't take care of it and trashed it physically so now its going in the cabinet.

Format it and run an older version of mame.

[barnes]

Its freshly formatted, but I'll look for an older version of MAME. Thanks.

[Kaytrim]

MAME is a memory hog.  Look into bumping the ram up to 512 if you can.  You can find previous versions of MAME at the MAME Dev's site  I would suggest v.096 or there abouts.  Then learn to use clrmamepro, this program will convert the roms you currently have to the version you need.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[barnes]

Thanks. I'll look into that.

I'm moving into thinking about the art. I'm thinking simple. A few coats of a base, paint stripes over it(diagonal stripes), and a nice little stencil over top. Probably a nifty little vector style.

Another very important topic: the bevel. I'm not sure what to do. Just a sheet a plexiglass? Buy a bevel? What are your suggestions? I'm not to sure of my monitor size. How do I measure it?

Oh, by the way, I've ran into a time limit. I want to have something to put on the bar for my brothers graduation party, which is on June 9th. So, I know I will have my missing button, and have it closed up, I just need to start rushing on painting and the bevel...so, HELP!

Oh, and another question: Happ has a "BUTTON: COIN RETURN BLACK FOR TOUCHMASTER" in clearence for somelike .87 cents. Can I use that as a coin button? Theres not picture of page for it. I might just order them incase.

Thanks again.

[Kaytrim]

  I am under a similar deadline with Dad's Bartop.  My biggest concern is the artwork not the bezel.  To determine the size of your monitor take a measurement across the diagonal.  Looking at your pics you either have a 17" or 19" CRT there.

The most basic bezel will be a piece of matting like what is used for pictures.  Cut out the hole the same size and shape as the inside of the monitor where the plastic angels into meet the screen.  Mask off the screen and spray paint the monitor the same color as the matting.  Then you can cover the whole thing with plexi if you desire.  I don't have the plastic monitor case in my setup due to size considerations, so my bezel will be more involved.

Take out the controls and other hardware and get the MDF primed.  It takes several coats to prime that stuff, normally 3.  Then you can continue with your paint scheme.  Painting is where your concern should be as far as time goes because you have to let the paint dry and lightly sand between coats.  I still have one more coat of primer before I put anything else in my cab and I am going to have to be careful now around the monitor.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[barnes]

I am under a similar deadline with Dad's Bartop.  My biggest concern is the artwork not the bezel.  To determine the size of your monitor take a measurement across the diagonal.  Looking at your pics you either have a 17" or 19" CRT there.

The most basic bezel will be a piece of matting like what is used for pictures.  Cut out the hole the same size and shape as the inside of the monitor where the plastic angels into meet the screen.  Mask off the screen and spray paint the monitor the same color as the matting.  Then you can cover the whole thing with plexi if you desire.  I don't have the plastic monitor case in my setup due to size considerations, so my bezel will be more involved.

Take out the controls and other hardware and get the MDF primed.  It takes several coats to prime that stuff, normally 3.  Then you can continue with your paint scheme.  Painting is where your concern should be as far as time goes because you have to let the paint dry and lightly sand between coats.  I still have one more coat of primer before I put anything else in my cab and I am going to have to be careful now around the monitor.

TTFN
Kaytrim

Wow, lost my reply.

Anyways...I think I understand what your saying. I'll have to think aobut it a bit more and start planning it out. Thanks!

[TOK]

Using a piece of clear plexi and painting the back with R/C car paint is a neat and inexpensive solution if you don't want to order art. You just mask off the monitor area and spray the rest. If you're in a crunch for time, you can do it in a couple hours instead of waiting to have something created and printed.

I have pics of the process I used for my Stargate Bartop thread. About 2 hours in that start to finish with 3 colors.

Tim

[barnes]

Using a piece of clear plexi and painting the back with R/C car paint is a neat and inexpensive solution if you don't want to order art. You just mask off the monitor area and spray the rest. If you're in a crunch for time, you can do it in a couple hours instead of waiting to have something created and printed.

I have pics of the process I used for my Stargate Bartop thread. About 2 hours in that start to finish with 3 colors.

Tim

Thank you! The Bezel is turning out to be a pain in the neck. This sounds like a simple solution.

[barnes]

Added an external switch today. I was afraid going into it, I hate messing with PC internals. I did find that the panel where the power switch was popped right up, waiting to be hacked.

I'm not sure how to mount the switch I used..it seems strange..not to mention a rectangle and the only tools I have is a circular saw and a jigsaw. It seems to small to cut with either. I'll think about it later. Find an easier to mount switch. Maybe an STSP that has a nice round section to mount with I can just drill out.

A few pictures.

[theCoder]

I'd ditch the keyswitch and go with a round momentary pushbutton or rocker switch.  The important thing is that you found the contact points and got the wires attached without killing anything.  Good job.

[barnes]

I'd ditch the keyswitch and go with a round momentary pushbutton or rocker switch.  The important thing is that you found the contact points and got the wires attached without killing anything.  Good job.

Thanks you.

Heres a few pictures. A case of switches that I have laying around, and my canidates for the power switch. I might add the one to the far right as my eject button. Just has that kinda feel to it. Maybe I'll put a little guard on it you have to flip up top gun style. 




(I'm buying a new camera. as soon as I'm done this project.)

On the topic of coin buttons. This looks like it will fit right under the CP. I'll have to double check demensions. But, is it possible to make the coin button simply be pressing the coin return button? That'd be nice, cause I'd have to charge. Just want to realistic look to it. 

[Kaytrim]

But, is it possible to make the coin button simply be pressing the coin return button?

Yes, just use a microswitch behind the coin return and wire it normally open to your encoder.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[barnes]

This guy looks like it dosn't have a coin return function. Any one have a good link for a coin return button I can rig into this bartop?

[Kaytrim]

If you want just a button look at Groovy Game Gear.  Randy has a lit button that just might fit your needs.

[barnes]

If you want just a button look at Groovy Game Gear.  Randy has a lit button that just might fit your needs.

I'm looking into that, I'm only 16, so I don't have a credit card, but I do have paypal. I might just borrow the parents credit card.

I started taking alot of pictures for thsi project and got fed up with my old junky camrea, and went out and bid on a new camera. I'm pretty happy about it, just hope I win it. Canon Powershot G5 for anyone who knows cameras. 

[barnes]

Following up!

Its been awhile since I first started this project, and it sits on the bar in the 'nearly finished' state for far to long. I need to clean up the software, get the bezel mounted, and paint the sucker, and stick it in the FINISHED BIN. I'd love to have it running all the time. I emailed myself what has to get done:


SOFTWARE

    * Get the escape button working. (For some reason it has stopped running.)
    * Get autostart up working. (Haven't attempted this yet, but I think I know how to do it, but if I  don't, Google does.)
    * Get N64 Games working. (That is, in Maximus Arcade. It just won't boot games from the menu...not sure how to configure it in Maximus, if anyone can help.)

HARWARE

    * Finish bezel. (...I hate bezels.)
    * Mount control panel and coin panel. (Easy enough...)
    * Strip and paint case! (Time to let the artist in me out.)

A few things I wanted to clear up so I don't hurt myself/destroy the cabinet...

*Whats the best way to cut plexiglass?
*Anyone know how to configure N64 for Maxmimus Arcade?

[leapinlew]

*Whats the best way to cut plexiglass?
*Anyone know how to configure N64 for Maxmimus Arcade?

Here is a thread we were just talking about this:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=74748.0
The best way I use to cut plexi is with a router.

No clue on the N64. I didn't know there was a really emulator yet (I'm not real big on N64 games)

[barnes]

Well, this projects just about scrapped. My brother and his friends in their drunkeness decided that the cabinet was taking up to much space on the bar and its now in shambles. The amount of time I'd put into repairing it is worthless, considering the ugly case, and glitchy software as it was.

I'm going to recycle the buttons into the Mortal Combat project, and find something to do with the ugly little case.

Its a shame it had to end like this, but onwards.

[IG-88]

What !!

What the hell kinda brother you got? Him and his buds need an @$$ kickin' for that!

Is the monitor broken? How bad is it? It wasn't at all that ugly. I think you were off to a great start.  And you put alot of work into it.

Sorry, but that just pisses me off! 

[fixedpigs]

What the hell kinda brother you got? Him and his buds need an @$$ kickin' for that!

indeed...that is way lame...

[Kaytrim]

That just sucks big time.  If the monitor is still working then you should still be in good shape for a new case.  Don't let this stop you.  Just think of the first one as experience in building.

TTFN
Kaytrim