Author Topic: New Project - PlunkBox Arcade (Single Player Vertical Bartop) (Read 8218 times)

splunkett · « **on:** June 20, 2009, 07:10:26 pm »

Hello fellow arcaders. After years of intending to, but never quite getting around to it, I have finally started my first cab. I have settled upon a bartop having failed to convince she who must be obeyed that a full size cabinet or a cocktail would make a great addition to the house. I like to portability aspect too so am happy enough with the whole deal.

I also wanted to do the thing 'all by myself' so am working without plans but with the benefit of seeing so many great projects announced on this forum over the years. Finally, I wanted to see what I could build using as much stuff that I had lying around and without buying any specialist hardware, based on the assumption that I would probably screw up my first attempt anyway.

So here is what I am using:

An old laptop that I have stripped down.
A dreamcast arcade stick that hasn't seen use for years.
A 17" 4:3 monitor that I almost threw out.
A cheopo USB joypad to hack up.
A bunch of buttons I could source from my local electronics shop.
Various other electrical bits and bobs to hang it all together.
A few sheets of MDF and 1"x1" timber.
A reasonably equipped workshop to do the damage in.

So hopefully from these humble beginnings a masterpiece will be born...

My arcade days were mainly on vertical shooters/platformers in the 1980s, so that is what I am hoping to recreate.

I will post the first set of photos tomorrow as I need to resize them (having just seen the size limit) but wanted to start this thread to force myself to get on with the build.

drventure · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2009, 08:07:47 pm »

Welcome aboard!

Sounds like a plan. I'm always keen to see the cool things that can be done with stuff that was otherwise going to end up in the landfill.

Post Pics!

splunkett · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2009, 06:25:36 pm »

Okay. Here are some photos of where I am at. Basically I have almost completed the woodwork apart from the rear door which I am still working on.

splunkett · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2009, 06:28:04 pm »

Some more shots:

splunkett · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:10:01 pm »

I have settled on theme/colours. The dreamcast buttons and joystick that I have ripped are bright green so will paint the side panels the same green and the centre will be black. This happens to match the classic Space Invaders colours (on screen) so am working on cp/marque to fit. CP plexi is now cut. Ventilation will be via holes in the base as shown in photos and the rear door (working on a space invaders drill out).

The holes in the rear cab photos are:

Top - USB port (left) in case I need to connect anything for maintenance and (right) cab audio volume dial.

Bottom - PC kettle type power connector socket and illuminated green cab power switch.

The treaded bolts visible at the back are the monitor mounts.

Internals will be fairly conventional:

Stripped laptop running MAME
17" LCD vertically mounted monitor
Powered speakers with mods to allow rear volume control knob
8w florescent tube for marque
Powered USB hub
CP controls made up of dreamcast arcade stick (including USB converter) and hacked gamepad

For some extra bling I am thinking of including a green light source inside the cab that will project a space invaders image onto a rear wall via the space invaders character I drill into the rear door for ventilation but not sure if this will actually work out (will be cool if it does though).

Hope to post an update in a week or so.

jeef · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2009, 04:53:07 pm »

wow you work quick! nice work, looking very tidy

Franco B · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:01:29 pm »

Very nice, love the curves

splunkett · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:38:18 pm »

Quote from: jeef on June 22, 2009, 04:53:07 pm

wow you work quick! nice work, looking very tidy

I would love to pretend that I did it all in a day but I have been working on it for a few weeks

splunkett · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:40:12 pm »

Quote from: Franco B on June 22, 2009, 05:01:29 pm

Very nice, love the curves

Thanks, you can't beat nice curves

Franco B · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2009, 08:31:35 pm »

Hell yea, it's all about the side profile

splunkett · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2009, 06:39:08 pm »

I have made some progress this week. The cab is painted (not fine finished yet) and I have fitted the rear control panels with powered audio, external volume knob, external usb port and cab power switch/socket. Photos below:

splunkett · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2009, 06:44:21 pm »

Here are some more shots of the cab. Its starting to get busy inside now. I have drilled the vent holes in the rear door and this is lit by an internal led light source (will be green when finished):

johnmartin · « **Reply #12 on:** June 28, 2009, 06:46:14 pm »

Looking good. Keep pluggin away at it. And you do work quickly. Nice job so far.

John

splunkett · « **Reply #13 on:** June 28, 2009, 06:49:01 pm »

Target for this week is to complete the CP. I have finished the artwork, cut the plexi so now its on to the wiring. Here are the bits that are going into the CP - stripped Sega Dreamcast controller parts, usb converter, hacked cheapo PC joypad and some illuminated buttons for control etc:

Hopefully in a few weeks I can start racking up some crap scores on the high score thread on the Main forum!

splunkett · « **Reply #14 on:** June 28, 2009, 06:52:56 pm »

Quote from: johnmartin on June 28, 2009, 06:46:14 pm

Looking good. Keep pluggin away at it. And you do work quickly. Nice job so far.

John

Thanks, I am pushing the limits on spending time on this "damn arcade machine" (in my wifes words!) but now just want to get it done and play on it.

Steve

spOOf · « **Reply #15 on:** June 28, 2009, 09:20:44 pm »

Very impressive work. I wish I could work as fast as you are (I'd even be happy with your progress over a few weeks). Keep it up!

drventure · « **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:33:00 am »

Hi

Excellent work on that cab. I like the clean lines.

Did you decase your speakers, and what type did you use?

I've got a pair of powered Altec lansing pc speakers that I'm considering, but the case appears to be glued together, so decasing them is likely to be a one way street, and I'm concerned about the resultant sound.

However, these have a separate ub, and the speaker boxes themselves don't appear to be ported, so it might not be a big deal.

Any thoughts?

splunkett · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2009, 02:35:25 pm »

Quote from: drventure on July 02, 2009, 10:33:00 am

Did you decase your speakers, and what type did you use?

I've got a pair of powered Altec lansing pc speakers that I'm considering, but the case appears to be glued together, so decasing them is likely to be a one way street, and I'm concerned about the resultant sound.

However, these have a separate ub, and the speaker boxes themselves don't appear to be ported, so it might not be a big deal.

Any thoughts?

Yes I decased a set of (cheap) PC speakers (these ones - http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=35128). Space is tight in the cab so I needed to get the size down to a minimum. Like yours they were glued so there was no going back once I started opening them up. I had thought of building something from scratch with components but it would have been a lot more trouble so I hacked these apart. Only real work was to resolder new cables to the drive units, fit the electronics into a plastic casing and mount these along with the transformer behind the upper panel at the rear of the cab in such a way that I could extend the volume control to an external volume knob.

Sound is good, not something I would use as a music centre but more than adequate for the purpose and it has that sort of classic arcade sound.

drventure · « **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2009, 03:26:50 pm »

Cool

Thanks for the reply.

I think I'm just going to go for it with these. They were fairly cheap so it won't be a huge loss in any case

splunkett · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2009, 06:24:15 pm »

A few more updates on my new build. The best part is that it is now fully functional, so I have been busy playing some of my old favourites. The CP is installed but I am still working through some ideas on artwork, so what's there now is in draft form and looks a bit rough .

Admin buttons will be LED lit once I finish wiring them up from a hacked USB powered cable and a few resistors. Marque is not in place yet either put am close to completing that. Finally the paintwork is ready for the last finish.

Playing around with Mala today (what a great front end) so will complete in a few days.

Anyway, here is how it looks now:

Ond · « **Reply #20 on:** July 04, 2009, 06:41:09 pm »

Very nice especially the unified colour theme, it works really well

splunkett · « **Reply #21 on:** July 04, 2009, 07:16:10 pm »

Thanks! I started off with the green buttons so everything else had to fit around that.

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #22 on:** July 13, 2009, 10:19:16 am »

Quote from: splunkett on June 28, 2009, 06:52:56 pm

Quote from: johnmartin on June 28, 2009, 06:46:14 pm
Looking good. Keep pluggin away at it. And you do work quickly. Nice job so far.

John

Thanks, I am pushing the limits on spending time on this "damn arcade machine" (in my wifes words!) but now just want to get it done and play on it.

Steve

I get the same thing. I wonder if our wifes are on another thread bitching about their husbands working on arcade machines or what not.

Great job on your bartop.

splunkett · « **Reply #23 on:** July 14, 2009, 01:37:17 pm »

Quote from: extendedplayarcade on July 13, 2009, 10:19:16 am

I get the same thing. I wonder if our wifes are on another thread bitching about their husbands working on arcade machines or what not.

Great job on your bartop.

Ha!! I bet they are - arcadewidows.com or something...

splunkett · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2009, 10:05:44 am »

Finished! Well almost. I still have to do some work on the paint with a cutting compound to get it nice and smooth but otherwise its done. And most importantly it plays great. I only made one change to my rule of only using materials and parts that I had lying around or could source locally (not a lot here in Ireland) - I was not happy with the performance of the stick (which came from an old Dreamcast Arcade Controller) so I bought an UltraStik 360 and love it.

Thanks again to everyone who posts on this awesome site, it gives the rest of us the encouragement to have a go and try to recreate those old arcade days at home.

So here are probably the final shots of this thing while I get busy playing on it:

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #25 on:** July 25, 2009, 07:12:50 pm »

Nice machine and nice stove.

Good choice of game too. Dk is my fav. of all time

I just wish i was good at it. I been on a punch out kick lately. I sure wish I liked building more than I liked playing but i just don't

I will never get my cab and barcade projects ever done. Doesn't help either with two small children and trying to sell a house in the worst market ever.

Thanks for posting.

splunkett · « **Reply #26 on:** July 26, 2009, 05:46:17 am »

Quote from: extendedplayarcade on July 25, 2009, 07:12:50 pm

Nice machine and nice stove.

Good choice of game too. Dk is my fav. of all time

I just wish i was good at it. I been on a punch out kick lately. I sure wish I liked building more than I liked playing but i just don't

I will never get my cab and barcade projects ever done. Doesn't help either with two small children and trying to sell a house in the worst market ever.

Thanks for posting.

Yeah DK is an all time favourite of mine too. My local arcade had a cocktail version when I was a kid and I spent a lot of time on it (I thought I was reasonably good at it too until I saw King of Kong recently

). I have to agree with you on the building vs playing - while I really enjoyed building this thing, towards the end I just wanted it done so I could play it and I could have definitely spent a lot more time on the building if I wanted a more perfect finish.

Keep on going with the projects, you'll get there. One of the things that pushed me along was that my kids got all excited about it and kept asking when will it be ready "is it ready yet? is it ready yet? is it ready yet?...." and now I struggle to get them off it so I can play! Good luck with the house sale too but with this market you have no excuse not to finish the cabs before that goes through

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #27 on:** July 26, 2009, 09:45:15 am »

Yeah that is awesome that your kids love playing classic video games.

My two daughters are only 2 and 8 months so they haven't developed the taste for classic gaming yet. My 2 year old loves my pinball machine but she will soon enough be introduced to all the all time classics.

I am picking up the new wii sports resort today so that will distract me even more.

splunkett · « **Reply #28 on:** July 26, 2009, 11:40:30 am »

Damn, I forgot wii sports resort came out today. I really want to see what the motion plus is like so will be getting one for sure. My youngest daughter is three and is now playing the classic games - she obviously doesn't really get all of the game play but thinks she is great and its really funny to watch.

A pinball machine at home must be great, I doubt I could sneak one in.

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #29 on:** July 26, 2009, 10:18:17 pm »

Quote from: splunkett on July 26, 2009, 11:40:30 am

Damn, I forgot wii sports resort came out today. I really want to see what the motion plus is like so will be getting one for sure. My youngest daughter is three and is now playing the classic games - she obviously doesn't really get all of the game play but thinks she is great and its really funny to watch.

A pinball machine at home must be great, I doubt I could sneak one in.

Yeah pinball is great. Those virtual pinball tables look great too but i haven't played any yet. I had a total of 12 differents pins before i got married. I actually sold 4 pins to buy my wife's engagement ring. I made some great money on it and now see my pinball fun on her finger. It was all worth it because she said she hopes someday I can replace them but I am in no rush. One pin is good for now and friends and family that come over miss the ones i had but they still have a good time playing all the other games.

Oh yeah wii sports resort is lots of fun. ping pong might be the best game so far. The bowling is a disappointment but I am still in the testing stage. I hope i figure it out soon. I actually have to go real bowling tomorrow in league play. We are in 2nd place and first place is a cool 750 bucks a person. I hope I can pull it off.

splunkett · « **Reply #30 on:** July 27, 2009, 07:02:27 pm »

Twelve pinball machines

You must have had a big place or else you slept on them! I hope that ring is good.

Best of luck with the game.

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #31 on:** July 28, 2009, 02:55:31 pm »

Quote from: splunkett on July 27, 2009, 07:02:27 pm

Twelve pinball machines You must have had a big place or else you slept on them! I hope that ring is good.

Best of luck with the game.

I converted my extended two car garage to a game room.

It is a mess now but all that stuff that is in there now wasn't Back in the day each wall was filled with pinball machines and made an L shape.

I have some more photos here

http://www.extendedplayarcade.com/gameroom/

I just finished fixing up my golden tee 99 so it is an old photo.

splunkett · « **Reply #32 on:** July 28, 2009, 03:54:09 pm »

Great room

I converted my garage in to my office

jmike · « **Reply #33 on:** July 28, 2009, 07:58:01 pm »

Quote from: extendedplayarcade on July 28, 2009, 02:55:31 pm

Quote from: splunkett on July 27, 2009, 07:02:27 pm
Twelve pinball machines You must have had a big place or else you slept on them! I hope that ring is good.

Best of luck with the game.

I converted my extended two car garage to a game room.

It is a mess now but all that stuff that is in there now wasn't Back in the day each wall was filled with pinball machines and made an L shape.

I have some more photos here

http://www.extendedplayarcade.com/gameroom/

I just finished fixing up my golden tee 99 so it is an old photo.

that is an awesome looking garage

Cool bartop too!

extendedplayarcade · « **Reply #34 on:** July 29, 2009, 01:27:58 pm »

Quote from: jmike on July 28, 2009, 07:58:01 pm

Quote from: extendedplayarcade on July 28, 2009, 02:55:31 pm
Quote from: splunkett on July 27, 2009, 07:02:27 pm
Twelve pinball machines You must have had a big place or else you slept on them! I hope that ring is good.

Best of luck with the game.

I converted my extended two car garage to a game room.

It is a mess now but all that stuff that is in there now wasn't Back in the day each wall was filled with pinball machines and made an L shape.

I have some more photos here

http://www.extendedplayarcade.com/gameroom/

I just finished fixing up my golden tee 99 so it is an old photo.

that is an awesome looking garage Cool bartop too!

Thanks my house is for sale if you like it?


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