bArcade - updated panel build

[tony.silveira]

had a couple fo days off and decided to start my new panel.  size and even the controls layout are exactly the same as my current panel but there a few things i am adding.  i already have the top panel cut/drilled/routed and will post pictures tomorrow.  i decided on 5/8 mdf with a 1/8 mdf topper to hide the surface mounts.

here are some of the additions i am making:

1.  front lip of panel (edge by the monitor) will be keyed for add ons (DONE).  current add on: star wars yoke (DONE).  future add on: motorcycle handlebar (TBD)

2.  just below that, is a flush mounted vga connector (DONE) wired to two sidewinder hacks under the panel (TO DO).  each add on will hot plug into this.

3.  each of the 4 omnistick 2's will be surrounded by 8 flat top surface mounted LED's which will light up based on the game (2 way / 4 way / 8 way)

4.  each stick will auto rotate to either 4/8 way

5.  each stick will have the magnetic trigger stick hack (2 player vindicators 2!)

6.  flip over player 1 and 2, 12 key keypad for consoles that had them (atari 5200/jag, intellivision, coecovision, etc.) - my first proof of concept is DONE, it's there, it flips over, just need to do the finishing work around it to make it as invisible as possible but that will be towards the end of the build

7.  spinner that manual pulls out from the front of my current panel (turns into a steering wheel) will be automated (hopefully).  if this ends up how i'm picturing it, then i will add a second spiner/wheel for player 2

pics will be uploaded starting tomorrow to whenever i finish this.  realy not looking forward to all the wires

[tony.silveira]

here are the first pics to my new panel.

this first pick is of the whole panel, holes drilled, routing done, one joystick installed.  just to the left of that joystick you can see the flip over keypad which is flipped down in this pic.  to the right of the stick, you can see the small routed hole to accommodate the vga connector.  above the vga connector you can see a small sliver on the edge has been trimmed, this is the spot my attachments will key into



second and third pics are close ups of the keypad flip over.  the pivot points are hollow tubes that the wiring will feed thru





and here is the panel with the 1/8 mdf sheet sitting on top.  the vga connector barely sticks out a little but i'll be routing just a bit more so that if you wipe your hand over it, you won't feel that small lip



here are a couple of close ups of the vga connector, bottom board then the finishing board on top





that's it for now

[DaveMMR]

Well now I'm curious to see how this goes.  I dig that flip-around keypad. You may be the first person I've seen to take Intellivision/Colecovision emulation into consideration (screw the 5200 and Jaguar.  )  One question: will the buttons be uncomfortable to use in relation to the joystick since they're at largely different heights?

[tony.silveira]

Well now I'm curious to see how this goes.  I dig that flip-around keypad. You may be the first person I've seen to take Intellivision/Colecovision emulation into consideration (screw the 5200 and Jaguar.  )  One question: will the buttons be uncomfortable to use in relation to the joystick since they're at largely different heights?

hey now, montezuma's revenge on the 5200 is great! 

i'm assuming you mean player 2 joystick button difference?  i've never noticed anyone play and complain.  the difference in height in the pic does look striking but in actual use, it really isn't that big of a deal and have never had a complaint

[tony.silveira]

here are some updates:

this pic shows the well for the keypad.  along the top you can see a small recess.  that is the stopper for the keypad



these next two shots show the keypad in place with the 1/8 mdf cover.  i tried to get those lines as straight as i could.  i think once i put my artwork on, those lines should hide pretty well





and here is one showing the keypad flipped over.  you can see the 1/8 mdf lip along the top of the keypad.  when flipped down, this lip stops the keypad from rotating a full 360 degrees.  when it's open, this lip also stops the keypad from spinning 360 the other way and it stops the keypad at a nice angle for the user



and here are the 8 holes drilled out around a joystick and you can see one led mounted in the NE position.  the circle drawn around the shaft is the dust washer resting position (inner circle) and the extended position if the stick is pushed (outer circle)



that's it for now

[EightBySix]

Interesting concepts! How do you plan to secure the keypads during use?

[tony.silveira]

and here is the first keypad mechanically functional (still need to do the wiring but that will be towards the end of the project).

first pic, side of the keypad with two magnets in place, one for open, one for close.  around the pivot point pipe, are some plastic washers stacked, glued and cut down.  these are on both sides and keep the keypad centered in it's well.



this next pic shows the inside of the well.  the square hole is for the pivot point.  the magnet is hot glued in.



i've never posted a youtube video but i hope this works.  the video shows the keypad being flipped over and how it snaps into place with the magnets.  note that the 1/8 inch mdf cover is NOT in place on either the panel itself or the back of the keypad.  that is exacting finishing work so i will wait to do the full mount of the top board



thats it for now

[tony.silveira]

was on hold for a bit, back onto this project this week.  hoping to get some of the wiring done this week, flip over keypads and LED's around the sticks.

I have decided on my panel artwork and will be working with vlad over at gameongrafx, seems like a very nice guy!  I'm not going to blow the lid just yet on what the theme is but i do have an interesting idea on how to backlight text that is printed in the artwork.  fingers crossed!

[tony.silveira]

here is the keypad all wired up with the 1/8 mdf board on top to finish it off.  my artwork base will be all black so it should hide the lines around the keypads very well.

fyi, any other wiring and installing has to wait until i get the artwork installed so panel is on hold again until next week when artwork gets started.

this pic shows the back, where the keypad will sit.  it's grooved out up top for the pins on teh keypad.  the hole in the center is where the wiring feeds thru



here is the wiring done on the back of the keypad



here is the wiring being fed thru said hole and coming out one of the pivot points



keypad installed, wiring coming out of one side



this shows the tubing around the pivot points for easy rotation.  these outside collars will be hot glued into place



here are the grooves in the panel for the pivot points and the hole for the wiring



and the hole kit sitting in place



and here is avideo showing the flip.  this has the mdf facing so you can see its all smooth



thats it for now

[Le Chuck]

That's a groovy little mod.  I kinda makes me think that a cool feature would be controler layouts for each game diplayed on an auto rotating CP panel with a small monitor embedded.  Look forward to seeing this continue to come together.

[EMDB]

Great mod!

[Malenko]

Great mod!

Great Necro Bump!