My completely homemade arcade machine

[arximidis]

That wasn't really intended to be an insult. I have honestly never seen someone design their own hardware and software from scratch with a first project. You might be the first person to have ever done that.

I wasn't insulted. After all you didn't say anything to insult me (Generally I am not insulted easily )
I only said, I don't understand and I disangree with this kind of thinking

It is not my first project... I work with electronics all the time... However, It was the first time I build something out of wood

Moreover, I have something than most of you guys don't. I am not much of a gamer, so I didn't mind to wait more, to complete the cab. Most of you, are gamers and you want to start playing with your cab as soon as possible.
Me, in the other hand, is very possible to give the cab away, when I complete it (complete  = to the degree I will be satisfied by the result)

A lot of this forum is dedicated to reinventing the wheel because it is not yet perfectly round. Thanks for giving us more options to fashion our own wheels.

Take a chill pill, you done good man! 

My wheel is not perfectly round eather. Maybe it's even worse than others.
This thread it's not about reinventions or whatever. It's just an implementation.
The cool thing is that I will publish everything... I do have problem in designing the plans for the cab, but I'll try to create same sketches

A great job!
 

Thanks

[arximidis]

[arximidis]

The time for the schematics has arrived

As you may know, I started building the cab without having any design plans. That is way I didn't upload anything
After completing the cab, I thought it will be difficult to draw them. So all this time I was avoiding it. Thanks to google sketchup program, I manage to draw them very quickly. And it is the first time I use the program

I have already complete the designing. Only the internal parts, the holes and the doors are remaining
I will use different files so to directly load them to the program (in order to help you out).
Each file will have extra information

In the followning pictures you can see my work so far. These are the actual dimesions, even in thickness. The boards are the ones I actually used. The mdf sides are in correct shape with a very small error, less than 3mm (mostly on the curves). The possition of the boards are absolute, except in some cases where I have a less than 3mm error

The design palns are pretty close to the actual cab. I wish I had them when I started the project
This google sketchUP program is fantastic. Extremelly easy to go from 2D to 3D.

[arximidis]

Desing plans. The internal

There are few things to draw left and it will be ready     (ready to upload  )

[arximidis]

Two things are missing now. The holes of the controls and something to the coin acceptor. The latter is more difficult not because is hard to draw, but because I must unscrew the coin accepton from the machine to take the mesurements (this drawings are exact replica of my cab)



The backet



The pathway

[arximidis]

Design plans

I have uploaded the basic schematics of the cab in google's sketchup (version
Later I will upload pictures showing the dimensions (like blueprints)

http://users.ntua.gr/dpiperid/MyWebPage/Contructions/others/mame/schematics/designcabEN.htm

[Damian]

What became of your gun controller? Are you still pursuing your mysterious (and intriguing) new design?

Nice work on all of this stuff. I think it's cool that you made your own hardware interface.

Damian

[arximidis]

What became of your gun controller? Are you still pursuing your mysterious (and intriguing) new design?

Nice work on all of this stuff. I think it's cool that you made your own hardware interface.

Damian

Thanks Damian

Well, the problem was that I left some things behind, so I have set my priorities on the to-do list
I am thinking first to upload all the design plans for the cab
Then to complete and upload the schematics for the interface (upload also the necessary firmware and step by step instructions). I already have the first update for the interface, as an extension (=controlling the machine with your android phone. Play pacman by simply giving a slope to your phone, right, left, forwards and backwards --> my English sucks . I don't now how to write it better. This is also one of the reasons I am uploading to English forums. To improve them. So feel free to correct me )


When I complete all that, then I will work on the gun controller

About the gun controller:
I already bought the necessary hardware (meaning that I will build it eventually). My design is based on ultrasound and a gyro (and accelerometer) and infrared (I need the speed of light for sync reasons).
I am measuring the distance with ultrasound sensors (made some tests already) and the angles with the gyro (accelerometer). Well it's not so easy and I don't know if it will work better than other solutions, but it's a challenge for me. After all I am not much of a gamer and I don't think I will ever play with the cab. I prefer building stuff
One cool thing looks like to be, it will not need recalibration

[arximidis]

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[arximidis]

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[arximidis]

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[arximidis]

All connections diagram

[arximidis]

Hello again and a happy new year to all

Meanwhile regarding this project I am very unlucky
As you may know I have created my custom controller/interface for a while and 2 or more months ago, I finally put the final "touches" to the code.
Just before the first test, my computer died and I had to replace it. Thank God, I had another one lying around. I also found a better way to attach it in the machine. So, no harm no foul.
I connected the controller/interface and the wires for the buttons and joystics (as you see in the pictures).
And just when I was ready for the first (complete) test, my television died!!!
Now, It's really hard to fix, because it's imposible to move the machine to my lab. On the other hand, my workload has increased (and it will increase more) and is difficult to find time for the machine or the other projects I am working on...
The thing is that these problems are holding me back and I really want to start my (light) - gun project...   
And I have a couple of other projects to start (nothing to do with the machine) 

[arximidis]

TEST DRIVE

This is probably the last post on this thread.
Any update I'll post it in a new thread



You don't see it in the video, but I have also tested the "shock " sensors. They are working just fine!!!