Author Topic: My First MAME Cab Build! (Read 19801 times)

EMDB · « **Reply #80 on:** January 20, 2015, 02:31:47 am »

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 19, 2015, 11:42:25 pm

No pics yet, but I have the frame standing and the TV mounted on it. Tomorrow, I shall build the control panel and its stand on the frame, then I can add the sides and get the marquee setup.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #81 on:** January 20, 2015, 02:15:54 pm »

Well, i kind of want to get it to a more finalized state before showing it. Pics will come, but not just yet!

Generic Eric · « **Reply #82 on:** January 20, 2015, 02:28:33 pm »

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 20, 2015, 02:15:54 pm

Well, i kind of want to get it to a more finalized state before showing it. Pics will come, but not just yet!

The more pics the better. Consider dry fitting the pieces together and taking a pic. Or enough for some stop motion animation goodness.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #83 on:** January 21, 2015, 12:40:00 pm »

Quick question. What does everyone here use to power the LED buttons? I was thinking of just getting another 15A switching power supply and using that.

AzureKnight · « **Reply #84 on:** January 23, 2015, 01:58:12 pm »

If you just plan on having them steady on, you can usually find a molex connector coming off of your PC power supply and use that.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #85 on:** January 23, 2015, 04:01:49 pm »

Yup, I just want them lit all the time. I will have to look into that, and hopefully my PC has a empty one coming off the power supply. Thanks!

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #86 on:** January 24, 2015, 10:43:10 pm »

So I got some work done today with some help from my cousin who was visiting, and I think it is coming along nicely!

So far, it is just structure, but it is sound. Here take a look, and let me know what you guys think:

I still need to work on the control panel and mount it to the box, attach the Marquee support, as well as put on the MDF casing.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #87 on:** January 28, 2015, 12:29:41 pm »

Hundreds of views, but no comments. I must really be doing something different or extremely wrong. lol!

EMDB · « **Reply #88 on:** January 28, 2015, 12:52:15 pm »

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 28, 2015, 12:29:41 pm

Hundreds of views, but no comments. I must really be doing something different or extremely wrong. lol!

Okay:
Your CP seems too low but it is hard to see on your pictures.
Most CPs are angled a bit. Yours is not.
The TV seems a bit (too) low too. Put a keyboard on top of the CP or even better inside to get the same height as the top of the CP, connect a PC to the monitor and play some MAME to get a feeling of the heights / angles.

yotsuya · « **Reply #89 on:** January 28, 2015, 02:16:30 pm »

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 28, 2015, 12:29:41 pm

Hundreds of views, but no comments. I must really be doing something different or extremely wrong. lol!

This is the cab where the girlfriend dictated the amount of buttons, right? Did you ask her?

Joke! Joke! I agree with EMDB's comments.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #90 on:** January 28, 2015, 03:06:04 pm »

Quote from: yotsuya on January 28, 2015, 02:16:30 pm

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 28, 2015, 12:29:41 pm
Hundreds of views, but no comments. I must really be doing something different or extremely wrong. lol!

This is the cab where the girlfriend dictated the amount of buttons, right? Did you ask her?

Joke! Joke! I agree with EMDB's comments.

She rather likes it, also she has been upgraded to wife status now.

Quote from: EMDB on January 28, 2015, 12:52:15 pm

Quote from: Cobolisdead on January 28, 2015, 12:29:41 pm
Hundreds of views, but no comments. I must really be doing something different or extremely wrong. lol!
Okay:
Your CP seems too low but it is hard to see on your pictures.
Most CPs are angled a bit. Yours is not.
The TV seems a bit (too) low too. Put a keyboard on top of the CP or even better inside to get the same height as the top of the CP, connect a PC to the monitor and play some MAME to get a feeling of the heights / angles.

Yeah, it's not angled, but I didn't trust myself to make that kind of cut correctly, so I made the box flat. I figured that I could always go back and build a new box f I need to later on if that becomes a problem. As for the control panel height, it is the same height that the TMNT/Simpsons/Xmen 4 player control panels were at, and I will be adding casters to the bottom so that will raise it up a couple inches even higher. Its not really at a bad height at the moment. I will try out the PC in the mount like you suggested, and see how well the height works. I could use some more arcade construction time after the week that I have had.

a1pharm · « **Reply #91 on:** January 28, 2015, 03:23:06 pm »

Here's some advice you probably don't want:

0. Buy a router, and at least a flush trim bit. NEVER use a jigsaw for cuts you want to be straight.
1. Design and cut your side panels FIRST. STOP what you are doing now, start over, and do the panels FIRST
2. AFTER you have the panels cut, cut the rest of the panels. Use a router or a circular saw (or table saw) and use a guide/rail.
3. Attach your batons to your side panels, affix the remaining panels, paint
4. Mount your TV
5. Mount all other peripherals
6. Make your CP last. LAST. DO IT LAST. Don't do it first. When do you do it? LAST.
7. Attach the CP, put the final touches on construction.

There are plenty of great and not so great builds on this site. Ask yourself if you want something great in your house. If you do: take others' good advice and follow other good builds. If you don't: just wing it.

Cheers!

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #92 on:** January 28, 2015, 05:00:25 pm »

I have a router, as I have used it on the control panel attempts as well as rounding the edges on this CP. I will make sure to get a trim bot though.

The front and side panels are already designed, I just have to cut them out of the 3/4" MDF. I needed to have the frame in place before I could use them though. I might make a design change to the front to put in a decorative coin door, but I haven't decided yet.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #93 on:** February 02, 2015, 07:07:37 pm »

Quote from: EMDB on January 28, 2015, 12:52:15 pm

Put a keyboard on top of the CP or even better inside to get the same height as the top of the CP, connect a PC to the monitor and play some MAME to get a feeling of the heights / angles.

I tried this tonight, and it worked ok, but I think that I still want to go back and angle the control panel box a little bit.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #94 on:** February 04, 2015, 10:42:25 pm »

Well, no pics yet, but I have added some slant to it, and it really helps. Thanks for the suggestion guys!

I have also trimmed up the front edge a bit to even it out where I cut it poorly. I have drilled out the holes for the controls as well as routed out the first joystick. I remembered to flip it over this time too!

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #95 on:** February 07, 2015, 07:29:37 pm »

Well, I have the rest of the control panel trimmed up and routed. I am about to wire it up and see how it works!

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #96 on:** February 08, 2015, 02:33:25 pm »

So I have the first player hooked up and the ground ran for it. I tried to test it out, but MAME didn't recognize it even being there. The IPAC is giving me a green light, but is there something that I have to do on the PC side to recognize it as a keyboard?

yamatetsu · « **Reply #97 on:** February 08, 2015, 06:18:23 pm »

Just a wild guess : Did you enable joystick and multiple keyboards in the mame.ini ?

joystick 1
multikeyboard 1

That might help (i hope).

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #98 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:53:34 am »

I checked that, and it was already set that way. I can get it to work every now and then, but I am having a few issues still with the controls. I suspect that the ground wire isn't connected properly on a few of them. Something for me to check on tonight.

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #99 on:** June 05, 2015, 11:33:28 am »

So, I want to get back on this and get it finished this summer before my daughter is born this fall.

I want to start by replacing the joysticks. Anyone have any recommendations for better ones? I just don't like the feel and movement of these.

Malenko · « **Reply #100 on:** June 05, 2015, 11:40:20 am »

Quote from: Cobolisdead on June 05, 2015, 11:33:28 am

I want to start by replacing the joysticks. Anyone have any recommendations for better ones? I just don't like the feel and movement of these.

Looks like you have chinese knock off comps, maybe get real comps?

Cobolisdead · « **Reply #101 on:** June 05, 2015, 12:28:33 pm »

Any recommendations on where to get them?

Malenko · « **Reply #102 on:** June 05, 2015, 02:52:04 pm »

I buy everything through Tornado ( Terry tershan@1scom.net ) Tell him Malenko sentcha


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