A Vigolix build, my first cabinet.

[maxnew40]

I am starting to build my first cabinet, so I figured I would start with something small and the Vigolix was just the ticket. I am using a 60 in 1 board for this project.

I ended up using 3/4 inch MDF for the build just because that what was in stock at my local lumber place.

Going to pint it blue but not sure what I will do for graphics. I do have a vinyl cutting machine, so I can make some cool one color graphics real easy.

-Max

[Locke141]

Good pick for a first build. Love the Vigolix. Its so quick and easy. I did mine in two days.

It looks like your off to a good start.

[Malenko]

First post, in the proper section, and its a project thread?


We need more members like this.  Looks like a good start!

[maxnew40]

Thanks fort encouraging words guys!

I really have no woodworking experience so the vigolix was a perfect starter project (I could already built it better if I started over).

I have been taking a little slow and working on it when I have spare time. I have to get working on the control panel next. I plan to mock up my layout on a piece of cardboard first.

This one is getting one of those 60 in 1 jamma boards, and I will probably turn off all the games that don't use a 4 way stick.

I also have small collection of 80s Atari coin ops, but I have very little space left and probably can't fit another full size cabinet.

-Max

[maxnew40]

I made some more progress this weekend on the Vigolix build. I got the control panel drilled and routed out for the buttons and joystick and figured out how to re-purpose a piece of the original monitor mount. I should be ready for wood putty and paint in a few days now.

I went with a single joystick , three buttons, and a one and two player start button. I am just using a 60 in 1 Jamma for this build and will probably set the joystick to 4 way and disable any games that don't work well with that control setup.

I have made a few mistakes along the way and I will probably build another one eventually.

-Max

[JDFan]

I made some more progress this weekend on the Vigolix build. I got the control panel drilled and routed out for the buttons and joystick and figured out how to re-purpose a piece of the original monitor mount. I should be ready for wood putty and paint in a few days now.

I went with a single joystick , three buttons, and a one and two player start button. I am just using a 60 in 1 Jamma for this build and will probably set the joystick to 4 way and disable any games that don't work well with that control setup.

I have made a few mistakes along the way and I will probably build another one eventually.

-Max

Are there any games which are 4 way that use 3 buttons on the 60 in 1 board ?? (cant remember right now but IIRC there are only a couple 3 button games (Gunsmoke and and I believe t use the 8 way so you'll be disabling it - so no real need for that 3rd button !)

[Malenko]

Are there any games which are 4 way that use 3 buttons on the 60 in 1 board ?? (cant remember right now but IIRC there are only a couple 3 button games and I believe they use 8 way)

I think Gun Smoke is the only 3 button game. Original used an 8way, but the game is pretty playable on a 4 way

[maxnew40]

The third button is probably not needed. I can always use it for a credit switch or something.

It has been a fun project so far, and I will be building a new control panel for another machine I have.

-Max

[DeLuSioNal29]

Congrats on your first Vigolix build!   

For the 60 in 1 boards, you can set Gunsmoke to be a 2 button layout in the DIP settings.  So no need for three.  On mine though, I have three for two reasons.
A)  It makes it easier to configure games in settings.  3rd button is the back button.  Alternatively, you can get away with 2 and then have a 3rd button connected in the back somewhere to the JAMMA harness.
B)  In the future I may upgrade to either a small PC for Vertical shoot 'em ups (Shmups) or a JAMMA PCB and video converter.  I'd rather have 3 buttons for the shooters, just in case.  Plus it gives the cabinet that authentic Vewlix look with a curved button layout (it's have to do with only 2 buttons).

Looks good so far.  Good luck!

DeLuSioNaL29

[pbj]

I've got a cabinet running a 60 in 1 and made it 3 buttons just so I could run something else in it down the line. 

[maxnew40]

The project is humming along nicely despite my poor woodworking skills.

I hooked up the power supply to the harness and connected up the monitor and verified that the monitor and the 60 in 1 are working (the monitor was purchased used).

I started with the printer on the control panel.

Next up is wood putty and finish sanding on the main body of the machine.

I still have not decided on an artwork theme, but I chose blue for the over all color.

-Max

[maxnew40]

Control panel has primer and first coats of blue paint. The cab has the first coat of primer. I will take some pics tonight (probably can't post until Monday).

The control panel is not perfect, but I think I can hide some the defects on the edges with some graphics. I will have to build another Vigolix because I have learned a lot by making several mistakes along the way and I know my next build will be much better.

Still trying to come up with a theme. My wife wants to make a marquee that says MAD Arcade (MAD is an acronym for Max and Debbie). She has good graphic design skills so I am curious to see what she comes up with.

-Max

[DeLuSioNal29]

Pics.  Pics. Pics.  And Oh yeah, Pics.  Where are they?

D

[maxnew40]

OK, sorry I don't post much on the weekends.

We have been having a bit of heat wave up here in the Pacific Northwest so it has been real hot in my garage. I made a lot progress over the weekend. I got the cab painted and made up some vinyl decals, and wired it up for some testing.

My first impressions of the 60 in 1 board aren't that great. While movement of joystick seems pretty immediate I notice a delay with the fire button in some games. For example the Donkey Kong games seem pretty much unplayable because you can't jump or to be more accurate you can't jump within a half second of when you press the button. I have read about LCD displays being slow and I just put a used computer LCD monitor in this build, so I have no idea if it is considered a slow display.

Pac Man, Galaga, Burgertime and a bunch of others seemed to play good enough not to cause frustration. Xevious was a disaster, it just had both bombs and canons firing away with no user input.

I guess I will just start turning off all the games that don't play well and end up with about 30 games which still isn't too bad.

I still need to complete the bezel and make a marquee.

-Max

[DeLuSioNal29]

Looks good!  As for the user input:  Mine seems fine. No lag issues.  Are you sure that you don't have the quick disconnects from the JAMMA harness connected to the wrong tabs on the micro switch?  It sounds like you have them connected to the NC switch instead of the NO switch.

The NO switch with fire as soon as you press it.
The NC switch is always on and will stop firing when you hold it down. When you let go it will fire again.

The NO (Normally Open) switch is the on that's closer to the ground switch.

D

[maxnew40]

All the other games I tried seemed to work as expected (they didn't act as if the switch was closed and fire constantly), I will double check tonight as the switches were not labeled NO and NC. Xevious was the only game that acted like the buttons were wired wrong.

The biggest issue I have is control lag. It seems to be less on the joystick than the buttons, but the Donkey Kong games are unplayable because of control lag. I read somewhere that LCD displays can introduce lag. One [person even said that using a Gonbes Cga to Vga HD Arcade Converter and attaching it between the CGA outputs and the LCD display helps with lag but I am not sure why it would help.

I am tempted to try a Game Elf as many claim it doesn't have the lag that the 60 in 1 does.

-Max

[maxnew40]

Well I did it even after having to check the micro switches with the multi-meter. It seems when I got down to wiring them up I had connected to the NC and not NO (they were labeled NO1 and NO2). After changing them it works much better.

I was under the false impression that if wired wrong I would get constant firing like I saw in Xevious but that is not the case, you get a fire or jump after releasing the button when the connections are reversed.

I am much happier now as what I thought was horrible lag was just a newb mistake in wiring 

-Max

[maxnew40]

Not real happy with the art board for the monitor bezel. There are several TAP plastics stores in my area. I am going to have them cut a piece of smoked plastic and try that.

I also received my first shipment of parts for a second Vigolix cabinet.

-Max

[DeLuSioNal29]

Glad you got the lag resolved.  That wiring mistake is very common and I've even done it in the past on one or two switches in my chain.

As for the plexi.  I was also not happy with the poster board as my bezel and I changed it out with smoked plexi from Tapp plastics.

D

[maxnew40]

I like my first one so much that I am making a second one for 8 way joystick games! I have game elf vertical board to try out for this next build.

-Max