Author Topic: My project (Read 6041 times)

HOTR6 · « **on:** January 06, 2006, 04:46:27 pm »

Alright, I have been posting in a few other topics about different things I guess I should introduce myself and show you all my project and go from there.
Hi my name is Amber.

So I decided to build this Mame cabinet. My friend "bought" one from a company out here for $3000+ and I watched them deliver it and discovered all it was is a computer put into a cabinet! So I decided I could do that for a TON less!! So off I went to discover how you get all the games. I found a guy who burned all the ROMs for me. I bought a comouter here are the specs.....
Amptron 825 motherbaord
AMD 1800 + XP CPU
AMD TB fan
256mb ddr
64mb Geforce 2 MX 420IBM 40gb hard drive

So now I have this computer! I will have to go get a monitor to hook up to it to get to the root of my problem with the ROMs but I will finish this post first.
I decided to go with the the LuSids design. I stuck mostly to it but made a few changes here and there. I will post pics.
I bought a monitor off ebay from this guy in Long Beach. I can't remember what kind it is but it has a broken tube now anyway so it doesnt matter.
Well here are pics of the cabinet. I still need to research the control pannel. I was waiting for my husband to set it up the way he wanted it but he is taking to long to I will. I also need to make a marquee.
Anyway here is what I have so far. I am going to take my computer monitor and hook it over there for now and try to get the games working.

RetroACTIVE · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2006, 05:06:41 pm »

PRETTY!

Harpal · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2006, 05:13:46 pm »

ooooh that looks really nice,
i would keep it just like that just add a marquee and keep the rest like that, looks beautiful

HOTR6 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2006, 05:40:33 pm »

maple. I need to finish staining some of the inside

Yeah I am going to keep it wood grain BUT I will probably put a sheet of Plexi over the CP for protection or at the very least I will put a few more coats of laquer on it.

It looks even better with the monitor in it. I should toss it back in there and get some pics.
First I will try to ID the chasis.

orntar · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2006, 05:45:30 pm »

very nice, you should do wood burning for the cp info. that would be classy. (imo anyway)

markrvp · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2006, 05:47:56 pm »

Hi Amber.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2006, 07:04:36 pm »

Mark,
Yep I have a philips tv that I don't use anymore. It is around the same size as teh monitor so I thought it would work. I know enough about the monitors from reading on here to know that I do NOT want to touch the thing! I was trying to figure if the tubes would be compatible. The tv repair guy I talked to on the phone said the tubes are totally different in tvs then in arcades. So I figered I would have to get an 8liners chasis for my tube. Well I have read a bunch of things and it sure sounds as if he is wrong! But I have to figure out what chasis I have. Then after I figure out what to do (my own chasisor an 8liners) I was going to see if I could convince the tv repair guy to at least discharge the monitors for me so I could put the new chasis on and if my old one wont work at least be able to take it off and sell it.
Now you mentioned that there are VGA and CGA monitors, this may sound dumb but do they both have the same plug? How do you know which one you have?
The jamma harness was just a side note cause some guy in the area was throwing out 2 cabinets one with a monitor and jamma harness and all and the other with just the harness. I was considering going and getting them but wanted to know if the jamma harness was something I could use. I figured not but I wanted to make sure. I should have gotten them just for the coin doors and buttons and joysticks but I didn't.
On the ROMs issue. I am using Mame32. I have them working at one time on a different computer. So I will have to go figure out what I am doing wrong.
So where is best to post pics of the chasis I have to see if anyone can help me identify it?

JonnyBoy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2006, 07:07:24 pm »

Gorgeous, I really like the stain.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2006, 07:35:01 pm »

Thanks, I was just looking at it thinking I need to put some more laquer on it.
I origionally wanted a black cabinet with side art but my husband wanted to keep the natural wood look. He said a black cabinet would stand out to much! I thought YEAH!! DUH that is what I want! I want it to stand out so people will go WOW! You have your own arcade!!
I guess they still will, but they will have to realize what it is first! When the monitor is in there it is a bit easier to tell what it is!

HOTR6 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 06, 2006, 07:46:59 pm »

I have to tell you guys something! I am sooo impressed with myself on this one! This may be common knowledge and people may do this all the time but I put the cabinet together useing the pocket hole method! You can't see any of the screws from the outside! I didn't want to be puttying up a bunch of recessed screws and stuff so I did it this way. I think it is stronger with the pocket hole srews then regular anyway!
Here is a picture!
Sorry if I sound lame but I am proud of the job I did! I took the pattern from Lusids (thanks!) but I had to adjust the measurments for my monitor. I cut it out and sanded and stained it and put it all together myself! My husband was supposed to help me but when he went to Iraq I couldn't wait any longer so I did it myself!!
So kudos to me!!

Harpal · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2006, 08:16:22 pm »

good on you for doing it on your own and you have done a great and i mean a GREAT job, you could say i envy you now

side art hmmm not too sure but i would personaly just leave it how it is, this way you know it will stand out from the rest....

markrvp · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2006, 09:12:20 pm »

I'm very impressed. I used pocket screws to assemble my cabinets as well. I find it to be a very strong joint.

Post a picture of the back of your monitor tube in the MONITORS forum. Make a new thread titled: Ken Layton, Please Help Me With This Monitor

Ken is the best and he'll tell you exactly what to do.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2006, 12:07:50 pm »

Thanks Mark, I did that. It seems as though my chasis may be a bit dificult to ID!
Can you tell me about the VGA CGA thing? Do they have the same connectors? How do you know which it has?

The pocket holes are EXCELLENT! I do reall feel thejoint and construction very strong with them I wouldn't have wanted to di it another way. Plus it saves with having to counter sink the screws and then putty over them!

teetu · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2006, 07:29:16 pm »

I always wanted to get a pocket hole jig, but the kit I saw was $60. Is that what you are using?

markrvp · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2006, 01:32:01 am »

A VGA monitor uses a 15-pin cable to hook up to the VGA card.

A CGA monitor has 5 or 6 pins sticking up out of the chassis that a matching molex connector slips over. The pins are Red Green Blue GrouND and SYNC. Some monitors require separate Vertical and Horizontal sync wires so there would be R G B GND H-sync V-sync.

Here is a pic from a Wells Gardner 25" CGA monitor:

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2006, 09:13:43 am »

That is one beautiful cabinet ... I had intended to go wood grain in the beginning (then other things happened and I decided that I liked sideart and original cabinets) and can only have hoped that it would turn out as well as yours has.

Very nice ... and the pocket screws are critical in a nice wood-grained cabinet ... well done.

Cheers

HOTR6 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2006, 08:35:50 pm »

GRRRRRRR!!!
I am just frustrated! My project is at a standstill!!!
I have to figure out the monitor situation! It looks to me as if I will have to get a new one. I can't figure out the chasis make or model so I guess a tube swap is out!

I have to wait on the I-pac

AND NOW!!! I can't get the games to work! I "think" the problem may be thast I have old ROMS and a new version of MAME so I guess I need the new ROMS? I have contacted the guy I got the from to see if I can get the updates. I hope that works!!

I don't know how else to fix it! I guess I could DL the later version but I don't know which to do.
So here we are. I hate waiting!!
GRRR!!!

JonnyBoy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2006, 10:02:59 pm »

Wait, did you buy MAME roms off somebody?

HOTR6 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2006, 10:53:29 pm »

HMMMM. How to answer that question!
I have the Roms!
I did not have the skills or the computer to DL them myself so somebody did it for me.
Hope that answers your question

JonnyBoy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 11, 2006, 11:35:30 pm »

Heh, I see.

What version are the Roms? They should work fine in a new version of MAME but you could always look around for the old version. I guess some sites have older versions of MAME archived.

RayB · « **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2006, 12:24:22 am »

Amber, you could always sell (Ebay?) your chassis and frame.

RetroJames · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2006, 01:03:04 am »

Looks great, one suggestion. I would try to just add more finish to the cp so you feel it won't wear too quickly and try to avoid plexi. It won't look right with that purdy wood finish IMHO. ($0.02)

HOTR6 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2006, 01:07:06 pm »

that was my thought too! I don't want to put the plexi on but if it starts to get mucked up I will.

Just a little note. I finally got the games working and I am now trying to troubleshoot a sound issue. After all that is fixed I will go back and figure out the monitor situation and then figure the encoder stuff. I want to get the I-pac BUT I am trying to figure out if the opti- pac from dream arcades will work I would save some cash and get teh product faster that way.

HMMMM.................Decisions, decisions!

c64rulez · « **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2006, 02:35:39 pm »

Simply unbelievable the amount of desicions in this kind of project.
They just keep piling up

Your cab looks absolutely great. The maple looks fantastic.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 12, 2006, 04:38:56 pm »

thanks!
Finally got the sound working! I have to give credit for that to my husband though! He came in for lunch and I grumbled about not being able to figure it out and he sat down and fixed it for me! What a nice guy! Then he proceeded to play a few games! Maybe he will be inspired now to help me finish!
It is amazing how many decisions there are!
I am going to have to browse around some CP models to figure what will work best! I have 2 4 way sticks.
I would like to put in a trackball. I copied LuSids cab for the most part and I like his CP. I printed off his layout for it, so maybeI will just stick with that for my firt build! I see this one coming to a close and I am already thinking of doing a cocktail cab!
BUT first things first!
Thanks for all the help!

RayB · « **Reply #25 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:25:10 pm »

Ultimarc makes the Opti-pac. It's for trackballs and spinners. Supports mouse buttons too. You will still need an IPAC.

markrvp · « **Reply #26 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:55:07 pm »

Quote from: HOTR6 on January 12, 2006, 01:07:06 pm

Just a little note. I finally got the games working and I am now trying to troubleshoot a sound issue.

What is the issue? Some games (like Donkey Kong) require sound samples in the SAMPLES folder in your MAME directory.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 12, 2006, 10:27:17 pm »

No the problem was something simple and stupid I am sure. I think he said the sound card wasn't enabled or something! I guess I have been working to hard on it and just figured it was some complicated mess! I need to just walk away for a day or so!
I can't though, my son keeps wanting to play! He keeps making me come inand change the game for him and I have to show him what buttons o push on the keyboard! I can't wait to get the CP done!

HOTR6 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:02:32 pm »

Well I went out and got a tv for the cab!
I hooked it up and had tons of probs to trouble shoot. I finally got it to a decent point. I really need to fine tune it. I need to find the threads on that. I know I read on here about the fine tuning and such.

So now I am trying to figure the CP. Hubby likes fighting games. I like simple games. Donkey Kong, dig dug, frogger. So I figure I need 2 sets of controls for his fighting games and at least a joystick and button for my stuff. I figure the trackball will act as the mouse so I can set up and run all I need without haveing a keyboard and mouse.
So what do you think? I just have a lame layout. I printed and cut out the control design form Lusids. I don't know how to make the cool computer generated ones.
So any suggestions? More buttons? Less buttons? Move something around? take something off? Add something?
Thanks

JonnyBoy · « **Reply #29 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:36:13 pm »

Your 4-way may be in the way of the trackball. You could possibly switch them around and have the trackball upfront and the 4 way in the back with one or two buttons. I understand that may sacrifice your love of classics with the dedicated 4-way, though. I'm sure somebody more helpful will be able to chime in.

HOTR6 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 16, 2006, 11:49:24 pm »

WOOOO HOOOO!!! I can see an arcade cabinet! I drilled all the holes and installed my buttons, I sent my husband off for fasteners for the joysticks! Now I am waiting on the I-Pac.
I am stqarting to think about the bezel. I am wondering if it going to look funny with it skinny on the sides and thick on the top and bottom?
I am trying to badger my husband into designing the marque and the bezel so they flow together.
I still need a good trackball and a red ball top joystick for the center. I also need the coin door.
Still looking for all that!
Here is a picture with it running Frogger.

c64rulez · « **Reply #31 on:** January 17, 2006, 02:01:10 am »

cp looks great. The black buttons contrast beautifly with the maple.
If your'e planning on having a dedicated 4way (red top) joystick in the middle, you'll probably need to recess the top because of the joy's short shaft.
Regarding the narrow sides od the bezel, perhaps there are narrow margins on the display itself which are simply black. That would allow inching towards the inside.
Anyway, nothing's wrong with it.
Very nice progress. Sweet maple.

topher0002 · « **Reply #32 on:** January 17, 2006, 12:11:47 pm »

That cabinet looks great, Thats the kind of thing I want to do soon. Currently working on a black cabinet myself.... My friends Father wants one but doesnt want your normal black cabinet and such, this kind of wood would be perfect for his basement, It would match that rugged outdoorsy ski lodge thing he has going already.

What did that wood run you by the way? and where from?

Curious to see how much real wood costs as opposed to cheap MDF.

teetu · « **Reply #33 on:** January 17, 2006, 02:27:28 pm »

did u use the kreg pocket jig? thats the only one I can find, and I really want to use pocket screws


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