Volume / Shutdown solution

[exiges]

I've lurked here for a while, looking for a solution to the age old problem of trying to control the MAME PC inside the cabinet without a keyboard.. I think I've sussed it, though you guys may have opinions about the mappings.

I downloaded an app. called HotKeyControl (the current version is shareware, but if you hunt around you can find the old freeware version).

I've mapped CTRL-ALT-SHIFT (ie. 3 of player 1's buttons) and D / G  (player 2 joystick left right) to control the system volume ( you can say how fast/slow the volume changes), and I've mapped  CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-2  to send the machine into hibernation.

I figured the CTRL-ALT-SHIFT button combination wasn't a likely simultaneous keypress, as well as player 2 joystick being moved.

I went into my PC's BIOS and told it that "Any key can wake from hibernation/standby"..  so now, all I need to do to switch the cabinet back on is to press any button.

I've wired up a 12v relay (just a couple of quid from Maplins)  so that when the PC springs to life, one of the spare 12v disk drive cables trips the relay and mains power is then fed to the marquee flourescent strip and to the TV.

So the whole cabinet comes alive at the touch of a button, and goes to sleep without needing to open the cabinet, and no need to wire up a volume knob

[chemame]

My only comment on that is that my solution was more physical. I just added a pushbutton on the underside of my control panel, tucked away all nice nice, and wired it physically to my PWR pins on the motherboard. This way, I can shutdown, power on, hard power off, whatever. Nice in stormy weather, and living in Indiana it sees a lot of use this time of year. 

Side note: the other day, in Home Depot, the whole stupid cash register locked up. The goofballs reached around on the other side of the cabinet, found some button, held it in for a few secs, and the register went black. Then they pushed it again, and it booted up, complete with W2K startup and splash screens. Bucnha amateurs. Made me laugh.

Chemame

[exiges]

I think if I was more confident with my wiring skills I would have tried to put a power button on the outside, but "stick with what you know" was the mantra, which in my case, is very little 

Are there any "walkthroughs" out there on how to do it ?

[danny_galaga]

i dont get it? why wouldnt you have the confidence to wire up a simple switch? didnt you build the cab already?

[exiges]

No, I bought it from Ebay as a pre-built Mame cabinet.

I've just changed the PC, repainted it and changed the buttons/microswitches so far.

Is using ALT-CTRL-SHIFT-2 such a bad solution ?  No wiring needed ! hehe

[cdbrown]

My advice is to always try and avoid having the ctrl, shift, alt buttons mapped at all when using mame.  They of course can perform various functions in combination with other premapped mame buttons.  Most of the time during an enjoyable game 

Also you may think that pressing 3 buttons and moving the player 2 joystick wasn't likely, but I'm sure you'll be surprised.  If you need to leave it as the 3 buttons, but make the 4th the player 1 start button or credit button.  Try not to use mappings that go across different player controls.  Player 2 wiggling the joystick back and forth and you mashing your buttons will quickly ruin your game with the volume fluctuating or worse when they die and go to continue while your mashing and the pc goes into hibernation.

[electricd]

My only comment on that is that my solution was more physical. I just added a pushbutton on the underside of my control panel, tucked away all nice nice, and wired it physically to my PWR pins on the motherboard. This way, I can shutdown, power on, hard power off, whatever. Nice in stormy weather, and living in Indiana it sees a lot of use this time of year. 

Chemame

Where you at in Indiana?  Im in Terre Haute

[chemame]

Cool! I'm in Indy. BTW, I'm interested in how your AHK experiment went with Tiger Woods. I'd like to see you get that thing going. If you have any updates on that, pick up that thread again. Maybe sometime we could get together and tweak cabinets or something. I've just prepped my grill for the season, so maybe the first annual Indy MAMEers Cookout. Hey, it could happen.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread. Feel free to PM me to continue THAT discussion. 

[danny_galaga]

No, I bought it from Ebay as a pre-built Mame cabinet.

I've just changed the PC, repainted it and changed the buttons/microswitches so far.

Is using ALT-CTRL-SHIFT-2 such a bad solution ?  No wiring needed ! hehe

oh, now i see! but really, it is VERY easy to wire an extension to your pcs off switch. i would say it would be a good start to learning about wiring etc. you just need to buy any switch that takes your fancy that is a 'momentary on' switch and put it somewhere inconspicuous. solder the new switch to an extensiony wire thingo that has the same plug as the pcs switch. switches aren't a 'polarised' item- that is there isn't a positive and negative to them. so you cant attach it the wrong way around or anything (",)

[darthbane2k]

I've lurked here for a while, looking for a solution to the age old problem of trying to control the MAME PC inside the cabinet without a keyboard.. I think I've sussed it, though you guys may have opinions about the mappings.

I downloaded an app. called HotKeyControl (the current version is shareware, but if you hunt around you can find the old freeware version).

I've mapped CTRL-ALT-SHIFT (ie. 3 of player 1's buttons) and D / G  (player 2 joystick left right) to control the system volume ( you can say how fast/slow the volume changes), and I've mapped  CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-2  to send the machine into hibernation.

I figured the CTRL-ALT-SHIFT button combination wasn't a likely simultaneous keypress, as well as player 2 joystick being moved.

I went into my PC's BIOS and told it that "Any key can wake from hibernation/standby"..  so now, all I need to do to switch the cabinet back on is to press any button.

I've wired up a 12v relay (just a couple of quid from Maplins)  so that when the PC springs to life, one of the spare 12v disk drive cables trips the relay and mains power is then fed to the marquee flourescent strip and to the TV.

So the whole cabinet comes alive at the touch of a button, and goes to sleep without needing to open the cabinet, and no need to wire up a volume knob

why oh why dont people just use creative sound systems, which ALL come with a rather convienient volume dial which can be mounted to either the side or top of a cab

[chemame]

Agreed, Darthbane2k.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, it's a very good point that an inexpensive set of Creative Labs amplified speakers will not only provide WONDERFUL sound for the average arcade cab, but will offer a VERY convenient power/volume/bass knob, remotely mountable just about anywhere on your cabinet.

Be aware that it's important to look for just such a knob. Not all brands use them. Heck, not even all Creative Labs systems use them. Many have bass controls only on the subwoofer, and some even have power and volume fixed on either the satellite speakers or on the subwoofer. This can be very inconvenient. In my system, for example, the subwoofer is in the corner of the wall, behind the cabinet. You can't see it, and you can't easily get to it. The satellite speakers are INSIDE the cabinet, and are not accessible at all.

Chemame