Serenity -- My first MAME cabinet

[hypes]

Hiya,

The name is Hypes (it's because I'm really introverted and shy).  I enjoy software enginnering (mostly in C#/.NET/and Mono), extreme talk radio (mainly Don and Mike & Opie and Anthony), XM Satellite Radio, video games, my Dreamcast, comic books, and pop culture.

For years, I wanted to build a MAME cabinet.  So finally (after much begging), I began the long project of building what would eventually become Serenity!

She's based off of Lusid's design, with my own lil' additions here and there.  The cabinet/machine will also server as a SAN, a media server, and a MP3 jukebox.  I named her after the movie/show Firefly and the Godsmack song (in fact, the background music for the front end I'm writing is an instrumental version of Serenity by Godsmack that I spliced from the original).

I'll post pics when I get the chance.

Flying over your heads,
Hypes

[hypes]

Me on the right left, my neighbor (who helped me put it together) with the unpainted version


My daughter decided to get in on the action....

[hypes]

Here she is with the first coat o' paint...

[hypes]

Pic of the control panel layout....

[hypes]

And the marquee I had a good friend of mine custom-design...

[Lutus]

Me on the right, my neighbor (who helped me put it together) with the unpainted version

Either the wording is weird or something but I am assuming that you are on the left and your neighbor is on the right?

[danny_galaga]

good one. i think you will have to build a bench for your daughter. and yes, if you are on the right i think you might qualify as the oldest member here- even older than santoro and fredster 

[97thruhiker]

Looking good so far.  You know I never heard of Serenity / Firefly until this weekend.  The movie is currently on HBO and I TIVO'ed it.  I watched it tonight and thought it was a pretty good movie.  I wasn't really expecting anything but was presently surprised.  That girl kicked some serious a**.

[hypes]

Me on the right, my neighbor (who helped me put it together) with the unpainted version

Either the wording is weird or something but I am assuming that you are on the left and your neighbor is on the right?

Your right...I'm the svelt guy on the left....my bad....

[hypes]

good one. i think you will have to build a bench for your daughter. and yes, if you are on the right i think you might qualify as the oldest member here- even older than santoro and fredster 

That picture was taken in late 2005...she's now 3 years old and CAN reach the top of the control panel. 

[hypes]

Looking good so far.  You know I never heard of Serenity / Firefly until this weekend.  The movie is currently on HBO and I TIVO'ed it.  I watched it tonight and thought it was a pretty good movie.  I wasn't really expecting anything but was presently surprised.  That girl kicked some serious a**.

Definitely check out Firefly....it was a show that deserved more recognition then it actually did.  Joss Whedon is a phenominal writer (even thou I hate Bufy/Angel, I love his work on Firefly/Serenity and Astonishing X-Men).  If your any kinda Sci-Fi fan, you'll absolutely looooove Firefly.

The name "Serenity" was also choosen b/c when I started the project I was in a really deep funk and going thru a rough spot in my life...working on building her would actually calm me.  Plus, it did help I love the Godsmack song and the movie by the same name. 

More pics....


I wired up the buttons and joysticks (turned out one of 'em was broken...thank god I am friends with a local arcade dealer who sold me a brand new Happ Ultimate 8-way so I could get the wiring done w/out having to wait for Happ/eBay)


My iPac controller...the easiest way to mount this was to take a small drill bit and drill very shallow holes in the areas where the iPac would reside.  Then, using four motherboard mounts, I used some Gorrila Glue to permanently put them in place.  Used a razor to cut away the filmy after effects that Gorrial Glue gives off if you use too much, and I have a really nice stand for the iPac


She's at about 55% completed...

What's left to do (Hypes's Punch List):

1) Finish gluing T-Molding to the control panel edges...
2) Secure top of control panel to the control panel box with the industrial strength velcro I purchased...
3) Drill holes and mount Serenity's computer inside and secure down tight...
4) Wire up iPac (the controller that runs all the joysticks and buttons) to the computer, run power cords for computer, wire up hard drives...
5) Buy the gorram trackball and mount it (as soon as I have a spare $80 bucks)...
6) Mount all the neon lights that are going underneath the Control Panel and the white christmas lights that are going on the underside of the cabinet (yes, I'm "bling bling"ing my machine)...
7) Mount cup holders...
8) Order marquee and get it printed/shipped/installed (about $50 bucks)...
9) Measure and order 1/4" GrayLite14 Lexan for monitor glass (gotta price out how much it'll be)...
10) Design/print monitor bezel (that black border that goes around the outside) and get it installed along with the Lexan (probably cost about $30 bucks)....
11) Install OS, emulation software, ROMS (ALL LEGAL of course cause ROMS are ILLLLEGAL at Buschwood, sir), and being the long task of configuring, configuring, and more configuring...
12) Find nice bar stools...

...and then I'll be done and I can rest, play a few games, and then get ansy and begin working on my Dreamcast run sit down Crazy Taxi 1/2 replica cabine (plans are in inception phase as we speak).

-Hypes

[Anakin]

Looking good so far.  You know I never heard of Serenity / Firefly until this weekend.  The movie is currently on HBO and I TIVO'ed it.  I watched it tonight and thought it was a pretty good movie.  I wasn't really expecting anything but was presently surprised.  That girl kicked some serious a**.

Be careful there.  Thats exactly how I got caught up in it.  I tivo'd it a couple months back on Cinemax and fell in love with that movie.  I ran out, bought the dvd and the tv series box set and am now a huge fan of Firefly/Serenity.  It truly is an amazing world.

[_) (V) (-)]

Nice job Hypes!

Have you got any drawings of your Crazy taxi cab?
I'm very interested to watch that one develop as well.

[hypes]

Nice job Hypes!

Have you got any drawings of your Crazy taxi cab?
I'm very interested to watch that one develop as well.

I'm currently still working on the plans for the CT machine...what I did was take about 300 pics of an original machine and about 2000 measurements. 

Since my wifey thinks one MAME cabinet is already one too many, I wanna do this one up as cheaply as possible.  So I'm going with one of the many black Dreamcasts I have lying around, a V3 FX Racing Steering Wheel and Pedals for the DC, the cheapest 25-27" TV I can find, a spare set of powered speakers I have lying around, a nice leather seat bought at a junk yard, and as much MDF as necessary. 

Once I get something down and begin design, I'll post a thread.

-h