Author Topic: How large is too large for a bartop?? (Read 6063 times)

armax · « **on:** February 20, 2007, 12:05:50 pm »

I'm thinking of building a 2 player bartop. I've searched and found some who planned on making a bartop roughly 24" wide but none executed it as far as I know. So does anyone have any links to large bartops?

javeryh · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2007, 12:10:33 pm »

If you think maybe it's too large then it probably is. If you are building a 24" wide bartop why not just build an upright?

armax · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2007, 12:25:45 pm »

good point. adding a trackball to a bartop certainly bloats a bartop.

phines · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2007, 12:35:38 pm »

I thought about this 2 before starting my design. I think you can make it as large as you want, it's your cab in your home, just do some planning and sketching before hand. Keep in mind that you can make the control panel larger and still keep the cabinet part within size of your monitor/pc part.

I'm builing a bartop because you can move it anywhere and not take up too much space. Consider making a CP that plugs into a tv, especially if you have an HDTV with a VGA input or something similiar. You can always make a single player bartop and plug a joystick to play 2 players.

I'm no where experienced as some others on this forum, this is just a brainstorm I used before I designed, so thought I'd share.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=63357.0

NIVO · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2007, 12:55:01 pm »

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55220.0 I built this one to suit my needs and I dont regret it one bit. In fact im still at work on completing other panels for it, as well as a few modifications that I dont wish to disclose as of yet.

psychotech · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2007, 01:31:28 pm »

Hello!

My bartop (RK'd) is about 23" wide ..2 player CP with a small (serial mouse) trackball. It's big enough, just not too big

..still, if I'd wanted anything bigger I sure would have started an upright

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61679.0

bishmasterb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2007, 02:08:44 pm »

Quote from: armax on February 20, 2007, 12:25:45 pm

good point. adding a trackball to a bartop certainly bloats a bartop.

Although, you can just go with a dedicated trackball setup.

rlemmon · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2007, 02:12:56 pm »

Hey bishmasterb, Thats a really nice bartop

You should get m.marquees to print you some side art. What size trackball is that ?

bishmasterb · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2007, 04:58:01 pm »

Thanks! The trackball is a Kensington Turbo Mouse for the Mac, which I think is a 2.25" trackball. There are more detailed info/photos at:

http://www.bishopzone.com/bishopzone/projects/tabletops/galaxian.html

I've got it on my to do list to put side art on all my bartops; just gotta find the time to sit down and resize/rework the artwork to fit the size, and match the colors.

armax · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:46:18 pm »

bish, did you do the tron bartop?

bishmasterb · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:52:17 pm »

Yeah. http://www.bishopzone.com/bishopzone/projects/tron.html

(sorry for hijacking

)

armax · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:54:33 pm »

bishmasterb, don't apologize. It's a pleasure to hear from ya. I've been an admirer of your cabs for quite a while. I checked your site and you used to offer detailed plans for some of your cabs. I've been dying for a peek at your tron specs (if that's overstepping, my apologies. It's hard not to drool over your work).

bishmasterb · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:57:15 pm »

armax,

Thanks. I built the Tron cab without plans (which is a horrible way to build!) and just made it up as I went along. But I'd be happy to take some measurements and share if anyone wants to put together real plans. Just PM me.

armax · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2007, 06:09:55 pm »

bishmasterb. thanks again. Sent ya a pm. Your cabs should definitely be in the Hall of Fame.

leapinlew · « **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2007, 07:25:05 pm »

My bartop was 17.5" wide with a 16" wide CP. I'm going to take the same design and put a 24" CP on it. It'll look like a mini version of a lusid.

I think as long as just the CP is 24" wide, but the cab still maintains a 16" wide body - the aspect ratio will look good.

armax · « **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2007, 07:27:22 pm »

I'm looking forward to seeing how that turns out.

leapinlew · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2007, 08:28:14 pm »

Just imagine if I built out the CP on my previous cabinet - thats pretty much what I'm doing.

Instead of the CP being totally inside the 16" frame, it'll be 3.5" wider on each side.

TOK · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2007, 10:17:49 pm »

To me, a 2 player bartop looks aesthetically odd. Better than no cab if you're really short on space, but for a 2 player side-by-side cab, I'd always opt for a standup. The most elegant bartops seem to be dedicated to running classics, with a stick and just a couple buttons.

vrf · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:01:59 am »

I'd say if one person can hoist it around and into the back seat of a car, then it's not too big. It's your cab. If you want a two-player bartop, just do it. Screw convention.

LCDs and Japanese arcade parts can save quite a lot of room and weight, too.

horseboy · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:03:10 am »

Quote from: vrf on February 21, 2007, 12:01:59 am

Screw convention.

When?

I'll be there.

scorp.ius · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2007, 04:45:15 pm »

my bartop is a 2 player one - the "core" is 45 cm wide an the cp is 60cm i think

still wip

here is the link: klick

psychotech · « **Reply #21 on:** March 06, 2007, 07:42:21 pm »

2 players & a miniature trackball - Cab width 58,2cm, control panel width 55cm. W.i.p.

Al the best with your build


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