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Control panel review - 4 player with spinner

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vidmouse:
Yeah, I noticed that about your CP... I kinda like the large black "tongue" (don't know what else to call it) -- makes it distinctive.

I ended up getting plexiglass (non tinted) for my glass because it was easier/cheaper to do it that way and have them cut for my marquee glass at the same time.  Right now I'm planning to "picture-frame" mount it vs drilling through it so if I get real glass later I can always swap.

I hinged my CP to flip up the same way, although I'm not using a piano hinge.

My cab would probably fit through the doors in my house, but no way did I feel like trying to lift it as such... I ended up doing most of the woodwork in the garage, then moved it in pieces down to the basement where final assembly is taking place).

Originally I thought about getting a computer trackball but then I found a Happs on sale on Ebay that I snapped up for $20... plan to hack it via an old ball-mouse but haven't gotten around to it yet... still playing "cut the speaker hole" with my router.  :)

Zebidee:
Ah, I love the ubiquitous basement!  I wish I had one ... but then, I have a garage ...

Every "man" needs his "shed", so it is said, and I couldn't agree more.

The tonuge wold be pretty easy to replicate, just a layer of the black vinyl & t molding.

I use the trackball as my preferred mouse, rather than for gaming.  These are perfect for mame cabs, as there is no surface required.  I actually use this kind of mouse with my normal office PCs too.

I am prone to carpal tunnel syndrome, and had the operation last year.  That's why I started to use the trackball mouse, and I incidentally found it was perfect for cabs.  I own four!

Ironically, I got into making mame cabs because I wanted a more ergonomic option for my gaming addiction than a PC keyboard!  Pushing big joysticks and smacking large buttons is much easier.  Since then I have found arcade game development to be a natural convergence of my various skills and interests, and the rest is history ....

BTW, I had to carry that Sony 27" PVM (47kgs!!!!!) only 6 weeks or so after having my second wrist-cutting operation, so I thought I was pretty damn good to get it in the house. 

vidmouse:
I grew up in a single story house, no basement; when we bought our house here I knew I wanted 2-story, full basement. It was unfinished but we finished 1/2 of it a couple of years back, and it has been one of the best things we've ever done.  3/4 of the 1/2 that we finished (I guess that makes 3/8 of the total basement?  ::)) became the theater/game room.  I have a cheap 32" tv that I hooked up a DVD/surround system to -- (and also my extra PC, for emulated console gaming).  The basement "L-shape's" into the game room section with a full pool table I got off somebody at work for $100USD (and hence my space restrictions for my cab), darts, and the cab.

Not exactly a "shed" but something to be proud of.  The only thing that's not quite right is that I will probably only be able to fit my one cab in there, ever.  Maybe someday I'll think about ditching my pool table to make room for more cabs but that isn't in the plans now.

Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel... I think you were part of the thread where I talked about tearing my shoulder rotator cuff carrying in my Sony 27" (small world).  Ah, the pains we go through for our arcade passions.  No carpal tunnel for me yet, but I can't say I've been taking precautions against it either -- just lucky.   8)


Zebidee:

--- Quote from: vidmouse on May 12, 2007, 08:45:40 am ---No carpal tunnel for me yet, but I can't say I've been taking precautions against it either -- just lucky.   8)

--- End quote ---

Maybe you are just younger ...?  :)  I've done a lot of office/writing/computing/accounting work which is the main reason for Carpal tunnel syndrome, though I guess that over 30 years of computer gaming addiction doesn't help things either.

Carpal tunnel sucks 'cos it partly disables you, but many people either think its a put-on 'cos they can't "see" it, or simply don't understand how much pain you can go through doing very normal things.  Using Mame as an example, I can't really play certain games like shooters (eg 1942 ....).  But then Galaga is OK because I get short breaks between waves of bugs, although I still like to pause at about 100,000 - 150,000 points or so to give my hands a rest.  But one doesn't want to take breaks.  In time pilot, an old fave, I get tired wrists after about 200,000 points and start to make silly mistakes if I don't take a short break.  But then I can lose my "mojo" if I take a break  .... ah well.

Many congratulations on your house!  Especially your "shed" (er, basement).  Something to be very proud of. Don't lose the pool table though, that is very cool.  Everyone plays pool, but not everyone gets into arcade cabs (yes, I said that on this forum!).

Perhaps you can put a tastefully or appropriately designed cab into the main house, but designed primarily for use as a media player and jukebox?  I've done that with mine.  In addition to the 4player in the shed, I also have a two player in the house with one of those 27" Sony PVMs decased and mounted as a monitor.  You can run a video cable from the back of a cab out to another normal Sony 27" PVM for my little kids to play all those great kids games that came out in the 90's, and run real sweet on 640x480!  They look fantastic!  You could also design the cab so that you can easily output the sound to your stereo speakers.  Play your favourite music and DVDs on it (yes! it works if the screen is mostly upright).

Building/rennovating/extending was an experience I went through with my first wife, and will soon go through again with my current.  I've got to say, the practical skills gained from this have been of great advantage to my mame cabs!  And the skills I've learned from mame cabs is going to be useful in building my second house.  Just got to look after my hands.

However, I'd be crazy to discount the effect of working all day in the office and then on the house until midnight, raising little kids and keeping the wife happy on my hands.  Guess I do too much ....  :o 

vidmouse:
Did a little more work on the cab this weekend... the photo is a little paint-retouching to give you and idea of what it should look like.  This is "prototype 2" -- not the final CP b/c players 1 and 2 are too close together, just wanted to see what it would be like since I recessed the joysticks.  The marquee isn't final either -- Mamemarquees is printing me a corrected version with all-blue lightning and different font sizes (larger "Arcadia", smaller "2007").
I painted-out the p3 and p4 joystick holes and painted -in the blue horizontal CP trim -- the vertical trim is all real though.
The key drawer isn't quite right... now I see why you hate them.  But I'm commited now, will most likely fix it in a few weekends, need a break now.  Also need to mount the speakers still.
I decided to just drill through the plexi and for the most part it turned out ok... I did snap off the lower left corner b/c I pushed too hard/too fast but you really can't see it w/ the CP box in place.  You were right about not smoking it, too... looks awesome, the photo doesn't do it justice.

Now I just need to figure out why MameWAH isn't showing my screenshots...

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