Project A-kab = FINISHED!

[Zobeid]

I'm on the verge of starting my self-designed, scratch-built, upright cabinet project.  I've done a lot of studying and planning, I've cleared out a workspace, I've bought tools, I've started buying components.  I built a couple of sawhorses.  I got a circular saw for cheap at the pawn shop, then made a sawboard for it.

It's still kind of daunting.  Computers and wiring, that I can handle.  I was rewiring my Atari controllers when I was in junior high.  But woodworking?  Seriously?  With power tools?

I got a router at the pawn shop too, it's a Ryobi.  I tried out the slot cutter and the flush trim bits on some scrap plywood, it worked like a charm.  It's kind of amazing how smoothly and effortlessly it cuts the wood.  Before I got Saint's book, the only "router" I ever heard of was a computer networking device.

I've had a couple of snags in getting my construction work started.  The first hang up was wood.  My local lumberyard can get MDO "signboard", which I wanted, but they're trying to put together a larger order "so the shipping doesn't kill us".  Monday will be two weeks.  If they haven't at least ordered it by then, I'll cancel and build the thing out of plywood after all.

While waiting on the wood, I intended to get started on the electronics.  I bought a refurbished computer on eBay, then waited. . .  and waited. . .   After a week I had no computer and no word from the seller, so I sent him a message asking what happened.  "Our technicians are running behind schedule," I was told, but the computer would ship "today or tomorrow".  And of course it turned out to be tomorrow.  Now it's crawling at a snail's pace through the FedEx system.  (According to the FedEx tracking system, it took them 30 hours just to get it moving in my direction.)

I'm pretty determined to make this work.  All the same. . .  I'm venturing into unfamiliar territory.  Wish me luck!

I'll post further updates as warranted -- and try to think of a name for my project.

[Mr Wilson]

good luck its not as hard as you think 

[Zobeid]

It was getting on toward 6PM when the FedEx guy finally made it around here.  It must have been a long day for him, he just had two small packages in the van to deliver after mine.  It was a long day for me too, waiting!

The PC is a Dell 2.8 GHz P4 system, refurbished from some corporate IT department apparently.

The huge old Mitsubishi CRT that I saved from the cow barn didn't work with the PC.  I don't know why.  It worked with the Mac Mini when I tested it earlier, so I just don't know why it's compatible with the Mac and not with the PC.

Be that as it may. . .  I brought the PC in the house and connected it to my HDTV set, and I was in business.  I've been surprised at how well things have gone during the short time I've been messing with it.  The computer appears to work fine.  I got MAME running on it, no problem.

I even did some speed testing and comparison with my Power Mac, which is a 2.0 GHz G5.  My quick test showed they are performing very similarly with MAME.  Some games run a bit faster or slower on one or the other, but on the average there's no difference worth mentioning.  STUN Runner at 100% speed is my benchmark for acceptable performance.  The Mac hits about 125%, the PC is getting about 120%.  That's good enough.

I installed the U360 software, tested the sticks, upgraded firmware and assigned ID numbers.  I gave Ms Pacman a spin.  All working as it should.

I want to put the U360s into my old HotRod controller next, for testing purposes.  Problem. . .   I need the button encoder harnesses for the U360s.  I ordered them with the sticks, I paid for them, the packing slip that came with the sticks listed them -- but I didn't get any harnesses.

I sent email to Andy letting him know what happened, but it's been four days now and I still haven't heard any response.

[DaOld Man]

Sounds like you are off to a good start!
Just a word of advice about woodworking:
Always play it safe. Use goggles and ear plugs. Wear a respirator or at least a paper mask when cutting, sanding, or routing the wood.
Take your time, do not get in a hurry.
Oh yeah, and measure twice and cut once. (I usually do the opposite )

I will be watching your progress, Im sure it will turn out very nice.

[Zobeid]

The lumber yard has finally placed an order for my MDO and expects to have it next tuesday.  So. . . What, almost another week?  I must be patient.  I have to say, if I'd known how long it would take them to get MDO, I would have gone with regular plywood.  I could have done a lot of sanding and painting in those three weeks.

My workspace is getting crowded with all the components I've been accumulating for the cabinet that I have not yet begun to construct.   

The computer I got came with an OEM (Dell) WinXP Pro SP2 install disc.  It also came with a COA sticker.  Problem: the COA is for Win2000 Pro.  D'oh!  It won't accept the code and install.

I tried Win98 SE, which I gather a lot of people are still using.  But I ran into too many driver problems, including trying to coax it into reading my flash drive, which I use to transfer all kinds of software from my Power Mac to the PC.

Next I tried TinyXP.  It installed and ran, but it didn't immediately run MAME.  I had to DL and install the DX9 runtime and drivers for my graphics card and integrated audio.  Now I have it doing everything I need.  It doesn't run MAME any faster than the full XP install did -- but the system has a lot less annoying junk.  (Example:  No more message popping up after every boot telling me that my computer "may be unprotected".)

I ripped all the electronics and wiring out of the old HotRod controller and put the two U360s and TT2 into it.  I thought the U360s would be a drop-in replacement for the original 8-way sticks, but they were actually a bit too wide to fit in the same recess.  I had to go after the recesses with a dremel tool and a mallet and chisel to enlarge them.  The controls are working, except for buttons.  Andy assured me the missing button harnesses are on the way to me.

I'm having more trouble than I expected getting used to the U360s.  I may end up having to get the restrictor plates and stiffer centering springs.

My plans previously called for using car stereo speakers, but I have changed my mind.  I decided to get a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system exactly as shown in The Good Book.  It helps that I've already got a Klipsch GMX A-2.1 system on my Power Mac and love it.  It makes great scary noises when I hit the coin button on Defender.  (Has there ever been a game with better sounds than Defender and Stargate?)  Why did I want to fix something that's not broken?  I do have to figure out where I'm going to put the subwoofer.  I figure I'll have it firing out the back of the cabinet.

[Zobeid]

MDO still not here, but I decided to create a pattern. . .

[Zobeid]

The MDO arrived on schedule yesterday.  Today I used the previously made pattern to fabricate the side panels.  I cut out the rough shapes, mostly using the jigsaw, then trimmed them with my router and the flush trim bit, then went ahead and did the slot-cutting.  I hope I got the slot centered well.

Handling full 4x8ft sheets of MDO was a bit of a strain.  It makes me glad I didn't use MDF, I would have needed help for sure.  The MDO is 7-ply, it's nice.  I got three sheets but I'm not sure if I'm actually going to need the third one.

I revised and simplified my plans a little.  So tell me. . .   Why do I actually need a back on my cabinet?  I was planning to have one.  It seems not having a back panel means:

• less wood used
• cabinet weighs a bit less
• easier access when tinkering. . . I mean, maintaining it
• no need for vent holes or cooling fans

Disadvantages?

• Somebody might stick his head behind it and say, "Hey, this thing is open in back!"
• Light might spill out from the marquee lamp and be distracting?

[dmworking247]

I don't have a back on the upper half of my upright cabinet (based on LuSiD plans).

I agree with your second point of light spilling out, so I inserted a small panel behind the light to block any light coming out of the marquee area... this stopped the 'halo' lighting effect the cabinet was getting on the wall.

[Xiaou2]

 Just a word of warning about PC Speakers...

 Many of these dont have good or Any bass on the satellites... so they require the Subwoofer used..
BUT.. many of the Included Subs are not really SUBs but rather Woofers instead.   Thus,  they
are really Directional based - like all woofers.

 If the high pitched sounds are not basked in enough woofer bass - they will seem annoying
as hell... as they sound spectrum will be too high (tinny and midrangy).

 If you fire the woofer out the back - it might not be enough bass to create that full warm
sound.  As again, they use tuned bass ports on many of these... and have limited range.

 I recommend a test before you finalize the thing.


 Also,  you might consider fireing the bass port of the woofer out  "In-Between"  the satellites.
Thus, you might use 3 grills (unless you mount completely internally and use something like Fabric
to cover them all).   

 

[Zobeid]

If you fire the woofer out the back - it might not be enough bass to create that full warm
sound.  As again, they use tuned bass ports on many of these... and have limited range.

I understand what you mean.  I would be more worried if I didn't already have the Klipsch GMX on my main computer here.  I have the satellites up on my desk top while the sub is way back behind the desk, against a wall, firing to the side.  It's not a problem, it actually sounds as though the bass is coming from the satellites.

I'm counting on getting the same effect out of my cabinet.  (fingers crossed)

[BobbyG66]

The back of my cab is only covered above the back of my monitor.
I have handles built into this panel, so when I tip it back uit rolls on the back casters.
The rest of the back is open.
As long as it's against a wall, no one will see it.

BG66

[Zobeid]

Today my project made the transition to a three-dimensional structure.



Progress slow but steady.

[Zobeid]

The monitor arrived yesterday, I worked on the frame today.  I rough-cut the two circles with my jigsaw, then made a circle-cutting jig for my router and trimmed them.

The weather was drizzly all day, and while trimming one of the circles my goggles fogged up so I could barely see.  I stopped and decided to step outside and clear the goggles.  As I stepped out of the garage and pulled off the goggles, I glanced down and saw that I nearly stepped on a large snake.



Next job will be cutting an opening for the monitor into one of the wooden circles.

[csa3d]

Next job will be cutting an opening for the monitor into one of the wooden circles.

I'm curious how you're going to center the rectangle inside the circle now that it's cut out all ready.  I had a rough time aligning my opening, and I marked mine when the wood was still an uncut square!  Any hints on how you mark this once the circle is cut?

-csa

[Zobeid]

I'm curious how you're going to center the rectangle inside the circle now that it's cut out all ready.

Not sure why this would be difficult?  Just mark "crosshairs" through the center of the circle and use them to center the monitor, then trace its outline.

[csa3d]

I'm curious how you're going to center the rectangle inside the circle now that it's cut out all ready.

Not sure why this would be difficult?  Just mark "crosshairs" through the center of the circle and use them to center the monitor, then trace its outline.

Zobeid, not trying to sound like a tool for asking, I just couldn't think of a way to do it once I left the comfort of a square before the cut.  With a square piece of wood, finding direct center was a sinch by drawing two diagonals from corner to corner.  Then using a compass and a ruler, it wasn't so bad marking the rectangle to be perfectly centered in that circle.  On top of that, I had 4 perfectly strait edges to cross check any measurements to ensure dead center.

So you drew the crosshairs before cutting the circle?  If so, then I can see how you might work it out.

If not, how can you guarantee dead center?  You also have a hole drilled out of the center now due to routing, right?  So you can't even depend on an mark being dead center on the wood circle.. you'll have to eyeball that location, and all other marks on the wood would be off by that imprecision.  Perhaps I am being too concerned about exacting math on that part.  Eyeballing the monitor cutout to me, was not going to be good enough to ensure that during rotation, everything was properly centered.

-csa

EDIT:  Guess it is possible after all.. Center of a circle after cut

[Cornchip]

   Damn, that's some snake. Harmless I hope.

 Cornchip.

[Zobeid]

Zobeid, not trying to sound like a tool for asking, I just couldn't think of a way to do it once I left the comfort of a square before the cut.  With a square piece of wood, finding direct center was a sinch by drawing two diagonals from corner to corner.

Ahh, now I get it. . .  mostly. . .

The center of the circle is the 1/4" hole that I used as a pivot point for my improvised compass when I drew the circle outline to begin with, and then used again for the circle-cutting router jig.  Now it's my turn to wonder:  How did you manage to draw and cut circles without a hole in the center?

For what it's worth. . .  If I had to find the center of a blank circle, I'd try using two arcs.  I'd use a compass with a radius greater than that of the circle.  Using the edge of the circle I'd draw an arc across it, then go to roughly the opposite point and draw a second arc.  The arcs should intersect at two points.  A line drawn through those two points will bisect the circle.  Then turn everything roughly 90 degrees and repeat the process, and you have a pair of lines crossing at the center of the circle.

[csa3d]

Now it's my turn to wonder:  How did you manage to draw and cut circles without a hole in the center?

I drew everything first, including the rectangle cutout, then drilled my center hole, routed out the circle, and finally jigged out the interior monitor frame.  I think I'm up to speed now.. and I think I'm now armed with the info I would need should I ever repeat this process again.

-csa

[Zobeid]

Got the speaker panel installed. . .  I did the cutouts for the Klipsch speakers before putting the panel in.  Also made a blank control panel.  It's starting to look like a cabinet.





Also put together the whole "rotavator" assembly. . .



Not sure how I'm going to support that thing inside the cabinet while I position and secure it.  It needs to be placed at a rather awkward angle.

[Zobeid]

I thought some of you might like a peek at this. . .



I used roller catches to secure the monitor frame at either end of its travel range.

[XYXZYZ]

So is the artwork actually going to have a Project A-Ko theme?



I love that movie. 

[Zobeid]

I loved that movie too, but I don't think it would be the right image for my cabinet.  It's just a code name.

One of the jokes of the movie was that the girls didn't have real names, they were just Girl A, Girl B, Girl C.  So this is Cabinet A.   Hmm. . .    Maybe I should have called it Code Name "D"?

I'm not really into the whole artwork thing, so it'll probably end up with off-the-shelf art.

[ablizno]

Mabey you should have 3 joysticks, for 3 players, and label each one Girl A, Girl B, and Girl C

[Zobeid]

I can hardly believe I reached this point.  Today I installed the monitor support panel, which is the foundation of my whole "rotavator" assembly.  This was the last major step of assembling the basic cabinet.

This photo gives a good idea of how it's positioned in the cabinet, the screen angle, and you can also see the handle at the top which the user will grab and manually rotate the monitor.  It will require a fairly elaborate bezel with one part fixed and the other part rotating with the monitor.



Now let me wax philosophical for a moment. . .   

Even though it's far from finished, I'm ridiculously proud of what I've done so far.  My first woodworking project ever. . .   When I look closely there are several places with gaps or things that aren't exactly even.  Most of them I can conceal.  Regardless of that, I am so glad I decided to build this thing myself.  For those of you who don't think you can do it, I'm telling you:  You can do it!

The next big job coming up will be painting.  I'll take a break for a couple of days and wait for better weather.  The upcoming weekend is supposed to be nice here.

[Zobeid]

After a number of experiments, I decided to have somebody else paint the cabinet for me.  I dropped it off at his shop yesterday.  Then I went back to work on the control panel.  Check it. . .




Top-mounted U360 goodness!

And the full layout. . .



I love it when a plan comes together.

[Quaternion]

Looking good! Are those U360's mounted 90 degrees from normal? Mine have to have the plate wider in the horizontal direction. (Although it's quite possible you can take it apart and change that, or that you're just remapping in software...)

[Zobeid]

All it takes is a few seconds with a screwdriver, to remove those top plates and turn them 90 degrees.  So you can orient them either way.

[Zobeid]

Today I wired my control panel.  Biggest problem I had was crimping. . .   First I had a cheap Chinese-made crimper that just wasn't going to get the job done.  After replacing that, I found the U360 encoder harness has wires so small that they still didn't want to crimp too well.  Ah well. . .  I eventually got it done.

I also made a crude box, hastily cobbled together from some old, water-damaged 1/2" plywood, that I have set my panel in.  This way I can test it and play around with it until my cabinet gets back from the paint shop.

Unfortunately, I think I have now hit an unforeseen obstacle that threatens to stop my progress dead in its tracks. . .   It's called Typhoon 2001.

This game is incredible.

I always wanted to play Tempest 2000 with a spinner, and I've got to say it's as good as I imagined.  I had to turn the mouse speed adjustment way down -- I ended up with it set on the minimum, but it works well with the TT2 spinner.

Oh yeah, Tempest works quite well in MAME too.

[ablizno]

@zobeid why didnt u paint it yourself.

[Zobeid]

I was planning to paint it myself, with a roller.  I experimented. . .  and I practiced. . .   I got the front door of my garage painted, which was something I needed to do for a long time.  At the end of it all, I just wasn't confident I could get a finish I'd really be happy with that way.

I heard from several people that it needed to be sprayed to really do it right.  So I turned it over to Carlos at the auto body shop, who is widely acknowledged as a genius with a spray gun.  It may be a bit expensive, but after looking at the work I'd already put into the thing, I decided I really didn't want it messed up at this point.

I checked in on him yesterday.  He's got the first primer coat on it, but it needs sanding and another primer coat to seal it.  So it's taking a while. . .  It's not going any slower than it would if I'd done it myself, and I expect the results to be superb.

Incidentally, I made a control panel overlay yesterday.  I learned that I can, in fact, cut acrylic sheet with a dremel tool and a fiberglass cut-off wheel -- but it emits a nasty smell and gobs of hot plastic.  It's okay, it trimmed up neatly with the router.  Now I need to get me some artwork to sandwich between the CP and the CPO.

[Zobeid]

I've been wiring up the LED-Wiz and trying to configure the software for it.  This has been a bit frustrating in a number of ways.

The Electric ICE pushbuttons are not high-quality buttons, in my opinion.  They are made of a hard material that rattles and feels cheap.  I also have great difficulty disassembling some of them.  While trying to push the tabs into the button body, they really didn't want to go -- and I ended up bruising my thumbs and bending the tabs before they finally gave up.

The only positive thing I can say about these buttons is that they look fabulous when lit up.  Which is what they're made for, of course.  I just wish it wasn't necessary to sacrifice so much to get that effect.  Why can't they be made out of milky white nylon, instead of this cheap material?  (What is it, styrene?)

I have considered getting some Happ translucent buttons.  They wouldn't look as cool, but I'm guessing they would work okay and feel better.

I didn't have room on the back of my CP to mount the LED-Wiz flat, and I definitely wanted it mounted on the CP, not mounted in the cabinet.  So I improvised. . . .   I created a "daughter board" of 3/4" wood hanging at a 90-degree angle from the CP and bolted the LED-Wiz onto that.  It's ugly. . .  awkward. . . but it works.

The biggest frustrations I've had are on the software side.  The Windows speech engine has just about got me whipped.  TinyXP appears to be missing some component needed for speech.  Which wouldn't worry me much, except that the LEDBlinky configuration program throws an alert every time I start it, complaining that it couldn't find the speech class.  And speech would have been a nice touch, I must say.

So. . .   I downloaded every speech software package from Microsoft that I could find and installed them.  None of them got speech to work with LEDBlinky.  However, one of them put some kind of speech recognition software onto my system that was a real pain in the neck until I managed to remove it.

Configuring LEDBlinky was fairly complicated, and there were times when I considered just tossing the whole LED-Wiz and going back to solid-colored, high-quality, nylon buttons.  I did finally get it working and doing pretty much what I intended.

I'm left with some philosophical problems, as I consider how to configure my controls for Mala and for the various games.  I originally thought that most one-player (or alternating) games would use the left stick and the right cluster of buttons.  From an ergonomic standpoint it would seem to make the most sense.  However. . .  It would be confusing, with people seeing the right buttons lit up and wondering which stick to use with them.  (Even if I made both sticks active, which is possible, it could still be awkward.)

If the left stick is active and the buttons on the left are lit up, and all 1-player games generally use the left control set, then everything is consistent and straightforward.  But. . .   All my games that use buttons for left-and-right movement would have to move that control to the stick.  Which works just as well, but isn't really authentic. . .

I'll keep on pondering and tinkering.  I have a lot of time to figure this stuff out before my cabinet comes back from the paint shop.

[ablizno]

Dang u took it to an auto body shop. That is going to look nice. I have a paint sprayer so i will be painting it myself, it probably wont look awsome but oh well. The next cab i do i will seriously think of sending it to an auto body shop if i build it myself. Thanks for the tip.

[Zobeid]

Yesterday I got my cabinet back from the paint shop.  It's not perfect, due mainly to imperfections in the MDO surface, but it's a fair sight better than I could have accomplished in my garage with a paint roller.

In the afternoon I installed the T-molding, the coin door, the CP clamps, the Rotovator(TM) assembly and speakers.  This morning I put in the smart power strip, the computer, and the monitor.

The first game I played:  Phoenix!

The rotation feature is working as designed, although the loud CLONK when the monitor snaps into position is a bit startling at first.

The Klipsch audio is excellent.  I never knew the fruits in Ms Pacman made such an ominous sound when tromping around the maze!

The CP height and monitor angle are quite good, although in retrospect I could have made the monitor a little closer to vertical and it would have been perfect.

The LCD looks great, although I think it will indeed look a bit better when I get a tinted glass over it.

I don't have any quick-connect terminals the right size for hooking up the coin door, so I'm having to give it "quarters" using my wireless keyboard.

To do list:

• all the bezel parts
• all the artwork
• CP T-molding
• marquee light
• speaker covers
• wire up coin door and EXIT button
• wire up computer remote power switch
• photos!

[Namco]

It makes great scary noises when I hit the coin button on Defender.  (Has there ever been a game with better sounds than Defender and Stargate?) 

Wizard of Wor.

You have to play it with your sub turned up. Incredible sounds in that game. I found it by accident in Mame and was blown away. Been playing it a lot lately. Never saw it in the arcades, a real gem.

[csa3d]

The Electric ICE pushbuttons are not high-quality buttons, in my opinion.  They are made of a hard material that rattles and feels cheap.  I also have great difficulty disassembling some of them.  While trying to push the tabs into the button body, they really didn't want to go -- and I ended up bruising my thumbs and bending the tabs before they finally gave up.

The only positive thing I can say about these buttons is that they look fabulous when lit up.  Which is what they're made for, of course.  I just wish it wasn't necessary to sacrifice so much to get that effect.  Why can't they be made out of milky white nylon, instead of this cheap material?  (What is it, styrene?)

I have considered getting some Happ translucent buttons.  They wouldn't look as cool, but I'm guessing they would work okay and feel better.

I'm feeling exactly the same now that I have the cab playable.  The pushbuttons are rarely ever smooth feeling when depressing them, a few of them stick super bad, and to top it off, while installing the button nuts a few of the nuts just WOULDN'T go on.  I literrarly felt like I was breaking the plastic screws off when tightening them.

Where would you get these translucent buttons from?  I'm also considering getting a clear billard ball to match the E-Ice 2.25" trackball if I go this route.

-csa

[Zobeid]

Where would you get these translucent buttons from?  I'm also considering getting a clear billard ball to match the E-Ice 2.25" trackball if I go this route.

Translucent Happ buttons available here:

http://www.lizardlickamusements.com/pages/pushbuttons.shtml

Strangely, they don't seem to be available on Happ's site.  I wonder if they are being (or have been) discontinued?

[Namco]

Did you try Wizard of Wor yet? It really does have awesome sounds. 

[Zobeid]

Did you try Wizard of Wor yet? It really does have awesome sounds. 

I tried it, the speech is pretty funky.  "Find me . . . the wizard . . . of Wor!"  I remember playing that game ages ago in the arcade.  I think it uses the same hardware as Gorf.

Astro Blaster has good audio and speech.  "Fighter pilots needed in sector wars!  Play Astro Blaster!"

Defender, Stargate, Joust and Joust 2 have great sound.  Something going on with Williams games, I guess?  And of course Typhoon 2001 is fantastic.

The BANG when you crashed your car in Rally-X was always really loud and startling on the original machines.  I wonder if they had some special hardware for that?  It's pretty loud on my MAME rig, but it doesn't make me jump like the original did.

[Zobeid]

This morning I got the CP graphics, so I spent the whole afternoon tearing down the CP and rebuilding it.  I had to cut the vinyl graphics sheet with a hobby knife, then slot-cut the CP with my router, which I'd never gotten around to before.

While I was at it, I swapped the Electric ICE buttons for Happ translucent buttons.  I had to drill them for LEDs -- first a guide hole with the dremel tool, then 3/16th drill.  Then I moved the diffuser discs from the old buttons to the new ones.

I like how it came out. . .



I had to reconfigure all the LEDs because the Happ buttons transmit so much more light, they were annoyingly, distractingly bright.  Basically I divided all the intensity values by four.  So anything that was 49 became 12, anything that was 24 became 6, etc.  Now they look pretty good, and (as noted earlier) they feel better than the Electric ICE buttons.

I also finally got the tinted acrylic bezel/window for my LCD monitor.  I was following the advice of others who said this would improve the black level of the LCD. . .   I'm not sure if I like it, it's really dark and is taking some getting used to.  I turned the contrast up to maximum and I'm still not sure about it.

[ablizno]

Surprised u dont like the tinted glass, also to fix your led problem did u try cutting wax paper and sticking them in the top of the buttons, it should even out the light and make it look nicer.

[somunny]

You could also try lightly sanding the led surface with sandpaper or an emery board.  That worked for me.

[Franco B]

Looking good!

I must say I prefer the look of the clear buttons to the Electric Ice ones, I cant say I have ever been a fan of them.

That CP looks sharp 

I take it you are not a Street Fighter fan?

[Zobeid]

Surprised u dont like the tinted glass, also to fix your led problem did u try cutting wax paper and sticking them in the top of the buttons, it should even out the light and make it look nicer.

I haven't given up on the tinted glass yet.  Last night I adjusted the brightness and contrast settings of the video card, using the Nvidia control panel.  It actually shows a tiny TV test pattern which is extremely helpful if you know how to read it.  I also put in some adjustments in "vector.ini" to brighten up the vector games, and I'm much happier with the look now.

I already have diffuser discs (from GroovyGameGear) in the buttons, they help.  Since tuning down the brightness I think the buttons will be okay.

[Zobeid]

I take it you are not a Street Fighter fan?

You are correct.  I designed it to be hostile to that game.  So if somebody comes in and wants to play Street Fighter, I have an excuse not to.  "Sorry, don't have the controls for it.  How about a nice two-player game of Joust?  Rip Off?  Gauntlet?  Alien Syndrome?  Raiden?  Wizard of Wor?"

[psychotech]

I designed it to be hostile to that game.

Anyway..

Zobeid,
Looks really awesome. Can't wait to see the final cabinet   

And yes, gimme Wizard of Wor ..and a living opponent and  ........!!!!

All the best with the build 

psychotech

[Zobeid]

As of this morning. . . .



Note the wireless keyboard perched atop.  All configuration is done through that.

Note also that I changed the monitor angle and made it a little more vertical than it was at first.

I am not sure about the blue paint I used on the bezel frame, maybe I should go back and make it darker blue, or even black?  The bright blue looks a bit cheesy. . .  But the artwork is going to be brightly colored too, so maybe it won't seem so out of place after that's on.

Still to do. . . .

All The Artwork.  (marquee, sides, front)  This is the only BIG thing left, and I haven't even ordered it yet.  So it's going to take a while.

A few minor changes to the CP.  (I'll be getting one of the new deluxe spinner tops, for example.)

Better photos.  (I'm very limited right now because my main computer is out for repairs, and I can't run Aperture.)

And I want to write some more about the rotating monitor and how it works.  There's been a lot of interest lately in automated motorized systems, but I am very happy with how my manual setup is working.

[Zeosstud]

Cab looks pretty nice from what I can see.  I am sure the artwork will be the icing on the cake.  Looking forward to more info on your rotating monitor.

Zeosstud

[Zobeid]

I put extended discussion of the rotating monitor into its own thread here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=80459.0

And while I'm posting, I'll take a moment to point out a few other things. . .

The Kreg Jig:  I pretty much assembled the whole cabinet using the Kreg Jig and pocket screws.  It lives up to its billing.  It makes joining two pieces of wood fast and so easy that even I could hardly mess it up.  Highly recommended.

The router:  When I was reading Saint's book, it gives the impression that you need a router to slot-cut your cabinet for T-molding, and by the way you might find a few other uses for it.  Ha!  I used mine for slot-cutting, trimming, cutting curves, cutting patterns, inletting and cutting acrylic sheet.  All this with a little Ryobi fixed-base router that I found at the pawn shop.  Don't waste time trying to figure out how to get by without a router.  Figure out how you can get one!

Ultrastik 360s:  A lot of people have been going on about these things as if they were the Holy Grail of joysticks.  I found out why.  It's because they are the Holy Grail of joysticks.  I love them to death.  I put in the stiffer springs, but no restrictors.  I love the feel and they work great for everything: Pac Man and Q*Bert, Robotron and Crazy Climber, and analog games like Star Wars.  Even many trackball games are quite playable with them.

I got the deluxe spinner top with the "Web Beast" graphics a few days ago.  It matches the graphics on my control panel.  It looks good, and it actually rotates smoother and easier than the old knob (with energy storage cylinder) did.  I guess the deluxe knob must be better balanced.  I blew away my high score at Typhoon 2001 last night.  TT2 and deluxe knob = highly recommended.

[Zobeid]

Still trying to get my main computer fixed.  After two weeks of delays and excuses, the local repair shop finally got a new power supply for it.  Then they put in the new power supply and the computer still wouldn't start up.  Now they think I need a new motherboard.   

Today my artwork arrived!  I put the marquee in with no problem, then started to work on the front kickplate art.  I tried to cut out a hole in the middle and then put it all the way around the coin door.  That didn't work, by the time I got to the bottom there was a huge wrinkle.  I tried to relieve the wrinkle by cutting it, but then there was a huge overlap that was unacceptable.  So, I ripped the whole thing off and tossed it in the trash, and ordered a replacement.  $50 down the drain.   

I'm not going to even try applying the side art until I get the new front panel art and get it applied successfully, to be sure I know what I'm doing.  I just flushed $50 away, I don't want to mess up $200 worth of side art next.

[ablizno]

Now im nervous to put on my art work. but can u at least take some pics of your artwork. I love Project A-ko and can not wait to see your artwork.

For some strange reason this makes me wish i did an astroboy cab (60s style not 80s)

Well better luck on next time. Sorry to hear that it didn't work.

[Zobeid]

Now im nervous to put on my art work. but can u at least take some pics of your artwork. I love Project A-ko and can not wait to see your artwork.

I'll have to get back to you on that, my main computer is still down for repairs.

Also. . .   As I previously noted, the artwork has nothing to do with Project A-ko.  It's just off-the-shelf stuff.  So don't get your hopes up expecting something super special.

[Zobeid]

I got the replacement front-panel art in the mail this morning, so I got busy and finished putting all the artwork on the machine.  I also have my new computer, so I was able to take a fairly decent photo. . . .



Yep, it's "Defender prototype" artwork.  Ever since I first saw that artwork, I loved it.  I also think it perfectly captures the 1980s classic arcade theme that I wanted.

I hereby declare this cabinet "mostly finished"!  I have a few quibbles that I'll probably be working on in the future.  To wit:

I'm still not 100% sure about the tinted front glass.  I may go back and create a clear one at some point.

I want to get a white housing for the PAUSE button.

I want to wire up red LEDs to the P1 and P2 start buttons, for the sake of those games which can flash the start buttons after you put in credits.

The smart strip isn't completely reliable, I can't ever seem to get it adjusted so it will always switch on and off when it's supposed to.  Not sure what to do about that.

I'm thinking about hooking up a pinball knocker for Q*Bert at some point in the future.  It's a bit complicated to do, though.

I may also put in a second NovaMatrix LED lightbar for the marquee sometime, it's not lit up as brightly as I would like.

[spystyle]

Radical