Kman-Sweden - F.A.C.B.- Now with Neo-Geo hardware. Feb 2 - 2010.

[Kman-Sweden]

You did good work.  Only thing I would have done differently is used smaller and black colored marquee retainer, and used a bigger screen, but those can be upgrades for later!

Nice job, enjoy the games!

Point taken... They might look smaler if painted black... Cheers.

[Kman-Sweden]

Hey we're on page four here, and with almost 5500 views.. Nice! 
Thanks for that y'all.

Here's a pic of the control panel in mid-wiring. I started off by wiring all the lights to the two LedWiz'es.
Then I grounded everything and when this picture was taken I had wired player ones buttons and was running out of wire... fast..
I had to change wire color a couple of times but I desided that I'd rather have this done then worry about wire-color.


Custom Cab logo in place. What do you guys think about it? 

[emphatic]

Custom Cab logo looks awesome!  Button labels... not so much. 

[Kman-Sweden]

 

[rablack97]

Nice build   , not sure what you have access too where you live, but you might check in your local hardware store and look for metal sign stakes.  I know it sounds weird, but I found some that are perferct marquee retainers, they already have screw holes precut and are l-shaped, smaller and painted black.  Just cut the pointed end off to size and your good to go.  I'm going to the hardware store today, to pick one up, I'll post a pic for ya for a visual.



Here is my build, i'm gonna post some more updates tonight as well.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=96162.0

[Kman-Sweden]

Nice build   , not sure what you have access too where you live, but you might check in your local hardware store and look for metal sign stakes.  I know it sounds weird, but I found some that are perferct marquee retainers, they already have screw holes precut and are l-shaped, smaller and painted black.  Just cut the pointed end off to size and your good to go.  I'm going to the hardware store today, to pick one up, I'll post a pic for ya for a visual.



Here is my build, i'm gonna post some more updates tonight as well.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=96162.0

Sure! Post a pic for me. Thanks. 

[Kman-Sweden]

Here's an update for y'all..
This is my Keyboard hack for the service buttons. I started of ripping apart a USB keyboard and soldering some wires to a nice 26-pin connector.
You can read more about how I did it on my website. I broke the cable I made for the Keyboard hack so I had to make a new one.
So I just cut one end of a floppy cable and then cut the connector down to size from 32-pins to 26-pins. It worked out really nice.
Then I just crimped quick connectors to the ends of the cables and attached them to the switches.




Then I fastened the PCB inside the cab and started the work of powering the LED's. I just daisy chained both 5v and ground to all LED's.
My player 1 and Player 2 buttons aren't lightable to date but I daisy chained enough connectors so I can light them If I replace the buttons in the future.




"Let there be light!" I fastened the "Service Panel" with magnets so that it can be removed from the front. This is vital for the removal of the CP.




Here's some closeups of the buttons labeled. I printed out the labels in 4-5 different fonts and sizes and then used the diffuser in on of the buttons
to make a nice circle around the labels. Then I just cut them out and assembled the buttons again. Easy-peasy.




Closeup 2.




That puts me at 98% done I think. -Kman

[rablack97]

Here ya go, I stopped for a sec and took a few photos of the stake I was talking about.

They come with a sharp end for sticking in the ground, I just took the dremel and shave that off to size.

[Kman-Sweden]

Thanks Rablack97.

I got a question about how my CP is attached to the Cab?
I drilled four holes and used "Wagon bolts"(?) and Wing nuts like this. Hope it helped.



Just ignore all the dust, Ok? 

[opt2not]

Looking pretty good Kman, congrats.

Though, it's too bad you don't have illuminated P1 & P2 buttons to go with the rest of that panel...

[Kman-Sweden]

Looking pretty good Kman, congrats.

Though, it's too bad you don't have illuminated P1 & P2 buttons to go with the rest of that panel...

Thanks. 
If you look close enough you can see I've made all the wiring for them to be iluminated also. just need to buy 'em. 

[Kman-Sweden]

Small (read easy) but noticeable update today. Kickplate installed.
I also changed the Marquee retainers to a smaller pair. I'm really pleased with this update..

[Kman-Sweden]

I had a pair of CD/DVD booklets (is that what they're called?) laying around my office/arcade. And suddenly it struck me.. Those would make great holsters for my ActLabs guns.
I ripped out the pages, cut the zipper away and then screwed them into place. Then I glued the open end shut making it like a triangular tube. A.k.a. a pair of holsters.
It took me about 10 minutes to do both. Here's two pictures of the result.

[emphatic]

Looking great! 

[Kman-Sweden]

Swedish 1-, 5- and 10-Krona coins.


I've bought two coin mech for Swedish coins. One for the 5-Krona and one for the 10-Krona coins.
However I've also placed an order for the BYOAC tokens and decided to modify the 10-Krona mech to accept larger coins.
The 10-Krona is 20mm (0.787401575 inch) and the 1-Krona is 25mm (0.984251969 inch)
My goal was to get it to accept the 1 Krona coin and at the same time make the tokens work..
The 5-Krona is to big (28mm, 1.1023622 inch) for the mech so I'll keep the 5-Krona mech as is.
Here's a simple picture to illustrate how I did it.



Hope it helps someone.

[drventure]

Nice job on the holsters.!

[Kman-Sweden]

They do the job. 

[painterinfo]

Just read the entire thread, you have a slick machine there. You have me seriously thinking about a gun holster for mine now.

I could not help digging out my “Independence Day” video to get this screen capture.

[Kman-Sweden]

  It's to help me figure out a nice CP overlay.

[emphatic]

It's to help me figure out a nice CP overlay.

I would do a "move strip" at the bottom of the overlay and leave the top to some nice graphics. This way you have all the info in one place and it'll look less cluttered.

[painterinfo]

I like classic designs, but a design like that alien cockpit with stick-it notes printed onto the overlay is an idea at least.

I luckily have not had to think of a design for mine as I used stainless steel.

Maybe something 1950's ish or automotive for you to match the custom cab font.

[Kman-Sweden]

I would do a "move strip" at the bottom of the overlay and leave the top to some nice graphics. This way you have all the info in one place and it'll look less cluttered.

I'm have a plan to edit my frontend in a way that it explains the controls needed to choose emulator and select a game. The idea I have for the overlay is to "halo" the player buttons and mark them with player1 and player2. I'll "arrow" the joysticks with big 4way and small 8way arrows. Finally I'll point out/"halo" the flipper buttons and put in a designated "Launch ball" button on the front-right-angeled side of the CP.

I like classic designs, but a design like that alien cockpit with stick-it notes printed onto the overlay is an idea at least.
I luckily have not had to think of a design for mine as I used stainless steel.
Maybe something 1950's ish or automotive for you to match the custom cab font.

In the begining, I actually had plans to do a checkered, yellow and black, taxicab theme. With bright yellow t-mold and a pair of orange turn indicator lights on top.
One day who knows?.... 

[painterinfo]

How about something like this, a Blue FJ Concept, trackball over the front headlight.
I have the image in 2194 x 1446 res and Photoshop format if you want it.

Here is the original
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/12/holdenefijy_01.jpg

[Kman-Sweden]

Thanks, I'll be sure to let you know if I need it. 

[Kman-Sweden]

I don't know if you guys have noticed my 4-way / 8-way indicator LED's?
The joysticks change from 4- to 8-way by pulling and twisting and there's no way to know in what setting they are witout opening the CP.

I made two of these.


I wired two 12V LED's to a switch, one on the NO and the other on the NC. This way one is always on.
The white arm presses or releases the switch and thereby turns one LED on and the other LED off. Easy.


I drilled holes in the CP just above the joysticks but left the LED's flush with the MDF UNDER the overlay.
They'll shine through the overlay displaying numbers that are hidden below the final overlay.

[opt2not]

I was wondering what those little lights were on your CP top.  Totally forgot to ask.

That's a great idea. I'm kinda doing the same for my CP switchbox, having LED indicators for what control input is active at a given time (PC or other).

Good stuff! 

[Silas (son of Silas)]

Nice idea with the LEDs. Bookmarked and officially 'stolen' for my cab. 

[Kman-Sweden]

You're welcome. 

[lettuce]

Kman, how did you get that lightning effect in photoshop??

[Bender]

I don't know if you guys have noticed my 4-way / 8-way indicator LED's?
The joysticks change from 4- to 8-way by pulling and twisting and there's no way to know in what setting they are witout opening the CP.

I can feel the difference in the restrictor, but love your Idea anyway,  ummm more pretty lights

[Kman-Sweden]

Kman, how did you get that lightning effect in photoshop??

There's tons of guides out there. Have a look here ---> http://www.world-of-cha0s.hostrocket.com/lightningtutorial/tutorialmain.html

[drventure]

Cool idea with the indicator lights!

[Kman-Sweden]

I can feel the difference in the restrictor, but love your Idea anyway,  ummm more pretty lights

Cool idea with the indicator lights!

thanks guys. I haven't seen it anywhere before. That always makes me happy. 

[Kman-Sweden]

Small update on the PC side.
I realized that my server is running with 2GB of RAM and the arcade with only 768Mb.
Did some quick redividing of RAM's and ended up with 1,5 GB's in the arcade cab and 1,2 in the server.

Also overclocked the P4 from 2,60 to 3.12 (+20%)  Stable with temperature at approx 42C.

[Ond]

I must see more cab update pics!!!!!

[Kman-Sweden]

I must see more cab update pics!!!!!

Ha! Right back at you, Ond!  
How bout this to prove me last post?

[Kman-Sweden]

So today I took my first step towards "real" arcade hardware.
I took a one-and-a-half hour drive to Stockholm yesterday. I went there to look at some bigger monitors.
The good new is that my cab can just fit a 29" tri-sync tube.
The bad news is that the tubes don't come cheap.

Well anyhow, this is what I DID come home with!



1.) A 4-slot Neo-Geo MB
2.) A CGA/EGA/YUV to VGA converter that features CGA/EGA signal auto scan(15K,24K,31K) and YUV signal auto scan(480i,576i,720i,1080i,480p,576p,720p,1080p).
3.) A 15 Amp Power supply.
4.) A 100-in-1 MVS cartridge.



Here's everything hooked up for testing, as always on the floor.



Success!



Game menu. Some really good games on this one.
Now I have to figure out a way to switch the controlls from the Ipac to the Jamma/Neo-Geo cables.
I think I have a old manual printer switch that might come in handy... Stay tuned.

/K-Man.

[emphatic]

Cool.  So, that 4-slot is true JAMMA then, and not "NEO GEO-JAMMA"? Didn't they have any 1-slots btw, or do you plan on getting some of the games that aren't on the 100-in-1 cart? IIRC, it's mostly fighters, the Slug series, and a couple of hacked titles?

When you were in the shop, did you get to see the Panasonic tri-syncs showing games as well? I'm curious of the picture quality...

[Kman-Sweden]

No the Neo-Geo and true Jamma has some diffrences. Jamma has the -5V and a Tilt switch that is missing from the Neo-Geo's 56 pin.
Then again Jamma is mono only while Neo-Geo is stereo. Neo-Geo has some "Select Up" and "Select Down" and Coin 3 & 4 that missing from the Jamma.
In all 7 out of 56 are in the wrong place. I dont really have to move any cables just re-label them. No problems. 

They did have two 1-slot NG's left (I think), I got the last 4-slot (again, I think).
I might (probably will) buy more games in the future so I thought I'd better get the 4 slot so I don't have to open the cab all the time to change games.
The monitors where all on the shelfs and nothing was up and runing.

From one thing to another, are you going to get in on the JP deal for another EgretII? Do they come with a actual game aswell or is it only cab and cp?

[Franco B]

Heh, I just wired up a MV-4F  like yours to a Jamma cab. I also installed the same CGA>VGA video converter as yours, I may have even bought the same Jamma PSU too  

My converter has gone faulty though and I'm going to have to buy another one  

Good work on the tri-sync. I bought myself a new 29" Sanwa PFX tri-sync for one of my cabs.

You won't need the video converter once you have your tri-sync will you?

Edit: Just for reference, all of the 1 slot MVS mobo's are Jamma compatible, its just the MV-2F, MV-4F and MV-6F (two, four and six slot mobos) that are not strictly Jamma compatible without an adapter or a little re-wiring.