The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: lokesen on March 17, 2011, 04:07:14 am
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This is a project that I have thought about making for years - Now I am finally doing it.
One of the problems with MAME cabinets, is that they take up so much space. Don't get me wrong, that's also one of the strong points of them, but it not always practical having a family and no spare rooms.
I got the idea to make a dedicated console for retro / mame gaming to plug directly into the TV / Projector / monitor. Just like a PS3 or Xbox 360, but with the full range of retro games and with the perfect controls for it. Yes, you could use your PS3/Xbox360 or HTPC and arcade controls for the same purpurse, but a dedicated cabinet, with customized software is always much much better. At least that is my experience.
This was my requirements for such a device:
Good looks - At least as good looking as the TV or PS3/Xbox360
Silent operation - It has to be more silent than PS3/Xbox360
Fast booting - Has to be ready in under 20 secs
Quality arcade controls - Seimitsu LS-32 and 30 mm push buttons
Build in Wireless controller support - I love the Xbox 360 controllers
Compact - Smaller than a PS3 slim
Sleek Front-end - That will work with both the arcade controls and the game pad.
Maximum spouse accepting factor - Otherwise I would just have a 4 player MAME cab in the living room.
Multiple connections - Got to have HDMI / VGA / DVI and maybe composite too
Powerfull - Has to handle MAME, NES, SNES, GENESIS, N64, PSX, PS2, Dreamcast, GameCube etc.
Here is a little rendering teaser of the console.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/ECON_RENDER.jpg)
I am actually building it right now and it will look just like the rendering. I just got the laser cut acrylics and soon I will start the assembly.
This is actually a very inexpensive project to make. Depending on you hardware demands. This is the hardware I will use:
Asrock E350M1 - Dual Core and onboard DX11 gfx with HDMI
2 GB DDR3-1333
64 GB SSD - Crucial C300 RealSSD SATA6
PicoPSU 80 watt
External 60 watt 12v PSU
Now the actual construction:
Read more here:
http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/stepecon.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/stepecon.htm)
The acrylic parts:
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(2).JPG)
This is how it looks when you remove all the excess material. Only a small handful of excess material is removed. I always save these to make reinforcements or other things. You just never know if you are going to need it later.
The assembly:
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(3).JPG)
Well - With a new born daughter, it's pretty hard to find the time for assembling the cabinet, so I have to do this in the late hours. This also means that the pictures will be a little fuzzy due to the lack of natural light.
Once more I use my trustworthy kitchen table and wall, knowing this has an exact 90 degree angle.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(4).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(5).JPG)
This is the critical part. You really have to make sure the back panel is turned the right way around, or the whole project is wasted :)
I guess we found out when mounting the mini-itx motherboard later.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(7).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(9).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(8).JPG)
The bottom panel has holes for standard brass motherboard standoffs. I recommend using some glue or epoxy before screwing them in, just to make sure they stay there.
You can also see the clever system for hiding the screw heads and mounting the 2.5" hard disk with hidden screw heads. Under each hole there is a bigger hole with room for the screw heads.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(10).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(11).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(13).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(15).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(12).JPG)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(19).JPG)
Installing the push buttons, the joystick and encoders. I'm testing an E-limitator from ArcadeShop.de to see if it actually works. The E-limitator is an electronic device that predicts the right directions when playing 4-way games like Pac-man or Donkey Kong. You have to shift between 8, 4 or 2-way with a button.
The econ is a very flat cabinet with low installation depth, so I couldn't use an UltraStik 360, this is why I am trying the E-limitator instead.
I am yet to find out if the E-limitator works, but I can safely say that the UltraStik 360 is much easier to installs and feels better that your good old micro-switch stick.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(22).JPG)
I finally received the walnut veneer and here I'm preparing the surface for applying it with epoxy.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(23).JPG)
The veneer is covered in epoxy and I use as much weight as possible to get a smooth surface.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(26).JPG)
After cutting the excess veneer off and sanding the edges and the surface, it looks like this. Can't wait to apply the varnish.
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(27).JPG)
The varnish makes all the difference in the world :) Huuuuuuuge difference.....
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econ%20(29).JPG)
Looking good I think.
Finished cabinet:
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econfinal1.jpg)
(http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/econfinal4.jpg)
Read more here:
http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/stepecon.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/stepecon.htm)
Drawings and artwork available for download:
http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/drawecon.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/drawecon.htm)
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that looks sweet! you sure do like the acrylic as a material lokesen...
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Nice. So is the idea that that console is "all in one" or is that just the controller which connects wirelessly to another box that's the actual computer etc?
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Nice. So is the idea that that console is "all in one" or is that just the controller which connects wirelessly to another box that's the actual computer etc?
This is a all in one console, you just need to plug it in to a TV, Projector or monitor to get going.
The size is almost identical to a PS3...
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Ah. I see now, "Wireless controller +support+". Duh. Hadn't had my coffee yet.
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That looks good. Now build it! :cheers:
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You would have to use solid state storage. I dont think a regular hard drive could stand the abuse of being Shmup'ed on a regular basis, with the controller being directly integrated into the housing itself.
+1 on the wood grain idea.
I thought of doing something like this myself, albeit with wired controllers ALA atari 2600. 2 simple hand-held, 2-button housings with a seimitsu or sanwa stick....hmmm might have to re-light that fire.
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So the controller is attached to the console? I would advise against that, as most people nowadays have huge tv's and like to sit a bit further back so they would have to run a long cable to their tv. I think a small box that you hook up to the TV with the controls all wireless, with hacked wireless 360 pads for the joystick controllers would be better.
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So the controller is attached to the console? I would advise against that, as most people nowadays have huge tv's and like to sit a bit further back so they would have to run a long cable to their tv. I think a small box that you hook up to the TV with the controls all wireless, with hacked wireless 360 pads for the joystick controllers would be better.
Why hack anything???
There are already two Xbox 360 controllers hooked up wireless with the with the econ. The arcade controls is an alternative and also to make it look cool. Heard about HDMI cables? They actually come in different lengths. ;) External arcade controls would be the same size as the console itself and then the whole point is gone.
What you are describing is just a standard HTPC. One would assume I already thought about that and found it boring and totally uninspiring. But thanks for the advice anyway ;D
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You would have to use solid state storage. I dont think a regular hard drive could stand the abuse of being Shmup'ed on a regular basis, with the controller being directly integrated into the housing itself.
+1 on the wood grain idea.
I thought of doing something like this myself, albeit with wired controllers ALA atari 2600. 2 simple hand-held, 2-button housings with a seimitsu or sanwa stick....hmmm might have to re-light that fire.
Same problem as with any bartop cabinet actually... But that's not the reason I use SSD's. I use them because they are 100% silent and they make your OS boot up faster. I would never dream of using HDD in an arcade cabinet again. That said, I don't think there is any problem with using a normal HDD in this cabinet, it's not much different than using one in a nettop.
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Hey, don't be so defensive! Just saying :dunno
so basically its a HTPC with a joystick stuck on the front of it?
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That looks good. Now build it! :cheers:
+1
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Looks awesome! I want one! Now if you could just rig it up so that it would turn on when you turn on the Xbox 360 controller (like how the 360 itself current works) that'd be sweet! You wouldn't have to walk up to it to turn it on! (Yes, I'm that lazy at times)
Just a question though, with your 64GB SSD, you mention that it must be able to play MAME, NES, SNES, GENESIS, N64, PSX, PS2, Dreamcast, GameCube. With all those different emulators, and windows and whatever else, how do you fit it all onto 64GB? Do you use an external hard drive or something? I guess that's the biggest problem with SSD's for me, is that I'm the kind of person that likes to have everything. So with my current set up, just with MAME, NES. SNES, Genesis and Atari 2600 my size is about 80GB. So would you just have a game or two from each of those systems or something? Even still, you'd think 64GB would fill up quick.
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Great idea, but I would have to see the front end in action before considering this...
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Hey, don't be so defensive! Just saying :dunno
so basically its a HTPC with a joystick stuck on the front of it?
Sorry, had a bad day.
Yes, just like any MAME cabinet in the whole world is just a big HTPC with joystick and screen stuck on the front of it...
I made a MAME cabinet for the TV/Projector/monitor, if you don't see the point in this, make yourself a regular MAME cabinet. I'm not forcing you to like the idea, OK?
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Looks awesome! I want one! Now if you could just rig it up so that it would turn on when you turn on the Xbox 360 controller (like how the 360 itself current works) that'd be sweet! You wouldn't have to walk up to it to turn it on! (Yes, I'm that lazy at times)
Just a question though, with your 64GB SSD, you mention that it must be able to play MAME, NES, SNES, GENESIS, N64, PSX, PS2, Dreamcast, GameCube. With all those different emulators, and windows and whatever else, how do you fit it all onto 64GB? Do you use an external hard drive or something? I guess that's the biggest problem with SSD's for me, is that I'm the kind of person that likes to have everything. So with my current set up, just with MAME, NES. SNES, Genesis and Atari 2600 my size is about 80GB. So would you just have a game or two from each of those systems or something? Even still, you'd think 64GB would fill up quick.
One could easily use 25 terabyte for games for multiple consoles. I tend to have a collection of my favorite games for each emulator, except for MAME, I usually have about 10-40 games for each platform. There is no problem in installing a bigger SSD or a bigger HDD. The cabinet accepts a standard 2.5" drive.
I could easily use 128/256 GB too, but unfortunately money is always an issue for me ::)
The motherboard can "wake on usb" and should be able to turn on when the x360 controller is activated, or atleast when a push button is touched.
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OUch!
I think this is cool, for the record. So only one player is going to have a joystick, and the rest will be wireless xbox pads? (love the xbox pads idea)
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OUch!
I think this is cool, for the record. So only one player is going to have a joystick, and the rest will be wireless xbox pads? (love the xbox pads idea)
Already thinking about making a two player version too. The Xbox 360 controller receiver supports up to four controllers, the rest have to use the 8 USB ports on the back or they could use PS3 wireless Bluetooth controllers.
I know this console is not for everybody, but I always wanted something like this, and I know a few of your guys also would like one. This shouldn't be compared to a regular MAME cabinet or a PS3/X360 though ;) We all know a MAME cabinet is terrible at emulating console games. And consoles is terrible at emulating MAME games. This is just in the middle, good for both, but not as perfect for MAME as the dedicated MAME cabinet.
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Wow. Touchy. :angry: Dont post if you cant handle feedback.
Oh, I see, you're the essence of perfection and all of your ideas are flawless. ---meecrob---.
BTW - I think the controllers look poor on the unit, not cool. What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit? Sorry, I've liked some of your past projects, I just dont care for this one.
I'll be waiting patiently for your defensive, attacking reply. :laugh2:
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Wow. Touchy. :angry: Dont post if you cant handle feedback.
Oh, I see, you're the essence of perfection and all of your ideas are flawless. ---meecrob---.
BTW - I think the controllers look poor on the unit, not cool. What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit? Sorry, I've liked some of your past projects, I just dont care for this one.
I'll be waiting patiently for your defensive, attacking reply. :laugh2:
:badmood:
Don't listen to these dolts, lokesen; they've clearly been sniffin' too much MDF particles.
I think your idea is a good and practical one.
A friend of mine wants me to build him a cabinet sometime in the near future, and asked for a method of detaching the CP and having the computer components within it so that he can transfer it to the living room and play on his projector or large screen LCD. I can see how something like this can give me ideas on how to incorporate that portable essence.
One of the things I've been worried about, but haven't looked into yet, is the switching of display resolutions. I'm going to assume that running a projector these days will be have an output in HD resolutions, higher than what a regular arcade monitor would output. With going back and forth between different displays, are you worried about how the computer will react and display with switching resolutions? I assume that one could just connect a mouse and keyboard via USB and switch the resolutions manually, but that'd be pretty cumbersome.
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So its a one player bartop without a screen?
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So its a one player bartop without a screen?
That's it :)
A screen wouldn't make much sense when connected to a HDTV, monitor or projector.
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Wow. Touchy. :angry: Dont post if you cant handle feedback.
Oh, I see, you're the essence of perfection and all of your ideas are flawless. ---meecrob---.
BTW - I think the controllers look poor on the unit, not cool. What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit? Sorry, I've liked some of your past projects, I just dont care for this one.
I'll be waiting patiently for your defensive, attacking reply. :laugh2:
:badmood:
Don't listen to these dolts, lokesen; they've clearly been sniffin' too much MDF particles.
I think your idea is a good and practical one.
A friend of mine wants me to build him a cabinet sometime in the near future, and asked for a method of detaching the CP and having the computer components within it so that he can transfer it to the living room and play on his projector or large screen LCD. I can see how something like this can give me ideas on how to incorporate that portable essence.
One of the things I've been worried about, but haven't looked into yet, is the switching of display resolutions. I'm going to assume that running a projector these days will be have an output in HD resolutions, higher than what a regular arcade monitor would output. With going back and forth between different displays, are you worried about how the computer will react and display with switching resolutions? I assume that one could just connect a mouse and keyboard via USB and switch the resolutions manually, but that'd be pretty cumbersome.
No problem, Windows 7 adapts to the resolution your TV/monitor/Projector can handle, so no worries.
I didn't think this "console" would make that much fuss, come on, it's just a mame cabinet with no screen. It's just made to use at my big screen tv, and to take with me when visiting family and friends. It's the size of a A4 sheet and only weights about 5-6 pounds. How can that be a bad idea :dunno
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Hey buddy you mind if I come over and plug my 15 foot HDMI cable into your tv so that I can play some street fighter all by myself?
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Wow. Touchy. :angry: Dont post if you cant handle feedback.
Oh, I see, you're the essence of perfection and all of your ideas are flawless. ---meecrob---.
BTW - I think the controllers look poor on the unit, not cool. What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit? Sorry, I've liked some of your past projects, I just dont care for this one.
I'll be waiting patiently for your defensive, attacking reply. :laugh2:
Feedback would be comments on improving the design in some way, that's not really what you're doing, is it?
"What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit?" - Game Boy?
Do you really think I am trying to make a successful console? I am making a console for myself, for using at home. What do I care about success? If everybody was thinking like you, nothing would ever change or be different from yesterday.
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Hey buddy you mind if I come over and plug my 15 foot HDMI cable into your tv so that I can play some street fighter all by myself?
It isn't finished yet, but your welcome to come and play Street Fighter on my 1-player Nanocade.
Sounds like the whole 1-player thing is very new to you...
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I did give you comments to improve the design, have the box and the controls separate, and you got all defensive.
I do know that they make longer HDMI cables, by the way, but why would you want a 15 foot HDMI cable lying across your living room when you can have a small discreet box hooked up to the tv and have the control be wireless? You know what I would do? Keep your design it looks cool and very atari-ish BUT, hack a wireless 360 pad for your controls and make the front part of it detachable, that way when you aren't playing you can connect it back up and have it look like your prototype, but when you play it, all you have is a little control panel. You could make it super small and thin and sleek and you wouldn't have wires all over your living room. It would also be nice to have a second player joystick so that two people can enjoy arcade controls.
As its designed right now, its basically just a Jakks multi game on steroids.
But hey, its your deal. You make it how you like it.
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No problem, Windows 7 adapts to the resolution your TV/monitor/Projector can handle, so no worries.
Ah, cool! Unfortunately I'm still livin' in the past, and using XP. I really should upgrade at some point...
I didn't think this "console" would make that much fuss, come on, it's just a mame cabinet with no screen. It's just made to use at my big screen tv, and to take with me when visiting family and friends. It's the size of a A4 sheet and only weights about 5-6 pounds. How can that be a bad idea :dunno
Haters gotta hate! Just stop feeding the trolls, and lets see some of this sweet progress!
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I think it's a great idea too and I'd love to see how it turns out.
I toyed with a similar idea for portable gaming, I was getting tired of lugging the bartop around from place to place - but I've opted to make my own version of Bender's Benderama (why do I pick the hard ones?) - and was even tempted by your Nanocade (technically, still am)- as my portable option.
More power to you.
Be seeing you,
WonderAlex
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You would have to use solid state storage. I dont think a regular hard drive could stand the abuse of being Shmup'ed on a regular basis, with the controller being directly integrated into the housing itself.
+1 on the wood grain idea.
I thought of doing something like this myself, albeit with wired controllers ALA atari 2600. 2 simple hand-held, 2-button housings with a seimitsu or sanwa stick....hmmm might have to re-light that fire.
This was constructive feedback, I even complimented you, but you conveniently ignore this in order to force your hurt feelings on everyone. You decided to have a panic attack. Grow up.
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Updated with pictures now :)
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Looking good so far. :applaud: While the black acrylic is very nice, I think your projects could look much better with artwork.
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Looking good so far. :applaud: While the black acrylic is very nice, I think your projects could look much better with artwork.
I agree and I do love artwork too and I would love to make some for this project too, but no traditional artwork for this particular unit though.
This one is going to have some vinyl on the sides looking like dark wood.
But no traditional arcade artwork of any kind. It's made to fit my minimalistic living room, and my 50" LG plasma and my PS3, so it has to fit in.
I would like to have some chrome details though, small arrows around the joystick etc. but thats pretty much impossible for me to make. :/
I'd definitely going to think it over :)
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I'm already thinking about it - maybe something on the top panel with green and blue lines and with the econ logo on it. Something Taito-ish.
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I'm already thinking about it - maybe something on the top panel with green and blue lines and with the econ logo on it. Something Taito-ish.
I have planted seeds in your brain and soon I'll be controlling your every move. :laugh2:
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More like,
"if you want to comment on how freaking cool I am, please post, otherwise don't"
There isn't much to the design, its just a box. The materials make look interesting because its shiny, other than that, its a big Jaks multigame.
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I've been thinking of this same sort of thing, but unless it can be battery powered and have a wireless HDMI adapter seems like too may cords to be convenient
pretty though!
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I'm already thinking about it - maybe something on the top panel with green and blue lines and with the econ logo on it. Something Taito-ish.
I have planted seeds in your brain and soon I'll be controlling your every move. :laugh2:
You have planted a seed alright. Photoshop already in use...
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How hot does it get sitting in your lap?
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I've been thinking of this same sort of thing, but unless it can be battery powered and have a wireless HDMI adapter seems like too may cords to be convenient
pretty though!
You're right and I agree, that would be much more convenient. The cabinet accepts any mini-itx board, so when wireless HDMI comes (and that very soon) I will upgrade the board. Until then, I have the wireless Xbox 360 controllers too.
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How hot does it get sitting in your lap?
The cooling is very effective and the board uses very little power, so if you were to plant it in your lab, it wouldn't be very hot. Cooloer than any notebook im sure.
But I don't see why you would put it in your lab though. It's supposed to be placed on a coffee table.
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What FE and OS are you using?
I didn't say the little wireless xbox 360 dongle thingy. Did I miss it? or are you connecting it outside the box? WHat are you using to connect the joystick to the PC?
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What FE and OS are you using?
I didn't say the little wireless xbox 360 dongle thingy. Did I miss it? or are you connecting it outside the box? WHat are you using to connect the joystick to the PC?
OS is Windows 7. I'm not completely sure about the FE, using MaLa FE, but considering HyperSpin FE because it looks good on a HDTV.
Yes, I use a standard Xbox 360 dongle that's connected internally.
I use a MiniPAC for encoding and an E-limitator for 2/4/8-way switching. I have no experience with the E-limitator and there is only poorly made reviews avialable, so I got a test sample to see if it actually works.
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how loud is it? I noticed the build has fans to cool it. Why didn't you use a atom with passive, fanless cooling like Vigo did on his SNES build?
Is it because this processor is better? How does this compare to an Atom?
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how loud is it? I noticed the build has fans to cool it. Why didn't you use a atom with passive, fanless cooling like Vigo did on his SNES build?
Is it because this processor is better? How does this compare to an Atom?
3D gfx is 10-20 times faster than the onboard 3150 on Atom.
It's also faster than Atom + Nvidia ION 1/2, and uses the same amount of power.
Both fans run at very low speed and you can only hear them if you place your ear 3-4 cm from the fan. My plasma is much much louder and my PS3 slim is extremely loud compared.
I could also have used one of the new i5 boards with integrated intel HD gfx. It's much more expensive though, so that have to be another time :)
If you use a passive cooled motherboard, your cabinet fan has to do the work instead, so it's not as clever as you might think. I could turn of the cabinet fan, but then I would have to beef up the cpu-cooler. It's better to have more low speed fans, than fewer with higher rpm.
AMD Zacate is completely new platform with DX11 gfx, and it's superior to the atom board in every way. It's also superior to Nvidia Atom/ION, but not with the same huge margin.
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You're right and I agree, that would be much more convenient. The cabinet accepts any mini-itx board, so when wireless HDMI comes (and that very soon) I will upgrade the board. Until then, I have the wireless Xbox 360 controllers too.
I've had a 47" LG TV for a year now and it's wireless HDMI. The only cord going to the TV is a power cord.
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You're right and I agree, that would be much more convenient. The cabinet accepts any mini-itx board, so when wireless HDMI comes (and that very soon) I will upgrade the board. Until then, I have the wireless Xbox 360 controllers too.
I've had a 47" LG TV for a year now and it's wireless HDMI. The only cord going to the TV is a power cord.
Sounds awesome. I't upgrading as soon as there is a mother board with this tech.
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good to know, I don't know much about atoms and that sort of thing.
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good to know, I don't know much about atoms and that sort of thing.
I used a Atom board for the Nanocade cabinet, and I actually think the Atom is a fine CPU, byt Intel's integrated gfx is just terrible. Expecially the image quality is terrible :/
I'm very happy about my AMD Zacate board. I can deffinately recommend this if you need a mini-itx platform.
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I think this design is super rad!! It is very Atari-esque. It would look even more so with some nice wood grain on the sides. I'm actually planning something very similar, but it will definitely be attached to my monolithic htpc next to my plasma screen, so i'll probably go the wireless controller route. However, I gotta say the novelty of building something like this IS that it will be portable, and ready to party at a friends house, which is very appealing. Again, like you said, very different than a cabinet, but let's face it, for console games sitting back on the couch, this thing will rock. A month ago my 4 year old Shuttle PC died on me, and the thought of having my entire Hyperspin setup going mobile again, but even slimmer gets me thinking. Good work! don't stop the posts...
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I think this design is super rad!! It is very Atari-esque. It would look even more so with some nice wood grain on the sides. I'm actually planning something very similar, but it will definitely be attached to my monolithic htpc next to my plasma screen, so i'll probably go the wireless controller route. However, I gotta say the novelty of building something like this IS that it will be portable, and ready to party at a friends house, which is very appealing. Again, like you said, very different than a cabinet, but let's face it, for console games sitting back on the couch, this thing will rock. A month ago my 4 year old Shuttle PC died on me, and the thought of having my entire Hyperspin setup going mobile again, but even slimmer gets me thinking. Good work! don't stop the posts...
I looking for just the right wood veneer for the sides. I think I am going to use real wood :)
Thanks, I will update the thread tomorrow :)
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DU er en million!
:applaud:
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Controls added...
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brilliant idea, I used to have my PC under the TV and play arcade games on it using my xbox 360 controller. The missus eventually got fed up with it and banished it to the garage (where I am in the process of making a cab to put it in)
Something like this would have saved me a lot of ball ache ;)
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That's precisely what it is made for :)
The arcade controls is mostly for using when bringing it to friends and family, and to look good while standing under the TV.
No way I would be able to have my arcade cabinet in the living room. And also that console games feels 10 times better on a big screen with a good gamepad, than playing them on a arcade cab.
Now I'm looking forward to testing the E-limitator to see if it works...
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Wooden sides would be a nice touch. Sorta like a cool analog synth- http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg)
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Wow. Touchy. :angry: Dont post if you cant handle feedback.
Oh, I see, you're the essence of perfection and all of your ideas are flawless. ---meecrob---.
BTW - I think the controllers look poor on the unit, not cool. What successful console EVER had the controls FIXED to the main unit? Sorry, I've liked some of your past projects, I just dont care for this one.
I'll be waiting patiently for your defensive, attacking reply. :laugh2:
Wow, what a jackass. Looks pretty cool 2 me.
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Wooden sides would be a nice touch. Sorta like a cool analog synth- http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg)
That precisely what I had in mind :)
I just ordered some real wood American walnut veneer that I am going to apply with epoxy glue (recommended for applying veneer to plastic). Pretty expensive stuff, but it will give it an edge, or at least I hope so. I will of course post some pics before applying it.
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Wooden sides would be a nice touch. Sorta like a cool analog synth- http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/SOZc2RLvPlI/AAAAAAAAaD4/kn5cb9reCuU/s400/2577744953_b5f88b238c_b.jpg)
That precisely what I had in mind :)
I just ordered some real wood American walnut veneer that I am going to apply with epoxy glue (recommended for applying veneer to plastic). Pretty expensive stuff, but it will give it an edge, or at least I hope so. I will of course post some pics before applying it.
Best not to comment on that... But thanks :angel:
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Wow, what a jackass. Looks pretty cool 2 me.
Enjoy your circle jerk! And your plastic tinkertoys!
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:o
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If I had this, it would sit in my truck. So I could take it EVERYWHERE. Having the guts inside is genius imo - for portability. My arcade machine isn't even nearly done and when my friends come over we huddle around a 15" screen I have set up for testing and an x-arcade. And my xbox lives a lonely life except for when my fiance plays the sims.
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I think burger king diamonds nes pc and vigos snes are better executions. This has given me some ideas though. need to get through cab one first though...
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any pics of it in action?
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I do like the external design, the angles, and the use of acrylic. Well done on the aesthetics. I would suggest streamlining the I/O panel (e.g. eliminate it entirely and leave ports for HDMI & power only, since you most likely will never use audio, PS/2, etc.) and maybe modify the rear vent to match the top vent. For the next iteration, have you considered the implementation of a battery? Perhaps converting the internals of a laptop?
Again, well done and good luck on the build.
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I do like the external design, the angles, and the use of acrylic. Well done on the aesthetics. I would suggest streamlining the I/O panel (e.g. eliminate it entirely and leave ports for HDMI & power only, since you most likely will never use audio, PS/2, etc.) and maybe modify the rear vent to match the top vent. For the next iteration, have you considered the implementation of a battery? Perhaps converting the internals of a laptop?
Again, well done and good luck on the build.
This is supposed to be sold as a acrylic kit to fit any and every mini-itx board made, so an IO shield is much needed. Battery is to difficult to get to work probably and won't make sense for a kit.
You're right about the fan vent, it would be better if it matched the one in top, but that would limit the airflow to much. The one on top is only for suction and the other is for blowing through. A vent for blowing has to be as open as possible in the size of the fan. A vent for suction is another deal, it can be large and spread around the case depending where you want your airflow from.
But I agree that it would be better if they had the same look. The back side is not a huge concern though.
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I think burger king diamonds nes pc and vigos snes are better executions. This has given me some ideas though. need to get through cab one first though...
This is supposed to be sold as a kit, and that's why it is pretty strange to compare it to a NES/SNES mod. That would be pretty hard to make as a kit.
Yes I know I cannot make a better looking cabinet than two of the most iconic gaming creations ever made :)
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New pics added, now with veneer...
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New pics added, now with veneer...
That looks great! :applaud:
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Thanks
It worked much better than I expected. The veneer, the epoxy and the way I mounted just worked perfectly and I really didn't expect it to.
Just wait till you see it after the second layer of varnish and with pictures taken with a proper camera (not my mobile phone). Huge difference with the veneer.
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Really looking good!
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The veneer looks very good.
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Those wooden sides look amazing. Is the epoxy bonding well though? Acrylic really only seems to bond well to itself. I would probably sink a couple of short screws through the acrylic into the backside of the wood just to be safe. Also, are you thinking about any graphic overlay themes? It could look pretty retro with a classic pong motif. Would that acrylic be sturdy enough to rock a weighted spinner?
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Those wooden sides look amazing. Is the epoxy bonding well though? Acrylic really only seems to bond well to itself. I would probably sink a couple of short screws through the acrylic into the backside of the wood just to be safe. Also, are you thinking about any graphic overlay themes? It could look pretty retro with a classic pong motif. Would that acrylic be sturdy enough to rock a weighted spinner?
The veneer is only 0.6 mm - But the epoxy bonds very vell on the acrylics, but you need to sand it down and clean first.
It would be perfect with a pong theme :applaud: . The acrylics would easily support a weighted spinner.
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Looks great. Veneer sort of gives a retro touch whereas the console is very futuristic as well. :applaud: :applaud:
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Ever get this one finished?
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Finished and for sale to the highest bidder.
Send me a PM if interested. I prefer to ship it within Europe, but can ship outside Europe too...
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What's the bidding at now? I'd be interested, although my Wife would kill me. I love the build, love the idea, and think it looks both contemporary as well as retro all at the same time. It's revolutionary in the same way IKEA is. Big, big set of thumbs up here.
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Thanks!
No bids yet :) I made it for sale just now.
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Do you have a starting bid? I would assume you would want to recoup most of your build costs... (Funny thing I've learned is that most people don't want to pay for your labour, even though you've put heart and soul into something - go figure.) Are you keeping this a 'silent auction', or do you expect bids in the thread? (The latter means the obvious, "ONE DOLLAR!" should rear it's ugly head any minute now...)
What are you thinking?
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For one, this should be posted in teh B/S/T thread. For two, it is generally frowned upon to have a blind auction on here, there was a trhead of someone trying to do something similar, and a lot of people weren't too happy about it. The general thought is if you want to sell something, you put a price, a location, and have people PM you. If you want to auction it, put it on ebay.
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It's probably going on ebay soon, just made this post to show the pictures of the final build.
It's only going to be sold here if I get a proper bid - That's a bid that's an unknown amount higher than $600... (the price it cost to make it)
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For one, this should be posted in teh B/S/T thread. For two, it is generally frowned upon to have a blind auction on here, there was a trhead of someone trying to do something similar, and a lot of people weren't too happy about it. The general thought is if you want to sell something, you put a price, a location, and have people PM you. If you want to auction it, put it on ebay.
Missed your positive energy :)
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Not to speak ill of your character, but the general thought is a blind auction is bad because nobody knows who is bidding and what they bid. This means that a person could set up a situation where they have someone basically bid against themself. Not saying you would do this, but the potential is there. So I could say, bid 550, and that could be your best offer and then you could PM me and say "just got a bid for 575, can you do 600?" I would think there is a legitimate bid for 575, bid 600 and then all of a sudden I am out 50 bucks bidding against myself.
Just curious, you were fervent about the fact earlier in your bid that this was not a commercial product, that you were building it for yourself, and then you admitted that it was a prototype for a kit, and now it turns out you are selling it. Why are you selling it? Did something go wrong with the design so that you ended up not liking it? Do you just want the money? Or was that the plan all along?
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Oh here we go again. :lol
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This thing seems awesome. I had the same idea for a machine a couple years ago but never envisioned it looking so cool, small, and sleek. I might be interested in an acrylic kit if one was ever offered at the right price. Same goes for the Nanocade. I love that thing!
Good job lokesen! :applaud:
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Not to speak ill of your character, but the general thought is a blind auction is bad because nobody knows who is bidding and what they bid. This means that a person could set up a situation where they have someone basically bid against themself. Not saying you would do this, but the potential is there. So I could say, bid 550, and that could be your best offer and then you could PM me and say "just got a bid for 575, can you do 600?" I would think there is a legitimate bid for 575, bid 600 and then all of a sudden I am out 50 bucks bidding against myself.
Just curious, you were fervent about the fact earlier in your bid that this was not a commercial product, that you were building it for yourself, and then you admitted that it was a prototype for a kit, and now it turns out you are selling it. Why are you selling it? Did something go wrong with the design so that you ended up not liking it? Do you just want the money? Or was that the plan all along?
I planned to make it commercially to begin with, but left the idea again. So only this prototype was made, for myself. It's works perfectly and is very well build.
Now I would like to start a new project, and I need money to finance it.
There is no blind action - First one that offers me a price more than the price it cost me to make it, gets it... I will move the selling part to the Buy/sell/trade forum.
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Selling thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=114546.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=114546.0)
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Reply to Donkbaca:
I though about doing a simple mini-itx cab for console emulation. Maybe that will be my next project. It's hard because it have to look very nintendo/playstation/sega-ish to nok look like a media center.
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Extremely slick--looks polished enough to see it on a store shelf!
:applaud:
-Jason
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I think this design -sans joystick. Use mdf for the parts you don't see like the sides, bottom and back.
Hey, if you etch black acrylic and edge light it, does it light up like regular plexiglas? Seems like it should, that could make for some interesting design ideas
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I think this design -sans joystick. Use mdf for the parts you don't see like the sides, bottom and back.
Hey, if you etch black acrylic and edge light it, does it light up like regular plexiglas? Seems like it should, that could make for some interesting design ideas
I don't think the mdf will save much money, this design is not that expensive in acrylics. And you can only use screws to fix the MDF with the acrylics. No glue or adhesive is effective on both acrylics and wood. So that's not so easy.
I promise that I will think of some design for a console emulator :)
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econ is now the property of the user: drawfull
Congrats! Hope you will take care of it, and enjoy using it!
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Drawings and artwork available for download:
http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/drawecon.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/drawecon.htm)
Make your own if you wan't :)
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This is about the coolest thing I've ever seen. :notworthy:
I wonder if I can find a shop to cut the acrylic for me. I lack the toolage but would love to build something like this.