Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Txny Mxnrxe on September 26, 2008, 05:34:53 pm

Title: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Txny Mxnrxe on September 26, 2008, 05:34:53 pm

I have an iMac G3 sitting around and I would like to create a bartop out of it for my grandparents.  I have never really messed with OSX  before so I was wondering if there are ways to make it look arcade authentic like you can with Windows.

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Havok on September 27, 2008, 01:53:10 am

You are seriously limited by using a Mac in both hardware and software options, but it can be done. Check out this site for a front end:  http://www.emulaunch.com/ (http://www.emulaunch.com/)

And just use a keyboard based encoder to interface your controls, and you should be all set...

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Blanka on September 27, 2008, 02:45:04 am

Emulaunch is slow on a Core2Duo 2x3Ghz.
I would not try it on a few hundred mhz iMac.
Just make it a MacMame only machine.

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Havok on September 27, 2008, 02:50:29 am

But that's not very arcade authentic looking. How about pyrecade?

http://pyrecade.sourceforge.net/ (http://pyrecade.sourceforge.net/)

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: retrometro on September 27, 2008, 04:55:06 am

Seriously.  Get a cheap pc instead.  I have a G4 imac and a dual G5 powermac and while the G5 is plenty fast even for games that would normally require a 3+ghz intel, you'll be disappointed however with G3 performance since the G4 is good only for the classics..

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: loadman on September 27, 2008, 06:45:03 am

Dude,

I am a Mac fan/user.

We have nothing but Mac's at work including a Mac server.

MaLa development is often done on my Mac Laptop (using Parallels) as it runs so fast.

But I think you a much better off getting an old PC for a cab..

So many more options  ;)

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Txny Mxnrxe on September 27, 2008, 03:52:19 pm

I am already using a pc in my personal cab so i know that it's easier, i just like the fact that the imac has everything in one and all i would need is the control panel.  All i was planning on doing was about twenty games from the 70's and 80's

Title: Re: Mac OS Cab
Post by: Neverending Project on October 06, 2008, 04:07:11 pm

FWIW, I made a mac-based bartop from a PowerBook G4 1GHz. It is not as arcade-authentic looking as you can make a PC to be - but for my Dad it is good enough.

I ended up using Mame OS X and emulauncher. I made a desktop to match my emulaunch background and set emulaunch to load at startup. At boot you see the Apple logo, then emulaunch launches. Once you select a game you see the menu bar for a few seconds while the game loads. Likewise when you exit a game. Other than that the experience is pretty seamless.

Another downside, though, is the G4 is not capable of playing everything through MAME OS X - even some of the classics. No Donkey Kong or Joust, among some others. You can configure emulaunch to use MacMame, like Blanks suggests, which I imagine will be better at some of the classics with the older romsets.

Here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=80589.0) is my bartop.