My next project (after I'm done with my rental property)

[SineSwiper]

Aye. Forgot about some trackball mounting kit, so I can't finish the CP yet. Got that and some T-molding from Happ. Just shipped today, so I should get it tomorrow.

God, I love being next to UPS' Worldport. Just check out the delivery tracking.

[SineSwiper]

Whoa...what are those connectors?



Just happened to be reading up on coin doors, and I noticed how the leads were connected. How do you get connectors like that?

[Zeus]

Those look like the connectors at the bottom of this page

http://www.lizardlick.com/pages/electrical.shtml

[Zeus]

Sine, are you getting all your parts from Ultimarc? That has a really good selection but it seems that LizardLick is cheaper. Any other sites you know of? I'm starting to price things out and am just trying to figure out what exactly I need and where I should get it.

[Shellie]

He's getting them mostly from Happ controls

[bovine]

Those appear to be grounds.

[SineSwiper]

I think the official term is "Crimp Disconnectors" or "Crimp-on Quick Disconnects".

[Zeus]

He's getting them mostly from Happ controls

I found LizardLick has the same stuff but cheaper. Don't you need volume to get the discounts from Happ directly?

[Flip]

He's getting them mostly from Happ controls

I found LizardLick has the same stuff but cheaper. Don't you need volume to get the discounts from Happ directly?

I think Happ has just been known for quality and good customer service. Some things are worth a little extra cash.

[Zeus]

He's getting them mostly from Happ controls

I found LizardLick has the same stuff but cheaper. Don't you need volume to get the discounts from Happ directly?

I think Happ has just been known for quality and good customer service. Some things are worth a little extra cash.

Yes, I agree. What I meant was purchasing the Happ hardware from LizardLick instead of Happ is cheaper since Happ themselves only seem to give discounts on very large orders

[Mully]

I think the official term is "Crimp Disconnectors" or "Crimp-on Quick Disconnects".

Man, I need to get on here more often.

You are correct. I bought my male and female connectors from Radio Shack (I know, but I hate waiting for the internet order and delivery). You can crimp them with anything; strippers or wire pliers.

[Mully]

Sine, I've been pricing things out and have a couple of question maybe you (or Mully) can answer:

- the trackball and spinners, are they really $100+ for decent ones?
- I REALLY want guns added to my system. Have you found any decent ones at decent prices?
- this is a big-time newbie question, but when I am wiring those buttons, joysticks, trackballs, etc., what am I wiring it to? I'm assuming it's a hub with USB outputs on the other side but in my minimal research, I'm not sure how I'm connecting the buttons to my computer
- when you buy the buttons and joysticks, it doesn't look like it comes with wiring. I'm likely going to go with with the Happs with the microswitch (see below) so what gauge wiring do I need? Am I looking for 14 or 16 gauge stranded?

I think Sine answered most of these questions.

I don't know much about the guns. I opted out for guns. Too much of a hassle for my micro-cabinet.

Some Build your own kits come with wire. Mine did, but I wanted longer wire so i made my own (with quick disconnects). One builder that I modeled my design around uses Doorbell wire for his wiring. It's stiff and bendable and holds its shape and place. A bit more expensive, but well worth it. Sine is stripping telephone wire, which could be time consuming and IMO a little under-gaged (I haven't actually seen the wiring).

[Mully]

Oh, sometimes the microswitches have 3 prongs. you only need to use two of them. Like the picture Sine posted, that microswitch has 3 prongs and only two in use.

[Mully]

General consensus is that the convex buttons are better, so I think I'll stick with them.

Convex are better? Convex is where it bubbles out right? Concave is where it bubbles inward having a dip in it's "Face," right?

I don't think I've ever played on with convex buttons.

[Zeus]

Dipping-in buttons is certainly what I'd want. The Happ ones at LizardLick that I want look great and are actually quite cheap at $1.55 each. I think they're the ones that I'm used to using on arcade machines, too. And I believe you're right, they're concave. I remember something I learned in early high-school where you think of going down into a cave.....

The crimp connectors, you don't have to soldier the wire to them, you just put them on then put the rubber over it?

My bud and I are looking at all kinds of different options for gun games. They're an absolute requirement for me. I spent more time playing gun games than anything in the arcades. We're considering getting Xbox or PS2 to PC USB adaptors if possible. Still gotta see how we're gonna work those ones.

Doorbell wiring, huh? I'll definitely have to consider those. I've never liked the thin (I believe arcade wiring is 14 or 16 gauge; may be even higher/smaller) and with the standard wiring being stranded, they're a bit flimsy too. The doorbell wiring may be solid copper, which I would prefer.

My bud has a jamma unit (old Tekken Tag Tournament cabinet) that we're gonna do some work on soon. He's gonna order some wire and a few parts (replace some buttons, replace some old wiring, add a trackball) so we'll get some practice there. I'm still trying to see if I can get a 27" or so non-widescreen LCD TV with a PC input. Much rather have that over the arcade CRTs.

[Shellie]

He bought some thermostat wiring, I think that's a heavier gauge.

[Zeus]

He bought some thermostat wiring, I think that's a heavier gauge.

The concern I have with a heavier gauge is degradation of the signal. Those microswitches don't look like they put out too strong of a signal after all.

[Mully]

Sine, how is this coming along? I know the baby slowed you down.

[SineSwiper]

Heh, yeah, that and the wiring. I started wiring the control panel and only got to Player 1 without the grounds. I'm trying to do it proper with the quick disconnects and color-coding, but it takes a while to do.

Still haven't figured out the monitor yet.

[Zeus]

Still haven't figured out the monitor yet.

I'm strongly debating splurging (and it's not THAT much extra) for an LCD monitor. You can just get one that has a PC plug-in and they remove a lot of bulk and weight from the unit. You still need that but it doesn't have to be in a flimsy (and expensive) arcade monitor

[SineSwiper]

There is no such thing as a 4:3 LCD any more. Unless you can find one.

[Zeus]

There is no such thing as a 4:3 LCD any more. Unless you can find one.

There are actual arcade LCDs that aren't widescreen.

But I'm thinking even widescreen would be fine. I think MAME has been updated to be played in widescreen anyways and not sure if some of the multiscreen arcade games have been updated to widescreen TVs.

Regardless, the control panel gets done first then I test it out on my current plasma to see how it will look on an LCD.

[SineSwiper]

Updated how? Seems like you really wouldn't want to have a stretched screen, nor do you want to buy a widescreen just to have black bars wasting real estate.

[Zeus]

Updated how? Seems like you really wouldn't want to have a stretched screen, nor do you want to buy a widescreen just to have black bars wasting real estate.

They could put some picture or something like they do for a lot of compilations.

I'm thinking towards the possible future replacement and for the multi-screen games where you can put both screens on one widescreen TV. Better to build a cabinet around one of those, even if you hide the sides of the screen

[SineSwiper]

Ugh...every time I look for a monitor, I end up wasting my time and spinning my wheels. I want a 25-inch 4:3 LCD, but they don't exist! I don't have the cabinet space for a widescreen in that size, either.

[Zeus]

Ugh...every time I look for a monitor, I end up wasting my time and spinning my wheels. I want a 25-inch 4:3 LCD, but they don't exist! I don't have the cabinet space for a widescreen in that size, either.

I was thinking a 27" CRT for my cabinet. If not, a 27" or 32" widescreen, depending on the deal I get and if it'll work properly with MAME. If I can find that site my bud was talking about that makes non-widescreen LCDs specifically for arcade cabinets, I'll pass it along.

[SineSwiper]

There's a few, but I doubt they are cheap: Pentranic and Billabs.

Also: http://www.betson.com/parts/index2.php

[Zeus]

See, for the price of that 27" arcade monitor I can get a 27" or maybe even a 32" prior-year model LCD from maybe even Toshiba or Panasonic (I got a 37" LCD for my room for $700 2 years ago). That's before you even add in shipping.

This is why I'm leaning more and more towards an LCD

[SineSwiper]

This is why I'm leaning more and more towards an LCD

But, you need a 4:3 version!

[Zeus]

This is why I'm leaning more and more towards an LCD

But, you need a 4:3 version!

That's what I'm sayin', I'm not convinced you do. Look at all the YouTube videos with people that have the Hyperspin FE installed on widescreen TVs (including the one of the guy with the 3D, 50" plasma; type in "Hyperspin-FE" as your search parameters in YouTube). It looks pretty damned good even on a widescreen TV. I'm gonna see for myself once I build the control panel and do an initial Hyperspin install

[SineSwiper]

Yeah, but my problem is that I have this console that is made for a flatscreen. If I buy a widescreen TV, it's either going to be too big to fit the console, or too small and leave gaps.

[Zeus]

Yeah, but my problem is that I have this console that is made for a flatscreen. If I buy a widescreen TV, it's either going to be too big to fit the console, or too small and leave gaps.

By console, you mean the control panel with the sticks and buttons, yes? If you still have to build the cabinet around it, that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

[SineSwiper]

By console, you mean the control panel with the sticks and buttons, yes? If you still have to build the cabinet around it, that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

No, I bought one of these: http://www.mameroom.com/ProductDetail.a ... AIICAB27E4

[Zeus]

Oh, OK. THat means you're constrained by it. What my bud and I are doing is building the whole thing ourselves, starting with the control panel. Once we have that to our satisfaction, then we'll work on the rest of the cabinet

[SineSwiper]

No, actually, for $20, you can make your own custom control panel, using their software. The holes are then pre-drilled exactly the way you want it.

But, god, the wiring is BORING and SLOW! I wired one set of buttons on the POSITIVE side (not even the common wires) and that took me over an hour. I stopped working on it for over a month and tried it again today. Still boring. I'm trying to do things properly with the quick disconnects, but it's a lot of work. I'd like to figure out how to shave off the time. (Even without quick disconnects, that would mean I would have to solder everything, and that would take longer.)

Mully, you doing anything next weekend? I'd like to try to get this control panel done before I lose all motivation to do it. (And yet, I have this huge control panel sitting here.)

[Mully]

I heard an update!

[Shellie]

We got the CP wired up, and Sine is working out the "bugs" I think he's having issues with finding a computer he can hook the "keyboard" to.

[SineSwiper]

Just having some issues programming the IPAC. Fortunately, I'm emailing the creator of the thing back and forth. I'd probably recommend spending the $4 for the PS/2 to USB cable, since programming doesn't work on a dual-purpose PS/2 port (mouse/keyboard, found on a bunch of laptops). Tried it on Windows 7 and having driver problems.

The funny thing is that everything works with the "keyboard". It's just the programming, which I only have to do once on any PC that it would work on.

Also, if you ever build one, fuck all of the CP wiring and just get a MiniPAC. I was so pissed that I spent like 30 hours on this CP, and I could have done it in a tenth of the time with that MiniPAC.

[SineSwiper]

Even better: http://www.u-hid.com/

This thing has about 50 inputs, and there's no wiring. Just use quick connects to put everything together.

Fuck. Why wasn't this out when I started?

[Mully]

That's the way mine is, Sine.

[SineSwiper]

Well, dammit, nobody fucking told me. Doesn't matter now. The thing is already wired.

[Mully]

Actually, I've had problems with the quick connect length being to short, so I had to make THIRTY (or so) 3-inch "extensions." I actually like the style you have.

Grass is always greener...especially a year (or two in my case) later.

[SineSwiper]

Still having problems programming the thing, btw. I think I'm at the point that I need to order a USB cable for it to see if it works better. Andy is no help. I figured the creator of the thing would have some sort of debug mode to look at exactly what the problem is.

[SineSwiper]

Shellie happened to find my PS/2 to USB cable. Apparently, I ordered one after all. That cable works great for programming.

I've just put together all of the woodwork for the control panel and that part is done. The CP is finally done! If I ever do this again, I will NEVER manually wire a CP ever again. I'd much prefer to use something like U-Hid.

[Mully]

Nice weekend at work. Now you got to get that full cab done so you can motivate yourself!

[SineSwiper]

Still working on the cab, but also on the arcade PC. Just downloaded HyperSpin. Looks sweet, but complicated. I want to add an ATARI 800XL section, but I'm probably going to have a helluva time figure everything out with this.

Also downloading a megaton of MAME ROMs from pleasuredome. I had no idea that the full arcade list of ROMs could total 100+GB!

[Mully]

Yeah, i downloaded over about a gig or so of roms (i think). It took forever and there are tons of games and different versions of games like: Super Street Fighter 2 Alpha Turbo (N.AMERICAN VERSION) and Super Street Fighter 2 Alpha Turbo (US VERSION) and Super Street Fighter 2 Alpha Turbo (European VERSION)...which to me all 30 or so Super Street Fighter 2 Alpha Turbo's looked Identical.

[Zeus]

Hey, guys, for someone who's only interested in actual arcade games (ie. not wanting all the old console stuff or abandonware games), is this basically a complete MAME torrent? Just wanna check

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/2134263/2947152/

[SineSwiper]

Ummm, everything is at Pleasuredome. Just go there. Yes, you need to register, and yes, it's a ratio site, but it had GBs of MAME ROMs, Sega, Atari, and a bunch of other ROMs. Already filling my arcade HD with this stuff, and it's a 250GB HD.

As far as frontend go, I'm really debating on ditching HyperSpin and going for GameEx. Sure, it's not as flashy as HyperSpin, but it's a lot more informative. For example, if I'm looking for a new game to play, how do I do that on HyperSpin? GameEx has a recommended section, so you can try out games like the one you were playing.

[Mully]

As far as frontend go, I'm really debating on ditching HyperSpin and going for GameEx. Sure, it's not as flashy as HyperSpin, but it's a lot more informative. For example, if I'm looking for a new game to play, how do I do that on HyperSpin? GameEx has a recommended section, so you can try out games like the one you were playing.

I only found a few games that were worth playing due recommendations from other sites. What I learned from my MAME, when i got down to it, there's only like 5 - 10 games that I play more than once; period, favorites or not. Some of my favorite games, when I got access to them, lost their "punch" for me. It felt like the journey was much more exciting than the destination.