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Use the Taxi Cab to get to the Arcade


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This is the first of two bartops I've been building using my own from-scratch design ( link to original thread ) and has a fixed 17" horizontal LCD, with interchangeable control panels (which can be also be used simultaneously through the player 2 port on the side).

 

After struggling with a colour scheme for this particular bartop, this theme came from the word 'cabinet', shortened to 'cab' and thus the theme and the name was born.

 

So ... after 6 months of hard work, setbacks and distractions, I'm proud to present:

 

The Taxi Cab

 

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing43.jpg

 

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing30.jpg

 

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing26_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing23_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing28_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing39_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing40_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing44_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games08_s.jpg

 

Looking good in the new AA cap, and a shot of the guts:

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing41_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing45_s.jpg

 

More details to come (technical details, build log horror stories, etc)

 

I hope it was worth the wait :evil

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Thanks guys,

 

I'm quite proud of this one, far more so than my previous projects. On one hand I'm very relieved to be finished (this one) since this it was dragging on but on the other hand I'm sorry to see it go (this is the one for my mate, my bartop is sitting under the house awaiting design revisions :/ )

 

Whilst I've got plenty more photos to show it off, even pictures can't describe how well (I think) it came together.

 

Examples:

  • I custom designed the front end to fit the entire black & yellow theme with cheesy quotes like "Take me to the arcade" (a quote coming out of a taxi cab)
  • The de-cased LCD is housed behind smoked 6mm glass which makes the picture clearest, best image I've seen... the quality of the image alone has given new life to the games all over again
  • The P4 2.66ghz runs just about everything I can throw at it, including some of the more demanding games like MK3 and even Tekken. The last week of delays was because I originally tried a P3-600mhz in it.
  • The audio (volume) is routed through the amplifier built into the monitor, so using buttons on the side-panel you get on-screen volume controls :)
  • The speakers are cheap, but sound fantastic. Somehow the cabinet gives an awesome reverberation for arcade games.
  • The 12v fluro running off the power supply was the perfect size, and gives the perfect amount of light for the marquee.
  • The cabinet is setup for Frets On Fire (Guitar Hero), Ultrastar (Singstar) and Jukebox (DWJukebox) too. If you plug in a USB key with MP3's to the side, they auto-add to the song list, and auto-remove if you pull it out. Perfect for a portable cabinet for parties.
  • The control panels are easily removable but can be used in parallel too. At a later date we're going to build a second player control panel (you can then just pull the main one out, put them side by side and play 2 player simultaneously.
  • The trackball in the second control panel (made out of an apple macally i-ball with a black snooker ball) works exceptionally well and looks great. It doesn't have a lot of 'free spin' like an arcade/golden-tee ball but its perfect for its purpose.
  • etc :)

 

... I'm not biased :D

 

Here's a reminder (long long ago) of where this all came from:

 

http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/mockup01_s.jpg

 

Now (after a few weeks off) I need to fix up my SF2 cabinet for resale, then (motiviation permitting) complete my own bartop.

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Just a question on the control panels ... do they lock into the main body at all , or do they just sit free?

 

They lock onto the main body, as the walls of the control panels are full height at the front and sides (to surround the cabinet's floor), but the back wall is 12mm off the ground (the exact height of the cabinet floor). I did put little 'chocks' and toy with the idea of strong magnets, velcro etc but when I put it together and played it, the only way you can get the CPs to move is to pull them straight up.

 

You can see where the CP sits better in this building shot, and you can also see where the cables join & hide in that little alcove.

http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/joining_23_s.jpg

 

 

Love the colour scheme.

Love the design.

Love the finish.

 

Love it!

 

Thanks mate... thats high praise. If I were to commercialize this design/make it mass produceable I think I'd get rid of the cable alcove and 'cp support' piece on the front, and make it a fully enclosed unit. I'd then put 4xUSB ports on the front for people to use completely detached control panels (1-4 player) or console controllers (simply plug into USB and you're away).

 

I'd also make the rear upper angled panel full of holes instead of just for the fan, and install the speakers either side of that to reduce the complexity of the speaker area on the side (although they do look nice).

 

You know who to call if you want to work on a PC-based flat pack bartop :lol

 

That is simply fantastic! Something for those of us who are just starting out to aspire to.

 

Thanks, this is only my second 'serious' project and I feel like my first was a complete amateur job now... you learn quickly. Don't cut corners, don't rush, and don't get it playable before you're done.... best advice I have :D

 

 

But why do the photos show some golf game and not playing Crazy Taxi?

That happens to be Golden Tee, the greatest modern-day Arcade game for drinking. :D

 

I don't think Crazy Taxi is in MAME yet? Its certainly not on the Megadrive/GameBoy emulators. There is a MAME game called Taxi-(something) but it looked too lame for a photo :D

 

Anyhow here are some more 'gaming' photos that might suit other peoples tastes :)

 

http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games01_s.jpg http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games02_s.jpg http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games03_s.jpg http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games05_s.jpg http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games06_s.jpg http://www.got2getalife.com/bartop/images/bartop2_games07_s.jpg

 

Man I Bow to you

 

And so you should! but do you like the project?

 

:evil

 

Thanks ;)

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Very nice build DM......very very nice.

 

I love bartops, i'd contemplate getting rid of all my cabs and just having one of these things, only problem is i would need a crt screen rather than an LCD....Wonder how much you would have to bulk it out to fit one in.

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Very nice build DM......very very nice.

 

I love bartops, i'd contemplate getting rid of all my cabs and just having one of these things, only problem is i would need a crt screen rather than an LCD....Wonder how much you would have to bulk it out to fit one in.

 

I'm seriously contemplating getting rid of my full size cabinet too (if it was worth any money) and keeping my second bartop... it is just as capable as the upright yet so much more compact... its only limitation is the single player CP which can be overcome with two seperate control panels. I've been toying with the idea of making USB-based stand-alone joysticks which could mean that a bartop like this just needs 'joystick ports' on the front like a console.

 

I know its not authentic but I love the look of this LCD (maybe its the tinted glass). I assume the authenticity is the reason you'd want a CRT?

 

Having a quick think about it... you could squeeze a 17" CRT (if you got the right one... some have a smaller footprint) with about 5cm more depth on it, if you had a fixed CP (or otherwise had the same 'nose' sticking out as a CP) and the MB sat on the floor.. .this would allow the tube to take up the body of the cabinet.

 

Like Spacies bartop though... this design is obviously best suited to a LCD.

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Damn that looks fine.

 

Makes me want to revisit that pile of mdf in the garage I started with 2 years ago....

 

Then realised I was overreaching, and was making my cab too bloody huge to be useful, and 'walked away'.

 

Still plan on finishing it ... one day ... after I get Dracula and IJ restored :)

 

Cheers

Jacob

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Jacob, I'll swap you the next bartop for a restored pinball :D

 

Thanks for the compliments guys... I'm proud to see it well received.

 

Here's some info about the internal construction:

 

HOW did you get that admin panel so neat?

 

I purchased a FrontX kit for approx US$10 that is designed for modular mounting of ports on the front of PCs. Since I designed the admin panel to take two standard 'PC drive bay' devices it was perfect. I asked for empty bezels and added/wired my own ports and plugs. The USB took a bit of hacking (as the ports were closer together on the USB cable I had)

 

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing10_s.jpg

 

What method is used to connect the CPs?

 

If you look at the pictures above you can see a little alcove on the front of the cabinet. In there is a USB extension cable and a female 15pin connector (a VGA plug) which goes to the IPAC. The CPs components are wired to a terminal block and then to a (male) VGA plug.

 

On the side of the cabinet (on the admin panel) you'll see another VGA plug. This is the same thing but wired to the 2player side of the IPAC. This way, you can use exactly the same control panel and plug it either into the front (1 player) or the side (2 player) or if you have multiple control panels, 1 & 2 player simultaneously. The beauty of them being on extendable cables is you can pull them out to sit further away from the cabinet and have two control panels side by side (they can free stand and not just be wedged to the cabinet).

 

How is it put together?

 

You'll be sorry you asked:

 

The exhaust fan (upper rear angled panel)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing18_s.jpg

 

Specially shortened power leads

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing16_s.jpg

 

The HDD secured to the floor of the cabinet

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing04_s.jpg

 

The admin panel secured to the CD-ROM which is secured to the floor (I love that bendable bracing stuff)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing15_s.jpg

 

Speaker and 'fan grill' attached:

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing06_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing08_s.jpg

 

Power supply is held to the wall using 'shelf angle brackets' which are drilled into the case of the fan (be careful with this, remove the lid of the P/S and ensure the screws dont go anywhere near internal components)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing12_s.jpg

 

The LCD (which you can JUST make out in some of the photos above) is sandwiched to the front bezel using HDD mounting brackets ($3). You can use virtually anything you like, but I found these metal brackets had long holes so I could adjust the tension depending where I tightened the screws. The bezel itself is a 6mm (1/4" ?) round routed edge on the front, and has a 6mm recess on the rear. A 6mm piece if smoked glass is put in that recess then the de-cased LCD is put behind the glass. The finished product looks superb as the tint makes the screen contrast perfect.

 

The mounted system board(s)

The original (which turned out to be too slow)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing19_s.jpg

 

The P4 2.66ghz (kicks ass). Note I've changed the orientation of the system board to be vertical (the board was larger and I needed room for the cables), which meant I had to re-do the length of the audio cables (grr). I also had to change and re-mount the power supply as the old (P3) power supply wouldn't run this board. The power supply is orientated to blow air upwards towards the exhaust vent which expels the hot air out of the vent (hot air rises).

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing32_s.jpg

 

The admin panel (from left: player 2 connection, LCD power, PC power, Microphone in (karaoke), audio out/headphones, volume down, volume up, USB out).

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing40_s.jpg

 

Control panel 1 (8-way 6 button with pinball controls, spinner and micro optical trackball)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing22_s.jpg

 

Control panel 2 (left/right handed 3-button 2.25" trackball)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_finishing33_s.jpg

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Hey Dale,

 

Excuse me for going off-topic (sort of), but that admin panel you created for the bartop is something I want implemented in my lowboy cab so I was wondering if you could fabricate something similar to suit my cab? I'll pay for the panel plus labour plus postage of course, but your effort looks far more professional than anything I could ever make. If you are willing & able to build such a panel for me, please PM me and I'll send you some pics of the cab and the dimensions for you to work with.

 

Cheers,

Matthew

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Some shots of various games (with accessories :) ), and frontend setups

 

Front Ends (custom layouts for MALA):

The menus for the various emulators is navigated using the Coin1 (left) and Coin2 (right) of the cabinet. This allows you to navigate the selection of front-end even if you don't have a joystick plugged in (eg if you're using the trackball setup). The trackball OR joystick can be used for game selection, and P1-button 1 is the 'select' key.

 

P1/P2 start navigate the 'game list' (eg switch between all games, favourites, and various sub-lists of the given emulator)

 

Each emulator screen looks largely the same with slight variations like the title and quote from taxi.

 

Arcade (Taxi says "Take me to the Arcade") and the respective game control panel is visible under the logo. The second photo is Gameboy Advance ("I want to go home and play some console games").

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_frontend01_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_frontend02_s.jpg

 

Pinball ("Take me to the Pinball Parlor"), and MegaDrive/Genesis (same quote as Gameboy but different graphic and title).

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_frontend03_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_frontend05_s.jpg

 

Music Menu (launches Frets On Fire (Guitar Hero clone), Jukebox (DWJukebox), and Ultrastar (Singstar clone)). The image under the logo is a yellow guitar with black stripes (to stay consistent with the cabinet).

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_frontend04_s.jpg

 

Some Games / Apps

 

Pacman, Ultrastar (Singstar Clone)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games01_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games02_s.jpg

 

Frets On Fire (Guitar Hero Clone), Jukebox (DWJukebox). The best thing about this jukebox is that I've got E:\ as one of the directories, which means you plug in a USB key into the side and it automatically adds the songs to the song list. This way you can use it as a party jukebox and people can "BYO songs"

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games03_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games04_s.jpg

 

Virtual Pinball (works beautifully... it doesn't work on my upright so I'm jealous), and Mortal Kombat 3 (running at 59/59 FPS)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games05_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games06_s.jpg

 

Ghouls'N'Ghosts and Golden Tee (using trackball)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games07_s.jpg http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/dmworking247/bartop2_games08_s.jpg

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