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FLEX'S mame project.


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Well I have got permission from the missus (most important) and sourced a new computer. Looks like a new mame setup is on the horizon :) .

It will hopefully be a 4 player console that houses the pc and connects to a wall mounted LCD. I have a good plan for the control panel and am hoping I can do most of the work myself with the help of the cabinet makers at work. I was also thinking about having the machine as a universal TV, jukebox, mame and console emulator using Hyperspin as the front end. I have been working a bit with hyperspin and it is running on my regular home pc which has given me some added belief I can accomplish this project. If anyone has any tips on parts required or anything else I should be aware of then that would be great;

 

Required parts;

PC $0 :)

IPAC4 $105

LCD $1000 budget (thanks Mr Rudd :))

Cabling $0 (I know a bloke ;) )

2 joystick and button packs $110

MDF:

2 x 2400 x 1200 x 16mm $33 = $66

 

 

 

Parts I have so far;

PC (going to check the spec's tonight) > Checked the stats on the pc; P4 2.8 (2 cpu's), 512mram DDR < Will get more, 40 gig hard drive < will swap for a 500 gig, MSI motherboard, onboard video, 2 x ddr ram slots, pcie slot.

 

 

First up I will start to get the control panel made and go from there, I will put up pics of equipment and plans as I get them...

 

Update on control panel layout, Most likely make control panel longer to accomidate 2 extra buttons for player 3 and 4 or just move the trackball area (still unsure if I will even use it).

 

edit 17/3/09 : Added crude picture of stand and cp layout.

arcadeplans.jpg.111e2b1347203ebfedecc72626fbe66a.jpg

Edited by FLEX
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$1000 for the LCD - must be enormous (I mean the LCD!!!)

;-)

 

Yep :), Kmart has a sale on at the moment for a Sony Bravia 37" (94cm) for $999.

 

Checked the stats on the pc;

 

P4 2.8 (2 cpu's) < does this mean hyperthreaded?

512mram DDR < will get some more

40 gig hard drive < will swap for a 500 gig

MSI motherboard, onboard video, 2 x ddr ram slots, pcie slot.

 

Just wondering about the ram and video. Should I upgrade the vid card? and also wondering how much more ram I should get? I will be running xp as operating system and would love to be able to play some of the newer games e.g Metal Slug series, mortal combat series etc without any slowdown. Any advice would be great.

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Have you looked at the physical CPU(s) on the board - if there is only one then it can be only HT. Unlikely is that it is a Dual P4 though so my money is on HT.

 

Check out WINMSD (Start>RUN>WINMSD) for detailed system info. Alternately if you are Vista use MSINFO32

 

MSINFO32 also works under XP

 

 

 

Yeah thats what I thought. But that is excactly how it is written in the dxdiag screen?
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Yep :), Kmart has a sale on at the moment for a Sony Bravia 37" (94cm) for $999.

 

Checked the stats on the pc;

 

P4 2.8 (2 cpu's) < does this mean hyperthreaded?

512mram DDR < will get some more

40 gig hard drive < will swap for a 500 gig

MSI motherboard, onboard video, 2 x ddr ram slots, pcie slot.

 

Just wondering about the ram and video. Should I upgrade the vid card? and also wondering how much more ram I should get? I will be running xp as operating system and would love to be able to play some of the newer games e.g Metal Slug series, mortal combat series etc without any slowdown. Any advice would be great.

 

This MAME setup is not a cabinet setup then? Or are you reusing your existing (smaller) tv for the cabinet?

500G? Also doubling up as a jukebox or just every game and emulator known to man?

 

Just curious ...

 

Stu

I still have some DDR on the For Sale - Computers section if you need.

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Not a PC expert by any means but would look at a video card to free onboard processing and RAM.

If you just want to run games like MK 1.6 ghz with 512 mb and a 32/64mb card will do it flawless . So with that setup it should be more than adequate . I have heard though Hyperspin is a heavy CPU/Graphic frontend so more Ram would be good too.

 

A 128 MB vid card should cost you not much

and same for another 512mb of RAM.

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This MAME setup is not a cabinet setup then? Or are you reusing your existing (smaller) tv for the cabinet?

500G? Also doubling up as a jukebox or just every game and emulator known to man?

 

Just curious ...

 

Stu

I still have some DDR on the For Sale - Computers section if you need.

 

No, this is not going to be a cabinet setup at all. The control panel will stand on its own, housing the PC. The LCD will be mounted on the wall in front of the controls. I am in the process of building a new house so I am thinking the LCD will double as the outside entertainment area TV as well as a sweet game,juke system. I am going to have all the classic systems on it, so the 500gig hdd may not be enough from what ive heard. The control cabinet may also be movable to get it inside for the cyclone season.

 

I will check out your ram stu, cheers.

Edited by FLEX
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  • 2 weeks later...
No, this is not going to be a cabinet setup at all. The control panel will stand on its own, housing the PC. The LCD will be mounted on the wall in front of the controls. I am in the process of building a new house so I am thinking the LCD will double as the outside entertainment area TV as well as a sweet game,juke system. I am going to have all the classic systems on it, so the 500gig hdd may not be enough from what ive heard. The control cabinet may also be movable to get it inside for the cyclone season.

 

That sounds awesome.......... DAMN-IT, i wish id thought of that when building my house 2 years ago...... (damn besser block walls that can't be modified easily...), i may have to can the ideas for an upright & a juke box, and just copy this idea i think............ good call!!!!!!!!

 

It could double as a car racing set-up too...... Yep.... Ive got ideas now,:Idea.thumb:

 

Oh and as a long time Territorian..... I HIGHLY recommend making it portable for cyclone season (or having some kick ass weather proofing), maybe not the screen if it is built into a wall, but definatly the control panel if its outside, its not unheard of for horizontal sheets of rain to litterally come in about 4-5 metres under verandahs/car ports etc, in the wet season...... its fun :).....

 

good luck with this one, im really looking forward to seeing the progress :)

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It could double as a car racing set-up too...... Yep.... Ive got ideas now,:Idea.thumb:

 

I was also trying to think of a way of mounting some steering wheels but it just seems to dificult, maybe next project I guess..

 

 

Oh and as a long time Territorian..... I HIGHLY recommend making it portable for cyclone season (or having some kick ass weather proofing), maybe not the screen if it is built into a wall, but definatly the control panel if its outside, its not unheard of for horizontal sheets of rain to litterally come in about 4-5 metres under verandahs/car ports etc, in the wet season...... its fun :).....

 

Yeah, I have heard about this :). The unit will have castors so I can wheel it into the house or garage.

 

Thanks for the input, will definatley keep everyone up to date..

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I was also trying to think of a way of mounting some steering wheels but it just seems to dificult, maybe next project I guess..

 

Too difficult is my specialty :)....... ........ where's the fun in doing stuff that's easy??? ...... i'm told i have no control over this personality trait, people tell me it is something to do with the hair colour????????? since when are red-heads stubborn, determined and bad tempered:unsure???? LOL......

 

 

Yeah, I have heard about this :). The unit will have castors so I can wheel it into the house or garage.

 

Thanks for the input, will definatley keep everyone up to date..

another piece of advice LOL....... yea......um...... make them locking castors and surround the base with bricks. :redface i thought solid timber with a solid 40mm top was overkill for a cocktail, and there was NO CHANCE it would budge even when people get rough!!!!! yea........ um...... I'm the WORST offender and damn can i make that thing move when Mrs Pac Man shits me........big bolts into the floor, that MIGHT help :)

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Usually by page 2 we begin to see some photos.. lol..

 

Sorry to disapoint you, hopefully have some in the next few days.

 

Computer upgrades have been ordered (thanks Dalendie :) ). These include 1tbit HDD, 2gig ram, vid card.

 

Waiting on Mr K. Rudd to buy me the lcd.. :)

 

I have sorted out what size mdf sheets I will need to minimise wastage and cost. I will need five sheets:

2 x 2400 x 600

1 x 1200 x 600

1 x 2400 x 450

1 x 1200 x 450.

Will hopefully get mdf on weekend and start cutting monday. Layout of plans on mdf will go something like the pic's, and no, they are not to scale sorry...

cpbottom.jpg.b3128b2915a591ca4ca1606402bba287.jpg

cptop.jpg.ff642f0e88e8ec3fa328ab4a00386baa.jpg

Stand.jpg.020e357d39c8996a29b448a34f5ea2a8.jpg

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Sorry to disapoint you, hopefully have some in the next few days.

 

Computer upgrades have been ordered (thanks Dalendie :) ). These include 1tbit HDD, 2gig ram, vid card.

 

 

 

Welcome.... :), should be here in a week will drop it off as soon as it arrives.

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  • 1 month later...

Update with pics :D

 

Well its been a mission getting enough time to work on the project but its finally starting to come together. Apart from a bit of a rub back its pretty much ready for artwork (spacies ;) ;) ) and paint :). Here are some pics...

start.thumb.jpg.7615033a7cd4da8305a9266cf45a559a.jpg

cp1.thumb.jpg.cdfcaf6c89370daf100d35a81c0a1477.jpg

cp2.thumb.jpg.aa98c70fe45954f0c37d4dabf20944d1.jpg

cabslide.thumb.jpg.9338711ca2cdd129330572a8f75ec1e2.jpg

cabcon.thumb.jpg.07c0552d28e88e3fcb66f8e8cf6ca325.jpg

feet.thumb.jpg.30b74805fcd742b882c86ecd383c9eff.jpg

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Well its been a mission getting enough time to work on the project but its finally starting to come together. Apart from a bit of a rub back its pretty much ready for artwork (spacies ;) ;) ) and paint :). Here are some pics...

 

lookin good so far......:cool::cool:

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Thats a big cp .... guess 4 players could fit around it easy enough though.

 

Whats the 7th button for on the 1/2p controls... what games need that?

 

Also see you havent cut out the trackball, spinner or happ rotary ..... what games may specifically need the happ rotary stick and why?

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Thats a big cp .... guess 4 players could fit around it easy enough though.

 

It looks big in the pics but its pretty much an average size, I could of originally made the actual cp base a lot lower in profile though. Instead of it beeing 160mm I could of decreesed it to 100mm easy, would of given it a lot slimmer profile.

 

Whats the 7th button for on the 1/2p controls... what games need that?

 

From what I understand the 7th button is for fighting games mainly, it can also come into use for neo geo 4 button games. They where on the original cp plan so I just left them there just incase, if I dont use them I will just plug the hole with a button plug but for now they stay.

 

Also see you havent cut out the trackball, spinner or happ rotary ..... what games may specifically need the happ rotary stick and why?

 

After a lot of thinking I decided against the rotary and spinner, I just dont think I will use them enough to justify the cost. I am still undecided about the trackball though and it may go in later..

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  • 1 month later...

New pics!! :p

 

Some update pics on the project. Finally got the thing painted and have started on controls. Going to order the matching knobs for the different colour buttons and also some more switches to fill the holes at the front, (or plugs, not decided yet). Would love to have someone volunteer to do up some artwork for the side's :) .

paintcabfront.jpg.61ad6a0728a9ddd6d46844a16226d7dc.jpg

paintcabopen.jpg.10f96cd55f76958f44008c19b916e8c4.jpg

paintcabsidehigh.jpg.5f230a59c00908bac05f4245efc95091.jpg

paintcabcp.jpg.5d528864de4c4135843f0a12abf5c6ec.jpg

paintcabbuttonfront.jpg.8b3d8f45a94629cedd4a23604f9f728c.jpg

paintcabfinishside.jpg.ad1c796a92dedab88c22ccbc5d415344.jpg

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p4 2.8 2 cpus? Didn't HT start on the 3ghz's?.. Sounds like a single core to me.

 

All the P4 with 800fsb have Hyper Threading , I think the models started as low as 2.4ghz .

 

Its a single core unless its a Pentium D but likely a Northwood version which would be a second logical core .

 

I often see on ebay people selling Hyper Threading models and Pentium D versions as being the same as a core duo or pentium dual-core ( core version not netburst ) when the differences are huge .

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  • 1 month later...

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