Pac-Man Legion

[Ond]

This project is the one I enjoy working on the most at the moment. It's a modern take on a sit down cocktail cabinet.  Curvy and without T-Molding but also featuring a big CRT screen.  Here is the design I did for it and from which full scale cutting plans were created:

 

This cabinet will run a small selection of games including variations of Pac-Man and few other games suited to a cocktail machine.  It will run the latest GroovyMAME using CRT Emudriver and output video to the CRT (taken from a 27" flat screen TV) via a GreenAntz VGA-Component Transcoder.

Most joinery in this design is by using threaded inserts and bolts, the cabinet can be dismantled as needed.  I'm mostly using thick 32mm MDF for this (and some marine ply) so threaded insert/bolts make strong joins. The build is nearing completion but I'll share some of the initial construction details here first:

The next steps will be to fit and adjust for the CRT and complete the base of the cabinet.

Cheers

Ond

 

 

[namastepat]

Wow, that's phenomenal! I love the design. Using a massive CRT in a cocktail is certainly going to be different. It's like a candy cab in cocktail form 😄

[CandyLand]

Just as pretty as I had pictured...Jennifer is amused (wink)...You got mail.

[Ond]

On 06/09/2021 at 8:27 AM, namastepat said:

Wow, that's phenomenal! I love the design. Using a massive CRT in a cocktail is certainly going to be different. It's like a candy cab in cocktail form 😄

Thanks namastepat, glad you like it. I have really good memories of playing pac-man on a cocktail cab when I as a kid.  This cabinet is my nostalgia fix, especially the big CRT.  I'm not a big fan of the traditional cocktail cabs from an artistic point of view, they were kinda squat and ugly IMO.  This curvy thing is my go at something more pleasing to look at.

On 07/09/2021 at 7:13 AM, CandyLand said:

Just as pretty as I had pictured...Jennifer is amused (wink)...You got mail.

Thanks Jenn, nice to have your point of view on my projects again. 😉

So!  I'm back to posting this project in real-time, Wooohooo!   The school term is over for me so I'm back in the workshop again, what a joy!  Today I did some basic testing of the GreenAntz VGA-Component transcoder I recently acquired.  On a first look I have to say I'm very impressed.  These units are hand built by Dekkit and Zebidee.  The picture quality on a CRT TV really depends on the quality of the CRT unit. On a decent CRT the images are very crisp indeed. There was slight noise in the picture but I suspect that's more to do with the long cable I'm using than anything. The PC hardware for this build is on my bench.  You can see the HDMI feed which goes to my LCD monitor and the VGA feed which goes to the GreenAntz board.

Here is the VGA cable connected to the GreenAntz board and the Component cable out.

I have GroovyMAME set to display on Screen2 (the CRT).  I run it from the LCD screen1 while I'm testing and configuring the software.  CRT emudriver has been setup with the video modes which suit a PAL 50Hz TV.  Game display resolutions are taken from GroovyMame config.

here are the initial results:

I have an over scan issue on the TV but I will resolve that in the TVs settings.  A close-up shows the image is quite clean.

 

 

 

 

 

[CandyLand]

That is quite impressive, guess that Z/dee was the real deal, (Always did like him), curious did it come with those fancy RGB cables too, or are those yours?... Kind of a shame they ran this Princess off like they did however,  I could have seen myself totally buying a box of those boards. *(Sad face, and kicking rocks)...Anyway, as for that one it does look good, and have to say I am actually quite surprised that tube even fits the cabinet, that has to be some wicked close tolerances and measurements, If memory serves, last time I saw that thing it was hanging from the ceiling on chains and remember thinking "No frigging way is that ever going to fit, Not without some steel substructure anyway"...But aparently it will and Jennifer was just wrong...Nice work man.

Edited September 12 by CandyLand