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Project Arcade Machine |
tomjsmith000
Joined: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 116
From: Bristol, England
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Hi there,
I am starting a project this week to design and build my own arcade machine. The unit itself is basically going to be a contained PC with built in screen, speakers and joystick and buttons for controls.
As to not have the missus leave me I have also decided to have it as a tabletop unit not a full size standing unit!
I think for me, being a mechanical engineer, the hardest part will be making the joystick and buttons work. I hear there are special microcontrollers you can buy which convert the IO signal from the button and joystick microswitches to a USB connection.
What do you guys think?
Anyone know anything about said microcontrollers?
[ This Message was edited by: tomjsmith000 on 2009-04-04 10:15 ] |
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lukechris
Joined: Dec 30, 2007
Posts: > 500
From: Preston, UK
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I duno bout that but I know of an amazing website here where they sell arcade machine parts etc. It's wicked 
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Cycovision
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: England
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They're called I-PAC interfaces and they are very easy to set up. After you've wired the buttons and sticks up to the terminals on the I-PAC board, you just install the driver and configuration software on the PC and then plug the board in via USB. It's no different to installing and configuring a standard PC joypad really.
Have a google for 'I-PAC interface' and I'm sure you'll find all the info you need 
You've set me thinking now; I have an old free-standing cabinet in an outbuilding downstairs. My business partner used to write touch screen applications for information kiosks and used this cabinet to demo them. It wouldn't require much work for me to convert that into a MAME machine!
Hmmm.... |
yea g
Joined: Jul 02, 2008
Posts: > 500
From: New Zealand
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Oh awesome! AFAIK you could just use a normal microcontroller and output to the serial port, and write some software to make the computer read the signal
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tomjsmith000
Joined: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 116
From: Bristol, England
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I've about that I-PAC somewhere. Good to know there's something available as I was even considering gutting a keyboard!
I've a bit of a think about the internal layout and I think I know how I'm going to do it but I can't decide how wide to make it! I currently have a 15 inch LCD screen I'm planning to use but I'm worried that's too small as I plan to make the cabinet pretty much as wide as the screen.
I suppose MAME and SNES games don't have huge resolutions though! |
blerk
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
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Maybe this website can help you: http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm
I've seen nice projects using MAME and some hardware hackery to get old nintendo joysticks to work with it.
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Posted: 2009-04-04 11:12
