Island-Cocktail Build

[gryhnd]

Most of the Dell stuff these days is non-standard and proprietary.

The build looks amazing.

Thanks! Ya, the PSU part is a tad worrisome, which is one reason why I am driving all the fans and LED buttons off separate power...I want to especially minimize any stress on the main PSU.

The PC is no barn burner, that's for sure, but it runs the cocktail games I want to play with ease.

[bkenobi]

That thing is OLD! We had those at my office 6 years ago and they were old then! But, it should work for all non-3D games which should provide a bunch of fun. Oh, and as you know, they are super quiet.

[gryhnd]

We had those at my office 6 years ago and they were old then!

They came out in the second half of 2002 (based on review dates), so fwiw it couldn't have been that old 6 years ago The Optiplex line itself though has been around for quite a while.

[bkenobi]

Well, perhaps. We had units of different ages in the same cases though. I don't know how long Dell produced that specific case form factor, so it's possible.

[discgolfer72]

Well, perhaps. We had units of different ages in the same cases though. I don't know how long Dell produced that specific case form factor, so it's possible.

i have been buying thoes dells (but with the 2.8 p4's) and the ibm thinkcenters with the 2.8's from a local pc recycler for 30$ a pop for my mame builds and they work great slap a extra 512 ram stick and the cheapest graffix card i can find (usually a 5200 or 6200 128 card)

and im able to play any game that i can also play on my dual core 3.6 ghz desktop in mame

[Endaar]

i have been buying thoes dells (but with the 2.8 p4's) and the ibm thinkcenters with the 2.8's from a local pc recycler for 30$

I hate to admit what we have to PAY Dell to take them, lol.

[gryhnd]

Got a lot done between last night and tonight, picking away here and there throughout the day when work was slow.

I wired both CPs up in their entirety using Cat5e cable since they are already nicely wrapped Checked all my connections with the multimeter first, then plugged the trackball, spinner and encoder into my other cab: all worked flawlessly:

Mounted a small control board from the Dell onto the HD case (for power on/off, plus two USBs). After figuring out its pin configuration, I hacked up a spare ribbon cable to fit the board with the on/off trigger wires running to an arcade pushbutton. Here's a view from inside the cab, with the EL IDE cable in view:

And then I hooked up all the button LEDs. These are wired into a harness (see the white clip near the fan) which I can detach from the power when/if the table top needs to be removed:

The button LEDs are really sharp. Even the SWMBO uttered some oohs and aahs along with my kid. However we think they are probably too bright. I have a couple of resistors left over from the other cab project. I'll try throwing one or two on there to take the edge off, and see how it looks.

Next up is to install the permanent electrical, then the table top supports, and finally the monitor and glass. All tomorrow? Eeer...probably not

[bkenobi]

Except for those 2 MASSIVE ground wire bundles, everything looks very tidy. I don't know of a better way other than having a non-CAT5 cable chain for ground, though. Nice work!

[gryhnd]

However we think they are probably too bright. I have a couple of resistors left over from the other cab project. I'll try throwing one or two on there to take the edge off, and see how it looks.

Weeelll. My resistors are 150ohm. Putting one on there dropped all the buttons to a nice level EXCEPT the blue (pause) button which wouldn't light at all. So I wired two of them in parallel (=75ohm) and that allowed the blue to light, but it was too dim. So...added a third (no, I didn't have any other resistors around!) for an equivalent of 50ohm and that took the edge off the red buttons, and the blue looked nice.

Now I'm trying to figure out some weird problem with the XArcade trackball. The ball part works just dandy, but the left-click mouse button is acting really odd. I need to do some more R&D on it before I post for help.

I did fire up the cab with the monitor off to the side, and the first thing I played was Tempest with the spinner. WOW! So cool!

[gryhnd]

Now I'm trying to figure out some weird problem with the XArcade trackball. The ball part works just dandy, but the left-click mouse button is acting really odd. I need to do some more R&D on it before I post for help.

Got it! When I was upside down peering through the monitor hole and adjusting a few things, I accidentally wired the left mouse button switch to NC rather than NO

Dummkopf.

[gryhnd]

Greetings everyone. This will be the last report for about a week (possibly more) due to travel schedules.

The end is in site! If you look from the top down, it appears to be all done . I installed the table top supports to the cab, then the monitor to the top, and muscled it into position. After a few false starts due to tight tolerances knocking loose a wire here and a wire there as I squeezed everything in, it's now operational. I've popped the monitor glass into place but it still needs to be properly cleaned and siliconed down. The permanent electrical is not yet done, nor is the front plate for the top space above the doors or the toe kick trim. Of course there is a lot of software tweaking to do (xpadder, MAME itself, and so on).

Nevertheless, I'm giving you a sneak peek tonight. When it's all together I'll do up a video walk around or something so you can get a better idea of the entire package:

(edit: that's GameEx up there!)

[bkenobi]

P2 is upside down?! So when P2 uses the joystick, does it move the wrong way on the list?

[gryhnd]

P2 is upside down?! So when P2 uses the joystick, does it move the wrong way on the list?

Not sure I'm following the question, but I'll take a guess. This is for vertical games only (I already have 2 horizontal cabs) and primarily for games that have cocktail modes , hence the screen flips when it's P2's turn.

For some 2 player games, like 1941 etc, I simply reverse the U/D/L/R joy assignments for P2 in the game config so movements are in the correct direction.

List? GameEx's list? In this setup P1 is the one who selects the games not P2. Besides, the entire screen would be upside down for P2.

Edit: P1 is the end with the spinner and trackball.

[bkenobi]

I just meant with the FE. P2 is looking at the screen upside down. If you have them set up to select a game, they would potentially have their directions reversed relative to the screen due to the perspective (their up looks like it should move down on the FE). I was being a little obtuse intentionally.

[gryhnd]

I was being a little obtuse intentionally.

[Tempest]

I always do it intentionally too. (I just wanted to clear that up)

[gryhnd]

please....the build is done!

Well, is it ever? Really? But let's call it at 99 44/100% ok?

Thanks for putting up guys, and Tom especially, with posting what probably would be more appropriate over at BYOAC...but I only lurk there. Maybe I'll intro myself with this one, I dunno.

Big thanks to Tom first and foremost for the best front end, evar. GroovyGameGear for the encoder and kick ass TurboTwist2, as well as joys and various

buttons. X-Arcade for the trackball. My wife for putting up with my various projects, and my son for being the tester.

Anyway, here's the final result. I probably should have used the time and energy to wrap up the HT/Game room itself first, but I needed a break from that project and this was a pleasant diversion and allowed me to learn some new things along the way (never thought I'd get into inlaying, for example):

[gryhnd]

Final notes: using Xpadder, I can change the system volume by holding in the "plunger" button (programmed as Enter) on the side of the cabinet and simultaneously pressing P1 (volume down) or P2 (volume up). Similarly, hold in the plunger button and tapping player 1 "credit" brings up MAME's game config screen. I can nav around the cfg screen with the P1 joystick, select options using the plunger (enter), and back out using the red "Exit" (esc) button. Working quite well to tweak games during play to set, for example, the cabinet option to "cocktail" without the need to hook up a keyboard.

[bkenobi]

Looks great. I'm sure your wife is happy you didn't do what she probably thought you were going to do. Well, that's what I found out recently in regards to my wife (she thought I was going to build a closet with a TV in it).

[chriss]

It fits there really well! Nice project, well done mate!

[gryhnd]

We had a few friends over Saturday night. The first "party" since the new cab. I'll tell you something...the women were all over this machine. The kids barely got a chance to play on it! It's interesting to me, because the girls generally don't give too much attention to the uprights. Something about the cocktail style really appealed to them. Pacman and Centipede got a real workout.

And it served its primary purpose quite well (OK...secondary in my mind): a place for drinks and snacks. It was definitely the core for this gathering.

[bkenobi]

I've been meaning to ask a question. What precautions have you taken to make sure that a spilled drink doesn't cause a HUGE problem? I see two problem areas: controls, screen. If the glass is sealed with silicone, it should be fine (as I recall, it is). Did you seal the controls as well? I don't see any way to protect the joystick other than some kind of a drip catcher under it on the inside of the cab.

[gryhnd]

The screen is sealed with silicone, yes.

Controls: short story - No. Long story - been pondering it.

I have nothing special under the controls. The buttons actually seal pretty tightly to the Spar finish which wasn't 10% cured when they were applied. So I'm not too worried.

The joysticks are an entry point, yes. I don't have anything for that yet that wouldn't inhibit movement if placed in the hole for their shafts. I have given some thought (but haven't gotten to any execution yet) of affixing some sort of cup from underneath, that would surround the joys sticks and prevent any spills from traveling further.

I may also just put a drip sheet (for lack of a better term) angled over the PC components (like a lean to) which are under P1. If anything comes through from up above, I would channel it down into the lower cabinet space and/or a catch cup. On the P2 side there's nothing underneath to worry about.

So far everyone keeps their food stuffs away from the controls because they get in the way of game play, but it's a definite concern.

[bkenobi]

Interesting. The problem is that even if a drink is quite a ways from the controls, if someone tips it toward the joystick, it will move pretty quickly and inevitably find the opening. I don't think there's anything that can be done about damage to the joystick, but I'd certainly try to control the damage. The drip pan is a good idea. My grill has a large pan under it that routes any liquids to a small collection tray. That tray can simply be removed and cleaned from the front. The larger pan can be removed from the back if it gets really nasty.

Anyway, I would personally do something for the PC and encoders. I wouldn't worry too much about the controls.