Basic Guide to Building a Cabinet - Revision history

Saint: 30 revisions

2013-12-05T13:10:03Z

30 revisions

Weisshaupt at 16:21, 25 January 2008

2008-01-25T16:21:13Z

Apollo: /* Things to consider first */

2007-06-04T00:11:58Z

‎Things to consider first

Apollo at 00:00, 4 June 2007

2007-06-04T00:00:06Z

Spystyle: /* External Links */

2007-05-25T01:57:48Z

‎External Links

Felsir: cough Wiki skills are a bit rusty... fixed my previous error

2007-05-08T12:59:56Z

*cough* Wiki skills are a bit rusty... fixed my previous error

Felsir: /* Things to consider first */

2007-05-08T12:58:52Z

‎Things to consider first

Spacefractal: Changed the interfacing controls to se the portal, instead of content page.

2006-07-21T22:51:34Z

Changed the interfacing controls to se the portal, instead of content page.

Mortalpawn: /* Things to consider first */ - modified controls reference

2006-07-21T18:55:53Z

‎Things to consider first: - modified controls reference

Mortalpawn at 03:55, 15 July 2006

2006-07-15T03:55:49Z

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 *'''What type of display device do you want to use?'''
-:There are various options, ranging from [[Televisions]], [[PC Monitors]] and even real [[Arcade Monitors]]. Keep in mind that these have different connections and might need a special [[Video Cards|videocard]]. Also an arcade monitor is mounted diffently in a cabinet than a television (which might sit on a shelf in your cab).
+:There are various options, ranging from [[Televisions]], [[PC Monitors]] and even real [[Arcade Monitors]]. Keep in mind that these have different connections and might need a special [[Video Cards|videocard]]. Also an arcade monitor is mounted diffently in a cabinet than a television (which might sit on a shelf in your cab). Flat Panel Displays are also being used in some projects. You also may want to consider if you wish to implement a [[Rotating Monitor]]
 *'''What about artwork?'''

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 :Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes (see ''[[Arcade Cabinet]]''). A [[Cabinet Plans|list of sample plans]] is available via this wiki. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
 :If you want to design your own cabinet, take a look [http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml#dimensions here]. Some things to keep in mind when figuring out your dimensions are:
-::#How tall you are. You don't want to end up with a control panel you can't reach conmortably or look at a screen that is too low for your comfort.
+::#How tall are you? You don't want to end playing your favourite game with a control panel you can't reach comfortably and you don't want to be staring at a screen that is too low or too high for you either.
 ::#The size of the monitor. If you want to put in a 36" screen, make sure it fits.
-::#The size of your control panel. If you want to have a gazillion controls on it, but you made it only 10" wide you are probably going to run out of space.
+::#The size of your control panel. If you want to have a lot of different controls on the control panel but you made it only 15" wide, you are probably going to run out of space.
 :Instead of building your own cabinet, you may also choose to restore or convert an existing cabinet. See also [[notes on converting a cabinet]].
 :Whatever you decide, one very important thing to consider before ANYTHING is done, is ''how wide are your doorways?'' If you can't get it to the location you have planned, all your work will be for naught!

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-__NOTOC__So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basic guide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
+__NOTOC__So you want to build yourself an arcade cabinet? Here is a basic guide to get you started. Some things mentioned here may seem a little daunting at first but if you take your time, do your research and ask the right questions you will discover that you too can build your dream arcade machine. Good preparation, including taking the time to read and research as much as possible can save you a lot of time and money as you get further into your project.
-If you have questions, never be afraid to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].
+If you have questions feel free to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].
 ==Things to consider first==

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 ==External Links==
 * [http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade/ LuSiD's Arcade Flashback] Many DIY cabinets have been based on this guide.
 * [http://minimame.com/downloads.asp MiniMame PDF plans] An excellent printable guide. The document describes a scaled down version of an arcade cabinet, the used techniques are usable in full scale projects as well.
 [[Category:Basics]]
 [[Category:Index]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 You don't want to rush out and just buy yourself a few pieces of [[Wood_products|wood]], fire up your [[Power Tools|power tools]] and start cutting! First things first:
 * '''What kind of cabinet do you want?'''
-:Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes (see ''[[Arcade Cabinet]]''). A [Cabinet Plans|list of sample plans]] is available via this wiki. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
+:Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes (see ''[[Arcade Cabinet]]''). A [[Cabinet Plans|list of sample plans]] is available via this wiki. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
 :If you want to design your own cabinet, take a look [http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml#dimensions here]. Some things to keep in mind when figuring out your dimensions are:
 ::#How tall you are. You don't want to end up with a control panel you can't reach conmortably or look at a screen that is too low for your comfort.

← Older revision	Revision as of 13:10, 5 December 2013
(No difference)

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 *'''How to interface the controls?'''
-:Once you have decided what controls you want, how do those controls connect to the PC? See the  [[Contents#Interfacing_Controls_With_Your_PC|interfacing controls with your PC]] section for various options. Things to keep in mind when selecting an interface board, are the number of available connections and the amount of controls you plan to use.
+:Once you have decided what controls you want, how do those controls connect to the PC? See the  [[Controls|interfacing controls with your PC]] section for various options. Things to keep in mind when selecting an interface board, are the number of available connections and the amount of controls you plan to use.
 *'''What type of display device do you want to use?'''

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 *'''What controls are you going to want on your cabinet?'''
-:What kind of games do you want to play? Take note of what controls those games use. How many players? The [[control panel]] needs more space if you want a 4 player cabinet. Generally, if you want to play fighter games, you will need 6 buttons per player. If you want a 4 player cabinet, keep in mind that there aren't any non-console games that support more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4. Take a look at [[Contents#Arcade_Control_Hardware|Arcade Control hardware]] section for more info on [[joysticks]], [[trackballs]], [[spinners]], etc. It is also possible to buy ready made control panels.  See the [[vendors]] page on where to get these items.
+:What kind of games do you want to play? Take note of what controls those games use. How many players? The [[control panel]] needs more space if you want a 4 player cabinet. Generally, if you want to play fighter games, you will need 6 buttons per player. If you want a 4 player cabinet, keep in mind that there aren't any non-console games that support more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4. Take a look at the [[Controls]] section for more info on [[joysticks]], [[trackballs]], [[spinners]], etc. It is also possible to buy ready made control panels.  See the [[vendors]] page on where to get these items.
 :It is also a wise idea when it comes to control panel design to 'test fit' your controls using a piece of cardboard, cheap wood, or a piece of ridgid insulation. Your layout might look good on paper (or in your [[Technical_design_software|design software]]), but nothing beats testing to make sure everything is to your satisfaction prior to making your final model.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basicguide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
+__NOTOC__So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basic guide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
 If you have questions, never be afraid to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].
-=Things to consider first=
+==Things to consider first==
 You don't want to rush out and just buy yourself a few pieces of [[Wood_products|wood]], fire up your [[Power Tools|power tools]] and start cutting! First things first:
 * '''What kind of cabinet do you want?'''
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 :How do you want to control your emulator software? Do you want special administration buttons on your control panel (or hidden elsewhere on your cabinet?). Do you want to add a drawer to have access to your PC's keyboard? Perhaps add a [[Coin Doors|coin door]] or have 'insert coin' buttons? Do you want speakers with volume control? Any special lighting such as lighted buttons or a marquee?
-=Building the cabinet=
+==Building the cabinet==
-Once you settled on your cabinet's design, it is time to start the hard dirty work. Your arcade experience is basically two parts. The cabinet itself and the computer that runs it.
+Once you settled on your cabinet's design, it is time to start the hard dirty work. Your arcade experience is basically two parts. The cabinet itself and the computer that runs it.  The [[Examples]] and [[Building]] portals will give you two great places to start when creating your cabinet.  Many of the example links have step by step instructions and pictures, while the Building portal has information on materials and tools.
-The [[Contents#Building_Materials|building materials]] and [[Contents#Tools|tools]] sections might give you hints on what to use. Always keep in mind the golden rule of woodworking: measure twice, cut once!
+==Building the guts==
-=Building the guts=
+==Setting up the computer==
-Once the cabinet is built, you can install the controls and wire everything up.
+The [[Software]] portal provides a staring point for getting various arcade emulators up and running on your cabinet.  It is probably a good idea to get your emulators installed before you move your PC into the cabinet. While a cabinet is great for playing arcade games, it is not a very confortable working spot to fix your software's settings.  If you have more computers in your home, you might want to consider hooking the arcade cabinet computer into a home network. This allows you to update files from another PC or even control the computer using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Services remote desktop client tool].
-=Setting up the computer=
+==See Also==
-It is probably a good idea to get your emulators up and running before you move your PC into the cabinet. While a cabinet is great for playing arcade games, it is not a very confortable working spot to fix your software's settings.
+* [[Examples]]
-If you have more computers in your home, you might want to consider hooking the arcade cabinet computer into a home network. This allows you to update files from another PC or even control the computer using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Services remote desktop client tool].
+* [[Building]]
-=Relevant links=
+==External Links==
 * [http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index1.htm SpyStyle's DIY Arcade walkthrough] A step-by-step guide for building a cabinet.
 * [http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade/ LuSiD's Arcade Flashback] Many DIY cabinets have been based on this guide.
 * [http://minimame.com/downloads.asp MiniMame PDF plans] An excellent printable guide. The document describes a scaled down version of an arcade cabinet, the used techniques are usable in full scale projects as well.