Started: Nov. 3, 2012
Creating an arcade tabletop box that is controlled using only joystick and buttons. This project is to the building of both the computer hardware, cabinet, joystick controller and creating interface software that makes it possible to use the computer using just the joystick and buttons.
This is just a list with all the usefull links i have found for the project. That will be updated along the way.
Have already bough a joystick and buttons. But not sure if there are enough buttons yet. So far there is the joystick, 6 game buttons and two buttons for menu, etc. But how to many buttons are actually required. Found a few links that is worth sharing.
The first link gives a lot of insight about the considerations of how to mount the joystick and buttons. The second gives a good idea about how to design and put together the case itself. So additional for the parts list are:
After some consideration about sound, I think that the sound "system" will be created from the units of an old pair of PC-speaks where the transformer was blown. Then I just have to find an amplifier that hopefully can run on power from the ATX power supply. Meaning 5 or 12V, and fairly low power usage.
One of the goals for this project is to lean more. So plan on creating a USB controlled power relay controller that should be able to power on and off the amplifier and the lights that are going to be on the cabinet. Still not sure where all the lights should go. But for now I got some EL-wire (green) and LED-strips (green). So to update the parts list, these are added:
When I get started on the relay controls the parts for that will be listed as well.
The order for the computer hardware has just been made. Ended up buying the Intel D2700MUD because it was fairly cheap and has the LVDS port that I require. Additionally 2GB of ram, 250GB harddisk and a NZXT IU01 interner USB-Hub was bought. The NZXT USB-Hub I have used in other projects and it is just great. An internal USB-Hub is just what I need because all the different controls is going to be made into USB devices.
The reason that a motherboard with LVDS is required is because the whole project started out because I got my hands on an old laptop that I pulled apart, and wanted to use the display for an arcade machine.
The hardware list so far:
This should be the parts required to get started with. Later other parts and the cabinet should be created. Have lots of spare parts laying around.