50 replies to this topic

[disjaukifa]

Hey Guys,

I've got a project that I came up with that my wife likes the idea of. I want to build an Atari 2600 Up-Right Arcade Cabinet. Here is what I have so far:

Complete set of controls from X-Arcade that I can use for the controls
Spare 4-Switch Atari 2600 which works perfectly
21" Flat Screen CRT Emerson TV

Various wood tools, drill, circular saw, etc.

What I want to know is how would ya'll design it? How tall should I make it? I'm not worried about the electric or soldering, so I was thinking of trying to make the cartridge slot be on the main control button panel so that would be where you put your games in to be played.

Going to be working with Google Sketch Up in a little bit to try coming up with a design.

Any thoughts, ideas, diagrams, links would be very helpful!

Thanks
Disjaukifa

[rmaerz]

I think you would be better off running it in emulation. That way, you can easily switch between MAME and Stella (plus any other emulators).

If it were my project, first I wouldn't design it for 2600 play only and secondly I wouldn't be installing a 2600 anywhere and popping cartridges in & out - I think it would look horrible.

I would approach it in this manner:

Find a gutted two player cabinet such as Mario Bros., Joust, Robotron etc. and restore the cabinet artwork.

Load up a computer with your emulators, ROMs and a front end (I use Kymaera) and interface it to your arcade controls with a keyboard encoder. If you can remove those X-Arcade controls (I'm assuming it's one of those control panel jobs) then install those into the control panel and add buttons.

I'm going to stop there because if you don't want to go this path then I don't what to go forward with details.

Another option would be to design a replica Atari kiosk instead.

[disjaukifa]

rmaerz, on Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:15 AM, said:

I think you would be better off running it in emulation. That way, you can easily switch between MAME and Stella (plus any other emulators).

If it were my project, first I wouldn't design it for 2600 play only and secondly I wouldn't be installing a 2600 anywhere and popping cartridges in & out - I think it would look horrible.

I would approach it in this manner:

Find a gutted two player cabinet such as Mario Bros., Joust, Robotron etc. and restore the cabinet artwork.

Load up a computer with your emulators, ROMs and a front end (I use Kymaera) and interface it to your arcade controls with a keyboard encoder. If you can remove those X-Arcade controls (I'm assuming it's one of those control panel jobs) then install those into the control panel and add buttons.

I'm going to stop there because if you don't want to go this path then I don't what to go forward with details.

Another option would be to design a replica Atari kiosk instead.

The only reason I'm not going that route right now is I have a computer/monitor that I was planning on making into a MAME Cabinet, but I wanted to do the Atari 2600 one first so I could make mistakes and learn from it if that makes sense. I think it would be easy to insert the cartridge on the control panel. I'm working on a basic design now that I will post in a little bit.

*EDIT* Also I haven't had any luck in finding a busted arcade unit . . . I found one, but the guy things he's sitting on gold and I'm not paying what he's asking. Where is a good place to look for arcade cabinets? *EDIT*

Thanks for the response, Everything you mentioned, I plan on doing on my second unit I make!!!

-Disjaukfia

Edited by disjaukifa, Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:23 AM.

[rmaerz]

I limit my travel to within a 2 hour radius anymore. I once traveled 3.5 hours to pick up a Monaco GP cabinet (working) but it was well worth it - that cabinet gets more play than any other at my Retrocade parties.

I'm assuming that you are already keeping tabs of Craigslist and eBay so another option would be to attend one of these auctions:

http://www.auctionga...UCTIONDATES.htm

They stopped coming to Harrisburg because they weren't making any money here.

You will find cabinets in various conditions. Some of them are just plain dead, others just need their monitors capped while others are in fantastic condition.

The auctions here in Harrisburg had a TON of cabinets with 60-in-1 boards installed. DO NOT buy these - they are overpriced. All these people are doing is buying an LCD monitor, interconnecting it to a 60-in-1 board and wiring up the controls. If you can work on a PC, you can build one of these yourself.

I don't recall the exact width of a cabinet if you build one yourself - the range is 21-23 inches. I can do some measurements tonight to give you an idea of height and depth and a definitive measurement on width.

[disjaukifa]

rmaerz, on Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:45 AM, said:

I limit my travel to within a 2 hour radius anymore. I once traveled 3.5 hours to pick up a Monaco GP cabinet (working) but it was well worth it - that cabinet gets more play than any other at my Retrocade parties.

I'm assuming that you are already keeping tabs of Craigslist and eBay so another option would be to attend one of these auctions:

http://www.auctionga...UCTIONDATES.htm

They stopped coming to Harrisburg because they weren't making any money here.

You will find cabinets in various conditions. Some of them are just plain dead, others just need their monitors capped while others are in fantastic condition.

The auctions here in Harrisburg had a TON of cabinets with 60-in-1 boards installed. DO NOT buy these - they are overpriced. All these people are doing is buying an LCD monitor, interconnecting it to a 60-in-1 board and wiring up the controls. If you can work on a PC, you can build one of these yourself.

I don't recall the exact width of a cabinet if you build one yourself - the range is 21-23 inches. I can do some measurements tonight to give you an idea of height and depth and a definitive measurement on width.

That would be fantastic rmaerz! I'm finally getting around to finishing off my basement, and what my wife and I want to do is make it into a game/arcade room for our kids and ourselves. There's really isn't an arcades where I live and I missed the fun of it from when I was growing up, finally getting to a point where I can start trying to make one myself, I'd like to have multiple units in my basement, so we can have friends and family over all playing at once!

My biggest worry and concern is how high to have the control panel at. I'm 6'5" however my wife is only 5'3", so I want it to be a good combination that both of us can play it comfortably, but I don't want to have to bend over either

Also what would be a good price to buy a video arcade cabinet for? Prices for both working and none working? I know certain titles demand a higher price but I'm still curious.

-Disjaukifa

Edited by disjaukifa, Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:50 AM.

[rmaerz]

disjaukifa, on Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:49 AM, said:

That would be fantastic rmaerz! I'm finally getting around to finishing off my basement, and what my wife and I want to do is make it into a game/arcade room for our kids and ourselves. There's really isn't an arcades where I live and I missed the fun of it from when I was growing up, finally getting to a point where I can start trying to make one myself, I'd like to have multiple units in my basement, so we can have friends and family over all playing at once!

My biggest worry and concern is how high to have the control panel at. I'm 6'5" however my wife is only 5'3", so I want it to be a good combination that both of us can play it comfortably, but I don't want to have to bend over either

Also what would be a good price to buy a video arcade cabinet for? Prices for both working and none working? I know certain titles demand a higher price but I'm still curious.

-Disjaukifa

I have pictures on my www site of my home arcade. I have some original dedicated cabinets, some are running MAME and two are powered by MAME but dedicated to a single game (Star Castle and Pole Position).

I have my MAME cabinets grouped by control type: Centipede runs the trackball games, Make Trax runs any game that uses an 8-way joystick and up to two buttons and Galaga runs the slide-n-shoot games.

Doing it that way maintains respectability in the appearance of the cabinet while having multiple cabinets gives it an arcade feel.

As far as your height: I had thoughts about stuff like that early on but I reasoned that someone smarter than me already figured that stuff out. I would recommend going with the standard and using a bar stool.

[Nateo]

What I would prefer is to just pick out your favorite cabinet, find out what the dimensions and specific measurements are (many are listed throughout the web), grab some plywood or other preferred wood source and go for it! Then again, I love to do woodworking, so if that isn't your bag, then the gutted cabinet is the way to go.

[disjaukifa]

Nateo, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:21 AM, said:

What I would prefer is to just pick out your favorite cabinet, find out what the dimensions and specific measurements are (many are listed throughout the web), grab some plywood or other preferred wood source and go for it! Then again, I love to do woodworking, so if that isn't your bag, then the gutted cabinet is the way to go.

Actually I like doing wood work, not all that great at it, but I do love it. Where can I find the dimensions for the arcade cabinets? I wanted to build this unit around the TV I was going to place inside of it, hence why I was going to try designing it myself, but I guess I could always change the width of the cabinet to fit the TV.

-Disjaukifa

[disjaukifa]

Well as luck would have it I found a Konami Arcade Cabinet Shell on Craigslist locally today, seller was asking 50, I talked him down to 25, so that is going to be the cabinet I use to make my MAME arcade! I'm still planning on making my 2600 arcade cabinet, but I think I'm actually going to switch focus to this one since its already built.

I hope I didn't pay to much for it though. I'll post picture of it next week when I can pick it up.

-Disjaukifa

[rmaerz]

$25 is a good price for a gutted cabinet depending on condition

Post a pic when you get it

[disjaukifa]

rmaerz, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:08 PM, said:

$25 is a good price for a gutted cabinet depending on condition

Post a pic when you get it

Its missing all the controls, the monitor and the marque, but the wiring harness and light for the marque, and all the panels are their including the coin door. I'm figuring I can either clean it really well, or put a new paint job on it. I'll post pictures on Monday once I get it to my place.

-Disjaukifa

[rmaerz]

disjaukifa, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:10 PM, said:

rmaerz, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:08 PM, said:

$25 is a good price for a gutted cabinet depending on condition

Post a pic when you get it

Its missing all the controls, the monitor and the marque, but the wiring harness and light for the marque, and all the panels are their including the coin door. I'm figuring I can either clean it really well, or put a new paint job on it. I'll post pictures on Monday once I get it to my place.

-Disjaukifa

What's missing is fine because you'll customize all that anyway

[disjaukifa]

rmaerz, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:23 PM, said:

disjaukifa, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:10 PM, said:

rmaerz, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:08 PM, said:

$25 is a good price for a gutted cabinet depending on condition

Post a pic when you get it

Its missing all the controls, the monitor and the marque, but the wiring harness and light for the marque, and all the panels are their including the coin door. I'm figuring I can either clean it really well, or put a new paint job on it. I'll post pictures on Monday once I get it to my place.

-Disjaukifa

What's missing is fine because you'll customize all that anyway

OK just realized I need the PCB that connect the controls to and then it converts to either PS2/USB. Where can I get one on the cheap???

-Disjaukifa

[rmaerz]

disjaukifa, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:40 PM, said:

OK just realized I need the PCB that connect the controls to and then it converts to either PS2/USB. Where can I get one on the cheap???

-Disjaukifa

It depends on how many and what controls you need to wire up.

Most of my encoders are KE-18s from Hagstrom Electronics. This is enough to handle one 4/8-way joystick, two "fire" buttons, two start buttons, a coin insert button, one escape key and one system shutdown key.
http://www.hagstrome...ducts/ke18.html

If you order this one, make sure you get the accessories as they are NOT included:
http://www.hagstrome...ccessories.html
MTA100-10-12 (interfaces the keyboard encoder with your controls)
and the cable to interface the encoder to the keyboard input of your computer

Also, does the cabinet have a control panel? If not, I have a spare Satan's Hollow control panel in the garage.

BTW, if you need to interface a trackball, let me know because there's a different product I recommend.

Edited by rmaerz, Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:35 PM.

[disjaukifa]

rmaerz, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:34 PM, said:

disjaukifa, on Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:40 PM, said:

OK just realized I need the PCB that connect the controls to and then it converts to either PS2/USB. Where can I get one on the cheap???

-Disjaukifa

It depends on how many and what controls you need to wire up.

Most of my encoders are KE-18s from Hagstrom Electronics. This is enough to handle one 4/8-way joystick, two "fire" buttons, two start buttons, a coin insert button, one escape key and one system shutdown key.
http://www.hagstrome...ducts/ke18.html

If you order this one, make sure you get the accessories as they are NOT included:
http://www.hagstrome...ccessories.html
MTA100-10-12 (interfaces the keyboard encoder with your controls)
and the cable to interface the encoder to the keyboard input of your computer

Also, does the cabinet have a control panel? If not, I have a spare Satan's Hollow control panel in the garage.

BTW, if you need to interface a trackball, let me know because there's a different product I recommend.

Thanks for the links, I do need a control panel, but I plan on making one myself.

This might sound like a stupid questions but couldn't I just hack a keyboard apart and make the keyboard the interface for all my buttons and joysticks? Also I'm probably going to go with a linux setup so it will be smaller and faster, thinking a Debian base with an interface, working on that tonight since I already have the computer for it.

I'm not going to worry about a track ball on this unit, however I'll be able to add one later on if I want too.

Here are some crappy pictures from my phone of the cabinet. Honestly it looks much better in person than in the pictures.



Thanks
Disjaukifa

[disjaukifa]

Well I'm taking yet another route with this project. I was planning on building a cabinet from scratch, and using the cabinet I just bought in the above post for a MAME arcade, however the computer I was going to use for the MAME arcade died today.

SOO in light of that, I'm going to be using this cabinet to build my Atari 2600 arcade. I've got a Atari 2600 4-switch that I'm going to be taking apart and I need to figure out the controls for the unit.

I know I'm going to have two joysticks with a button on each side the player can decided which is a more comfortable position for them to use it.

The thing I'm not completely sure how I'm going to do is the paddles, I want to have 4 paddles on the control board, thinking of going to RadioShack and just buying new potentiometers for them so I can play games such as breakout, I just need to figure out a system of switching the controls from the joystick to the paddles, thinking about just hooking a switch up to the ground wire, that would be the easiest I believe. Also still looking to put the cartridge slot in the middle of the control board.

Does anyone know where I can buy a ribbion and connector for the 2600??? I know you can buy it because of the FB2 hack, I'm just wondering if thats a standard part at RadioShack of if I'm going to have to order it . . .

Let me know what ya'll think. I need to make a Marquee for the unit, I have no idea what I'm going to do for that though . . .

-Disjaukifa

[disjaukifa]

Hey Guys,

I got the cabinet tonight and when we were finally moving it I noticed something, its not a Konami cabinet, its a freaking Atari Cabinet . Here is what I got, I test set the TV I plan on using in the cabinet, its in great shape, just need a lot of cleaning and a little bit of paint and a bit of wiring, but other than that, its in fantastic shape.







Looking forward to cleaning it and setting up the 2600 inside of it! Does anyone know here I can get wiring diagrams for the Atari Controls? Both the joystick and paddles?

Thanks

[keilbaca]

Pin 1: Up
Pin 2: Down
Pin 3: Left
Pin 4: Right
Pin 5: B Potentiometer Input
Pin 6: Fire
Pin 7: +5V
Pin 8: Ground
Pin 9: A Potentiometer Input


Pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 for the joystick.
Pins 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 for paddles.


Pin 3 is fire for player 1, pin 4 for player 2. Pin 5 is paddle for player 2, pin 9 is paddle for player 1.

[disjaukifa]

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:17 PM, said:

Pin 1: Up
Pin 2: Down
Pin 3: Left
Pin 4: Right
Pin 5: B Potentiometer Input
Pin 6: Fire
Pin 7: +5V
Pin 8: Ground
Pin 9: A Potentiometer Input


Pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 for the joystick.
Pins 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 for paddles.


Pin 3 is fire for player 1, pin 4 for player 2. Pin 5 is paddle for player 2, pin 9 is paddle for player 1.

dude thats awesome thank you so much!

I was looking at the control board a minute ago and I don't think I'll honestly have enough from for the controllers and the paddles, so I'm seriously thinking of just doing the controllers.

What do ya'll think?

[keilbaca]

If you're handy with a soldering iron, all the controllers can share the same connector. Get a DB9 serial extension cable, so you have all 9 pins. Cut and splice player 1 joystick, and both paddles to it. That goes in the first port. Then just solder the player 2 joystick controls to the 2nd player spot (or just modify an original broken stick).

You can't have an Atari 2600 arcade cab, and NOT be able to play warlords or kaboom! on it. It in the unwritten book of the road.

[disjaukifa]

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:24 PM, said:

If you're handy with a soldering iron, all the controllers can share the same connector. Get a DB9 serial extension cable, so you have all 9 pins. Cut and splice player 1 joystick, and both paddles to it. That goes in the first port. Then just solder the player 2 joystick controls to the 2nd player spot (or just modify an original broken stick).

You can't have an Atari 2600 arcade cab, and NOT be able to play warlords or kaboom! on it. It in the unwritten book of the road.

yeah I know, I'm just worried about running out of room on the control panel! I was going to put the buttons for the console also on the control panel and have the game cartridge go into the panel!

I know I can solder, thats not a problem, I'm more worried about it getting too clutter . . . suggestions?

[keilbaca]

disjaukifa, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:29 PM, said:

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:24 PM, said:

If you're handy with a soldering iron, all the controllers can share the same connector. Get a DB9 serial extension cable, so you have all 9 pins. Cut and splice player 1 joystick, and both paddles to it. That goes in the first port. Then just solder the player 2 joystick controls to the 2nd player spot (or just modify an original broken stick).

You can't have an Atari 2600 arcade cab, and NOT be able to play warlords or kaboom! on it. It in the unwritten book of the road.

yeah I know, I'm just worried about running out of room on the control panel! I was going to put the buttons for the console also on the control panel and have the game cartridge go into the panel!

I know I can solder, thats not a problem, I'm more worried about it getting too clutter . . . suggestions?

Being 4 of the 6 control panel buttons are switches... you could have them on the side, or drill them into the bezel, right at the base. Just have two buttons for reset and select, where player 1 and player 2 start buttons normally are.

EDIT: If its a plexiglass bezel, you can. If its glass... you can spread flip switches across the top of the control panel.

Edited by keilbaca, Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:35 PM.

[disjaukifa]

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:33 PM, said:

disjaukifa, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:29 PM, said:

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:24 PM, said:

If you're handy with a soldering iron, all the controllers can share the same connector. Get a DB9 serial extension cable, so you have all 9 pins. Cut and splice player 1 joystick, and both paddles to it. That goes in the first port. Then just solder the player 2 joystick controls to the 2nd player spot (or just modify an original broken stick).

You can't have an Atari 2600 arcade cab, and NOT be able to play warlords or kaboom! on it. It in the unwritten book of the road.

yeah I know, I'm just worried about running out of room on the control panel! I was going to put the buttons for the console also on the control panel and have the game cartridge go into the panel!

I know I can solder, thats not a problem, I'm more worried about it getting too clutter . . . suggestions?

Being 4 of the 6 control panel buttons are switches... you could have them on the side, or drill them into the bezel, right at the base. Just have two buttons for reset and select, where player 1 and player 2 start buttons normally are.

EDIT: If its a plexiglass bezel, you can. If its glass... you can spread flip switches across the top of the control panel.

Actually I was thinking of putting the buttons on the front of the control panel and make that where you put the cartridge into. I was thinking of have the 4 paddles going along the top of the control panel area with the joysticks going along the bottom. I need someone to do a mock up for me so I can see it better.

[keilbaca]

Honestly, if you are doing an arcade cab, two paddles are your best bet. 4 would be too cramped. 4 is only good if you plan on doing a tabletop kind of arcade.

[disjaukifa]

keilbaca, on Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:43 PM, said:

Honestly, if you are doing an arcade cab, two paddles are your best bet. 4 would be too cramped. 4 is only good if you plan on doing a tabletop kind of arcade.

yeah that is what I was thinking as well, you can pull off two and it would be fine. that would leave alot more room as well. How many games use all four paddles anyway?