10 replies to this topic

[Mark T]

So I was browsing the Internet and came across a DIY pong/table tennis console.

http://www.thinkgeek...6/?cpg=fbl_8546

I was thinking about making one and having it in either a wooden casing or Plexiglas casing.

Has anyone came across this site and actually made one of these?

How much would one of these sell for completely assembled?

[DemonoidTentacle]

Pretty cool.

Can't say I've ever seen an assembled one for sale. If you did a real good finish on it in some kind of casing, you could make it look pretty legit.

Buy a heap, mass produce the casings with retro styling, flog them off on ebay as "genuine" 70's Pong dedicated machines.

Don't really do that, it was a joke.

I might give making one of these a whirl on a rainy day.

[Nateo]

That does look awesome! I've always thought about building my own console casing for a famiclone; with just the bare electronics to worry about holding, you can turn the casing into a real work of art!

[ilovethevectrex]

wow thats awesome. i would do anything to make one of those i bet all you would have to do is make a wood casing. i sugest make it look retro, and not modern

[SlowCoder]

Does look like a cool project, and I may give it a shot also. Only thing I don't like about it is that it uses buttons instead of wheels. Might not be too bad, but definitely not how I envision playing pong.

[Mark T]

Slowcoder/All: Hmm...I wonder if you could 'swap' out the buttons for a wheel, or possibly a slider? That would be interesting to experiment with!

I put this thing on my xmas list so hopefully my parents pick me up one...otherwise I'll buy one after the holidays.

[Retro Rogue]

I made one when they first came out around 2006. Nice little project, not a fan of the version of PONG on it though. Software coded, runs on a microcontroller. Kind of like a "mini-pong" with a stunted play area. Doubt you'd be able to switch the controls without changing the code and adding analog to digital circuitry to interface with the chip. If you get it, it should be more for the experience of putting it together as it's a great beginning soldering project.

[Mark T]

Well if you browse at the user pictures the one guy actually uses two wireless controllers for it.

I would love to do a tennis for two DIY project however, for that you need an expensive oscilloscope, lol

[Retro Rogue]

Mark T, on Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:31 AM, said:

Well if you browse at the user pictures the one guy actually uses two wireless controllers for it.

No, those are two wired digital controllers. The left and right contacts of the thumb pads would simply need to be wired to the left and right contacts on the pcb, pretty simple mod.

[Mark T]

Oh ok..i didn't notice the wires, lol.

[Retro Rogue]

No prob. Like I said though, it's a good project to pick up if you're just learning how to solder. Very clearly marked and laid out, not too many components but still a good variety. Plus you have something fun to show people when it's done that you can say "I built this."