Arcade Games

by bluebean in Circuits > Electronics

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Arcade Games

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Here are a few more arcade cabinets that I've been working on. I've done various paint jobs as well as attached some promo posters on the sides as some cool graphics.

Some of the cabinets run on a PC running mame, the others I'm trying to get to run will all original parts.
The cabinets do use the old CRT monitors which posed as a slight problem when using mame as the PC outputs a different frequency to the one that the monitor requires. For this I needed to purchase a VGA to CRT converter off eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180833094124?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The chip does get hot, so I cut an old heat sink to fit, and attached a fan to it. The heat sink must be attached with the correct Thermal compound, I use "Silver Tim".

The power for the chip can be taken from an old usb cable running to the pc (red and black wires of the cable = +5v) or from the power supply of the cabinet.

The cabinet has a transformer, a power supply, monitor control board, CRT monitor, PC, VGA to CRT converter , USB Joystick attachment and the joysticks with buttons and dip-switches.

Materials

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Arcade Parts:

- Old Cabinet/s
- CRT monitor or old pc monitor
- CRT control board
- Transformer
- Power supply
- PC/ JAMMA board
- Joystick Controller and Buttons with dip switches
- Sheets of perspex
- LED strips or halogen Light
- Gaming /Movie promotional posters
- Speaker and cover
- Paint and Varnish
- PC fan and heat sink

if you are using a pc:

- USB joystick Connector
- VGA to CRT Converter

software:

- Mame
- Mala

Tools:

- Drill
- Saw
- Glue Gun
- Screw Driver
- Pliers
- Soldering Iron
- PaintBrush
- Screws

Paint Job

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Apply paint before the posters in order not to mess them.

These posters are the PVC or Vinyl posters, not the paper or cardboard ones.

I used a metal bar to hold the posters in place at the top of the cabinet so that I could cut the edges with ease.
- Drape the poster over the cabinet and position it for best coverage and maximum graphic detail is shown.
- Using a stanly knife, place a wood board on the picture side of the poster and with the knife, follow the lines on the other side along the length on the cabinet. Use scissors to neaten it up.
- Glue down all the edges with a glue gun and cut any excess poster.

Lighting

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For the Iron Man/Avengers themed Cabinet, I cut a hole in the wood above the coin mechanism and placed a toy arc reactor. This can be connected up so that it can be the 'Power' button. It also lights up.

I used LED strips for the back lighting on these cabinets, instead of a battery pack, I just wired it up to the power supply 5+v.

Marquees and Perspex

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Make sure the touch ups are the same colour as the original perspex screen cover.
Flip the sheet over and paint on the rear.

Electronics and Final Touches

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Check out my other instructable for more paintworks on arcade games:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Another-Arcade-Machine/