All Change!

Well, Hello!

Long time, no blog? - Well, there's a reason for that, loads of things getting in the way of finishing the project.

Mainly, problems with the screen and arcade PCBs.

I got the CGA > VGA converter and it worked quite well, but getting the Arkanoid board to display was a no go. To cut a long story short, I've decided to go the easy route (for now, anyway) and make the machine into Space Invaders (rather like the one at the top of this blog.) I've always wanted a Spacies and I'm $hit at Arkanoid! I thought it would be an easier, more fun game to play with a spinner - but, it ISN'T.

I have my old laptop in it at the moment (temporary) and using another (old) ipac. I Do have an original Space Invaders Part II, which I may pop in there in the future. I just want to finish the project off.

The last parts to do are the artwork for the Control Panel Overlay and the front marquee.

These aren't too difficult to get hold of, but I'll need a specialist printer to print them on the correct materials.

In addition to changing the internals entirely, I have acquire a nice original coin door, courtesy of THE ARCADE BARN, EXMOUTH (cheers, guys) and I machined a nice coin box door myself at work, in my (ahem) spare time...

I'll get some close up pictures done soon - but I need to stop playing Space Invaders.

Aside - It really niggles me that my version of Mame doesn't use the correct samples anymore. The firing sound is completely off...

More Changes...

I have been working on a few things - mainly the damn stoopid monitor. I just couldn't adjust out the pincusion. I have also had some problems with 'snow' on the screen with some boards.

To cut a long story short - the machine now has a flat screen LCD monitor in it. I know it isn't authentic in any way, BUT...

It sits in the screen panel much better than a crt (just 4 screws hold it nice and flush)

It can be powered by mains via a little power pack, or, I could chop the wire and feed it from +12v on the switcher. Simples.

I have just ordered a RGB - VGA converter (£24 via bayface)

These screens are easily available for under £15

I now have a spinner installed and the control panel is fitted. All I need to do, to finish it is get the artwork drawn up and printed.

I have a speaker and the speaker grille ready to be screwed in.

I have 5 Arkanoid boards to mess about with to try and get 1 worker. I'm sure I can do this (when I get 5 minutes to have a play)

I will hopefully have the machine *nearly* finished sometime on Monday (I have a day off after the Latitude festival)

Yay!

Problems...

I've been having a few problems :(

Problem no.1 - Front plastic covering. When I fitted the plastic vinyl to the front I got a bit of the nasty Impact glue on the front of the plastic and when I tried to shift it I discoloured the plastic. I tried to paint over the whole front plastic with black silk paint but it just didn't cover well and looks sh*t.

Fix no.1 - Have bought new piece of plastic from Paperchase and will rip the old one off in anger later on and refit new plastic (using brush on glue this time - not the nasty spray stuff)

Problem no.2 - Cub monitor has pretty bad pincushion. Have tried twiddling the East/West adjustment pot to no avail. I guess these monitors just aren't designed to be used in Trimlines :(

Fix no.2 - I'm on the lookout for a PROPER arcade monitor. If I can't get one I may have to give in and use an LCD flat screen, but then it would be difficult to use a proper arcade board...

Problem no.3 - The coin door is a lot more work than I thought it would be. Lots of parts and a large lump of metal to make the same as an original Trimline.

Fix no.3 - Make a mock coin door, which WILL work as a door and will have coin slots, but will not function. I have already machined an Aluminium surround for the aperture. I may sit micro switches behind the coin return buttons, so you have to press the coin entries to knock up credits.

Things that have gone well -

I now have a replacement tube for the light strip that got damaged in the post. The marquee light is REALLY bright! It is fitted in the cab and looks excellent behind a perspex marquee.

All the jamma internals (except speaker) are in and all wired up. Including light strip wiring and monitor wiring from the switcher PSU.

An excellent bloke on Jamma+ and UKVAC is going to lend me his T-Moulding slot cutter, so I can finally get the T-moulding fitted. Cheers Andy!

This will give the cab an *almost* finished look to it.

Some kind members of the above forums are sending me Arkanoid boards / offering to fix boards for me.

I will be going to my old house to find spinners / bits and (hopefully) a monitor. I can't remember what I have in that loft.

I have also cut the control panel board and I have a good idea what the CPO is going to look like.

Screen now IN.

After many hours arsing about with the monitor chassis bracket - the monitor is now indeed IN.

When I first mounted the chassis onto the underside of the monitor on the screen panel it all looked fantastic and neat and tidy. Very proud of myself.

Ahem.

Then I fitted it to the machine. The monitor chassis was sticking out of the back of the machine and the back door wouldn't go on. Aaaarrrgggh!!!!

After moving it about 3 times and FINALLY hitting the sweet spot (and NOT necking the tube with all the to-ing and fro-ing) it was in. I realised I had to swap some jumpers over in the CUB monitor to get it to display the correct colours (in RGB ANALOGUE) mode.

The picture is really good!! - Needs a tiny bit of adjustment - I'll do that tomorrow.

Will get the last of the painting done tomorrow and will deffo post up some pictures.

I have to go shower and sleep now. I've been at this non stop since I came in from work.

Small Update

I was out for most of tonight, but when I got in at 11pm I just had enough time to drill some holes & counterbores for the monitor brackets.

I have had the monitor tube fixed in and it looks good. I will need to make a longer shelf for the chassis to sit on under the tube as the wires from tube to chassis aren't very long at all and the chassis needs to be quite high up for everything to reach.

Hopefully will have the monitor FIXED IN AND WORKING tomorrow!

I'll also fix in the switching PSU and the jamma harness if I have time.

I'm picking up my old spinner form my old house at the weekend, before going to the Isle of Wight on Sunday.

Arcadia here I come!

GOT SCREEN!

I picked up an old Microvitec CUB monitor today - Yes one of those old steel cased monsters that we used to use with BBC B's when we were at school!

It is a TTL RGB monitor and I easily wired it up to JAMMA with R/G/B GND and SYNC.

I tested it with a Jamma board (with a switching PSU and a jamma harness) and it works fine.

It has a nice clear picture, especially for it's age.

I have to make a few frame mounts for it at work and also cobble together some sort of bracket to hold the chassis close to the tube. I may mount it all on the screen panel, so if I ever have to pull the screen out - it'll all come out together. I won't have to pull out loads of plugs and discharge the damn thing again.

I have also done a few cosmetic things to the cabinet - glued the black plastic vinyl on the front and painted the back. I'm still waiting for the marquee light strip to arrive - damn cheapass 2nd class poster!

I will post up pictures hopefully tomorrow, with the screen in it!

Wood Sides Added!

I went to a small office in a hu-ge industrial unit in Acton today - They are called Vinyl Depot on ebay, but they have another name for this office. They mainly make artwork for film and tv shows.

The wood effect vinyl is called "Rustic Oak" and it is quite good a match for the original Trimline wood effect. It's a slightly brighter colour - but still looks awesome.

I stuck the stuff down in literally 5 minutes per side - really easy - no bubbles or anything. I overlapped the edges AND stapled them to the sides (where the T-moulding will hide them, obviously!

I have also cut the front black plastic vinyl - ready to go on tonight (possibly)

Also, secured an RGB monitor - ready for collection on Sunday. BUT! I am still on the case to make the damn TV work with jamma! I will NOT let it beat me!

After the rest of the painting (back door and top) and vinyl sticking (front and top) I will probably get onto fabricating the coin door/coin box etc.

What a great day!