Assembling Picade Max

[Chris Savage]

While there's a thread on the Parallax forums for a P2-based Arcade, I saw the following on the Digikey Instagram feed. Looks like 3 of 4 parts are posted. Looks very interesting. It's a Raspberry Pi Arcade. I'll link the parts that are available, and the last once they post it. I think this would make an interesting arcade cabinet for RetroPie.

Part 1 of 4

Part 2 of 4

Part 3 of 4

Part 4 of 4

By the way, on the Parallax thread, it's old, but recently resurrected for the upcoming Parallax Open House, so you'll have to use this link to see the updates for the cabinet.

[JKnightandKARR]

I'd love an arcade machine.

[granz]

Chris,

You have this listed under "Member Projects" but the link goes to Digikey. Did you make (or are you making) this project?

[Chris Savage]

Chris, You have this listed under "Member Projects" but the link goes to Digikey. Did you make (or are you making) this project?

You're correct. I was in the Member Projects to post an update about my other "secret" project, but kept dozing off at the keyboard. I had spent 3 hours yesterday morning trying to get mine and Valerie's cars unburied / de-iced and plowing the driveway, shoveling the deck and porch, etc. I got to work 3 hours late and was so tired I could barely function (not to mention my back / knees). Anyway, I wanted to create a stub before I completely lost it and never finished the post even. 

It's updated / moved now.

[Chris Savage]

I'd love an arcade machine.

I built a couple of mini-arcades for RetroPie when I was still in CA, but I lost them when I moved to ID. I still have the "parts", just not the MDF panels, which were unfinished still. Obviously, I need to rebuild these, but I love the R-Pi using RetroPie as a mini arcade, since it plays all the console games I miss from back in the day.

[JKnightandKARR]

I'd love an arcade machine.

I built a couple of mini-arcades for RetroPie when I was still in CA, but I lost them when I moved to ID. I still have the "parts", just not the MDF panels, which were unfinished still. Obviously, I need to rebuild these, but I love the R-Pi using RetroPie as a mini arcade, since it plays all the console games I miss from back in the day.

Not hard to remake, esp if you want it a certain way.

[Chris Savage]

Not hard to remake, esp if you want it a certain way.

At one point I was working on a "double-sided" arcade cabinet. The idea was that, instead of two people standing side-by-side, one would be on the other side of the cabinet (a mirror image) and have the player 2 controls and their own monitor. I just didn't have the setup to cut such a large slab of MDF in my garage at the time. But I would really like to do that some day. The monitors could both run from an HDMI splitter and the speakers could run two per channel from the same amp. I so want to do this.

[JKnightandKARR]

Not hard to remake, esp if you want it a certain way.

At one point I was working on a "double-sided" arcade cabinet. The idea was that, instead of two people standing side-by-side, one would be on the other side of the cabinet (a mirror image) and have the player 2 controls and their own monitor. I just didn't have the setup to cut such a large slab of MDF in my garage at the time. But I would really like to do that some day. The monitors could both run from an HDMI splitter and the speakers could run two per channel from the same amp. I so want to do this.

Interesting idea.... I'd thought of just having the controllers slide out n just do that way. That idea would work too, Esp if you make one side fold up to allow space saving.

[Chris Savage]

Interesting idea.... I'd thought of just having the controllers slide out n just do that way. That idea would work too, Esp if you make one side fold up to allow space saving.

It's funny you should mention that, because RetroPie is designed to work with console ROMs and Arcade ROMs. Each works differently. The various consoles work with USB controllers. But the arcade games work with the actual arcade buttons. I saw a guy in CA who built an arcade machine that was set up for the arcade games to use the joystick / buttons on the front, but the NES, SNES, etc games used plug-in USB controllers which were stored under the arcade controls.

[JKnightandKARR]

Interesting idea.... I'd thought of just having the controllers slide out n just do that way. That idea would work too, Esp if you make one side fold up to allow space saving.

It's funny you should mention that, because RetroPie is designed to work with console ROMs and Arcade ROMs. Each works differently. The various consoles work with USB controllers. But the arcade games work with the actual arcade buttons. I saw a guy in CA who built an arcade machine that was set up for the arcade games to use the joystick / buttons on the front, but the NES, SNES, etc games used plug-in USB controllers which were stored under the arcade controls.

I actually have a DIY arcade controller i got with a bundle from Humble Bundle. Theirs says use the box it came in, I used a snap on lid storage container for use with food. Looks better, can see inside and well.... will last ALOT better then carboard...

https://www.makershed.com/products/diy-arcade-joystick-kit?srsltid=AfmBOopCO8MJXlMC7YAp0VNtG2lYYvr-o5H_PJRuJX52ormTDwk8CXrg

[Chris Savage]

Yeah, I'm talking full-size arcade cabinet or mini-arcade so that the video / audio is integrated into the system. Of course, my current RetroPie connects to my TV and so it is very compact.

[JKnightandKARR]

I know