Just Starting Out ---- Need Advice!!!

[seabass905]

I have just recenly decided to create my own arcade machine and am looking for a good place to start. I'm going to build this for my son's birthday next year (and obviously for myself as well) so I think I've given myself plenty of time.

I've downloaded everything from Hyperspin and I'm going to get all my roms and emulators from www.romcollector.com (which is advertised on this website). I have done some searching on the web and like that you can use Hyperspin to do movies as well. If there's a better place to get them that is more tailored to use on Hyperspin, please let me know.

I have several questions and I would very appreciate any guidance or a previous post that covers this, so I don't make some of the common mistakes. Before I ask my questions, I understand there are alot and that if I searched long enough I could find the answers, but I'm hoping to cut out 2 or 3 weeks of late nights searching.

1. I have figured out how to create a new Theme in HyperTheme, but I can't get it to show up on Hyperspin. In particular, I created a Theme for 'Movies' that I want to go on the Main Menu, but it won't show up when I try to put the files in the right place.

2. Is there a way to use HyperSpin with mp3's? I plan on have (3) 1TB hard drives (1 for games, 1 for music, and 1 for movies). I would like a jukebox that is as exciting and easy to use as Hyperspin.

a. A subquestion to this is whether or not Hyperspin can read from separate Hard drives on your computer? Like I said I want each HD to contain different media, but if at all possible, I want them all to be operated from the same Main Menu of Hyperspin.


3. What add-on programs do I need to control all the lights for the joysticks and buttons.

4. I hope to use a 42' LCD screen with Hyperspin and would really like to use 3D glasses. Does anyone know of a thread that discusses that and if a special LCD is required?

a. Is there a way to control the power to everything (Monitor, computer, amp) with one button mounted on the console? The same question regarding volume also.

5. I want to output the sound using either a car amp or a home stereo amp and car speakers. I don't even know where to begin on that since I'm not very electrically inclined.

Once again, I appreciate any help and I know i'm going to pull my hair out and probably a ton of money before it's over, but I'll be glad to share my media once it's all said and done via a torrent file. I hope this thread may get people thinking about ways to beef up Hyperspin to accomodate MP3's. I've searched alot of front ends and Hyperspin blows them all out of the water!

[miguelsluma]

Hi there, welcome to the arcade community!
Some anwsers on your questions:

1: you also have to add the game/movie to the database file (hyperspin\databases\mame). Then open that file with wordpad and add the game /movie to that list in the way all those games are on there (pretty much explained itself)

2: its possible. add the jukebox addon to your hyperspin installation. After that you can get any jukebox program you like. I.E. Silverjuke seems to be quite popular.

2a: yes, although it might reduce your speed if i am not mistaken.

3: Ledblinky (search for it at : forum.arcadecontrols.com )

4a: A smart strip might do the trick (set your computer to the masterslot, and all the rest on the 'slave' slots. The powerbutton of your computer can be extended to an arcadebutton.

5: Computer speakers would be the easy way to go... and theres lots of them with great quality. Dont know much about amps/car speakers etc.


good luck!

[SomewhatLost666]

4a. Is there a way to control the power to everything (Monitor, computer, amp) with one button mounted on the console? The same question regarding volume also.

5. I want to output the sound using either a car amp or a home stereo amp and car speakers. I don't even know where to begin on that since I'm not very electrically inclined.
4a. a bit cooler, but more work - get yourself a big 12v relay 15A, 120 (or 240v) contacts, a couple outlets... hook the 12v side of the relay to the PC power supply, hook line power up to the outlets switched through the relay... then whenever the PC turns on, everything else turns on....

5. I would not use a car amp.... unless you are also planning on using a car battery... or some other source for ALOT of 12v current... I got a logitec computer speaker/amp set up that I plan on using as a 'base' for my audio... but there are many other good options...

[seabass905]

I appreciate all the help so far. Keep the advice coming!!!

[Visitor Q]

I would just put everything on a power strip to power it and change the bios function to power up the PC when there is a power failure that way everything will turn on with one flick of the switch.

[SomewhatLost666]

I would just put everything on a power strip to power it and change the bios function to power up the PC when there is a power failure that way everything will turn on with one flick of the switch.

how would you power everything down? just flick the switch and hope windows wasn't writing to the HDD for any reason? or do you shutdown the PC first, then power off the arcade? just curious, I am still looking into all my options...

[killboy35]

how would you power everything down? just flick the switch and hope windows wasn't writing to the HDD for any reason? or do you shutdown the PC first, then power off the arcade? just curious, I am still looking into all my options...

You'll have to shut windows down first. But that can easily be automated : Just set HS to launch a small batch file that shuts the computer down when exiting and voila, after a few seconds you can switch your cab off.



I would just put everything on a power strip to power it and change the bios function to power up the PC when there is a power failure that way everything will turn on with one flick of the switch.

Having started my cab project about two months ago, I must say it's the solution I chose. As I wanted the original cab switch to command everything, I fixed extra wires on a power strip and linked them to the switch (even a 6-year old kid could do that). The power is then commanded by the switch and no need of a master/slave strip or even a relay... ;) People might tell you it's an ugly solution but it's working damn well !

[The Loafer]

If you're building an arcade cab then you will need a keyboard encoder. I am not familiar with the others but the IPAC2 I use has the ability to assign a secondary function to each of my cab's button. As well, it has the ability to add windows commands to any of the buttons sooo...

What I did is I enabled the keyboard "shift" command, which means if I hold down the "player 1 start" button, all other buttons have a secondary assignment. So I assigned "player 2 start" with the windows command "shutdown". What that means is: if I hold down the "player 1 start" button and press "player 2 start", it initiates a proper shutdown, where it will exit/quit out of everything properly and shut the pc off. I then only have to flip the cab switch off and voila. I love my cab :).

[SomewhatLost666]

You'll have to shut windows down first. But that can easily be automated : Just set HS to launch a small batch file that shuts the computer down when exiting and voila, after a few seconds you can switch your cab off.

Having started my cab project about two months ago, I must say it's the solution I chose. As I wanted the original cab switch to command everything, I fixed extra wires on a power strip and linked them to the switch (even a 6-year old kid could do that). The power is then commanded by the switch and no need of a master/slave strip or even a relay... ;) People might tell you it's an ugly solution but it's working damn well !
not sure why the fear of relays;) but something like this (http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=PB324-ND)is only like $9, and instead of needing to shutdown the PC and then flip the cab switch, the cab would automatically shutdown once the PC shutdown... hook the cab switch up to the power switch on the PC and the whole cab will come up or down from control of the cab switch... (might want to make it a momentary switch though...)

*note* while it may seem like it, I really am not saying the relay thing is the only way to go, just that it seems like a cool option... but more options are always better, and actually figuring out some of those options seems for me at least to be half the fun...:)

[killboy35]

As for me, the switch was already on the cab and as it's a basic ON-OFF switch and I wanted no other, I came up with that little power strip hack. Trust me, it's the best I could do regarding my poor electronic/soldering/fill-in-anything-involving-both-your-hands skills...

But since you're building your own cab, I guess the relay fits better !!

Anyway, good luck in your undertaking !

[SomewhatLost666]

FWIW:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc281/Somewhatlost_2007/arcadepoweridea.jpg
seems simple enough...
should work:)


*NOTE* no stealing my amazing idea & profiting from it... all profits must be split 50/50 with HS (http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/misc.php?do=donate):)

[Visitor Q]

how would you power everything down? just flick the switch and hope windows wasn't writing to the HDD for any reason? or do you shutdown the PC first, then power off the arcade? just curious, I am still looking into all my options...

I shut down windows and the computer first, then flip off the switch otherwise over time you are sure to run into some sorta window's issue.

[Dazz]

To power my cabinet I use a Smart Strip (http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Bits-Ltd./Item/LCG5/) installed and have the PC as the main button. I then have a button located on the top of the cabinet that powers on/off the PC which causes the Smart Strip to power everything else on. When shutting down I simply shut down windows and then everything automatically shuts down.

For speakers I simply took a Creative Labs 2.1 system, cut the speakers off and wired them to car speakers. This gives a really good sound along with authentic arcade looks. I sortta wish I wouldn't have done this because the car speakers are not shielded and could cause the magnets to pull the color out of my monitor.

[EVEGames]

I shut down windows and the computer first, then flip off the switch otherwise over time you are sure to run into some sorta window's issue.

I'm with you, VQ. Some people find it absolutely unacceptable to not have a single-switch shutdown solution. I think it's a complete non-issue. I spliced into my ATX case power switch leads, ran wires to a momentary pushbutton on the top of my cab, then spliced into the power cord for my outlet strip (inside the cab, that everything is plugged into) and ran wires to a toggle switch on the top of my cab. I exit the front-end, hit the momentary, which properly shuts down Windows (this is a motherboard setting), then I hit the power switch to kill power to the cab. I like having separate control over the computer. I don't like the idea of killing the power to a computer while Windows is running, call me old school. :stupid:


To power my cabinet I use a Smart Strip installed and have the PC as the main button. I then have a button located on the top of the cabinet that powers on/off the PC which causes the Smart Strip to power everything else on. When shutting down I simply shut down windows and then everything automatically shuts down.

Dazz, I hope to some day implement that solution. Very elegant.