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^ needed to get a feel for size and i couldn’t resist any longer so i built a cheeky matrix – 7x rows of 81. This will extend underneath the opening and sit flush with the edge of the screen (hiding the back piece of monitor frame) or at least that’s the plan. Won’t be needed for a while except for a quick bit of eyeball measurement. Incidentally, I went with 7 rows because it looked the best height to my eye. From what i read it *shouldn’t* be a problem there being an odd number of rows…
Still needs to be soldered up, the pleasure of which i’m saving for a sleepless night at some point…
^ Found the perfect shaft with one side flat at the local timber merchants for a fiver. This will serve to be the pivot of my playfield mounting solution.
^ Shaft with one side flat glued to sturdy plank.
^ Shaft and plank combination working well as a team.
Eventually went and bought some appropriate size strips of wood, built a frame around the monitor.
Here’s where things got a bit hair-brained….
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Figured i can do some kind of ingenious mounting solution into the cable hole with magnets holding up the matrix…
Sadly i was not in the right frame of mind to take pictures of this abomination while it was still attached but here’s one more.
Luckily it wasn’t too hard to remove although the other side of magnets are still in the case.
Reasons this didn’t work included, poor drilling angel meant it was hard to align and the fact that it’s gravity and magnets when you want something flush. Also made me notice the the joins between the two pieces of wood weren’t sanded flat enough. Fixing that now at the expense of some wrap:
Here’s to a MK.2 of the matrix mount!
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Last bit of catch-up; first the playfield sled:
It’s pretty well re-enforced with braces, glue and screws so I’m happy how this turned out. It’s important to me that i can pivot the thing until i’m decided on the best angle to commit to. Also that it can be easily lifted out in layers and without a huge footprint in the case which this can be.
Will be doing the supports in the case shortly…. I can feel a playtest drawing nearer :D
Lastly, I made some headway on the bezel, should be able to finish this up over the week once the drill accessories I need for it arrive.
Hope you enjoyed the info-dump! I’ll do some kind of video once the main body of the cab is built then probably whenever i get the guts installed. More pics to come soon as this thing progresses
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Nice update! but this is by far my favorite picture yet. I know the feeling…we all do!
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Messing with the VPinball app and push notifications.
So if you haven't downloaded app yet what are you waiting for!?
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@randr – hopefully not too often in the build! lol
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^^ V1 of the monitor cradle finally done and level. There was a couple of millimeters to correct (using the poster board as a spacer). Should be able to have a bit of a playtest today and it’s all screws so it’s adjustable if it needs adjusting later. Still pretty ghetto but for my ability level I’m happy with it (anything ugly should end up hidden once it’s complete anyway).
This now opens up the ability for me to size the panel for the arcade controls. Stipulations for this will be that it has to fit nicely with the lockdown bar, not have too steep of an angle (as level as possible whilst still fitting in the cab) and will need to also function as it’s own “lockdown” of sorts for the playfield glass.
^^ Last bit i did yesterday was the mount for the backstop / led matrix. It underhangs by 2cm between the edge of the backbox support and the led matrix. Can’t really tell from the pic, they are screwed in but this was awkward as hell to install so i resorted to a bit of hotglue to keep it in place before screwing.
Fits snug (seated a little bit off angle in this pic but will go in flush, trust me). Also added a sort of backdrop on a hinge (made of gorilla-tape and the black poster board) to the matrix. This will just help with cabling later and also to ensure there are no gaps for light to possibly spill through. There will be a layer of tinted perspex (and likely the privacy screen as demo’d by randr) added eventually which should look pretty neat i hope once finished!
Think this now need testing for viewing angles before i move forward on designing anything more. Will add a place for the PC to sit first as it’s off it’s legs right now then hopefully today we might be getting the first real feel for the cab (exciting)!
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Don’t take this wrong wAy please…
i really don’t like all that space In front of lock bar area! Playing pinball that space needs to be apron and flippers so maybe move monitor down? Or at least divide it in half front to back?
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Messing with the VPinball app and push notifications.
So if you haven't downloaded app yet what are you waiting for!?
for IOS and Android********************************************************
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@randr – certainly no offence taken, I value the opinion!
Space is there for arcade controls… about 16cm between the edge of the lockdown and the start of the visible screen. I’m going to focus on designing the panel as the next priority as a few other things hinge on that being ready. Couple of my friends are big into sh’mups like Ikaruga so they will definitely get get a kick out of that kind of setup and I can’t wait to try some arcade on a huge vertical screen myself!
Good news is that nothing in terms of the monitor mounting can’t be undone as it’s screws only for now, so if I it turns out to be bad for the pinball experience i’ll switch it out.
Early testing after a lot of work today looks promising, only got FX3 setup for now but just managed to have a test play for a couple of hours this evening using a hacked up controller to make the flippers work… I’m in love with it already, can’t wait to try a VPX table and get some of the other bits installed! Pics to follow!
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^^ We now have total lockdown!
Did a lot of cleaning today as well as some fiddly bits on the cab. Asides from the lockdown bar also did the holes and screws for the siderails and got the cab back on her legs for testing although i realised after all of this that It’s probably time to apply the artwork so I might deconstruct and get that done tomorrow.
Missing some “in progress” pictures but really just involved measuring where to screw some wood in position. I’m considering about half of the current mounting temporary for now but that being said the computer at least isn’t going anywhere…
Finally got the screens connected, working and installed. Had an issue with the WIFI card too for about 30mins but eventually 3 screens are working in cab. Got a lot further with the bezel too as you can see although it’s a long way from being ready.
^^ Not the best picture (i will take a better one tomorrow) but essentially just connected the flippers to buttons in my fightstick in order to test. There was a conflict in FX3 so used the free software joy2key to map these flippers to keyboard left and right then bound that in the game.
Already very addictive! My housemate’s friend here havin’ a go.
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Yes you will slow progress if it is working! Lol looking good
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Messing with the VPinball app and push notifications.
So if you haven't downloaded app yet what are you waiting for!?
for IOS and Android********************************************************
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I kind of built mine twice. First I put it up for functions test and it stayed that way until my wife became angry telling me I promised it would look good.
Congrats and have fun. Yours is better looking that mine was at first
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@thalamus Thanks! It’s extremely temporary at the moment so I won’t be getting too comfortable with it unfinished ;) . Probably tearing it down again later today in fact to install the artwork. Only flippers are hooked up and just for testing – the nudge being missing is very noticeable during play.
Using a pincontol 2 v1.1 for the main board (German). Instructions for hooking it up apparently will be published tomorrow which is nice timing! Got one more week of work then on leave for a week so plan is to bring things up to scratch at the end of this month.
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Never tried pincontrol. I have the zebs kit and it is working great. But, I always advice people to disable digital tilt and consider going the analog with a real tilt bob.
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Fixed the DMD and backglass issues for pinball FX3 today. Backglass images i found online are a bit low res so that might be the first thing I create if i can’t find better alternatives! Also got a VPX table loaded in the correct orientation (was fairly painless outside of positioning the DMD).
Doesn’t seem to like my hacked controls unfortunately so i didn’t get to play yet and for some reason the DMD has thrown itself out again in trying to get that to work but whatever (for now). Will get popper loaded on as the next bit of software I think and then concentrate on getting a “vertical” slice working before adding too much stuff!
Definitely going to have to forfeit the spit screen i think and dedicate the 15″ monitor to just the DMD. Bezel will need modding accordingly and i will need to work out if and where to put the LEDS.
Probably not going to be much progress over the next 5 days although hoping to have quite a lot working by the start of September at this rate!
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Don’t take this wrong wAy please…
i really don’t like all that space In front of lock bar area! Playing pinball that space needs to be apron and flippers so maybe move monitor down? Or at least divide it in half front to back?
Man…I’ve really been a “bad” influence with my cab. ;) We all know you mean well, and totally understand where you come from. Would totally do things different if I built another cab.
If I could get a 21:9 screen to fit nicely in my cab at full size…I would ditch my arcade control panel without hesitation.
@randr If you had to build today, and you couldn’t get anymore 46 inch TVs….curious what you would do/use since you can’t get one to fill up the cab as nicely as what you have now.You need to login in order to like this post: click here
I’d use a 49” led 4k screen for playfield. It’s only 1/4” wider but around 3” longer (portrait) so I would hide the 3” in the back under matrix and still be same size as a standard wide body. I would think
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Messing with the VPinball app and push notifications.
So if you haven't downloaded app yet what are you waiting for!?
for IOS and Android********************************************************
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– spooky timing, just about to hit post on this before i get busy at workagain!
Believe me, have been thinking about this a lot so definately taking the suggestions under serious advisement ;) I might switch things up over the next week if i don’t get too distracted with the many other things that i want to get sorted while on leave.
From the early playtest the screen position, angle etc feels pretty natural… It might be that i don’t have anything to compare with like you guys to know what i’m missing! Moving it closer means there’s the unavoidable problem of deadspace at the back so to me the idea of a hybrid makes sense in thoery (in the absence of a unicorn monitor that’s the perfect size)! Already getting sucked into the game while playing and wondering if having a lower screen would just add to neck-strain over longer sessions but maybe it’s going to be an immersion breaker once i dig into VPX a bit more. Also Hannah (aka pinwench) is a shorty so don’t want to reduce the screen angle – in fact might need to make it a bit steeper before all’s said and done so it’s comfortable for her!
I’ve always been a function over asthetics kind of guy and had planned to encorperate the arcade features since deciding to go ahead on the build – it’s going to be used by other people who just need things to be simple so I don’t want to be in a situation where half the things in popper (mame / vertical shmups) require extra periperals to be attached etc… maybe im over-reaching and should just limit it to the pinball emulators but there’s some really awesome non-pinball stuff that would work with the vertical setup – especially if can manage to get the LED’s to work with Ikaruga!
Not just for the arcade games either – we are already having some friendly household competitions in FX3 hotseat mode and i can see this being a firm favorite. Thinking i might need the joystick to also navigate those menus otherwise how will the others launch into a hotseat mode (being able to select how many players and choose the table) from the frontend without the user connecting a keyboard or mouse to navigate… I could be wrong but i think you need up/down not just left/right in that game?
I’m rambling on too long as normal, very interested in everyone’s opinion though…
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Yah…having a full joystick with buttons does spoil you for navigation, and with FX3 its so nice. For FX3…keep in mind, you can only use keyboard or xbox360 / xboxone controllers with it natively. Otherwise, you will need to use x360ce to make any other controllers work with it, unless your controller acts like a keyboard.
As for using leds with Ikaruga on PC….
The only option there is to try to get a DOFLinx sup file to work with it…. but that will only work so well. DOFLinx can use gamepad or keys to turn on and off outputs for DOF controllers for lighting,etc….BUT for the “key / button to output” it has a “repeat” which isn’t ideal for when you hold down a key (just like a keyboard).
I actually have a few games with MAME working with addressable leds with DOFLinx for cool effects…and that could work with Ikaruga….but the repeat and timing just wont work well.
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@TerryRed – Thank you sir i shall have a play with it all!
Planning to use this little guy for the controller – https://www.arcadeworlduk.com/products/xin-mo-1-player-led-arcade-controller-interface-ps3-pc.html
Assuming it can be seen as a 360 pad… if not there’s always things like joy2key, joystick gremlin, autohotkey scripting, etc which im pretty comfortable with :)
And in general, thanks to you and @randr as well as Bambi especially for the video content – if you guys didn’t pave the way i might never have taken the plunge!
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re: spacing debate
Am considering setting up a 2nd mounting point at some stage this week to test the suggestion of @randr and bring the screen in as far as possible… Its currently a 15 cm gap between the edge of the lockdown bar and the start of the visible screen itself. About the width of a computer keyboard for reference. Also took some more pictures;
Realistically given the awkward shaped monitor and how i therefore have it framed I would only be able to bring this as close as the flipper buttons (about 5cm closer) so I’m still on the fence.
Didn’t take a ton of pics yesterday as it was a lot of cutting wood for mounting points inside the case, attaching fans, and other things but i did manage to get the artwork installed so it’s starting to really look the part
Big big shout-out to rockstarprint.co.uk – Very reasonable prices, fast delivery and I’m very happy with how this turned out. The artwork is not unique (google “Stuzza artwork” for free art that a member of the community has shared) but as soon as I saw this it immediately jumped out at me. I wanted something darkish blue or black to compliment the yellow of the room and this is perfect. The only tweak I made was to remove the “multipin” naming down the sides
Stuzza, if you happen to be reading this – my hat’s off to you mate (I’ll be posting in your thread with pictures once the build is a bit more complete and i can get a better angle on the cab). Thanks for the gorgeous artwork!
Lastly, here’s some photos of how the inside of the case looks currently. Plan on starting to get the control board installed today/tomorrow! Very keen to get the plunger, nudge and flippers working or obvious reasons ;)
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