Give cash to the man...

So, I have my basic inventory. I decided to keep the cab as a Jamma compatable system. Why you ask? Because of the ease and availability of Jamma components. Hence why it is called a standard. Buuuut, I wanted more than the limit of buttons in the Jamma standard. I wanted 6 for each player (2 players x 6 buttons). So, I had to figure out how to get these extra buttons into the cab. The problem was my control base was steel.

Yes, steel. I don't know why. It was. Couldn't be wood like the rest could it? Nooooo.

Steel.

But, I digress. The cabinet came with 3 buttons on each side... like soo. I needed to add 3 buttons to each player for a total of 6. Like soo.....

Well... easier said, than done. It took me 3 routing bits to cut the holes I needed and it still wasn't perfect. The holes were to big, but I could fix that when I laid the lexan panel overlay on to it. I would just cut them to shape. Still needs work though. Someday. Someday.

Go South.....

Okay, a little back story.

Most of the information I plan on providing to you in this "blog" has already been done.

For years.

Hardware-wise I have had this project near completion for quite awhile. But, I am still going to go through the step by step to assist who I may. (Though most likely noone will EVER read this blog)

I have had the system up and running with various front-ends and forms for about 3 years now. But, I have decided to go back to scratch to clean it up and make it more "arcade" like.

Open inventory...

Okay, so what do I have?

A shell of an old arcade system. The game was called Sports Match and let me tell you...

It was awful. A horrible majong game with sports symbols. (The image of the marquee after the jump is actually mine... before I trashed it.)

A large bag-o-buttons (Arcade buttons to be exact).

1 Dell Desktop (Optiplex 270 - 3.2Ghz, 1.25GB of Memory, and a 150GB HDD)

1 Complete set of Jamma wiring (From the original game)

1 ArcadeVGA video card (I bought off Ebay)

1 set of Computer Speakers

1 Set of Mame Roms on DVDs ver. 1.27 + CHD Rom Set (I will explain later)

1 20th Anniversary Dragon's Lair DVD set + Thayer's Quest on DVD (Explain later)

1 J-Pac Jamma to Keyboard adapter

and stuff I will edit in later to add to this list later.

Pick up torch...

Bet you are wondering where you are. Let's start slow and take it a little at a time.

These are the rambles of a man obsessed with a goal.

The goal to create a complete arcade as simple and cheap as I can. I know it's a relatively simple concept. But, let me tell you I have been working and reworking the concept and I still have not achieved what I set out to. But, I decided to write this to help others out there that may have the same goal as I. So, take my hand and never ever go into a dark room without some type of light.