Sega Mega Drive Arcade Cabinet/Kiosk *Work in progress* 56k WARNING

[miquell]

Hi all,

Just want to share my "mega drive project" wich I've been working on a few months. I started with a simple cabinet wich was just for furniture purpose. I knew I had a megadrive model 1 left somewhere so I decided to build it in the cabinet since having your own arcade/kiosk is really the shit. For the artwork I wanted to do something with sonic so I choose to go with Sonic 3 (wich is my favourite MD game) and knuckles. Down the way I ordered posters from ebay, collected other usefull pieces from market stores etc then finally having almost all the pieces it's nearing it's end process. I have also 2 neon lights build it but still missing it's marquee will be set in the next few weeks but I promise that when that´s fixed it will look really nice so as you can see I'm still very busy making it a complete package.

Here are some pics in process (sorry for the bad quallity, these where taking with a phone so :) )

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/6351/img0614sc.jpg

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/6800/img0615d.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5293/img0616k.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2203/img0617su.jpg

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4999/img0618k.jpg

Things I will add in a couple of weeks/months wich I will be posting in this thread;

- Maruee in the header wich will light up blue with the bue neon
- Artwork for the bezel, on the header and on the controller holders
- Adding a plexiglass door with look in front of the mega drive
- much more things but I can´t think of any right now

If there are other members here that are als working on their modded MD/Genesis and have any questions, feel free to ask :)

[Devil N]

One word: wow :shock:

Beautiful marquees on the sides too.

[runback22]

Very nice so far.....The only change I would make is using arcade sticks instead of control pads......

[miquell]

Very nice so far.....The only change I would make is using arcade sticks instead of control pads......

I´ve been thinking about that but it just doesn´t feel the same to me as I prefer how it is now. You can easily take the controller out of it's holder and play against some friends. By using sticks it limits you only in front of the cabinet. That's why it's a mix of a cabinet/kiosk :p

[17daysolderthannes]

and when I proposed virtually the same thing, everyone shit on my idea:

empty:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadenocab.jpg

fully furnished:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcade.jpg

fully furnished from the rear:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadewithtvback.jpg

Mine, however, is designed to have a universal "shelf" to put any joystick, steering wheel, etc. to be as universal as possible and is meant to have several video game systems on a switchbox vs. just a Genesis.

[miquell]

here is some quick sketch of artwork for the bezel and the controllerport back.


http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7391/frontmarquee.jpg

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/1879/soortgvasncontrolcopy.jpg

[miquell]

Mine, however, is designed to have a universal "shelf" to put any joystick, steering wheel, etc. to be as universal as possible and is meant to have several video game systems on a switchbox vs. just a Genesis.

Great idea but if you want a universal game system cabinet you are better of with a MAME cabinet I think. You can find info on several sites for that. My idea was just for this console since it has nostalgic value to me :)

[ninjabearhug]

That looks very nice, but I would definitely add some sticks to it and do away with the pads. You lose the arcade feel if you don't have sticks.

Plus you could always plug a set of Infra red 6 buttons in if you wanted to use pads instead of sticks, would look so much neater too.

[miquell]

That looks very nice, but I would definitely add some sticks to it and do away with the pads. You lose the arcade feel if you don't have sticks.

Plus you could always plug a set of Infra red 6 buttons in if you wanted to use pads instead of sticks, would look so much neater too.

No, if I´d make arcade sticks for this why not make a complete mame cabinet instead? The purpose of this is really nothing more then a megadrive stand/kiosk. A kiosk that you be playing when you go to the stores to test the console but then with an arcade look. Plus, I don´t like playing MD games with joysticks. Just give me the original controllers to play such games.

I know it´s all a personal taste but believe me, when you see the artwork for the controller when it´s finished it will be very nice.

Here you can see the idea behind it. Just pull out the controller to play and to put it back on the stand.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1870/img0621o.jpg

[17daysolderthannes]

Great idea but if you want a universal game system cabinet you are better of with a MAME cabinet I think. You can find info on several sites for that. My idea was just for this console since it has nostalgic value to me :)

Right, that's what I had planned. The main difference between mine and yours is intended look: you want a kiosk like stores had back in the day, I want mine to look like an arcade. Still, aside from controllers and artwork choice, the idea is basically the same (using a CRT TV instead of an RGB monitor, etc.).

[miquell]

Right, that's what I had planned. The main difference between mine and yours is intended look: you want a kiosk like stores had back in the day, I want mine to look like an arcade. Still, aside from controllers and artwork choice, the idea is basically the same (using a CRT TV instead of an RGB monitor, etc.).

eh..yes but what is your point exactly? The idea of making a home use arcade cabinet or kiosk is as old as it is so I do not really understand your statement. If you want to make a cabinet like the one you have in your mind what's letting you from building it?

[17daysolderthannes]

eh..yes but what is your point exactly? The idea of making a home use arcade cabinet or kiosk is as old as it is so I do not really understand your statement. If you want to make a cabinet like the one you have in your mind what's letting you from building it?

nothing is keeping me from building it, I was pointing out how in a previous thread everyone insisted a homemade arcade would turn out like shit, and you have proved the contrary. The only reason mine isn't sitting in my living room right now is because I'm still deciding on dimensions, I need to find a place that can CNC wood, and I have no place to put it at the moment.

[havok666]

Right, that's what I had planned. The main difference between mine and yours is intended look: you want a kiosk like stores had back in the day, I want mine to look like an arcade. Still, aside from controllers and artwork choice, the idea is basically the same (using a CRT TV instead of an RGB monitor, etc.).

Go big or go home. Honestly MAME cabs are kinda tacky (especially with a crappy CRT monitor). You should look at picking up a NEO GEO big red cabinet and refurbishing it. If you want to MAME it down the line you can get a J-PAC so you can connect your PC to JAMMA. Original = better.

[Christuserloeser]

This thing would be absolutely fantastic if the TV was 27" (70cm).

[17daysolderthannes]

Go big or go home. Honestly MAME cabs are kinda tacky (especially with a crappy CRT monitor). You should look at picking up a NEO GEO big red cabinet and refurbishing it. If you want to MAME it down the line you can get a J-PAC so you can connect your PC to JAMMA. Original = better.

And, again, you and everyone else miss the point. I don't want JUST arcade games. I want to be able to hook up ANY hardware to a CRT TV with ANY controller used on the shelf in front of the TV. You can't hook up a Logitech GT Pro steering wheel to a Neo Geo cabinet. I'll have a super ultra mega awesome dedicated cabinet down the road when I have the time/money to do it right, this is just going to be a badass entertainment center for use with games that display in 240p. You and everyone else will see the advantage when I build it.


This thing would be absolutely fantastic if the TV was 27" (70cm).

that's way too big for a kiosk. Standing that close to a 27" TV would make you go blind for sure. 20" is ideal for 240p anyway unless you're far away.

[mugenmidget]

Hey, miquell, this thing is gorgeous! Fantastic work! :D It's very inspiring, I would never be able to create something half as awesome but you better believe I want to try it now.

[TmEE]

This is awesome :D

[miquell]

And, again, you and everyone else miss the point. I don't want JUST arcade games. I want to be able to hook up ANY hardware to a CRT TV with ANY controller used on the shelf in front of the TV. You can't hook up a Logitech GT Pro steering wheel to a Neo Geo cabinet. I'll have a super ultra mega awesome dedicated cabinet down the road when I have the time/money to do it right, this is just going to be a badass entertainment center for use with games that display in 240p. You and everyone else will see the advantage when I build it.

Then I guess you need to build a really really large cabinet to fit all the oldskool area consoles in then. Nes, snes, neo geo, sms, smd, all the atari consoles build in. Or you constantly keep switching console but that is like a pain in the ass or there is one more option left. The genintari, search youtube for that one. If I understand you correctly by working with the original controller pads then your goal is also some sort of kiosk right? Because arcade is more about joysticks and build in buttons to stand in front the bring up the oldskool feeling.

It can be done i guess but keep a large space free for this beast then. Personally i think you're better off with mame then since it can play really a lot of games or build a kiosk but then for one console only.

As far of my own kiosk, it's comming along really well. I just got my original sega pin from 92 to fit to the bezel. The marquee will be made in the couple of weeks and to test the neon lights. All that with pictures comming

[17daysolderthannes]

Then I guess you need to build a really really large cabinet to fit all the oldskool area consoles in then. Nes, snes, neo geo, sms, smd, all the atari consoles build in. Or you constantly keep switching console but that is like a pain in the ass or there is one more option left. The genintari, search youtube for that one. If I understand you correctly by working with the original controller pads then your goal is also some sort of kiosk right? Because arcade is more about joysticks and build in buttons to stand in front the bring up the oldskool feeling.

It can be done i guess but keep a large space free for this beast then. Personally i think you're better off with mame then since it can play really a lot of games or build a kiosk but then for one console only.



That 3D model is exactly what it is going to be: what you see is what you get. I don't plan on having every system ever made in it at all times, most of the time it will run from a computer, but I want the option to use native systems, especially for certain peripherals like steering wheels and light guns that aren't supported the same in emulation (or for PS2 games that can't be emulated yet).

[Baloo]

This cabinet looks very nice, but why not have the full decal on each side of the cabinet rather than one split in half? I think that would look a whole lot better to be honest.

[17daysolderthannes]

This cabinet looks very nice, but why not have the full decal on each side of the cabinet rather than one split in half? I think that would look a whole lot better to be honest.

yeah, I thought the same thing but I didn't want to shit all over something that seemed fairly expensive and permanent. Sometimes splitting a poster in half works OK, but not in this case.

*edited for retarded typo

[Christuserloeser]

and when I proposed virtually the same thing, everyone shit on my idea:

[...]

Mine, however, is designed to have a universal "shelf" to put any joystick, steering wheel, etc. to be as universal as possible and is meant to have several video game systems on a switchbox vs. just a Genesis.

I'd go for it and see what happens. I could imagine that people might be interested, especially since a universal cab would a good excuse to keep your CRT around.

[Insert Coins]

This is simply beautiful.

[MN12BIRD]

Damn man that is sweet! I see some Focal speakers too. 17Days I also liked your idea of the universal Cab. Not everyone shit on it IIRC!

[miquell]

This cabinet looks very nice, but why not have the full decal on each side of the cabinet rather than one split in half? I think that would look a whole lot better to be honest.

Because the whole image wouldn't fit on one side. It would have really weird edges and would only make the image uglier. I've thought about all these things before I did made my choice because of that and personally I think it fits it really well. The sideart isn't finished either since it will also have a "megadrive" sticker above it too. But anyway great thinking. You see that there's alot of different taste when it comes to building these things wich I find only a plus since that will bring a lot of different styles of cabinets.

[miquell]

That 3D model is exactly what it is going to be: what you see is what you get. I don't plan on having every system ever made in it at all times, most of the time it will run from a computer, but I want the option to use native systems, especially for certain peripherals like steering wheels and light guns that aren't supported the same in emulation (or for PS2 games that can't be emulated yet).

The 3d model is looking real nice but I still have my qiestions about using a pc with (original?) peripherals. But I'm sure you'll find a way. Good luck with building the cabinet!

[17daysolderthannes]

The 3d model is looking real nice but I still have my qiestions about using a pc with (original?) peripherals. But I'm sure you'll find a way. Good luck with building the cabinet!

If I want to use the original controllers, I'll just use the real hardware. Unlike many people, I'm not super picky about using original controllers. I'd take a comfortable USB controller over an original NES/SNES controller any day. They do make USB adapters for most older systems anyway, should I feel so inclined.

[miquell]

Lol digging up my old topic.

A short update on this project. It's still isn't finished but I will finish it this year when I have more time. The graphic bezel is printed out and pasted on, this is of course not final as I will let it be printed by a proffesional company. Same goes for the marquee but you can have a look at the design of them. Personally I think it fits the cab really well.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/188/1276986950829.jpg

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/4197/img1040iz.jpg

[Olls]

What's the screen you're using?

[Mista_Ed]

pretty cool man!!

[Lopson]

Great job, man! The frame around the screen is particularly spectacular.

[miquell]

This is how the end result will sort off look like. Hope this answers some of the questions.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4818/samplecabinet.jpg


btw if you have any input or idea´s, I will gladly read them :)

[miquell]

One more pic to show the unfolded speaker area. I came up with this solution because the S&K+S3 cartridges didn't fit so I had to make a hole in the bottom. It works pretty well and it remains the design

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/993/img1051zb.jpg

[miquell]

so many views and only a few replies.

Can I conclude that most of u guys don't like it that much?

All kinds of critisism is welcome :-)

[N.Saibot]

That's a lot of work done really well there, but I can't help but think it was all rather
unnecessary. I like to play while sitting on a couch, not standing in front of the whole
setup. Also the speakers have to be further away, to maximize the stereo effect. That's
how I play at home anyway and to me it's the best possible way.

This being said, the cabinet looks sure very cool and professional and the controllers can
be taken out of the holdings, which makes it more convenient.

[miquell]

That's a lot of work done really well there, but I can't help but think it was all rather
unnecessary. I like to play while sitting on a couch, not standing in front of the whole
setup. Also the speakers have to be further away, to maximize the stereo effect. That's
how I play at home anyway and to me it's the best possible way.

This being said, the cabinet looks sure very cool and professional and the controllers can
be taken out of the holdings, which makes it more convenient.
thanks for your thoughts about it dude!

The cabinet isn't that tall, it's aprox 1.25 meter height and usually I sit on a chair/couch behind it but overall, you're right. This wasn't needed at all. I just felt that my old MD deserved a spot on it's own in my room so why not pimp it a little bit :D The sonic theme is convenient because I play(ed) that the most.

[Devil N]

so many views and only a few replies.

Can I conclude that most of u guys don't like it that much?

All kinds of critisism is welcome :-)
I think everyone here is so awestruck that they don't know how to respond. :p

Seriously, it looks great. Keep up the good work.

[Christuserloeser]

This is super cool but it needs a bigger screen. A much bigger screen.

[MN12BIRD]

Wow man it's awesome! I just didn't bother checking the new posts since it was like started so long ago I figured it was just some random person commenting on the old stuff.

I can't believe you made that I would love to make something like that too. I kinda like the scale too you could sit in front of it just fine I assume? So lets see that RGB screen in action soon okay?

[promking]

Very impressive.

[miquell]

Wow man it's awesome! I just didn't bother checking the new posts since it was like started so long ago I figured it was just some random person commenting on the old stuff.

I can't believe you made that I would love to make something like that too. I kinda like the scale too you could sit in front of it just fine I assume? So lets see that RGB screen in action soon okay?

Thanks dude!

Yes the scale isn't that big. I don't like having a cabinet in your room that takes too much space. It's aprox 1.25 meter high and 50 cm wide so that's fairly small but the perfect height to play on your couch or chair. I will record some gameplay but I will warn you that the quallity won't be super (iphone 3gs). Have to buy the fourth version soon I guess :p

It's nice to see people responding to this, Idea's or tips are very welcome!

[JDB]

I think everyone here is so awestruck that they don't know how to respond. :p

Seriously, it looks great. Keep up the good work.

this

[Jared]

wow that is awesome!!!

[miquell]

here are some gameplay vids I recorded. The quallity sucks fucking hard so my apologies. 3gs and youtube is not a good combination.

It's nothing special, I mean you've seen this prolly 99999 times before but despite the quallity, the screen irl looks awesome. I can really recommend a scart cable over the rest.

Some gameplay vids; (srry about the angle, I couldn't play and record at the same time)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vEH1RxbNuQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo9vmytW9To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C1yfdxXucQ

Details; (jezus youtube really made these soooo bad)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S-6RXSCtc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5wOGlK42SI

Anyway I guess this was kinda pointless to show but the image irl has zero color bleeding, zero distortion and the overal image is very crisp and clear.

One last vid to show the overall cab. Still in progress of course.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-etBIM7ME

*can someone fix the youtube tags? They don't seem to work with my vids

[runback22]

I think you should have put in an arcade joystick and buttons and attached them to the genesis controller to get an arcade feel.....Other than that, its a good job.....I wish I had room for one....

[miquell]

this is a better representation of the screen. This is really zoomed in, auto focus.

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/2379/img1084.pnghttp://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1173/img1083.png

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3696/img1082.png



Scart/RGB on a tft is too sharp imho. Too much rough edges. Crt makes it softer/smoother.

so I say CRT+Scart/RGB=win