On top of the bar...

MrVestek · 24-02-2014 11:05PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Configuring the Sega CD stuff, is taking AGES (see what I did there). But I'm getting through it (renaming files & folders, converting to wav, making cue sheets etc).

I have to admit, testing all these systems out has been a ton of fun. With the scanline effects, it's more than good enough for me to actually consider packing some stuff away (there's an affect I didn't expect form building this!). I'm seriously considering packing away the Nes, Snes, Megadrive, Mega CD, 32X, Mastersystem, & some others. Space is a huge premium in the games room, & the advent of this bartop has given me a whole new angle.

I'd still collect games, but, I think, I might be tempted to join the dark side for some consoles...

I hate to say I told you so again but...

...I told you so. :-P

Myrddin · 25-02-2014 10:30AM

MrVestek wrote: »

I hate to say I told you so again but...

...I told you so. :-P

You could have warned me

Though I should have known, it already happened me with my cabs, once i had a Mame cab it pushed me away from owning pcb's etc & I sold them off. Now its happening with consoles! :eek: Key difference here is nothing is being sold off, no no, I made that costly mistake many years ago & won't make it again...I'll continue to collect, because I really enjoy collecting.

It's not just emulators though, I'd have zero interest in playing an emulator on my normal pc...but something happens when you pack it all up in a fancy wooden box, give it some real controls, add in some scanlines...blast it. Bloody things should come with a warning

MrVestek · 25-02-2014 10:38AM

Myrddin wrote: »

You could have warned me Though I should have known, it already happened me with my cabs, once i had a Mame cab it pushed me away from owning pcb's etc & I sold them off. Now its happening with consoles! :eek: Key difference here is nothing is being sold off, no no, I made that costly mistake many years ago & won't make it again...I'll continue to collect, because I really enjoy collecting.

It's not just emulators though, I'd have zero interest in playing an emulator on my normal pc...but something happens when you pack it all up in a fancy wooden box, give it some real controls, add in some scanlines...blast it. Bloody things should come with a warning

Pity the man that takes renaming an Entire Mega CD, Playstation One, Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast roms BY HAND!

I'd never sell my retro consoles but they are getting less play these days as I can just fire up the cab.

Besides it leaves the Mrs. to watch her visual diarrhea on the TV while I sit there playing Sonic The Hedgehog 2 for the fifty thousandth time.

o1s1n · 25-02-2014 02:16PM

Myrddin wrote: »

I'd still collect games, but, I think, I might be tempted to join the dark side for some consoles...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9oX-kZ_9k

Myrddin · 25-02-2014 07:24PM

MrVestek wrote: »

Pity the man that takes renaming an Entire Mega CD, Playstation One, Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast roms BY HAND!

Good god man :eek: Nobody could deny it's a total labour of love...you couldn't pay me to set one of these up for someone

o1s1n wrote: »

What ya talkin' bout Willis?!

More or less made my mind up to mothball my Nes, Snes, Mastersystem, Megadrive, Mega CD, 32X, & PS1...possibly the 3DO & Jag too...& just use the bartop instead. I'll still collect, but not actively use those systems to game on. Strange I know (to pack them away but still buy for them), but I do enjoy having my collection all the same

MrVestek · 25-02-2014 11:59PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Good god man :eek: Nobody could deny it's a total labour of love...you couldn't pay me to set one of these up for someone

More or less made my mind up to mothball my Nes, Snes, Mastersystem, Megadrive, Mega CD, 32X, & PS1...possibly the 3DO & Jag too...& just use the bartop instead. I'll still collect, but not actively use those systems to game on. Strange I know (to pack them away but still buy for them), but I do enjoy having my collection all the same

Have the consoles as part of a display, most collectors seem to be doing that these days.

Plus when you think about it the less you use the original hardware the more you're preserving it.

Steve X2 · 26-02-2014 12:02AM

MrVestek wrote: »

Have the consoles as part of a display, most collectors seem to be doing that these days.

Plus when you think about it the less you use the original hardware the more you're preserving it.

Don't forget, electronics need to be powered up from time to time (use it or lose it

)

MrVestek · 26-02-2014 01:03AM

Steve SI wrote: »

Don't forget, electronics need to be powered up from time to time (use it or lose it )

Oh? Colour me ignorant in this regard. Is there a particular reason for that?

Andrew76 · 26-02-2014 01:11AM

MrVestek wrote: »

Have the consoles as part of a display, most collectors seem to be doing that these days.

Plus when you think about it the less you use the original hardware the more you're preserving it.

Preserving it for what though?

Myrddin · 26-02-2014 09:51AM

Well space is at a premium in the room, so I could really do with packing stuff away that isn't being used.

Re the preservation thing, yeah electronics do require a power on every once in a while from what I've read, it helps things like caps etc. Ideally they'd be being packed away for reasons only of space, & with the intention that should I move to a bigger house at some stage, they'll be getting drafted straight back into action

The Last Bandit · 26-02-2014 10:18AM

You should investigate getting one of those universal controller/usb adapters, least then you'll have the option of using the original controllers with the console emulators.

Myrddin · 26-02-2014 10:30AM

The Last Bandit wrote: »

You should investigate getting one of those universal controller/usb adapters, least then you'll have the option of using the original controllers with the console emulators.

Definitely. Controller type is something that'd put me off the likes of N64/Dreamcast emulation. Any recommendations for one of them?

The Last Bandit · 26-02-2014 10:42AM

This one does <everything> to USB, these ones are more controller specific.

Source is available for both so you can build your own.

Star Lord · 26-02-2014 10:45AM

I'd gotten myself a Gamecube - USB adapter, but it doesn't seem to work properly at all. The buttons were picked up fine, but the analogue shoulder/trigger buttons didn't work at all, meaning a lot of the games were unplayable.

o1s1n · 26-02-2014 11:25AM

Myrddin wrote: »

More or less made my mind up to mothball my Nes, Snes, Mastersystem, Megadrive, Mega CD, 32X, & PS1...possibly the 3DO & Jag too...& just use the bartop instead. I'll still collect, but not actively use those systems to game on. Strange I know (to pack them away but still buy for them), but I do enjoy having my collection all the same

The bartop will be grand for arcade type games, but you'd still need to keep some of them around for RPGs and stuff. Can't really play Earthbound/Chrono Trigger on a cab! :eek:

At least keep the Snes and Megadrive out though, they're the main priority

MrVestek wrote: »

Oh? Colour me ignorant in this regard. Is there a particular reason for that?

Electronic components like to be used. A lot of time people store things away for long periods, only to take them out and find they've died

Myrddin · 27-02-2014 11:48AM

Ordered a new PSU there & a couple of fans...hopefully have them by tomorrow

Star Lord · 27-02-2014 03:03PM

Look forward to seeing how your scanline/crt emulation works when you've got the card hooked up! We will need some nice juicy screenshots.

Myrddin · 28-02-2014 04:30PM

New PSU, & two large enough (and hopefully quiet enough) 120mm fans...one for intake & one for exhaust.

It's very hard to get pics of the scanlines, here's an attempt from the scanlines that the Nes emulator can generate. I only have them set at about 30%, & interpolation on makes it look better too.

I won't get around to fitting the new psu until next week, so I'll try get pics of the proper crt emulation from HLSL once done.

Myrddin · 01-03-2014 04:14PM

Rather than buying that joypad to usb setup, which requires adapters for each different type of console pad...I'm just thinking now would I be better off buying usb clones of the pads I need? An N64, & PS1 are really all I can think of...the sticks/buttons work surprisingly well when playing the likes of Snes & MD etc

Andrew76 · 01-03-2014 04:29PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Rather than buying that joypad to usb setup, which requires adapters for each different type of console pad...I'm just thinking now would I be better off buying usb clones of the pads I need? An N64, & PS1 are really all I can think of...the sticks/buttons work surprisingly well when playing the likes of Snes & MD etc

Do you play much N64 or PS1? Considering you have a huge amount of games that will play fine with the current CP, not sure I'd spend money on something that might never be used. (If it was me I wouldn't bother with joypads at all, if the game can't be controlled with the CP, then the game shouldn't be in there in the first place.)

Myrddin · 01-03-2014 04:44PM

Andrew76 wrote: »

Do you play much N64 or PS1? Considering you have a huge amount of games that will play fine with the current CP, not sure I'd spend money on something that might never be used. (If it was me I wouldn't bother with joypads at all, if the game can't be controlled with the CP, then the game shouldn't be in there in the first place.)

Normally I'd agree, but if I could move any N64 gaming to the bartop then it'd allow me to pack the N64 away (which I suppose I can do anyway, & just use my Wii for GC gaming). I've actually come to think of the unit not as a bartop arcade cabinet, but more a gaming jukebox if that makes sense.

Andrew76 · 01-03-2014 06:02PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Normally I'd agree, but if I could move any N64 gaming to the bartop then it'd allow me to pack the N64 away (which I suppose I can do anyway, & just use my Wii for GC gaming). I've actually come to think of the unit not as a bartop arcade cabinet, but more a gaming jukebox if that makes sense.

Fair enough. This Mayflash adapter works brilliant (for PS1/2, N64, SS) - if you want to stick with using your existing controllers rather than buying clones.

o1s1n · 03-03-2014 01:43PM

Myrddin wrote: »

I've actually come to think of the unit not as a bartop arcade cabinet, but more a gaming jukebox if that makes sense.

Could always use a Retrode?

That'd be a bit of fun. Would let you play your Megadrive/Snes carts on it and it also has real Megadrive/snes controller ports.

Myrddin · 03-03-2014 01:53PM

o1s1n wrote: »

Could always use a Retrode?

That'd be a bit of fun. Would let you play your Megadrive/Snes carts on it and it also has real Megadrive/snes controller ports.

That's a very good idea

I'll see how it evolves, I've a ton more to do before even getting that far, more systems/games to add, video card to replace, I've to cut some holes to add fans too....then worry about themes & vids etc. Great fun though, frustrating at times, but everything is learn-able

MrVestek · 03-03-2014 02:52PM

Myrddin wrote: »

I've actually come to think of the unit not as a bartop arcade cabinet, but more a gaming jukebox if that makes sense.

I think of mine as the ultimate gaming machine. I should have called it 'The Frankenbox' but MrVestek Arcade has a nice ring to it too.

Myrddin · 03-03-2014 08:59PM

How well does GB/GBC/GBA emulation work in terms of screen size? Are they played in a small window, & if so, can you disguise the window with artwork to fill the borders or anything?

Didn't get near the bartop today, the great console cull of 2014 is complete

The games room is reduced to more or less current gen stuff now...

Steve X2 · 03-03-2014 10:54PM

MrVestek wrote: »

If this is thread hijacking or spoiling or whatever then I apologise in advance.

I have become an Irish distributor for Rich's Bartop Arcades. For anybody intersted in taking on a project and building their own bartops check out the following ad on adverts.ie:

http://www.adverts.ie/arcade-retro/bartop-arcade-unit-flatpack-kit/4955224

Thanks guys! :-)

Spammer!!!

But posting in the arcade thread was probably enough, no?

eddhorse · 03-03-2014 11:21PM

Bit pricey no? Best of luck with that anyways

MrVestek · 04-03-2014 02:33AM

eddhorse wrote: »

Bit pricey no? Best of luck with that anyways

Make me an offer. ;-)

Steve I thought both threads might have had two slightly different audiences. Sorry if it's seen as spamming though that's not my intention.

I know that kits like this can be hard to get over here so I have an avenue to get them from a supplier in the UK.

The price also has to reflect the work that goes in to getting them made up and into the country in the first place.

If I ever manage to source a local supplier that offers decent prices for running the CAD design through an auto CNC machine then the price will come down of course.

As it stands I can only get it for a reasonable price in the UK.

The Last Bandit · 04-03-2014 10:03AM

No need for a CNC machine. That's a simple pattern that any cabinet maker could knock out for you.

On top of the bar...

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