BYOAC OLD Wiki - User contributions [en]

Vector tracing

2007-11-02T09:53:54Z

Felsir: /* Auto trace tools */

'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand
*[http://vectormagic.stanford.edu VectorMagic]

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

==Sample==
[[Image:Trace.JPG|640px]]
 
Left - high resolution bitmap source 
Middle - autotraced version, high settings via [http://vectormagic.stanford.edu Vectormagic] 
Right - Traced by hand 

As you can see, even with a high resolution image the automatic trace function isn't able to produce a well defined result.

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Vector tracing

2007-11-02T09:53:27Z

Felsir: /* Sample */

'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

==Sample==
[[Image:Trace.JPG|640px]]
 
Left - high resolution bitmap source 
Middle - autotraced version, high settings via [http://vectormagic.stanford.edu Vectormagic] 
Right - Traced by hand 

As you can see, even with a high resolution image the automatic trace function isn't able to produce a well defined result.

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Vector tracing

2007-11-02T09:53:12Z

Felsir: /* Sample */

'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

=Sample=
[[Image:Trace.JPG|640px]]
 
Left - high resolution bitmap source 
Middle - autotraced version, high settings via [http://vectormagic.stanford.edu Vectormagic] 
Right - Traced by hand 

As you can see, even with a high resolution image the automatic trace function isn't able to produce a well defined result.

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Vector tracing

2007-11-02T09:52:50Z

Felsir: /* Auto trace tools */

'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

=Sample=
[[Image:Trace.JPG|640px]]
 
Left - high resolution bitmap source
Middle - autotraced version, high settings via [http://vectormagic.stanford.edu Vectormagic]
Right - Traced by hand

As you can see, even with a high resolution image the automatic trace function isn't able to produce a well defined result.

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

File:Trace.JPG

2007-11-02T09:45:54Z

Felsir:

Automated trace versus hand trace.
Left- bitmap
Center - Autotrace [http://vectormagic.stanford.edu/]
Right - Human trace

File:Trace.JPG

2007-11-02T09:45:13Z

Felsir: Automated trace versus hand trace. Left- bitmap Center - Autotrace Right - Human trace

Automated trace versus hand trace.
Left- bitmap
Center - Autotrace
Right - Human trace

Vector tracing

2007-07-18T13:28:27Z

Felsir: cleaned it up, removed the 'cleanup' tag.

'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Vector tracing

2007-07-18T13:27:56Z

Felsir: /* The art of tracing */ expanded the paragraph

{{Cleanup}}
'''Vector tracing''' is a way to convert raster files into vector images. See "[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]" why many people prefer vector images for their arcade art. Tracing can be very time consuming and labour intensive but at the same time it can produce stunning results.

=The art of tracing=
Tracing an image is quite similar to copying an printed image by overlaying it with a piece of transparent paper. The artist can then draw onto the transparent piece of paper and trace the shapes from the original. Vector tracing is based on the same principle but in a digital form. While the trace on the transparent paper is of equal size to the original, the digital version can be manipulated and reproduced as often and in any size as you wish!

The original artwork is loaded on a seperate layer in the art-software, the vector artist draws the shapes on top of it in a new layer. While it seems easy, tracing requires skill. Besides the fact that the vector artist needs to know how to use the software, a keen eye for colours and recognising basic shapes is needed for a succesful trace. A skilled artist can turn a blurry bitmap into a sharp clean vector image.

A good tutorial on how to trace is the '''Frostillicuss vector tutorial''' which can be found [http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=223 here]. Another tutorial can be found [http://frank05.critter.net/vector.html here].

=Auto trace tools=
"Labour intensive? Time consuming? Why can't a computer do this!", I hear you ask. Well, it's a very good question. First, there ''are'' tools that can trace images for you. These tools produce various results, ranging from crap to slightly usable. The main reason is this: context. Humans can make out what a shape is supposed to be even if it is abstract or fuzzy. A few white, blue and black blotches can look like an eye for humans because the context (a face) is there. A computer will still interpret those blotches, well, as blotches. The vectors it produces will be more or less accurate renditions of blotches and will remain so as the vectors are enlarged. A human artist can make these blotches into a vectorised image of an eye.

The best autotraced vectors are produced if the sourcematerial is either high contrast and low details, or of very high resolution with distinct areas of colours.

A short list of trace software:
*[http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ AutoTrace]
*Inkscape
*Potrace
*[http://xmailserver.org/davide.html Ras2Vec]
*Adobe Illustrator
*Easy Trace
*Macromedia FreeHand

See also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_to_vector Raster to vector Wikipedia article].

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Raster versus Vector artwork

2007-07-18T13:12:57Z

Felsir: /* Vector */

__NOTOC__
Computer graphics can be defined in two ways: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics Raster] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics Vector]. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Pictures consist of a collection of dots - called pixels (short for picture element). The more pixels the more detail you can have in an image. The amount of pixels available to a picture is determined by a few things. Your screen for examle consists of a grid of pixels (typically 800 to 1280 pixels wide and 640 to 1024 pixeld high). Printers also vary in available pixels for an image. Most printers have 300 pixels available per inch on paper. The pixels can assume a colour and like a mosaic these dots of colours produce an image.

=Raster=
Raster images are images that remember what dots are coloured. In short, if you create an image 200 pixels wide and 200 pixels high the raster image "remembers" the colours of 40,000 pixels.
Vector images are images that calculate what pixels have to be coloured. To draw a line the vector image "remembers" the start and endpoints of the line and in a 200 x 200 pixel image it calculates what pixels should be coloured.
The advantage of raster images is that they can be photo realistic with complex gradients & shading. Vector images tend to be less complex since these are harder to create.

The disadvantage of raster images is that they have fixed resolutions in which they look good. The 200x200 pixel image only has colour information stored for 40,000 pixels. When outputted on a (300 [[Glossary#D|DPI]]) printer, the image would only be 0.66" wide! When enlarged to a bigger size the amount of pixels required to describe the image would increase enormously (1 square foot image on a printer would require 12,960,000 pixels!) Since (in the 200x200 pixel example) there is only information for 40,000 pixels the image would look distorted.

Raster artwork '''can''' be used but one has to take the dimensions and resolutions into account to have high quality cabinet artwork.

=Vector=
Vector images have no real size. A vector image is a list of lines and mathematical curves at a relative distance. Lines are calculated so to enlarge or reduce the image in size, all calculations are simply mulitplied or devided by a factor. Since no detail is lost in vector graphics, vectors are mainly used in the printing industry for logo's and cartoonlike artwork.

The major disadvantage of vector graphics is that it is not suitable for photorealistic artwork, due to the fact that it is composed of mathematical shapes. If you are planning to use photorealistic artwork or artwork with complex shapes and shadings a raster image is the way to go.

=Compare=
See this example, the part in the red square is enlarged 5 times:
{|align="center"
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector1.jpg]]
|
|-
|align="center"|Raster version
|
|align="center"|Vector version
|-
|[[Image:Rastervsvector2.jpg]]
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector3.jpg]]
|}

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Raster versus Vector artwork

2007-07-18T11:32:45Z

Felsir: fixed typo

__NOTOC__
Computer graphics can be defined in two ways: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics Raster] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics Vector]. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Pictures consist of a collection of dots - called pixels (short for picture element). The more pixels the more detail you can have in an image. The amount of pixels available to a picture is determined by a few things. Your screen for examle consists of a grid of pixels (typically 800 to 1280 pixels wide and 640 to 1024 pixeld high). Printers also vary in available pixels for an image. Most printers have 300 pixels available per inch on paper. The pixels can assume a colour and like a mosaic these dots of colours produce an image.

=Raster=
Raster images are images that remember what dots are coloured. In short, if you create an image 200 pixels wide and 200 pixels high the raster image "remembers" the colours of 40,000 pixels.
Vector images are images that calculate what pixels have to be coloured. To draw a line the vector image "remembers" the start and endpoints of the line and in a 200 x 200 pixel image it calculates what pixels should be coloured.
The advantage of raster images is that they can be photo realistic with complex gradients & shading. Vector images tend to be less complex since these are harder to create.

The disadvantage of raster images is that they have fixed resolutions in which they look good. The 200x200 pixel image only has colour information stored for 40,000 pixels. When outputted on a (300 [[Glossary#D|DPI]]) printer, the image would only be 0.66" wide! When enlarged to a bigger size the amount of pixels required to describe the image would increase enormously (1 square foot image on a printer would require 12,960,000 pixels!) Since (in the 200x200 pixel example) there is only information for 40,000 pixels the image would look distorted.

Raster artwork '''can''' be used but one has to take the dimensions and resolutions into account to have high quality cabinet artwork.

=Vector=
Vector images have no real size. A vector image is a list of lines and mathematical curves at a relative distance. Lines are calculated so to enlarge or reduce the image in size, all calculations are simply mulitplied or devided by a factor. Since no detail is lost in vector graphics, vectors are mainly used in the printing industry.

=Compare=
See this example, the part in the red square is enlarged 5 times:
{|align="center"
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector1.jpg]]
|
|-
|align="center"|Raster version
|
|align="center"|Vector version
|-
|[[Image:Rastervsvector2.jpg]]
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector3.jpg]]
|}

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Building

2007-05-23T08:29:37Z

Felsir: /* Design Considerations */ added link to the power options page

__NOTOC__{{Portal|name=Design and Building}}
'''Building''' a [[Arcade Cabinet|cabinet]] from scratch, or even modifying an existing cabinet can be a daunting task for some. This page is designed to help you find your way through some difficult building challenges so you can complete your cabinet and start
playing.

==Design Considerations==
* [[Basic_guide_to_build_a_cabinet|Basic Cabinet Building Guide]]
* [[Controls]]
* [[Power Options]]

== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet.
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Graphics software]]
** [[Technical design software]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[T-Molding]]
* [[Electronic Components]]
* [[Bondo]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

==See Also==
* [[Basics]]
* [[Examples]]
* [[Cabinet Plans]]

[[Category:Index]]
[[Category:Portals]]
[[Category:Building]]

Main Page

2007-05-23T08:28:35Z

Felsir: moving it from the frontpage to design considerations

__NOTOC__
{{Welcome}}
<div style="background:#f9f9f9; padding:0px; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; margin-bottom:5px;">
{| cellpadding="10" width="100%" style="background:#f4f4f4"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==Main Arcade Cabinet Portals==
* [[Basics|Arcade Cabinet Basics]]
* [[Examples|Project Examples of a cabinet]]
* [[Building|Cabinet Design and Building]]
* [[Controls|Control Panels and Interfaces]]
* [[Video|Monitors and Video]]
* [[Finishing|Finishing and Artwork]]

* [[Vendors|Vendors - Where you buy your stuff from]]

* [[Software|Software and Emulators]]
|valign="top"|

==Site Index==
* [[:Category:Index|Site Index]]
* [[Special:Popularpages|Most Popular Pages]]
* [[Glossary]]
* [[Community Portal]] - To add or edit pages!
* [[Contents]] - Old Contents/Index page

==External Links==
* [http://arcadecontrols.com Main BYOAC Web Site]
* [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC Discussion Forum]
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]] - Written by Saint - the BYOAC sponsor
|}
</div>

[[Category:Portals]]

Basic Guide to Building a Cabinet

2007-05-08T12:59:56Z

Felsir: *cough* Wiki skills are a bit rusty... fixed my previous error

__NOTOC__So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basic guide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
If you have questions, never be afraid to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].

==Things to consider first==
You don't want to rush out and just buy yourself a few pieces of [[Wood_products|wood]], fire up your [[Power Tools|power tools]] and start cutting! First things first:
* '''What kind of cabinet do you want?'''
:Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes (see ''[[Arcade Cabinet]]''). A [[Cabinet Plans|list of sample plans]] is available via this wiki. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
:If you want to design your own cabinet, take a look [http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml#dimensions here]. Some things to keep in mind when figuring out your dimensions are:
::#How tall you are. You don't want to end up with a control panel you can't reach conmortably or look at a screen that is too low for your comfort.
::#The size of the monitor. If you want to put in a 36" screen, make sure it fits.
::#The size of your control panel. If you want to have a gazillion controls on it, but you made it only 10" wide you are probably going to run out of space.
:Instead of building your own cabinet, you may also choose to restore or convert an existing cabinet. See also [[notes on converting a cabinet]].
:Whatever you decide, one very important thing to consider before ANYTHING is done, is ''how wide are your doorways?'' If you can't get it to the location you have planned, all your work will be for naught!

*'''What do I use to run the software?'''
:Do you plan to use a PC and run [[Emulators]]? If so, does the PC fit in the cabinet you designed? Do you plan to wire a [[JAMMA]] board? Are you planning on using console games?

*'''What controls are you going to want on your cabinet?'''
:What kind of games do you want to play? Take note of what controls those games use. How many players? The [[control panel]] needs more space if you want a 4 player cabinet. Generally, if you want to play fighter games, you will need 6 buttons per player. If you want a 4 player cabinet, keep in mind that there aren't any non-console games that support more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4. Take a look at the [[Controls]] section for more info on [[joysticks]], [[trackballs]], [[spinners]], etc. It is also possible to buy ready made control panels. See the [[vendors]] page on where to get these items.
:It is also a wise idea when it comes to control panel design to 'test fit' your controls using a piece of cardboard, cheap wood, or a piece of ridgid insulation. Your layout might look good on paper (or in your [[Technical_design_software|design software]]), but nothing beats testing to make sure everything is to your satisfaction prior to making your final model.

*'''How to interface the controls?'''
:Once you have decided what controls you want, how do those controls connect to the PC? See the [[Controls|interfacing controls with your PC]] section for various options. Things to keep in mind when selecting an interface board, are the number of available connections and the amount of controls you plan to use.

*'''What type of display device do you want to use?'''
:There are various options, ranging from [[Televisions]], [[PC Monitors]] and even real [[Arcade Monitors]]. Keep in mind that these have different connections and might need a special [[Video Cards|videocard]]. Also an arcade monitor is mounted diffently in a cabinet than a television (which might sit on a shelf in your cab).

*'''What about artwork?'''
:[[Contents#Arcade_Art|Artwork]] can make your cabinet stand out and look authentic or personalized. What art are you going to use and what size do the images need to be? Do you want art on your [[Control panel]]?

*'''Any extras?'''
:How do you want to control your emulator software? Do you want special administration buttons on your control panel (or hidden elsewhere on your cabinet?). Do you want to add a drawer to have access to your PC's keyboard? Perhaps add a [[Coin Doors|coin door]] or have 'insert coin' buttons? Do you want speakers with volume control? Any special lighting such as lighted buttons or a marquee?

==Building the cabinet==
Once you settled on your cabinet's design, it is time to start the hard dirty work. Your arcade experience is basically two parts. The cabinet itself and the computer that runs it. The [[Examples]] and [[Building]] portals will give you two great places to start when creating your cabinet. Many of the example links have step by step instructions and pictures, while the Building portal has information on materials and tools.

==Building the guts==
Once the cabinet is built, you can install the controls into your [[Control panel]] and wire everything up. The [[Controls]] portal has a list of various types of arcade controls and control interfaces that will make it easier to select and wire up your control panel.

==Setting up the computer==
The [[Software]] portal provides a staring point for getting various arcade emulators up and running on your cabinet. It is probably a good idea to get your emulators installed before you move your PC into the cabinet. While a cabinet is great for playing arcade games, it is not a very confortable working spot to fix your software's settings. If you have more computers in your home, you might want to consider hooking the arcade cabinet computer into a home network. This allows you to update files from another PC or even control the computer using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Services remote desktop client tool].

==See Also==
* [[Examples]]
* [[Building]]
* [[Controls]]
* [[Finishing]]

==External Links==
* [http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index1.htm SpyStyle's DIY Arcade walkthrough] A step-by-step guide for building a cabinet.
* [http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade/ LuSiD's Arcade Flashback] Many DIY cabinets have been based on this guide.
* [http://minimame.com/downloads.asp MiniMame PDF plans] An excellent printable guide. The document describes a scaled down version of an arcade cabinet, the used techniques are usable in full scale projects as well.
[[Category:Basics]]
[[Category:Index]]

Basic Guide to Building a Cabinet

2007-05-08T12:58:52Z

Felsir: /* Things to consider first */

__NOTOC__So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basic guide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
If you have questions, never be afraid to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].

==Things to consider first==
You don't want to rush out and just buy yourself a few pieces of [[Wood_products|wood]], fire up your [[Power Tools|power tools]] and start cutting! First things first:
* '''What kind of cabinet do you want?'''
:Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes (see ''[[Arcade Cabinet]]''). A [Cabinet Plans|list of sample plans]] is available via this wiki. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
:If you want to design your own cabinet, take a look [http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml#dimensions here]. Some things to keep in mind when figuring out your dimensions are:
::#How tall you are. You don't want to end up with a control panel you can't reach conmortably or look at a screen that is too low for your comfort.
::#The size of the monitor. If you want to put in a 36" screen, make sure it fits.
::#The size of your control panel. If you want to have a gazillion controls on it, but you made it only 10" wide you are probably going to run out of space.
:Instead of building your own cabinet, you may also choose to restore or convert an existing cabinet. See also [[notes on converting a cabinet]].
:Whatever you decide, one very important thing to consider before ANYTHING is done, is ''how wide are your doorways?'' If you can't get it to the location you have planned, all your work will be for naught!

*'''What do I use to run the software?'''
:Do you plan to use a PC and run [[Emulators]]? If so, does the PC fit in the cabinet you designed? Do you plan to wire a [[JAMMA]] board? Are you planning on using console games?

*'''What controls are you going to want on your cabinet?'''
:What kind of games do you want to play? Take note of what controls those games use. How many players? The [[control panel]] needs more space if you want a 4 player cabinet. Generally, if you want to play fighter games, you will need 6 buttons per player. If you want a 4 player cabinet, keep in mind that there aren't any non-console games that support more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4. Take a look at the [[Controls]] section for more info on [[joysticks]], [[trackballs]], [[spinners]], etc. It is also possible to buy ready made control panels. See the [[vendors]] page on where to get these items.
:It is also a wise idea when it comes to control panel design to 'test fit' your controls using a piece of cardboard, cheap wood, or a piece of ridgid insulation. Your layout might look good on paper (or in your [[Technical_design_software|design software]]), but nothing beats testing to make sure everything is to your satisfaction prior to making your final model.

*'''How to interface the controls?'''
:Once you have decided what controls you want, how do those controls connect to the PC? See the [[Controls|interfacing controls with your PC]] section for various options. Things to keep in mind when selecting an interface board, are the number of available connections and the amount of controls you plan to use.

*'''What type of display device do you want to use?'''
:There are various options, ranging from [[Televisions]], [[PC Monitors]] and even real [[Arcade Monitors]]. Keep in mind that these have different connections and might need a special [[Video Cards|videocard]]. Also an arcade monitor is mounted diffently in a cabinet than a television (which might sit on a shelf in your cab).

*'''What about artwork?'''
:[[Contents#Arcade_Art|Artwork]] can make your cabinet stand out and look authentic or personalized. What art are you going to use and what size do the images need to be? Do you want art on your [[Control panel]]?

*'''Any extras?'''
:How do you want to control your emulator software? Do you want special administration buttons on your control panel (or hidden elsewhere on your cabinet?). Do you want to add a drawer to have access to your PC's keyboard? Perhaps add a [[Coin Doors|coin door]] or have 'insert coin' buttons? Do you want speakers with volume control? Any special lighting such as lighted buttons or a marquee?

==Building the cabinet==
Once you settled on your cabinet's design, it is time to start the hard dirty work. Your arcade experience is basically two parts. The cabinet itself and the computer that runs it. The [[Examples]] and [[Building]] portals will give you two great places to start when creating your cabinet. Many of the example links have step by step instructions and pictures, while the Building portal has information on materials and tools.

==Building the guts==
Once the cabinet is built, you can install the controls into your [[Control panel]] and wire everything up. The [[Controls]] portal has a list of various types of arcade controls and control interfaces that will make it easier to select and wire up your control panel.

==Setting up the computer==
The [[Software]] portal provides a staring point for getting various arcade emulators up and running on your cabinet. It is probably a good idea to get your emulators installed before you move your PC into the cabinet. While a cabinet is great for playing arcade games, it is not a very confortable working spot to fix your software's settings. If you have more computers in your home, you might want to consider hooking the arcade cabinet computer into a home network. This allows you to update files from another PC or even control the computer using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Services remote desktop client tool].

==See Also==
* [[Examples]]
* [[Building]]
* [[Controls]]
* [[Finishing]]

==External Links==
* [http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index1.htm SpyStyle's DIY Arcade walkthrough] A step-by-step guide for building a cabinet.
* [http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade/ LuSiD's Arcade Flashback] Many DIY cabinets have been based on this guide.
* [http://minimame.com/downloads.asp MiniMame PDF plans] An excellent printable guide. The document describes a scaled down version of an arcade cabinet, the used techniques are usable in full scale projects as well.
[[Category:Basics]]
[[Category:Index]]

Raster versus Vector artwork

2006-10-05T12:46:23Z

Felsir: /* Vector */

__NOTOC__
Computer graphics can be defined in two ways: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics Raster] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics Vector]. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Pictures consist of a collection of dots - called pixels (short for picture element). The more pixels the more detail you can have in an image. The amount of pixels available to a picture is determined by a few things. Your screen for examle consists of a grid of pixels (typically 800 to 1280 pixels wide and 600 to 1024 pixeld high). Printers also vary in available pixels for an image. Most printers have 300 pixels available per inch on paper. The pixels can assume a colour and like a mosaic these dots of colours produce an image.

=Raster=
Raster images are images that remember what dots are coloured. In short, if you create an image 200 pixels wide and 200 pixels high the raster image "remembers" the colours of 40,000 pixels.
Vector images are images that calculate what pixels have to be coloured. To draw a line the vector image "remembers" the start and endpoints of the line and in a 200 x 200 pixel image it calculates what pixels should be coloured.
The advantage of raster images is that they can be photo realistic with complex gradients & shading. Vector images tend to be less complex since these are harder to create.

The disadvantage of raster images is that they have fixed resolutions in which they look good. The 200x200 pixel image only has colour information stored for 40,000 pixels. When outputted on a (300 [[Glossary#D|DPI]]) printer, the image would only be 0.66" wide! When enlarged to a bigger size the ammount of pixels required to describe the image would increase enormously (1 square foot image on a printer would require 12,960,000 pixels!) Since (in the 200x200 pixel example) there is only information for 40,000 pixels the image would look distorted.

Raster artwork '''can''' be used but one has to take the dimensions and resolutions into account to have high quality cabinet artwork.

=Vector=
Vector images have no real size. A vector image is a list of lines and mathematical curves at a relative distance. Lines are calculated so to enlarge or reduce the image in size, all calculations are simply mulitplied or devided by a factor. Since no detail is lost in vector graphics, vectors are mainly used in the printing industry.

=Compare=
See this example, the part in the red square is enlarged 5 times:
{|align="center"
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector1.jpg]]
|
|-
|align="center"|Raster version
|
|align="center"|Vector version
|-
|[[Image:Rastervsvector2.jpg]]
|
|[[Image:Rastervsvector3.jpg]]
|}

==See Also==
* [[Finishing]]
* [[Vendors|Artwork Vendors]]

[[Category:Finishing]]

Cabinet friendly software

2006-07-13T12:14:57Z

Felsir: /* List of cabfriedly games */

''Note: this page descibes what is meant by the term "cabinet friendly software", if you are looking for cabinet friendly software, see the [[Software Overview|software overview]].''

Software is considered '''cabinet friendly''' when all commands required to operate the software are remappable or mapped to a set of default keys.

Cabinet buttons usually simulate a keypress (by use of [[Keyboard_Hacks|a keyboard hack]] or an [[Encoders|encoder]]. Thus 'firebutton 1' simulates the 'ctrl' key on a keyboard. The control panel of a cabinet can therefore be seen as a small keyboard with buttons and joysticks instead of ordinary keys.
So for a game or emulator to be cabinet friendly, it has to be possible operate with that limited keyboard.

Cabinets with a [[trackballs|trackball]] might be able to operate more software as the trackball can be used to move the mousepointer. Note that some encoders can change the button-to-key mapping ''on the fly'' also greatly increasing the number of cabinet friendly software possibilities.

==Default ''cabinet friendly'' keys==
Many BYOACers use [[MAME]] as their main emulator and have some (or limited) system buttons on the cabinet. Some emulators use the MAME control scheme as standard or have options to use a MAME friendly control scheme.

* '''Escape''' key (''ESC'') - quits the emulator

==List of cabfriendly games==
* [[Arcade Games]]
* [[Classic Games]]
* [[Pinball]]
* [[Simulators]]
* [[Remakes]]

==See also==
* [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=7479 BYOAC forum thread] discussing software that can be played on a cabinet.

{{software}}
[[Category:Index]]

Software

2006-07-13T12:14:27Z

Felsir: /* Arcade, Console and Computer Emulators */

__NOTOC__
{{Portal|name=Software}}
A variety of '''Software''' and '''Emulators''' allow you to play a huge number of arcade, console and PC games on a computer. Software is used as a foundation on a home arcade machine will generally consists of an ''emulator(s)'' to run software (called ''roms'') on a computer and a ''front-end'' to provide a menu system to allow players to select from a list of games. Recently, the desire for multiple uses of an arcade cabinet and/or enhancing the game-playing experience have brought about the use of additional software, perhaps to play a PC game, allow use of the cabinet as a jukebox, or for lighting and configuration enhancements.

Software has gone through great leaps and bounds since the inception of this hobby. As an example, in the late 90's, a common route many people were choosing was PC2Jamma. Typically, MAME was used as a game emulator, ArcadeOS as the front-end, and DOS as the operating system, since this allowed the use of real arcade monitors. Since then, hardware has been developed to make using an arcade monitor from other operating systems simple, and more complex front-ends and emulators have been developed to utilize PC hardware better.

==Arcade, Console and Computer Emulators==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[Game Consoles]]
* [[Handheld Consoles]]
* [[Home Computers]]
* [[Computer Components]]
* [[Other Emulation]]
* [[Simulators]]

==Front-Ends & Menu Systems==
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]

==Jukebox, Music and Multimedia==
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

==ROM images==
Emulators require [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROM_image ROM image] files to work. The ROM files contain game data such as program code, grahics and sound. Be aware that many ROM images contain copyrighted material. See [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROM_image#Legal_Status_of_ROMs this] Wikipedia section for more information about the ''legal status of ROM images''. Note that it is not allowed to post ROM image requests on the BYOAC forum. Many other arcade hobby related sites follow this rule too.

== PC Games ==
If you have a PC powering your cabinet, you might as well try a few other games to play on it.
* [[Cabfriendly games]]

==See Also==
* [[Hiding Windows]] - How to hide Windows.
* [[TV Games]] - Hardware based small devices, that hold retrogames.
* [[Design_applications]]

[[Category:Portals]]
[[Category:Index]]

Basic Guide to Building a Cabinet

2006-07-12T08:48:53Z

Felsir: /* Things to consider first */ fixed wikilink

So you want to build yourself a cabinet? Here is a basicguide to get you on the road. Some things mentioned might be daunting at first, but take a look at the things mentioned on this page and it might notify you on something you otherwise had overlooked.
If you have questions, never be afraid to ask in the Build Your Own Arcade Controls [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ forums].

=Things to consider first=
You don't want to rush out and just buy yourself a few pieces of [[Wood_products|wood]], fire up your [[Power Tools|power tools]] and start cutting! First things first:
* '''What kind of cabinet do you want?'''
:Cabinets come in all shapes and sizes ([[Arcade Cabinet]]). There are sample plans available ([http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml see here]) on the BYOAC site. There are also [[Vendors]] who sell full cabinet kits.
:If you want to design your own cabinet, take a look [http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_cabinet_plans.shtml#dimensions here]. Some things to keep in mind when figuring out your dimensions are:
::#How tall you are. You don't want to end up with a control panel you can't reach conmortably or look at a screen that is too low for your comfort.
::#The size of the monitor. If you want to put in a 36" screen, make sure it fits.
::#The size of your control panel. If you want to have a gazillion controls on it, but you made it only 10" wide you are probably going to run out of space.
:Instead of building your own cabinet, you may also choose to restore or convert an existing cabinet. See also [[notes on converting a cabinet]].
:Whatever you decide, one very important thing to consider before ANYTHING is done, is ''how wide are your doorways?'' If you can't get it to the location you have planned, all your work will be for naught!

*'''What do I use to run the software?'''
:Do you plan to use a PC and run [[Emulators]]? If so, does the PC fit in the cabinet you designed? Do you plan to wire a [[JAMMA]] board? Are you planning on using console games?

*'''What controls are you going to want on your cabinet?'''
:What kind of games do you want to play? Take note of what controls those games use. How many players? The [[control panel]] needs more space if you want a 4 player cabinet. Generally, if you want to play fighter games, you will need 6 buttons per player. If you want a 4 player cabinet, keep in mind that there aren't any non-console games that support more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4. Take a look at [[Contents#Arcade_Control_Hardware|Arcade Control hardware]] section for more info on [[joysticks]], [[trackballs]], [[spinners]], etc. It is also possible to buy ready made control panels. See the [[vendors]] page on where to get these items.
:It is also a wise idea when it comes to control panel design to 'test fit' your controls using a piece of cardboard, cheap wood, or a piece of ridgid insulation. Your layout might look good on paper (or in your [[Technical_design_software|design software]]), but nothing beats testing to make sure everything is to your satisfaction prior to making your final model.

*'''How to interface the controls?'''
:Once you have decided what controls you want, how do those controls connect to the PC? See the [[Contents#Interfacing_Controls_With_Your_PC|interfacing controls with your PC]] section for various options. Things to keep in mind when selecting an interface board, are the number of available connections and the amount of controls you plan to use.

*'''What type of display device do you want to use?'''
:There are various options, ranging from [[Televisions]], [[PC Monitors]] and even real [[Arcade Monitors]]. Keep in mind that these have different connections and might need a special [[Video Cards|videocard]]. Also an arcade monitor is mounted diffently in a cabinet than a television (which might sit on a shelf in your cab).

*'''What about artwork?'''
:[[Contents#Arcade_Art|Artwork]] can make your cabinet stand out and look authentic or personalized. What art are you going to use and what size do the images need to be? Do you want art on your [[Control panel]]?

*'''Any extras?'''
:How do you want to control your emulator software? Do you want special administration buttons on your control panel (or hidden elsewhere on your cabinet?). Do you want to add a drawer to have access to your PC's keyboard? Perhaps add a [[Coin Doors|coin door]] or have 'insert coin' buttons? Do you want speakers with volume control? Any special lighting such as lighted buttons or a marquee?

=Building the cabinet=
Once you settled on your cabinet's design, it is time to start the hard dirty work. Your arcade experience is basically two parts. The cabinet itself and the computer that runs it.

The [[Contents#Building_Materials|building materials]] and [[Contents#Tools|tools]] sections might give you hints on what to use. Always keep in mind the golden rule of woodworking: measure twice, cut once!

=Building the guts=
Once the cabinet is built, you can install the controls and wire everything up.

=Setting up the computer=
It is probably a good idea to get your emulators up and running before you move your PC into the cabinet. While a cabinet is great for playing arcade games, it is not a very confortable working spot to fix your software's settings.
If you have more computers in your home, you might want to consider hooking the arcade cabinet computer into a home network. This allows you to update files from another PC or even control the computer using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Services remote desktop client tool].

=Relevant links=
* [http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index1.htm SpyStyle's DIY Arcade walkthrough] A step-by-step guide for building a cabinet.
* [http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat/arcade/ LuSiD's Arcade Flashback] Many DIY cabinets have been based on this guide.
* [http://minimame.com/downloads.asp MiniMame PDF plans] An excellent printable guide. The document describes a scaled down version of an arcade cabinet, the used techniques are usable in full scale projects as well.

Restoration

2006-05-29T06:50:25Z

Felsir: Rephrased things, wikified the text

If you have an old arcade cabinet that you might want to restore (perhaps after reading the [[notes on converting a cabinet]]), you might be wondering how to do this. While restoration of cabinets might seem daunting, it can be very rewarding to own a ''real'' arcade cabinet.

==Resources==
Luckily you are not on your own, this wiki can still help on topics like hooking up controls or [[JAMMA]] boards. There is even more help available via the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com BYOAC forums] or other websites on this topic. See this list below for a collection of arcade restoration links:

*[http://www.marvin3m.com/restore/index1.htm This Old Pinball - Restoring Arcade and Pinball Games]
*[http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/capkits/capkits.html Monitor Repair - Bad Caps / Symptoms and CapKit Lists]
*[http://coinop.org/repair/Monitor_TubeSwap.aspx Monitor Repair - Tube Swap]
*[http://www.brasington.org/arcade/tech/repair.shtml PCB Repair Tips]
*[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/repairs/index.html Mike's Arcade Game Repair Logs] Also loads of manuals / dips / pinouts
*[http://homearcade.org/BBBB/helppage.html Big Bear's Bulletin Board (Articles By Bob Roberts)]
*[http://www.arcadecollecting.com/dead/dead.html Suicide Battery Info]
*[http://www.ionpool.net IONPool.net] Loads of technical info
*[http://arcarc.xmission.com ARCade ARChive] Huge archive of arcade-related goodies
*[http://www.randyfromm.com Randy Fromm's Site]
*[http://www.gamemanuals.net/ Game Manuals Archive]
*[http://www.arcadecollecting.com/ ArcadeCollecting.com]
*[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.video.arcade.collecting rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (RGVAC)]
*[http://www.arcaderestoration.com Arcade Restoration Workshop]
*[http://www.brasington.org/arcade Braze Technologies] Multigame kits, High score save kits, technical info for Donkey Kong & DK Jr
*[http://www.wizzesworkshop.com/cart/missilecmd.asp Installing a replacement overlay]

==Game-Specific resources==
*[http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/asteroidtech/asteroidsrepair.html Asteroids]
*[http://www.arcadeshop.com/galaga/galaga.htm Galaga]
*[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/repairs/galaga.html Galaga]
*[http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/williams/ranger_repair_log.html Joust / Robotron] Repair logs from Mike Ranger (aka Gravitar), *Williams guru
*[http://users.erols.com/mowerman/pacfile.htm Pac-Man]
*[http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/pacfix.html Pac-Man]
*[http://www.robotron-2084.co.uk/ Willams Games] Technical info for various Williams vids, using 4164 RAM, 8-way stick in Sinistar

2006-05-29T06:37:26Z

Felsir: /* How to build your cab */ aligned 2nd column to the top

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet.
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Technical design software]]
** [[Graphics software]]
|valign="top"|
==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cabinet =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General software ==
So, you've build your cabinet and hooked everything up. Now it is time to get everything configured so you can actually use your cabinet!
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Hiding Windows]]
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
== Systems & Emulators ==
Nostalgia comes in many different flavours. Do you wish to replay an old arcade game or recapture that classic console game feel? Take a look at this section to find out how to get your cabinet to play the games you like!
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
If you have a PC powering your cabinet, you might as well try a few other games to play on it.
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

2006-05-29T06:36:53Z

Felsir: /* Software to your cab */ added 'fluff' texts

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet.
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Technical design software]]
** [[Graphics software]]
|
==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cabinet =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General software ==
So, you've build your cabinet and hooked everything up. Now it is time to get everything configured so you can actually use your cabinet!
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Hiding Windows]]
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
== Systems & Emulators ==
Nostalgia comes in many different flavours. Do you wish to replay an old arcade game or recapture that classic console game feel? Take a look at this section to find out how to get your cabinet to play the games you like!
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
If you have a PC powering your cabinet, you might as well try a few other games to play on it.
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

2006-05-29T06:28:35Z

Felsir: /* How to build your cab */

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet.
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Technical design software]]
** [[Graphics software]]
|
==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General about software ==
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]
* [[Hiding Windows]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== Systems & Emulators ==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

2006-05-29T06:26:57Z

Felsir: Moved 'design software section' - this software is more useful during construction phase.

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet.
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Technical design software]]
** [[Graphics software]]
|

==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General about software ==
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]
* [[Hiding Windows]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== Systems & Emulators ==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

Hiding Windows

2006-05-29T06:21:33Z

Felsir: /* Introduction */ added note, link to the front-end section

{{DisclaimerSoftware}}

==Introduction==
To add to the illusion that your home arcade machine is a 'real' arcade machine, it would be nice to be able to hide the familiar Windows PC look and feel. Nobody wants to see the Windows logo when your cabinet is turned on; it's kind of like being caught with your pants down. There are several ways of achieving this, let's have a look at your options...

''note: this article deals with hiding various parts of the operating system when the computer is in start-up phase. To hide the windows user interface and select games take a look at the [[Front-Ends|front-end software]] article.''

==Replacing Your BIOS Logo==

Some modern BIOSes support changing the logo that is the very first thing displayed when your computer turns on. It should be noted that there’s not too much to be gained from doing this as most computers are so fast that the image is only momentarily flashed and your display device normally won’t have got up to operating specifications before the BIOS screen disappears. If yours can be changed, there will be an utility to do this on the motherboard manufacturer’s website.

Some (but not all) ASUS brand motherboards support this feature. Support for this feature in other brands is unknown.

= [[Image:OS windows icon.gif]] Hiding Windows XP =
== Replacing Your Boot Screen ==

The boot screen is the Windows XP logo on a black background with a little blue progress bar underneath it. Before making any changes, be sure to create a System Restore point before attempting these methods. While not a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card, it can save you from yourself. This way, in case something goes wrong, restarting your computer, pressing and holding F8 until the Operating System menu appears and selecting “Last Known Good Configuration” should get you back to your previous state in most cases.

You can modify your boot screen in these ways:

=== '''BootSkin''' ===
: This product inserts a driver file into the XP startup sequence that displays an image instead of actually loading a driver.

:: Pros:
::* It does not patch or access any operating system files.
::* If something goes wrong, it is simple to fix.
::* You can customize both the screen and the progress bar.

:: Cons:
::* Relies on BIOS and driver manufacturers strictly obeying certain guidelines.
::* If the system is incompatible, you'll likely get a "blue screen of death".

=== '''BootXP''' ===
: This alters resources and some other bits in a file called “ntoskrnl.exe”.

:: Pros:
::* You can customize both the screen and the progress bar.

:: Cons:
::* '''''If something goes wrong, you will need an original Windows XP CD to put it right and knowledge of how to use the recovery console.'''''
::* It accesses and patches a critical operating system file.
::* You get really ugly and slow nag screens every time you want to change your boot screen if you don’t pay for it.

=== '''Slimm Boot-Logo / The Microsoft Way''' ===
: There is an undocumented switch in Microsoft Windows XP’s operating system settings file. Slimm Boot-Logo simply flicks the switch.

::* '''''You can also set this switch manually. Go to My Computer >Properties >Advanced >Startup and Recovery >Settings. Select “Edit startup options file”. Add “ /bootlogo /noguiboot” to your default operating system (there must be a space between each switch) and add a 16-color 640 x 480 pixel BMP file called "boot.bmp” to your Windows directory.'''''

:: Pros:
::* Simple, safe, simply asks the operating system to use a custom boot screen.
::* No illegal or unrecommended patching of any file.
::* Least chance of anything going wrong (your changed settings can be checked before you reboot. After performing the change, go to My Computer >Properties >Advanced >Startup and Recovery >Settings. If you still have “Microsoft Windows XP” in the combo box at the top, everything should work fine next time you boot.

:: Cons:
::* No progress bar on custom boot screen.
::* Have to convert your image to 640 x 480 pixels and 16 colors yourself.
::* If it goes wrong you will need an original Windows XP CD to put it right.

:::* '''If something goes wrong: You need to rebuild the “boot.ini” file using the instructions in [http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330184 this knowledge base article]'''

=== '''A Hardware Solution For Hiding BIOS & Boot Screens''' ===

: This may be set-up dependant thus it may or may not work for your setup. In the first step, a cheap or even free part is recommended. This will make testing this method easier on the wallet.

:# You must be using an AGP video card in your PC. Add a PCI video card to your system (use the cheapest model you can find - it may not even have to work, so you may be able to find a free card!)
:# Go into the BIOS setup screen of your PC, and find the "Video Card" setting. Change it to "PCI" instead of AGP.
:# Reboot your PC

: The BIOS messages and boot screen should now be output only to the PCI card. The monitor, still plugged into the AGP card, should stay blank until Windows starts. If any BIOS changes are needed, you'll have to plug the monitor into the PCI card, so ensure your PC's BIOS settings are configured prior to attempting this step.

== Replacing Explorer With Your FE In XP ==

To almost completely bypass Windows and its trimmings, you may want to set up your [[Front-Ends| front end]] as a shell.

: '''Note: To do this automagically during startup in XP your computer may be a part of a workgroup, but it CAN'T be part of a domain.'''

Here is the process to follow in order to set up your front end as a shell:

*You must have at least 2 users with admin privileges
*Open the user that will be auto logged in to the account that will be running your front end as a shell. This user should have admin rights.
*Set XP to automate the login process.
*#Click start >run >type <pre>control userpasswords2</pre>
*#Deselect the '''Users must enter a username and password...''' checkbox.
*#Click '''Apply'''
*#Enter the user & pass you want to login with & click '''OK'''
*#Click '''OK''' again
* Configure your front end... this is not a trial run, so make sure it's the way you want it. You can always get the explorer back, but it will take a minute or two to do so.
* Open '''regedit''' and find
<pre>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\system.ini\boot</pre>
* Find a string entry called '''Shell.'''
* Change the first 3 letters (which should read SYS) to USR. The path after USR will look different for your system, but it should appear similar to this: USR:BLAH\BLAH\BLAH. This tells windows to ignore the system’s shell values and load up a shell value on a user by user basis. If you don’t do this it will never even look for the shell value in the current user key, meaning the next part won’t ever be seen.
* Now (still in regedit) open these registry folders as follows:
<pre>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon</pre>
* If you can't find '''Shell''' create a string entry and name it '''Shell'''.
* Set the string entry to the name and directory location of your front end, for example <pre>C:\arcade\mamewah.exe</pre> YOURS may be different, use YOUR OWN path to the exe!
* Log out as the auto-login user and log back in as another user with administrative rights. (You DID create 2 accounts with adminstrative priveledges as was suggested, right? )
* IF you want to limit the access of the auto log-in user set the auto-login user to a '''standard user'''

Should you ever care to go back to the way things were, after firing up your front end, simply hit ctrl alt del and run regedit again, and delete the shell entry you created. POOF! Everything’s back to “normal” again!

===Launching Programs/Utilities in the background===

If you set your [[Front-Ends| front end]] as a shell you may notice that other programs you had set to startup on Boot are no longer loading in the background.
* [[Other_Software#Utilities | XYNTService]] will allow you to continue to load any programs that don't already support launching as a System Service.

===Alternate Method Without Messing With The Registry===

You can achieve a similar affect as the above (although not as "complete", and may or may not be acceptable to you) with the following steps:

# Put a shortcut to your FE's .exe file in “Startup” folder.
# Hide all windows desktop icons. You will need to [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx download and install the Microsoft PowerToy TweakUI] and change the Desktop settings.
# Set desktop to black or use a wallpaper image of your choice
# Auto hide task bar.

==Returning to Explorer once FE Quits==

* If you would like the Explorer shell to start up after you quit your frontend, this is possible. Here is how to do it using Mamewah as an example. Keep in mind, that this is only possible if the frontend that you use supports launching an application on exit. Also, the location of the option to do this won't be in the same place everytime, Mamewah is just used as an example.

# Go to your Mamewah folder and edit your mamewah.ini file
# Near the bottom of the list of options is app_to_run_on_exit enter explorer.exe next to it and save the file.

Now, everytime you quit Mamewah, it will exit back to the Explorer shell.

== Getting rid of the "Loading settings" Popup screens ==

* The following will hide the dialog box that appears that the beggining of Windows startup informing you that the system is "Loading Settings".

To do this,follow these steps:

# Go to, Start Menu -> Run and enter regedit
# Navigate to entry: <pre>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Policies>System</pre>
# If there is an entry for "DisableStatusMessages" set it to 1 (the digit one)

* If there is no entry, right-mouse click the "System" word, and select New->DWORD value, and enter "DisableStatusMessages", right-mouse to edit the value of it, and enter 1 (the digit one).

==Hiding The Mouse Pointer While Logging Into Windows==

*After having everything else stripped out of Windows, seeing the cursor briefly while Windows boots up is a real experience killer. Here is how to get rid of it! Please make sure you read this thoroughly before you start, as you might get stuck with an invisible pointer, and that won't be fun to get back to normal!

# Download this version of TweakUI, it has a special option that we are going to need. http://www.systemsmedic.com/DownloadFiles/TweakUIXP.exe
# Once this is installed, go to Control Panel>Mouse>Pointers and change all of your cursors to a cursor file that is invisible, and save this to a scheme of your choice, Ex. "Mame cursors". See TIP at the bottom for some extra info on the cursor.
#Save the scheme, but don't apply it yet, as it will be hard to navigate Windows with an invisible pointer.
#The last thing to do is to apply the settings to make the cursors invisible. Go back to the cursor screen in the Windows Control Panel, load your scheme and hit apply. It'll be hard, if not impossible to see your cursor, depending on which type of cursor you made, which is why this is the last step. Squint your way into your start menu and open TweakUI. If you can't see the cursor, just hit the Windows key on your keyboard to bring up the start menu. Go to the LOGON option, and somewhere there is the option to copy your wall paper etc. across to the Logon Screen. Check that, and hit apply or press Alt+A.

*If you have made an invisible cursor and you can't seem to get around Windows once you exit your FE, you can just log out of the current user and log into the computer as an administrator and all those settings should be untouched. To do this without a mouse, just hit Win+L and it will bring up the login menu (Win is the windows key on the keyboard, right between Ctrl and Alt. Another useful hotkey is Win+R which brings up the Run menu.

TIP: When you download Mamewah, the zip contains an invisible cursor, so you can use that one if you'd like. Also, you can make a cursor that is just a dot, so that it is almost invisible but it can be used to navigate if needed.

== Welcome/Startup/Shutdown/Background Color ==

* To hide the Welcome Screen (where you'd normally log in) you'll need to change from the default windows XP welcome screen to the other style by going to Control Panels >User Accounts >Change the way users logon or off. Deselect the “Use Welcome Screen” checkbox.

* To change the login background color from blue to black (to better hide it), use regedit again and navigate to
<pre>HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors\Background</pre>
The 3-digit RGB color for black is 0 0 0.

== Removing pop-up bubbles ==

* In Windows XP, you occasionaly get pop-up bubbles with all kinds of useful (or less useful) information. In the application of running an arcade machine, we use low resolutions, like 640x480 or even 640x288. In these resolutions Windows XP tries to be helpful and lets you know via a pop-up bubble that your resolution setting is not ideal for this videocard. (Another bubble that can come up because of the low resolution is from the Start menu indicating it cannot show all items on the Start menu because of the low resolution.
We need to live with this, so there is no point in these bubbles coming up everytime.)

* To turn ALL (!) bubbles off follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.

2. Navigate to the following subkey:
<pre>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced</pre>

3. Right-click the right pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips.

4. Double-click this new entry, and then give it a hexadecimal value of 0.

5. Quit Registry Editor. Log off Windows, and then log back on.

These steps disable all Notification Area balloon tips for this user. There is no way to disable balloon tips for specific programs only.

= [[Image:OS windows icon.gif]] Hiding Windows 98 =

Hiding Windows 98 is lots easier than hiding Windows XP.

== Replacing Your Boot Screen ==
* Create a black picture with 320x240 resolution and 256 colors in MS Paint or another paint application (do NOT try to save pictues in 16bit or 32bit colors or such, because it may crash Windows).
* Replace logo.sys, logow.sys and logos.sys with your new picture (these are actually bmp files, wich were renamed to sys).

Here is more in-depth info about replacing:
[http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article02-011 Replace the Ugly Startup and Shutdown Screens].

== Hiding The Mouse Pointer While Logging Into Windows ==
You can doing the same way as Windows XP.

== Hiding The taskbar ==
Coming Soon.

2006-05-29T06:18:35Z

Felsir: /* Miscellaneous */ added 'fluff' text

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

|

==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General about software ==
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]
* [[Hiding Windows]]

== Design Software ==
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Graphics software]]
** [[Technical design software]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== Systems & Emulators ==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

2006-05-29T06:17:20Z

Felsir: /* Video */ added 'fluff' text

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

|

==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General about software ==
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]
* [[Hiding Windows]]

== Design Software ==
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Graphics software]]
** [[Technical design software]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== Systems & Emulators ==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

Cabfriendly games

2006-05-29T06:14:26Z

Felsir: double page - changed it into a redirect to the more comprehensive page.

#REDIRECT [[Cabinet friendly software]]

Cabfriendly games

2006-05-29T06:11:01Z

Felsir: /* See Also */

Many PC games are "cabinet friendly.". This mean they may will work well in a cabinet environment, without need of a keyboard.

Such games may have these:
* remappable keys
* switchable resoulution (to run in a lowres arcade monitor)
* menu navigation via a joystick or with arrow keys.
* games, that need a trackball or spinner, rather than a regular mouse.

Here is a list, but we invite you to add new games:

* [[Arcade Games]]
* [[Classic Games]]
* [[Pinball]]
* [[Remakes]]

== See Also ==
* [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=7479 More cabfriendly games]

2006-05-29T06:10:19Z

Felsir: /* Frontend & Software */ reworded the section a bit

= How to build your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|
==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet 101]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]

==The BYOAC community==
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]

==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet.
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]

==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

|

==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet.
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]
==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there...
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options...
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
* [[Video Overview]]
* [[Arcade Monitors]]
* [[PC Monitors]]
* [[MultiSync Monitors]]
* [[Televisions]]
* [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
* [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
* [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

== Miscellaneous ==
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

|}

= Software to your cab =

{| cellpadding="10" width="100%"
|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== General about software ==
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]
* [[Hiding Windows]]

== Design Software ==
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Graphics software]]
** [[Technical design software]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

|style="width:50%" valign="top"|

== Systems & Emulators ==
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]

Main Page

2006-05-24T09:55:33Z

Felsir: /* Can I edit or add pages? */ spelling

== Welcome to the BYOAC Wiki! ==

The BYOAC Wiki is one of three main sections of the [http://arcadecontrols.com/ Build Your Own Arcade Controls website], which primarily (but not exclusively) concerns itself with building or buying authentic arcade controls and connecting them to your computer to play arcade style games with real arcade controls instead of a keyboard or mouse. Read "[[BYOACWiki:About|What's this all about?]]" to learn how the Wiki section of BYOAC came about and what it's for, or if you're already familiar with Wikis then dive right in - welcome!

A full table of contents is located at the '''[[Contents]]''' page. You can see a list of every current wiki page on the [[Special:Allpages| All Articles page]].

 
== General sections of this wiki: ==

* '''[[Contents#The_Basics| The Basics]]'''
* '''[[Contents#The_BYOAC_community| The BYOAC community]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Building_Materials| Building materials]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Tools| Tools]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Arcade_Art| Arcade Art]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Arcade_Control_Hardware| Arcade Control Hardware]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Interfacing_Controls| Interfacing Controls With Your PC]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Video| Video]]'''
* '''[[contents#Systems & Emulators| Systems & Emulators]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Software & Utilites| Software & Utilites]]'''
* '''[[Contents#Miscellaneous| Miscellaneous]]'''

 

== Can I edit or add pages? ==
You can edit or add pages to this wiki if you are a registered member of the [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ BYOAC Forum]. Your wiki login should be the same as your forum login.

* '''[[Help:Contents|Very basic help to get started]]'''
* '''[http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing More basic documentation]'''
* '''[http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents#For_editors More Indepth documentation]'''

You can begin by adding articles, or by correcting any pages that may require attention. Pages with requests for correction can be found in the [[:Category:Cleanup|Cleanup Section]] or you can join in on discussing pages that are part of the work in [[:Category:Work in progress|work in progress project]]

Multimeter

2006-04-20T05:27:47Z

Felsir: /* Multimeter */ removed double header

[[image:Multimeter.jpg|right|thumb|Digital Multimeter|60px]]
A '''multimeter''' is a device that measures voltage, current and resistance between two points in a circuit. It is an indispensible tool when building a control panel as it will allow you to test your wiring connections as you go. There are many different models available and some have optional features, but there are essentially two kinds of multimeter, digital or analog. Whichever kind you buy, make sure it has a continuity function as this will allow you to test whether two points are electrically connected.

Talk:Front-Ends/Archived

2006-04-14T07:01:48Z

Felsir: created talk archive

==Archived discussions==

Need to add Emulaunch (the only? front-end for macs)
http://www.emulaunch.com/

--[[User:Mahuti|mahuti]] 04:56, 30 March 2006 (EST)

If we add Emulaunch then we will need a little icon similar to the icons for Linux, Dos, and Windows. Also, I cannot test Emulaunch since the most recent Mac I own is a 68040 Mac running System 7.

--[[User:Buddabing|buddabing]] 11:05, 30 March 2006 (EST)

I uploaded one a while ago: [[Image:OS apple icon.gif]] <nowiki>[[Image:OS apple icon.gif]] </nowiki>
[[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 15:28, 30 March 2006 (EST)
----

Talk:Front-Ends

2006-04-14T07:00:47Z

Felsir: Don't delete discussions, it might be useful later. Rather add an archive for this.

* [[Talk:Front-Ends/Archived|Archived discussion]]

----

I didn't like the "Other Features" descriptions. It should use icons, because ABCDE is not rememable.
::Just create logos for the "Other Features" and edit!

Please see the discussion thread [[Talk:Jukebox_Software]] about -ware in the jukebox software, why "freeware" "shareware" and "Commercial" is choosen.

This one started the discussion about using the table with is lots better then the bunch of text.

Talk:Simulators

2006-04-11T06:00:07Z

Felsir: added comment

"PinMame is a combination of emulator and simulator. The software emulates the computer inside the pinball machine (to react on bumpers, flippers and display the scores) but simulates the playfield with a digital ball reacting to programmed physics."

I think this is only partually true. PinMAME is a true emulator. The simulation of the playfield and physics is done with Visual Pinball. I'm not sure what the connection to "Visual PinMAME" is though. 18:52, 10 April 2006 [[user:Jelwell|Jelwell]

I changed the text a little, please review if this is better. [[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 02:00, 11 April 2006 (EDT)

Simulators

2006-04-11T05:59:28Z

Felsir: /* Simulators */ updated text (see talk page)

While some arcadefans go for accuracy, others might go for playing specific games. Not all games are available or playable in emulated form, for some there are simulated or remade versions.

==Simulators==
A '''simulator''' is a software program that uses optimised code to recreate an arcade experience. A simulator generally uses some of the real arcade data such as graphics and sound. The major difference between a simulator and an [[emulators|emulator]] is that an emulator is software that mimics the arcade ''hardware'' in order to execute the real arcade game code. A simulator does not try to recreate the hardware but recreate the game itself. Therefore an emulator provides an accurate recreation of a game and a simulator a near accurate rendition. A simulator on the other hand is often used when the arcade hardware is too powerful to emulate on today's PC.

An example where a simulator can be used is in games that use 3D graphics. An emulated version would also emulate the 3D hardware while a simulator would use the PC's modern video card's 3D features. The result is a playable game but the graphics might look slightly different. An example of a simulator is the early Nintendo 64 emulator UltraHLE. The software emulated most of the Nintendo 64 hardware but simulated the graphics output in order to get decent and playable framerates. The modern 3D cards have better shading and reflections than the Nintendo 64 had, so the end result was more shiny than the real thing.

Another reason to use a simulator is because some hardware features cannot be emulated. A pinball machine for example cannot be 100% emulated. Modern pinball machines use software and a digital displays, they all react on a physical steel ball on a playfield that is not captured in software.
When both [http://www.pinmame.com/ PinMame] and [http://www.randydavis.com/vp/ Visual Pinball] are installed, pinball game is created that is a combination of emulator and simulator. The software ''PinMame'' emulates the computer inside the pinball machine (to react on bumpers, flippers and display the scores) and ''Visual Pinball'' simulates the playfield with a digital ball reacting to programmed physics.

===List of game simulators===
*[http://www.pinmame.com PinMame], a pinball emulator
*[http://www.randydavis.com/vp/ Visual Pinball], pinball (playfield) simulator [http://www.vpforums.com/modules.php?s=&name=FAQ&myfaq=yes&id_cat=2#5 (instructions how to combine PinMame and Visual Pinball]).
*[http://www.futurepinball.com Future Pinball], a second generation pinball simulator
*[http://www.stepmania.com StepMania], a Dance Dance Revolution simulator
*[http://madrigal.retrogames.com/dnload_m.html Game and Watch] old Nintendo handheld simulators

==Remakes==
A '''remake''' is a newly made version of an old game. The game usually benefits from better graphics and sound.
{|
|[[Image:MarbleMadness lvl2.gif|frame|Original ''Marble Madness'' arcade game]]
|[[Image:MarbleInsanity lvl2.gif|frame|Remake ''Marble Insanity'', notice the improved graphics]]
|}
===List of remakes===
*[http://xiaou2.homestead.com/marbleinsanity.html Marble Insanity], remake of ''Marble Madness'' (work in progress)

Talk:Keyboard Encoders

2006-04-10T13:14:55Z

Felsir: added comment

We should create redirects to this page from common words and mispellings like Ipac and i-pac. Should also find a place to put FAQ information about these encoders, programming hints, etc.

For example, it took me 10 minutes to figure out to control-click on a button while programming an iPac to set it to "none"
--[[User:Mahuti|mahuti]] 19:03, 7 April 2006 (EDT)

I added redirects for IPAC I-PAC IPac and I-pac to the page. [[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 09:14, 10 April 2006 (EDT)

I-PAC

2006-04-10T13:14:00Z

Felsir: added redirect

#REDIRECT [[Keyboard Encoders]]

IPAC

2006-04-10T13:13:26Z

Felsir: added redirect

#REDIRECT [[Keyboard Encoders]]

Ipac

2006-04-10T13:13:04Z

Felsir: added redirect

#REDIRECT [[Keyboard Encoders]]

I-pac

2006-04-10T13:12:31Z

Felsir: added redirect

#REDIRECT [[Keyboard Encoders]]

Talk:BYOAC tokens

2006-04-10T13:09:42Z

Felsir:

==Designers?==
Who made the designs? I believe Pixelhugger did the 2004 designs? I think we should add the credits. [[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 09:09, 10 April 2006 (EDT)

Talk:Vendors

2006-04-10T11:03:53Z

Felsir: added comment

would it be a good idea to subdivide this page by geographical area?

As most of the distributors on the list are US, i'd suggest adding [[Vendors/Europe]] [[Vendors/Australia]] for the other areas, and leaving the US & canadian vendors on the [[Vendors]] page --[[User:Parag0n|Parag0n]] 12:48, 9 April 2006 (EDT)

:I like the suggestion to add some way of geographic area's. However keep in mind that purchasers are not geographically bound. Ultimarc is located in the UK (if I'm correct) but even if I was located in the US, the I-PAC would be my first choice. In that way it is better to split in sections like "ships worldwide" "ships in US/EU/AU only" [[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 07:03, 10 April 2006 (EDT)

Talk:BYOAC forum

2006-04-10T11:00:07Z

Felsir: added response to why I created the page.

Does this really need to exist? We have a link to the forum in the left menu where this information can be found.
[[User:SirPoonga|SirPoonga]] 13:28, 7 April 2006 (EDT)

Actually I had 3 reasons to include the article. The first was because I showed my brother this wiki, I explained him the it was part of a website and a forum. He started looking for the "forum" article, I pointed him to the link in the navigation on the left side. His anwer was "I don't want to visit the forum right away, I was interested in what those forums were about." I know this can be found on the forum itself but his reasoning got me thinking to add a community section as umbrella for these topics to the wiki.
2nd reason is to give people pointers to what to expect in each forum, add pointers to FAQs compiled on various topics. Example is the artwork forum section. I also think it is nice to add off-topic forums like "everything else" to the list with perhaps mention of some notable forumgoers ;-)
3rd reason was for completenes sake, I felt the forum is the backbone of the BYOAC community so it deserved a mention in this part of the wiki. [[User:Felsir|Felsir]] 07:00, 10 April 2006 (EDT)

BYOAC tokens

2006-04-10T10:52:24Z

Felsir: fixed link

The '''BYOAC tokens''' is one of the [[community projects]] that was started in 2004 and has since then become an annual tradition. The BYOAC tokens are tokens that are accepted by a coin mechanism found in many arcade machines. Many BYOAC members also built a [[coin doors|coin door]] in their scratschbuilt arcade cabinet and a set of original tokens is a nice addition.

2004 and 2005 tokens can be obtained from http://www.arcadetokens.com.

''should add more info about how to obtain, who started this etc. etc.''

==2004 tokens==
[[Image:Scannedbrasssmall.gif]]

==2005 tokens==
[[Image:05BY.jpg]]

==2006 tokens==
The 2006 coins are currently being designed. The thread can be found in the artwork forum [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52117.0 here].

BYOAC tokens

2006-04-07T11:16:15Z

Felsir:

The '''BYOAC tokens''' is one of the [[community projects]] that was started in 2004 and has since then become an annual tradition. The BYOAC tokens are tokens that are accepted by a coin mechanism found in many arcade machines. Many BYOAC members also built a [[coin doors|coin door]] in their scratschbuilt arcade cabinet and a set of original tokens is a nice addition.

''should add more info about how to obtain, who started this atc. etc.)

==2004 tokens==
''should add images''

==2005 tokens==
''should add images''

==2006 tokens==
The 2006 coins are currently being designed. The thread can be found in the artwork forum [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52117.0 here].

BYOAC tokens

2006-04-07T11:16:05Z

Felsir:

The '''BYOAC tokens''' is one of the [[Community projects
]] that was started in 2004 and has since then become an annual tradition. The BYOAC tokens are tokens that are accepted by a coin mechanism found in many arcade machines. Many BYOAC members also built a [[coin doors|coin door]] in their scratschbuilt arcade cabinet and a set of original tokens is a nice addition.

''should add more info about how to obtain, who started this atc. etc.)

==2004 tokens==
''should add images''

==2005 tokens==
''should add images''

==2006 tokens==
The 2006 coins are currently being designed. The thread can be found in the artwork forum [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52117.0 here].

BYOAC tokens

2006-04-07T11:15:24Z

Felsir: Created article.

The '''BYOAC tokens''' is a community project that was started in 2004 and has since then become an annual tradition. The BYOAC tokens are tokens that are accepted by a coin mechanism found in many arcade machines. Many BYOAC members also built a [[coin doors|coin door]] in their scratschbuilt arcade cabinet and a set of original tokens is a nice addition.

''should add more info about how to obtain, who started this atc. etc.)

==2004 tokens==
''should add images''

==2005 tokens==
''should add images''

==2006 tokens==
The 2006 coins are currently being designed. The thread can be found in the artwork forum [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52117.0 here].

Community projects

2006-04-07T11:10:28Z

Felsir: Created article.

Some projects are created because of a common need or just because some projects aren't possible for one person.

Examples of community projects include:
* [[BYOAC tokens]]

BYOAC forum

2006-04-07T11:05:39Z

Felsir: /* Artwork forum */

{{cleanup}}
The '''BYOAC forum''' is full of information. The web URL for the forum is http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/.

==Sections in the forum==
The forum is split in sections. Each section is dedicated to a specific aspect of the arcade hobby.

===Main forum===
''Descriptions should go here''

===Hardware reviews===
''Descriptions should go here''

===Software forum===
''Descriptions should go here''

...
...
...

===Artwork forum===
In the artwork forum, topics are discussed related to [[Contents#Arcade_Art|arcade art]]. These topics vary from how to [[Applying_CPOs|apply art to a control panel]] or [[Graphics_software|what software to use]]. Usually artist show their art and aspiring or beginning artists request comments or critique.
The artwork forum has a FAQ located [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42659.0 here].

BYOAC forum

2006-04-07T11:05:23Z

Felsir: Created article (needs work!)

{{cleanup}}
The '''BYOAC forum''' is full of information. The web URL for the forum is http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/.

==Sections in the forum==
The forum is split in sections. Each section is dedicated to a specific aspect of the arcade hobby.

===Main forum===
''Descriptions should go here''

===Hardware reviews===
''Descriptions should go here''

===Software forum===
''Descriptions should go here''

...
...
...

===Artwork forum===
In the artwork forum, topics are discussed related to [[Contents#Arcade_Art]]. These topics vary from how to [[Applying_CPOs|apply art to a control panel]] or [[Graphics_software|what software to use]]. Usually artist show their art and aspiring or beginning artists request comments or critique.
The artwork forum has a FAQ located [http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42659.0 here].