Dr.Agons' Really Big Project Thread!

[Dr.Agon]

don't worry, ventilation's sorted;



this is on the top, roughly above where the mobo will sit, should provide plenty of airflow...

@Ozzy_98: i wonder... (LOL!)

also, cool! sounds like you have RGB sorted, what about controls/sound/power?

[Ozzy_98]

also, cool! sounds like you have RGB sorted, what about controls/sound/power?

I've got a PSU already for it, a real arcade one.  Sound will be done later knowing me, but it'll also go through the extron, so I can send it to the stereo if I want to.

Controls I still need to figure out, might also do something like this: http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=141764

[e_brugal]

CRAP!
Xbox PC is currently a no go, bought the PC but its massive, would take a ton of work to get it to fit, will have to get a different board!

however, i FINALLY got around to finishing the Violet Vixen Project!



its not currently set up, im moving the man cave around so everything is a mess, but it does work!

Hey Dr. Agon.

I'm still interest in the Violet Vixen project and I will try to make one, name: the Black Widow.

But I have some questions.

1- did you manage to solve the problem for this to work without switch, I remember that you mention that you had to put for the first 7 inputs a switch to each one, that way voltage won't travel to those 7 consoles. I prefer it to work without the switch, but if you didn't manage to solve that I will use the switch.

2 - is there a way that I can see how you connect the switch to the input. I want to make them each one independently (this is in case that you didn't solve the problem to make it work without the switch.

Remember that I don't have a lot of experience in electronics.

If I remember any other question I will ask later

Thanks!!!!!

Ohhhhh, and why Black Widow?  I will use an old black dvd player,  I will try to put 20 composite inputs, second part (if I managed to find how to do it) will be component and HDMI in the same old Dvd. Will love to see some coaxial also, but I don't know. (I like to play them with their native output).

For example: Nes comes with coaxial and composite output, I use the composite one. Atari comes with with an rca cable that carries A/V in the same cable, in that case I will use an adapter for coaxial.

[Dr.Agon]

unfortunately I didn't solve the switchless issue, but i'm not really bothered by having a few switches on my box...

as for the switches, this crappy image shows roughly how i did it...



close up of switch...



this is the type of switch...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-PCS-Black-Mini-Size-SPDT-Slide-Switches-On-Off-PCB-DIY-/231757493644?hash=item35f5d2b58c:g:ahkAAOSwcdBWTIUV

good luck with the "Black Widow" !

[e_brugal]

Thanks

i will let you know when i start this 

[Dr.Agon]

Can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I posted in this thread!

I just recently "finished" one of my long festering projects, I need to take some "after" photos...


...then enjoy the backlash!

[TDIRunner]

...then enjoy the backlash!

Uh oh. What did you hack up?

[Dr.Agon]

So anyone remember a few years ago I wanted to build an Xbox-PC?

This was what I bought to start with,



I struggled to find a mobo/PC of the correct size and power for my needs, so shelved it...

Fast forward a couple of years, steam machines have come and gone, and there are now a lot of tiny yet powerful pc's...

Which brings us to this...



The alienware alpha I picked up a couple of months ago...

It totally fits, it just needed a few "modifications"

Luckily the alien head power button can be removed and positioned anywhere I want...



It has four USB ports, so I just need to extend them to the front...



Then extend the HDMI out...



Pop the board in and hook everything up...(I added a separate fan for cooling)





I still need to find a way to extend the power port...

[wiggy]

Is it dc powered?  Like with an ac adapter?  Or does it have a standard 3 prong male connector?

[Dr.Agon]

AC adapter connected via a barrel jack, which is unfortunately soldered to the board.
My idea is to buy a spare PSU and jack and extend out the jack that way...

[wiggy]

You can just buy extensions and mountable jacks/ports.  I would simply buy some ports, mount one, and then just wire them up to the board without having to touch the existing port. No need to cannibalize other hardware.

[Dr.Agon]

Honestly, I've been thinking along those lines over the past couple of days, cheaper/easier and doesn't damage original hardware...

[Dr.Agon]

So I've "finished" another project, just need a replacement USB cable, so I'll post more details and a few pictures tomorrow, it's not pretty or neat and tidy, but then that's "normal" for me...?

[Dr.Agon]

Pictures and details as promised...

Anybody remember I was working on consolizing a PSP? The problem I had was breaking out the controls to a connector, the pins/solder points are really tiny and I don't have the equipment, skills or time to solder onto them, I kept trying and failing, until I eventually gave up...

In trying to build the Xbox-PC I bought a mini PC, specifically a Beelink Z83 II;



which I thought would be perfect, but it wasn't quite powerful enough for what I wanted from the Xbox-PC, so I put it in a cupboard and forgot about it...

In researching how to remotely control a PSP without hacking it I came across a programme called RemoteJoyLite, this allowed you to display PSP gameplay on a PC via the USB port and control it using a PC controller, not perfect but it would work...

So I did a test build and got it working, cool! The next step would be to make it look "better", a controlled mess of wires instead of a jumbled mess of wires!

here's the PSP in it's dock, (separate pic of dock too)



as you can hopefully see the dock has jacks for component and stereo audio so no separate PSP cable needed...

mini PC with large fan and guard attached;



USB 3.0 hub;



this is for connecting a keyboard and mouse to control the mini PC

USB 2.0 hub;



this connects the PSP and controller

rock candy "basic" Xbox360 controller (no rumble, no LED's)



not a fan of the plastic, veeerrryyy smooooth

and this is it all hooked up;



getting it on and working is a bit of a faff...

turn on mini pc and wait for W10 to load, whilst waiting turn on PSP (set date/time if necessary), on the PSP activate custom firmware (only takes a few seconds...), on PC activate RJL, when the PSP screen displays the mini pc is done with, using the controller go to and activate the switch display option, switch TV to correct input, enjoy!

I say finished, but i might move the USB 2.0 hub next to the PSP, or remove it entirely, not sure yet...

I'll pre-emptively answer a question;

"But Doc, why not just go the whole hog and use an emulator?"

1. What would I do with all My games on UMD?, I'm a fan of original hardware, this way I get to use them as intended rather than them sitting on the shelf...
2. This is My project, I'll do it how I want!  😋

thoughts, opinions, love, hate?

[Dr.Agon]

Bumping to the top for later...

EDIT:
I have finished My PC based arcade machine, hardware wise anyway, software? sooooooo many games! don't have any 'before' pics, or any of the trials and tribulations of the build, but i'll post some pics and a bit of history below