What happened to my power?

Let me explain.

My wife was working on one of her projects when *POP*! Broke a circuit. She's already gone through the process of flicking the power switch on, but none but 2 outlets worked.

...

This took out my master bedroom and my office (AKA The Media Room). So, I've been without a computer and internet for a couple of days. I've since relocated my modem and router to a different room and I'm using my backup notebook computer. It's been a while since I typed on this thing...this really feels weird.

So, as it goes, I got the solution via the RGB-Pi Discord. I had to send a pic of my setup with the RGB-Pi JAMMA connected to my RPi and ready to go. This is an important step, as far as I see, for finalizing the OS's setup for the proper BIOS files and games.

I'm now just downloading all the necessary files to finish up the USB stick, then I'm gonna test it again on the Atomiswave. One way or the other, I'm gonna probably update this post with either a success or fail post.

[EDIT] It worked!

The fact that I'm seeing this screen has me ELATED! I just have to wire up button 5 and 6 (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I've been saying that I was gonna do it for a while now), and, as soon as I can figure out my electricity thing for my master bedroom and office, I'll hopefully get a small write-up for the whole process of getting the RGB-Pi JAMMA and OS installed (semi)painlessly.

The main reason for the build...I really love Street Fighter II!

Stay tuned!

RGB-Pi JAMMA IN!...

Not without hiccups though.

See, the disk image (OS) loads up fine and all:

Sound and all works. Controls work, overall working.

I want to load games from USB, so I put one of my drives in there. The OS automatically detected it and formatted it properly. I took that USB drive to my computer to load the BIOS files and the ROM images that I got from my other working Retro Pie card, and just loaded everything to the proper folder.

I took it back to the cab, turned it on, had the OS search the USB for the BIOS files and games, then I was greeted with this:

Some kind of error screen.

...

I uploaded the picture of my error screen to the RGB-Pi Discord. Hopefully I can get answers for what went wrong.

In the meantime, I hopped on my Neo Geo and played a round or 8 of KoF '98. After getting my butt whooped by the computer, I figured, before I go to bed, that I should probably finish up mounting the Atomiswave's marquee holder up.

I swapped out the original fluorescent tube for an LED one...with no marquee in there, the light is just annoyingly bright. I may have a custom one printed later, but for now, the marquee holder is mounted up and locked into place. I'll just unhook the power to it until I get the marquee situation figured out.

Hopefully I get some help from that Discord group, otherwise, I'm gonna have to troubleshoot this all on my own.

Internals of the Neo Geo DONE!

Got the final thing I needed to finish up the Neo Geo mainboard. I installed the new battery and the new BIOS and reinstalled the board back into the Neo cab.

Needless to say, it all worked perfectly! Now, I just have to work on the outside.

Yeah, it's a quick update. I'm just needing a few more parts for the Atomiswave Pi project (just some various hardware things), and getting the wires soldered in for buttons 5 and 6 for both players, and we're rollin!

Drilled holes, no cracking...

So, I've overcome my fear of working with CRT monitors since starting work on the Neo Geo. The other fear I had? Cutting holes for arcade buttons in control panels without cracking the plexiglass protector.

Yeah, it's silly, but I really didn't want to damage the plexiglass...which I guess it doesn't matter since the control panel already had a crack in it...oh well.

I masked out where I wanted to drill the 6th button. I made the center point cross by taking the rough center of the button above and the rough center of the button to the left.

I watched a YouTube video about drilling holes in plexiglass. It was suggested that I use a stepper bit to avoid cracking the plexiglass. I used masking tape to mark how deep I needed to go to get to 1 1/8" diameter. However, as I thought it would drill fine through the wood underneath, it just barely made it through the plexiglass into the wood below

...That was a little frustrating. It was nice seeing ribbons of the plexiglass getting being cut out, though.

So I bit the bullet and used the 1 1/8" spade drill bit to finish up the hole.

Yay! However, I feel that the hole is a little crooked from what I wanted to line up with, but I'm OK with how this turned out...maybe it's just the underlayment that makes the hole look crooked, but whatever.

There's an 80% chance that I'm gonna recut and replace the whole control panel, which gives me the opportunity to redrill the button holes to a little better arrangement.

All that's left is to add 4 more wires to the JAMMA edge for buttons 5 and 6 for both players. I raided an old control panel for some additional buttons for the cab, but I'm also looking at getting replacement buttons to add a Neo Geo color flare to the button layout.

Getting closer to firing up the Pi inside this cab. Stay tuned!

RGB-Pi GET!

Let's just get to it.

This is the thing I was waiting for in the mail. It came all the way from Spain. I'll have to say that it was a bit...sketch...of an ordering process. But, seeing that there were a few people who already have gotten theirs and offered a quick review of it, I just went for it.

So here it is, just about 2 weeks from Barcelona to Oregon, USA. It came nicely sealed in this package in a padded envelope.

I'll have more, in-depth installation and review in the near future. I still have to install 4 more wires (button 5 and 6) to the JAMMA harness, as well as drill a 6th hole on the Atomiswave control panel. I may try drilling the holes tomorrow.

I also ordered a small fan and some heatsinks for the Pi. It's going on this thing that I printed.

Stay tuned!

As I wait for parts...

I sit in pain.I think I hurt my back trying to help move that Nintendo VS cab out of my friend's van. It's been off and on, and stressing it at work isn't helping at all.

I've been resting and massaging my back, but how much help it's doing. It's still a little strained.

Anyway, I'm pressing on with getting part for future projects, such as:

- A cap kit for a Turbo Express, which included a fuse in the kit.
- Backlight and bivert mod for a Gameboy Pocket. I was orginally thinking the OG GB, but opted for the pocket instead.
- Bartop style arcade cab. I have a 60 in 1 board and an old arcade panel. I'll probably raid the parts from the arcade panel and make my own cab. I'll probably need a power supply to do that as well.

I'll also have a possibly long write-up for this next thing I'm planning on doing with the Atomiswave cab. It involves using a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and a device that I got call the RGB-Pi. To prepare for it, I'm copying all the games I have on my current Pi to my computer, so when it comes time to get the RGB-Pi set up, it'll be easy.

I also have to order additional buttons for the Atomiswave, but I'm gonna hold off on that for now. I'm gonna use the buttons from the old arcade panel to get this project going. I may attempt to 3D print a button or 3, but I'm not really sure how good it will hold up...heck, I might as well test it out.

Atomiswave panels back in...

...and I don't know how I feel about them.

First of, the monitor flashing (or whatever you call the plastic shell that goes around the monitor).

I don't know how I feel about it. I mean, I could just leave it off and just go with an industrial, bare metal looking thing, but with the high voltage of the monitor and the kiddos playing it, I'll have to have it on there...maybe 3D print a piece? I dunno.

With that small instruction panel in, it makes this whole thing look complete.

There was one more panel to install in the back; it was a panel that blocks hands from messing around behind the cabinet with high voltage and other wiring. That one involved contorting my body between the back of the Atomiswave and the Nintendo VS cab (that light blue cab in the pic, you can see it better in the first pic) to get that panel on. Of course, I had to remove the Atomiswave shelf that sits right behind that small instruction panel, shove the longer, "protection" panel screwed into place, then reinstall that panel.

I did notice that I am missing a panel for the rear. It's the panel that covers up the power supply. I'm not really too worried about it, but I'm sure I could easily make one in the future.

All that's really left is installing the heavy marquee and drill out holes in the control panel to make it a 6 button layout ala Street Fighter II and cosmetically, this cab is done!..ish...

I also managed to order the part that I needed to shove a Raspberry Pi in there...I know, I know. Emulation, blah, blah, blah. But I really don't want to spend a lot to play an obscure arcade game for a few minutes before shelving it and playing it several times months later or not at all anymore, not to mention swapping games out every single time. This will be a great treat, and another amazing adventure.

Excited for what's coming up!