Just a fun one... it’s Big10p’s Snow Bros themed JAMMA cab (with Snow Bros PCB of course).
Snow Bros is on my list of games I want to eventually 1cc.
I’ll keep it until I can do that, and then as the cab looks to be in great condition and as I got it for a very forum friendly price, I’ll let it go at the same and then... maybe... and I do mean maybe... it’ll be time for another project.
Still got bits to do in the big boy right now, and I’ve got big plans for the U4 too.
I’ll put the chassis back on it today, so I’m hoping to post some pics of a pristine screen when I do
So, the U4 chassis is back, I’ve managed to get it back on without knackering it again, and now I just need to dial it all in and I’ll happily post some pics of it up and running
So I've had the U4 on now for a few hours. I've even given it a bit of a nudge (not too much of course!!), and no shorting whatsoever, played a few games on it too.
Looking pretty good!! It's not dialled in perfectly, which is strictly down to my incompetence, but it's pretty close!!
I'm told that there were four broken tracks, and a couple of prior repairs were replaced too. Hopefully this should last for years to come now.
One thing I'd really like to say about Grant... not only is his work impeccable, but he's very reasonable with his pricing, he's very quick, and after he's been paid and I've taken it away with me he's checked in with me a couple of times. Firstly to make sure it was all working correctly once I got it back on, and then hours later to make sure that it was still running ok as the prior fault was intermittent. Can't say enough good things.
I'm finally down to cosmetics with these cabs now. EL panels for the big boy, which will then basically be finished, and a bit of powder coating and a set of EL panels for the U4.
I'm also looking to get the CP housing of the U4 chromed... thoughts?
So the new EL panels for the big boy six slot have arrived...
What's awesome about the fact that they're modular, rather than the original panels which came in two panels of 3 EL panels each, is that I can now try them out in the U4 too, see if there's a way to fit EL panels into a cab that was never meant to have them.
The main benefits of EL panels on the U4, depite them not being 'authentic', is that the flourescent tube is very bright, creates light bleed, and is actually quite loud and buzzy too.
The EL panels should eliminate all of that, and I think will be a little cooler too.
I'm sure it's been done before, but I've never seen a U4 with EL panels, so fun to have something uncommon, if not unique too.
The above panels are from www.neogeoledmarquee.org, FYI, and I have to say that the bloke who makes them is spot on.
Before attaching the panels to the cab, I tried a dry run with them all connected externally just to make sure everything worked... and it didn't.
It was doing all sorts of weird stuff, like not ligting the correct panel for the correct slot, certain slots not lighting at all, and other strange things.
When I carried out the tests that the control board is capable of, everything ran smoothly. Upon boot up, the control board would light panels 1 through six in turn, and in test mode I could light each individual panel no problem. It was only when actually running games or in hardware test mode on the MVS that the issues persisted.
I took a brief video, and e-mailed the guy who makes them. Absolutely to his credit, he replied almost straight away, explained that as it's a small operation he personally tests everything before dispatch and that he though the problem might be with my MVS motherboard, however, he had a couple of simple things in mind that were worth trying first. One of which was to check the connections on the cable between the MVS and the EL panel control board.
Wouldn't you know it, one of the wires was half pulled out of the connector. Pushed it back in firmly, and everything ran perfectly
So... attached the new EL panels to the marquee with masking tape at first, just to make sure they lined up correctly, and then screwed them on for good using the supplied wood screws straight into the cabinet itself.
Tucked all of the cables through, and gathered them up behind. One really silly mistake I made here was not to label each ground wire for each panel, and so I then spent ages tracing each one back to match it to it's respective live
Now, the original control board sits on the reverse of the panel on which the panels are mounted, but this is actually a ball ache to get to as you have to remove the whole panel, unplug all of the marquee lights and speakers etc to do anything to it. Not to mention the fact it's reasonably heavy, and awkward size and shape, and is six feet in the air making it a pain to remove.
I decided a much better place to mount the new control board was just behind the back door.
(please excuse the wiring, I'll get to tidying it all up soon enough!)
Now I can access it to use the test mode, and there's also a nifty ability to change the brightness of the panels too.
Time to give it a brief test...
Sweet!
All this thing needs now is some internal cable management, the memory card slot wiring up, and I think I can call it done!!!
From a sad, very rusty old beast, with bits missing, filthy and old controls. extremely loud fans always at max RPM, bits not working, damaged and discoloured CP art, and a very dull and lifeless screen... to the clean, tidy, silent running cab with a very vibrant screen (thanks again Grant!!) and a few quality of life improvements like the coin button and crispy and heavily modified Japanese sticks, I think my first attempt at a restore has gone OK.
Not least of course, because of the help, advice and encouragement I've recieved here
Problem is... I met @zak the other day (Nicest bloke ever BTW!!) and he was kind enough to let me have a look at some of his incredible collection of cabs and PCBs...
I got the opportunity to play Metal Slug on an absolutely beautiful Neo 19 with the crispest screen of all time, and now my life won't be complete until I find one
Rather than being one step closer to done, I'm about five steps deeper into the rabit hole. I'm beginning to hate the hobby I love so much already
ChrisBEANS wrote: ↑July 4th, 2021, 7:49 pm
Problem is... I met @zak the other day (Nicest bloke ever BTW!!) and he was kind enough to let me have a look at some of his incredible collection of cabs and PCBs...
I got the opportunity to play Metal Slug on an absolutely beautiful Neo 19 with the crispest screen of all time, and now my life won't be complete until I find one
Rather than being one step closer to done, I'm about five steps deeper into the rabit hole. I'm beginning to hate the hobby I love so much already
we've all been there chris with this love hate /hobby
good stuff to see it up and running
<trk>:I remember catching a big fat one and my friend said "throw it back in, that one already tastes like wood"
I’m pretty burnt out on the big fella now. It’s now all in perfect working order, could really just use some proper internal cable management but I don’t have the appetite right now.
I’m going to play on it for a bit now and when the mood strikes me I’ll open it up and spend an hour tidying it all up.
Still got an absolute ton to do on the U4. So that’s going to get all of my attention now.
Now I have a bit more confidence I might actually strip it completely, and get it fully powder coated and have a few areas filled.
Bought this from China months ago. Forgot all about it, and it arrived today... My plans for it will either be a massive triumph, or it'll get binned and I'll never speak of it again
Neo Gold wrote: ↑July 30th, 2021, 6:40 pm
What was wrong with your old CP Chris?..
Nothing really... It's missing the coin entry unfortunately and try as I might, I can't find a replacement anywhere, so my thoughts are to get the empty hole filled, and to fit a coin button in the round hole left behind.
As I truly wanted a chrome CP, I thought I'd buy this as a spare, get the rust and paint and sticky crap off of it, get the holes and joins welded up and then ground down smooth, and then get the whole thing chromed.
As it's a 'spare', if that turns out to be a disaster I still have the original to simply get powder coated (or sprayed??) white with the rest of the cab when I finally get round to getting that done.
Still need to find a local metal worker willing to take on such a small job though...
Edit: I may have reported your post when I was trying to quote it. Expect the heavy mob round any minute
Not much in the way of a positive update, just a pretty sulky one…
The screen on the Electrocoin is currently playing up and I’ve not been back to fiddle with it in a week so I’m getting frustrated thinking about it, and then yesterday I got an e-mail regarding the delivery of the U4 in MARCH in which the delivery company apologise for the delay in invoice, but tell me I owe them £460 VAT and they look forward to immediate payment!!
I’m thinking of waiting five months, then sending payment with a terse ‘apology for the delay’ too.
What’s good for the goose, and all that.
Bloody Brexit!! Whose ridiculous idea was that?!?!
