rickb20 Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 One thing that was always a bit aggravating to me about the Atari console (and all others) was that I had to pull it and all it's controllers and wires out when ready to play. I've always dreamed of having an Atari console built into a cocktail style table with the television built in as well. Of course, it would be on wheels and would have one power cord coming from it (probably from a surge protector contained inside the unit). I envison something like a sitdown version of the upright arcade models, with the controls able to be plugged into the exterior of the unit. The unit would also provide for storage of cartridges in drawers on both sides. Has anyone actually done something like this? Photos? see the picture: One oversight in my picture is storage space for the controllers. Also, it might make sense to have the controllers all connected in a hidden location and then just have a switch that would allow you to toggle between the left joystick and paddle and driving controllers. Thoughts? Anyone else done this already? Just curious (and looking for ideas), Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 When I viewed the title of this thread from the main forum index it read ... "Does anyone have a cock..." I thought NE146 started it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Sean Kelly has something like that. http://home.xnet.com/~skelly/machine.htm -Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarigamer Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 When I viewed the title of this thread from the main forum index it read ... "Does anyone have a cock..." I thought NE146 started it.. I was just about to post the same thing LOL . It's a funny concidence (or however you spell that word). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 When I viewed the title of this thread from the main forum index it read ... "Does anyone have a cock..." I thought NE146 started it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic George 2K3 Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 And I thought you meant those sit-down table models, which would be interesting to see for a home console system, though I could only wonder how you would get the image to flip for the other player in two-player games that alternate turns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 yea, thats NOT a cocktail, thats more a squat traditional arcade game you got there. cocktail tables can be sat at, and have a flat glass surface with game beneath. (and recessed controls under the glass too,) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb20 Posted May 28, 2003 Author Share Posted May 28, 2003 Well, I have to agree it is more like a squatty version of an upright arcade game. When I wrote the email, I had a cocktail style in mind, but then I stopped and drew it out and it evolved as I drew. My thinking was that I would rather be seated in a comfortable chair, some distance away, rather than belly up to the unit. For those who can't tell, those circles beneath the unit are supposed to be castors (wheels). If I build this I'll post pics here. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 When I was about 13 (in 1982), my father brought me home an Atari Kiosk, (although the one I had didn't have built-in joysticks and paddles) so I promptly installed an arcade joystick and a paddle to the 'control-panel' (I had some arcade parts around because there was a bootleg game factory a couple of blocks away at the time). Damn, I wish I still had that baby You just reminded me of that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricDeLee Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 I started on a cocktail table to make a MAME machine out of... but I never finished it. However... This is a wonderful idea. One question: If you are using the actual Atari board and everything, are you placing the cartridge connector on the outside (recessed) or what? I may attempt this with my cocktail that I have nearly built, but then again... I may just stick with my Atari 2600 Tabletop plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquid_sky Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 the "squat style" cab sounds alot like a japanese candy cab to me. Now that would be awesome, just get a big tv, tv out to a computer, have the joysticks select the game, and sit at the atari arcade machine p.s. for clarification here is a "candy cab". One pic shows the sitdown bench, the other does not.. 2 diff styles. these are neogeo style candy cabs, but im sure there are even cooler styles to be made, and more "retro" styles as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ussexplorer Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 I remeber wanting to have an arcade cab for my NES. Then, I remeber seeing kids being able to order one. I got pissed since my parents didn't have any money. I also realized since I wasn't the first kid to have one. The idea sortof died. Laters, Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassidy Nolen Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 The Atari Tournament Table was basically a 2600 hardware set with a permanent game of Video Olympics in a cocktail. That is as close to 2600 cabinet as it gets. http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter...T&game_id=10177 IIRC, there was a coin op 5200 model in Mexico that you could select one of a few different games? (little off topic, I know..) Cassidy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMila75 Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 I once heard the "squat-sized" arcade cabinets referred to as "cabaret" cabinets. Is that correct?? I have always thought the cocktail cabinets were very cool. It would make for a great conversation piece to have in your home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapchimp Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 I'm no carpenter - but with a bit of MDF board cut to shape & an old 2600 dismantled - it sounds & looks pretty to easy to make your own 'arcade 2600'. I may give that a go one rainy day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb20 Posted May 29, 2003 Author Share Posted May 29, 2003 EricDeLee said: "One question: If you are using the actual Atari board and everything, are you placing the cartridge connector on the outside (recessed) or what?" *******my reply My plan was just dreamed up yesterday and already I've changed it 100 times in my mind. My thought is that I would get a cheap 2600 sixer or a 2600 jr. - preferably one with a broken case. I would then salvage as much of the case that surrounds the switches and the (for lack of a better term) hole where the cartridge plugs in. I would recess these switches and their surrounding plastic into the control panel on my cabinet. wapchimp said: I'm no carpenter - but with a bit of MDF board cut to shape & an old 2600 dismantled - it sounds & looks pretty to easy to make your own 'arcade 2600'. ********my reply Exactly my plan. When I go forward with this I'll break out the trusty digital camera and document the process. Further thoughts: I've just begun reading about emulation and downloadable ROMs but don't know enough to actually do this yet. I may delay building a cabinet until I know more about this subject. It would be great to be able to play EVERY 2600, 5200, 7800 or arcade on this same cabinet. Keep the comments coming... Thanks, Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 LOL, go to the Forum Index page and look when this thread is the most recent one -- look how the title reads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb20 Posted May 29, 2003 Author Share Posted May 29, 2003 You know, several people have mentioned that the title of this thread looks funny. I'm using a 17" LCD monitor and the whole title for the thread appears. Apparently, in this case, SIZE DOES MATTER OK...no jokes about cock-tail envy. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapchimp Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 rickb20 - exactly my plan Have you seen the thread about the guy who makes the mini handheld 2600's (I think) - they rule. You could have a little business opportunity here; Custom Arcade 2600's... ..or whatever you plan to make Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricDeLee Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 The custom handheld ataris are awesome. Ben does a great job with his, but I don't think I can afford one of those. Otherwise I'd send a few 4-switch ataris his way and pick one up in a heartbeat! His are very professionally done. Not something most of us will be able to duplicate though... and that is where the heartache is. Another guy... I think he is fetured in this forum a while back has a more friendly version to try to build. I think his name is Shawn or Sean. I have all of the links saved on my laptop... but I'm at work... so I'm sorry I can't be any help there. Anyway, his 'portable' version is a lot easier to make. Then a little while ago I posted my idea on this subject. I plan on trying to make a tabletop version where you actually use the Atari Hardware and use actual game cartridges instead of Roms. I liked the idea because it can easily go to work with you... or take it on vacation. It would be a wonderful concept! The size of it is bigger than one of those Coleco Tabletop games that were famous in the 80s and much smaller than a computer monitor (15"). The idea is basically to have a sleek design (which would kinda look like the following link: http://pacfan69.tripod.com/cabinets/id6.html) ..but it is smaller than that. The screen used for this would be either a Playstion portable screen (5" color) or if I must... I'll use a portable TV but the screen is only about 3 inches. In other words... I prefer the 5" screen. The controls would be arcade controls... all wired into the correct chip. (Don't ask me which chip it is... because I can't remember righ now. I think the controls go to the Riot chip and then the buttons go to the Stella. Then again... it could be vice verca). Then of course I'd solder the cartridge connector to a different place using Computer hard drive cable. The extra switches and controller ports and AV/OUT willl be on the back of the machine... which would make some games like Space Shuttle hard... but I didn't want to crowd the front. Cosmetically the design loks great on paper and is very cool looking. Getting it all together is the part that's a pain in the ass. Actually finding time to get it all together is a pain in the ass. Anyways... that's my tabletop idea. I'll try to post pictures sometime of the drawings... but I can't find a place that allows big pictures. As for the Cocktail thing... I've got one built. But nothing is in it. I never could find a monitor that would work correctly when turned upside down. I may have to go to the local vending place and buy a monitor. Not sure yet. But... If I did this... I think there would be a lot of wasted space. I'm not sure if I like the idea of placing the difficulty switches ans stuff at the control panel. If using the actual Atari Hardware... alot of space will be left inside.... and I still can't think of a reasonable place to place the cartridge connector. First of all... it would need to look good. Secondly, the cartridge couldn't stick out where unwanted hands (kids) can yank them out when you are in the middle of playing Nexar or something. So I'm not sure if the idea is as feasable as the tabletop thing or even the portable Ataris that Ben and Sean make. If there is a way to have slots for sega, and possibly Nintendo games as well. Then that may be a different story. I just think that if you are spending the time and money to make a dedicated Atari Cocktail table... you should probably have it running emulation software on a computer. Why limit yourself to just the games you have (my library is a measly 130 + titles) when you can have them all? I just like the idea of using the actual carts though... so that's why I'm fond of the portable or tabletop versions. But that's my opinion. Then again... being that I have one already made (minus the monitor and controls... ) I just may give it a try to show you all the end results. But I'll finish my table top first. I should be able to work on it within the next two weeks ... so hopefully I can get most of the wood work and wiring done. Well... besides from the tv screen and the arcade control wiring. I haven't ordered either of those yet. Okay... I've talked a lot for one night. Onto the next topic! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricDeLee Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 HEY! Take a look at this. Unfortunately... it is the ONLY picture I have available at this time... but it shows you what I have planned for the control panel. If I can figure out a way to use the 'wood' part of the woddy atari or the silver thing with the atari logo and rainbow from the atari jr, then I may add that as well. But... let me know what you all think. This is the plans for the TABLETOP Atari I plan on making. As seen fron the image... it's name is "A2600" Anyway... that is the first look at the tabletop I'm working on. Fudge... I can't get the attachment to work. Here, go to this link: http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/617f5f67/bc...cpow1.AWXf2.7qQ That is a link to a yahoo briefcase. Hopefully it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapchimp Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Yeah the emulator idea sounds goods - more games-less space - You'd have to be houdini to cram a NES, SNES, 2600 etc etc inside a wooden case - but it would be the challange to make a single system 'arcade 2600'. Or you could just buy a brand new Cocktail table & spend alot of mony & save alot of time. You're bound to have these in the states (UK website) http://www.boysstuff.co.uk/product.asp?id=...andom=437740505 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb20 Posted May 30, 2003 Author Share Posted May 30, 2003 Obviously I'm not the first to think of this. See the following links for evidence: http://members.shaw.ca/kevinu/arcade/index.htm http://www.reneris.com/photos/mame/cab/full/page1.asp http://webwonderland.net/arcade/ http://www.arcadeathome.com/console.phtml http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm There are tons more... Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landsmarra Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 If it's emulation you crave and don't have the time/inclination to build, do what I did and buy a HanaHo ArcadeWerx cab. It's wonderful to have 3,000 arcade games and thousands of Atari, Nintendo and Sega games at your fingertips. http://arcadewerx.com/ Then get one of their HotRod joysticks and you're done! http://www.hanaho.com/products/HotRodJoystick/ I had my HotRod specially modified to add some additional functionality and an arcade spinner control for Tempest (no, not you Adam). http://www.oscarcontrols.com/customize_hotrod.shtml Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapchimp Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 It will be a good project for a rainy day This is the FuNkY JaZz: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.