Thought I should post a little project I have been working on for well over a year now. I showed this little unit at a meeting a long time ago, a few members got a look at the first (raw) version of the machine working.

This unit (once fully completed) will let the user test 90-95% of arcade boards out there. It is also fully portable. It only needs a connection to a regular power outlet.

It has a 5" built in monitor for viewing the games, which is very helpful when running around testing boards. No need to look for a monitor to plug into. But while you don't need another monitor, the unit (in the rear) has connections for an arcade monitor. So you can view the game on a bigger monitor and also lets you test an arcade monitor at the same time

The unit generates pretty much any voltage needed for an arcade game. I won't list all the voltages as the list is pretty long (some old games took some pretty weird voltages). But sufficient to say, it wasn't easy getting them all together in there.

Another thing I really wanted was built in basic test equipment in the unit. Why have a portable arcade board testing unit, without testing equipment to find out what might be wrong with a board if it doesn't work? So integrated in the front, is a multi-meter, logic probe, and continuity tester. Nothing too fancy, but it can help diagnose most arcade board problems. The terminals at the bottom let you connect up probes for doing the testing.

Naturally the unit also has a built in speaker and volume controller. You do need to be able to hear the game to test it out too. Also in the rear (not installed at the time of the pictures) will be a jack for earphones in case the place your testing the board is very noisy.

As for connecting to the board(s) there is a set of molex connections on the front of the unit. A cable is built to plug into the molex connector for the certain board. Some boards like JAMMA for instance all use the same setup, so only one cable would be needed for all JAMMA boards. But most older boards have custom voltages, or cable setups, so they will get their own made.

Not built yet is a small control panel with a joystick and buttons for being able to actually play the game for further testing. Will be made compact but functional for testing a game, nothing fancy. I will also make a bracket for it to mount on the side of the tester unit when moving from place to place.

Other than that, it is pretty basic. Nothing super fancy. Just thought people would like seeing it

That is a test rig to the n-th degree. Too cool.
*big thumbs up*

Quoted from BattlezoneMan

This unit (once fully completed) will let the user test 90-95% of arcade boards out there. It is also fully portable. It only needs a connection to a regular power outlet.

Oh that's what it is.... I thought it was some sort of geek lunch box at first.

See, it's not so nice to be teased is it.

BTW, excellent work my friend.

Adam

very, very cool

neat stuff.
would love to see pics of it in action when finished

What a great idea, I love it! More pics of it in action please.

VERY nice !!! and compact !!!

Now all ya need is a couple of joysticks poking out of the top of it, and some buttons too ....

ToMMy

Thanks for the very nice comments guys. I put a lot of thought and effort into it, and I am glad you like it.

I should have some pictures of it in action in about a week. I am redesigning a board inside (increased circuit protection and a few adjustments), so it is not working at the moment until I re-install it. I will at least get it working with something simple like a JAMMA board for you guys to see it in action. The monitor, even at 5" still displays the games very well. Hell I even plugged in and played a game Skins 2000 (a 3D golf game) with the unit a while ago. After a while I forgot I was playing on a test unit and not an actual arcade machine

I am also currently designing an expansion kit for vector monitor games for the unit. Will be an added module to let you plug a vector monitor in to test games with. Still in the design phase, but is getting there.

BZM

You should be selling these.  I bet you would sell a few for sure.

Here is the non-portable version:

Houston, we have ignition.......Lift off.

Just had to applaud this project and add that this is just another example of a Macca member doing some very cool stuff.Keep up the great work.

hey i seen one like that before!!!