Project help needed

Capeman

Obviously installing Retropie will allow the stations to handle multiple games just fine.

As for setting up each station with controls, you should get this raspberry pi hat for each unit.
https://shop.pimoroni.com/collections/picade-and-arcade/products/picade-hat

It has a full set of controls and a sound amplifier built right in, which GREATLY simplifies setup.

As for joysticks and buttons, you can find combo packs on ebay pretty easily, any joystick and button will connect to the HAT.

Luxous

@Capeman thanks very much for your help, its much appreciated

theoretically, once set up with each station having its own power button, will it be user friendly?

Capeman

@Luxous If you look at the included functions of the HAT:

I2S audio DAC with 3W amplifier (mono)
Safe power on/off system
Micro-USB connector for power (back-powers your Pi)
4-way digital joystick inputs
6 x game button inputs
4 x utility button inputs
1 x soft power switch input
Breakout pins for other GPIO features
Compatible with Raspberry Pi 3, 2, B+, A+, Zero, and Zero W

You'll find that it includes a safe power on/off switch, that should make it really user friendly.

This basically covers everything except the display.

pjft

@Capeman hadn't heard of this, looks really well thought out.

Would one be able to set up a 2-player cabinet with a picade-hat (or more than one)?

And I take it it only allows for 6 buttons in game?

Capeman

@pjft Doesn't appear that this HAT supports 2 players, if you were to implement that, i'd suggest going with an iPac-2 for your controls. https://www.ultimarc.com/ipac2.html

OR you could always setup the second player with a USB keyboard encoder or set them to a joystick then use a simple joystick encoder like the dragonrise ebay one for $7 to setup player 2 controllers. You'd need to be really creative in the configs though to use both keyboard and joysticks for p1 and p2. But i suppose it could be done.

Luxous

The table im building will have 6 x 2 player stations

would that system suffice if I bought 1 for each set up?

pjft

@Capeman Thanks. As you saw from my comment, I was only familiar with the ControlBlock, so I know know of at least two more options - out of which the IPac-2 seems to also support two players.

Thank you!

Capeman

@Luxous Doesn't appear that the PiMoroni hat will work with a 2 player setup. Looks like it's going to be a bit more complicated.

Six 2-player setups! Wow, that's gonna be pricey after you get all the pi's, joysticks, amps, encoders, etc. Good use of a tax return! haha

Capeman

@pjft said in Project help needed:

@Capeman Thanks. As you saw from my comment, I was only familiar with the ControlBlock, so I know know of at least two more options - out of which the IPac-2 seems to also support two players.

Thank you!

I also forgot that Adafruit just came out with a simple control HAT for pi, this one is kind of like the PiMoroni one, but not as sexy (and maybe lacking a function button or 2). https://www.adafruit.com/product/3422

Luxous

@Capeman finally ready to start my build, can I bend your arm for some guidance as to which hardware id need for a 2 player set up?

I just want retro gaming systems like in an arcade. i.e a joystick and buttons

guidance much appreciated :)

ortsac

Try this site, they may have all what you're looking for:
https://gameroomsolutions.com/

herb_fargus

@ortsac I'm against supporting people who rip off our image.

ortsac

@herb_fargus Sorry. Didn't know...I'm glad I didn't purchase my build from them, did it with an NES console instead.

TMNTturtlguy

@Luxous i just found your thread for the first time today and read through it. I am surprised that no one has suggested you use USB arcade controller setup. Easyget makes some Pretty good ones, they are available on amazon, eBay and other places on the internet as well. If your control panel is wood you will want the LED button as they have a screw tight button retainer. They also make non led but those snap into place on metal control panels like the old original donkey kong 3 cabinet for example. amazon link

If you do get the led buttons you have two options, 1 do not wire the lights to the buttons 2 get a powered USB hub. Here is what I recommend. pihut

This should be a quick easy install, you can get multiple colors for the buttons so each setup will look different. Hope this helps.

Luxous

@TMNTturtlguy thanks very much for your reply, im new to this so its a huge project for me.

I basically need assistance in all the hardware I need to buy to have a 2 player set up for arcade games, I will then replocate it 6 times so that I have 7 stations in total

essentially what I need is a shopping list so I know what to buy :)

any help much appreciated

similarly, if youre uk based I can reciprocate the gesture by cnc cutting or laser cutting any components you may need

TMNTturtlguy

@Luxous if this was my project I would buy this for the gaming system portion:

Pi 3b
8gb SD card
2.5power supply
HDMI cable
HD monitor of your choice
3.5m jack speakers
Set of easyget arcade buttons/joystick
Pi hut USB hub
Power toggle or power block

I would also get a USB keyboard for setup.

I have not used a power block so can't help there. I have wired my arcade cabinet to a surge protector and I wired an inline toggle switch to the power strip. This way I can properly select shutdown from the main menu, wait a Minute and then use the power toggle like the original cabinet had to turn the power off.

This list should get you what you need for 1 complete setup.

Luxous

@TMNTturtlguy Thanks for the info, I need the set up to have two player options, with dual controls.

do I just buy two sets of buttons etc

TMNTturtlguy

@Luxous I don't know what you mean by 2 player options with dual controls? Are you trying to have a 2 full payer setup (1 joystick and 4 t0 8 buttons per player)? Or are you saying you want to have 2 full sets of controls for each player (meaning 2 joysticks or each player, a total of 8 joysticks?)

If you are just trying to create a standard 2 player setup, you can purchase the easyget usb arcade controls from several places including ebay, amazon if available where you are at, and several other online re-sellers. They sell them in 2 packs, meaning you get 2 full player setups, so you buy 1 set and it gives you 2 joysticks, 2 usb encoders and 2 full sets of buttons.

Luxous

@TMNTturtlguy I just meant I wanted 2 full player set ups, so each station 2 people can play at same time.

so far ive bought 7 of these set ups, 7 raspberry pi 3 units, memory cards, power packs and 7 monitors

do I need power blocks also?

TMNTturtlguy

@Luxous You do not need power blocks, they are an add on. I do not use power blocks as i mentioned above in my earlier post. Power blocks can do a lot of cool things, however I choose to go with the USB arcade controls for ease of use and ease of multiplayer capabilities.

The main thing you need to consider is how you are going to power up and power down each pi unit. I use a toggle switch like the original arcade cabinet I rebuilt used. I wired the toggle to a surge protector. The surge protector powers my pi, my powered usb hub from PiHut, the lights on the arcade machine, my speakers and my monitor. When i switch the toggle on, everything is powered up at the same time. When i shutdown, I properly shutdown the pi through the menu, shutdown system. I wait about a minute and then i simply flip the toggle off, and the entire arcade machine is powered down.

Sorry for the long answer. No you don't need a power block. You just need to decide if you are going to use USB controllers with LED lights, you need to have a Powerd USB hub. You also need to figure out how to properly startup and shutdown your units.