Arcade board PCB form factor and enclosure

PCB problems and fixes
Post Reply
User avatar
brandonarnold
Posts: 7
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 12:06 am
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
eBay: billygotee
Initials: BNA

Arcade board PCB form factor and enclosure

Post by brandonarnold »

The main PCBs I have sitting out hooked up to the supergun for long periods are a Capcom Sony ZN-2 (Tetris The Grand Master) and PSIKYO SH2 (Tetris The Absolute The Grand Master 2).

Can anyone help me think about the "right" way to mount them, or even put them in an enclosure? Without them going in a cabinet. Ideally there is some fanless micro ATX-style case out there with the appropriate mounting hole placements, but I'm sure it isn't that simple and there is no universal option with hole placements that accommodate the entire history of arcade PCBs.

In my case, maybe the two I use most are late enough generation that they meet some mounting standard.

Thanks!
User avatar
system11
Posts: 390
Joined: September 21st, 2008, 1:14 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: Arcade board PCB form factor and enclosure

Post by system11 »

I use a piece of very thick cardboard personally and put a piece of cotton sheet over the top if it's staying out when not in use. I have screwed on or clip-in feet for some of them, I very seldom leave things out though.

If you want to build something appropriate for most applications, consider a sliding PCB mount, they used to be readily available, it's just a plastic sliding clamp really that can be screwed to wood. Make a L-shaped wood contraption, screw the clamp to the vertical side, you're done.

All these perspex cases with fans etc are **** stupid. If you really, absolutely must put something in a case to stop screwdrivers being dropped on it, metal box with mesh / heavily drilled top/sides with a wooden board in the base.

And don't leave anything sitting flat which is on feet, long term that's one way they end up curved.

I've been thinking of designing something suitable for a while because I keep seeing needlessly complex solutions which add problems such as electrical motor noise, heat buildup or hilariously static electricity. You don't have to forcibly extract heat you don't trap.
Random blog of stuff:
http://blog.system11.org
User avatar
XtraSmiley
Posts: 16
Joined: September 15th, 2018, 7:50 pm
Location: Washington DC
eBay: netrunner 2
Initials: ACE

Re: Arcade board PCB form factor and enclosure

Post by XtraSmiley »

Really cheap, 100% wood cutting boards. They work great to mount (via the feet) on the PCBs and they help keep the PCB straight as some tend to bow and can cause solder spots to break off. You can get wood cutting boards for under $10 and screw the feet directly into the board for the exact mount you'd like.

AVOID plastic cutting boards because although they would work, static electricity might be an issue.
Post Reply