Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

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FcoBenitez
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Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by FcoBenitez »

I have thought about buying this (1) and mod it with this (2), this (3) and this (4) parts, to achieve something like this (5).

(1) http://oferta.deremate.com.ar/id=198306 ... ast-nuevos
(2) http://happcontrols.com/driving/50010200.htm
(3)http://happcontrols.com/driving/50811000.htm
(4)http://happcontrols.com/driving/50806001.htm
(5) http://www.klov.com/images/12/1201721789.jpg
I suposse the biggest problem would be to have the pedals and steering wheel sending analog signal to the Dreamcast... Hmmm I need some help :confused:

Has anybody thought about doing this before?

Is this possible?

*I've copy-pasted my original post from SRK tech talk forum, as they have just replied me once - buu

I hope someone here can help me.

I'm thinking about building from scratch the cabinet itself, I know you guys usually let those arcade cabinet go to the gallery of **** :lol: I hope this will be different.
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FcoBenitez
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by FcoBenitez »

Whoa, you have just opened my mind... almost US$300 for the steering wheel?!

Well, anyway, here the G25 (if you can find a store wich still has those in stock) is for over US$500...

I want to play Sega Rally, Daytona, Ferrari... Crazy Taxi!! That's the main one!
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by FcoBenitez »

Yeah, I think you got a point.

But anyway, I guess the Up-Down shifter is just a pair of microswitches between a stick, right? If so, the original controller would be very moddeable with this (as the DC steering wheel lacks a shifter).

Thanks for your help. :awe:
Last edited by FcoBenitez on September 7th, 2008, 1:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by Blaine »

And you're not gonna fully realize the benefits of that Happs wheel. I'm sure you can find a way to jimmy-rig the Dreamcast rumble to the force feedback on the wheel, but I really don't think it'll behave the way it's designed to. With any luck it'll just shake or lock up.

Problem number two is the standard analog problem, which is - there is no analog standard. Some analog controllers work of a set of pots. Some are optical. It can be a real bitch. If you were to try and wire that wheel to a Dreamcast encoder, it might be an enormous struggle.

If you have your heart set on it, then your best bet will probably be to take a Dreamcast steering wheel Such as this one, and try it out. See how you like it. If it's not... whatever enough for you, then, modify it. Put on a heavier steering wheel. Swap in some metal pedals. But keep the underlying hardware the same.
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by Blaine »

FcoBenitez wrote:Yeah, I think you got a point.

But anyway, I guess the Up-Down shifter is just a pair of microswitches between a stick, right? If so, the original controller would be very moddeable with this (as the DC steering wheel lacks a shifter).

Thanks for your help. :awe:
Could be microswitches, but it'd depend on what kind. To imitate the button they'd have temporary switches - they need to close and then open back up again. If putting it into 'high' just grounds that button, I don't know if you might run into problems... eh, maybe not. Maybe it wouldn't be a big deal.

But, yeah, you'll have a much better chance of getting the shifter to work.
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by FcoBenitez »

Yeah, actually thats what I first thought about - thanks for pointing that out.

I don't know if the stock wheel on the original DC wheel is easily swappable with another wheel, like this (http://happcontrols.com/driving/50300000.htm).

The rumble feature is something I'm not dying for, is not really necessary.

Thanks again guys, any other ideas would be very helpful, but I think now my thoughts are much more clear.

Blaine, as far as I know, there are 2 types of shifters, the Up-Down type (1), wich you can move to Up and Down and then returns to center, and the Speed shifter (2), wich stays in the position you leave it (High or Low).

(1) http://happcontrols.com/driving/50811000.htm
(2) http://happcontrols.com/driving/50801800.htm

Thanks!
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by Blaine »

FcoBenitez wrote:Yeah, actually thats what I first thought about - thanks for pointing that out.

I don't know if the stock wheel on the original DC wheel is easily swappable with another wheel, like this (http://happcontrols.com/driving/50300000.htm).
Hmm... Shapelock (or Polymorph for the Euros), construction hot glue, JB Weld... That shouldn't be a big deal. Hardest part will just be really, REALLY reinforcing it. Something to consider, though, is if you would find the new wheel to be a much larger diameter than the wheel on the controller is the movements would be slightly off, also be mindful of the new, greater mechanical advantage - should you torque that wheel the amount of force on the support column would be greater than it was designed to take. Who knows if that's a big deal or not. I just felt like saying mechanical advantage.

My point about the feedback was less about the rumble and more about "this wheel costs $300 because it uses high tech fancy force feedback" which you would never see the benefit of. Just that it'd be better to start with another wheel.

But, I think if you start from a Dreamcast wheel and focus on customizing it, you'll have much greater success.

Good luck.
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Re: Custom made Dreamcast racing cabinet... help please!

Post by FcoBenitez »

Thank you. I'll keep you guys updated about this project.
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