Ultimate Coffee Table Part#2

FYI - I'm covering ground here that has already occured. I will do my best to make sure I haven't missed too much that we've already covered.

So lets have a look at our coffee table.


It's hideous to say the least. However ideal for our project. With 3 compartments we can seperate our units and also have a storage area for the cartridge games.

Off we go to the local hardware store and score some MDF. One 9mmx2400x1200 sheet. So quickly chop it up to size. Rear sides and top are sheeted. We're looking for a modern, fully faced coffee table. This will allow for front side loading of carts directly into the UCT (Ultimate Coffee Table).

Basic sheeting completed. We've got some shocking gaps but nothing so serious we can't fill them out.

Yay for filler. Front sheets are not going on. And probably won't for a while as we've got a lot of work to do to nut out how we're mounting the consoles. We are planning on using one compartment (a far side) to have all the consoles inside. With a hinged door to we can get inside should we need too.

Console Discovery.

What do we already know.
Atari 2600.
This is going to be the easiest unit. The controller is very simple. All buttons are activate by short to common.
NES
IC Controlled controller. 5 pin. The IC used is TC4021BP made by Toshiba.
RF and RCA outputs. We plan on using the RCA for easier switching.
SNES
IC Controlled controller. 7 pin. The IC used is V520B made by Motorola.
RF Out. There is a 'Multi Out' which we are pretty sure we can directly map to RCA out for video and sound. Too easy!

We are of the belief given the remarkably similar design of the two Nintendo controllers that we may be able to use the SNES IC to control both controllers.
So we know we have a binary activated controller whose buttons are conductive activated. This is going to make mapping quite a bit more difficult for the relay design we have planned to share the controllers between units. This is Daves area of 'know how' and I'll let him post up what we've got so far.

At the very moment we're working out auto power on switching for the consoles. We've stripped a SNES apart and have nutted out the basic circuit for power (short). We plan on using a momentary switch beside the cartridge rail so that instead of having a seperate power button for each console, we can activate the power by just inserting a cartridge into the unit. Progress was slowed by a dud SNES which despite showing 16v DC when shorted would not actually turn on. Stupid bloody thing.

Ultimate Coffee Table Part#1

G'day again.

I'm going to start using this space again as a home for a project that Dave and I have started.

The idea we have began with a old coffee table that I had. When I moved in here we started using it. However a comment of Dave's that it was 'As ugly as sin' had the table quickly resigned to sitting out of the way. We recently also acquired a number of classic consoles and quickly discovered that having 4 odd consoles lying across the floor was not only a horrific mess but incredibly complicated to work out what cable was what. One of Daves drunken moments had him making his very own Atari 2600 controller from scratch. With the removal of the coffee table and the again lack of some kind of surface to put things on an idea was brewed over numerous beers one night to create the ultimate coffee table. We could incorporate multiple consoles into one unit. Further ideas were brought to light over more beers, such as a universal controller for our consoles. Thus again reducing the amount of cables everywhere. While we're at it lets stick a pc with video out inside the cabinet so we could have a full multi media unit for music and videos. Why not do that over wi-fi too!

So what do we have already?

One ancient coffee table in desperate need of 'Modernisation'.
Atari 2600.
3 x Super Nintendo Entertainment Systems.
Nintendo Entertainment System.
Playstation II.
Hewlett Packard P3 PC with video out.
Apple Airport.
Semi wired CAT5e house.
Loads of beer.
A project that is going to take forever and probably lead to many a hangover.
A pile of enthusiasm.

So there you have it. An idea and a place to share it.

Next post - Initial Construction and Console Discovery.