Downing's Custom Built-in PC/Retro Game Console DESK

[Downing]

Wow guys, thank you! Means a lot coming from not only a mod but also being his 16000th post! Thats just as amazing! But thanks again guys...hopefully I'll have this done before Xmas...we'll see!

[Downing]

More Progress!!!

Finished wiring up the N64 cart, power and signal out. Still have cover the wire splices with tape and to connect a couple ground wires but for all general purposes it's complete.


Here is the view of all three units secured and mounted in the box and all carts wired to their respective systems. This will then be wrapped in plastic on the front and right side with a plastic cover.


Again from another angle


I'm going to leave the back open as no one is going to see it and it makes for better ventilation and access to the systems if I need to!


It might be too soon to tell but I'm thinking the hardest part is over. Now comes the fun part of wiring all the systems together so they all go through the VGA converter, but in theory this should work fine. I feel this really starting to come together!

[Downing]

Sunday was a blur of modding, I got so much done! Pretty much all that's left now is to wire up the video/audio and power to the control panel.

The pics below show my solution to the controller wire issues. I wanted to be sure that everything was quickly detatchable from the control box which would allow me to seperate the control box with the Nintendo systems as my computer fans run from the control box, so that needs to be in place at all times. But this way I can quickly disconnnect the Nintendo systems from the desk entirly without hassel. I used a 50 pin header and socket and it's been working out wonderfully. Still need to test the systems though and I should get that done tonight.







I glued a back plate of plastic inbetween the two layers of wires as this helps as a strain relief on the solder joint. A big problem I was having when everything was connected directly was the wires breaking from all the tweaking and moving of the system I did. This helps as well as closing it in with electrical tape.











I also put a 10-pin header and socket for the tact switches to the VGA converter. I'm hoping the wires aren't too long but where as this is just a normal momentary tact switch extension for something that isn't going to be pressed too often, I'm not overly concerned. If it's too long, I just shorten the wires, easy enough.

[AppleQueso]

this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

[Downing]

So if you can tell what's going on in the photos below I give you credit! But all that's left for wiring is the A/V for all 5 systems. The only issue I see myself running into with that is that all the lines have to be funneled into one composite to S-video converter cable and that S-Video cable into the VGA converter! Though I have a few ideas how to make this work, I won't be able to tell until everything is together and I give it a go.

As for the power, all the switches are wired up with quick connects so if I need to disconnect the face plate, everything is easily dis-connectable. However the power for the N64 with it's two voltages kinda screwed me up a bit so I had to use a step down regulator and wire directly instead of using the stock power brick. But that's ok.

Hopefully another couple weeks and this will be done! Still have a lot of aesthetic work to do on both the control box and the desk itself, but I'll get there!

Things are a lot more cluttered in there now but soon enough there will be order in all this chaos!


The audio switch wired up to the header, again dis-connectable if need be.

[AppleQueso]

why not just do RGB?

Should give you a much better signal and it'd be easier to convert to VGA I'm sure.

[Downing]

Use of what I had I guess. I mean I already had the VGA converter and I'd rather only mod one system than 5, that one being the N64. I should be able to take the video outs from the stock cables and solder them right to the composite to S-Video cable and call it good. Later if quality is an issue, I might do the RGB but that'll take more time.

[Downing]

Some updates I forgot to post last week!

Made some progress with the systems today. I'm going to have it that each system is turned on by the power switches in the control box, but to make it a bit cooler, when power goes to the system from the switch, they are going to light up a bunch of LED's on the system which will show up nicely through the glass! I'm actually glad I took a lot of time off on the project as it's given me new ideas to help solve problems that were really holding up the progress anyway.

The N64 wired up and ready.


The SNES Done


And Again.


Sorry it's been awhile since an update! I've been exceptionally busy though, working on my desk as well as finally getting parts of my new vacuum former built!

But below are pics of my most recent progress with the computer desk. I've started/finished the front half of my controller that will control all three Nintendo systems that I've got on that platform. As before, that platforms will be on a roller slide, so I'll be able to pull it out of the desk face, insert a game directly into the systems and power it on via the control top mounted box which is also where the controller will be plugged in via Parallel port. The parallel port will but connected to a junction strip which will branch out to each individual controller PCB.

I may end up having to put an additional ground break switch under each system's power switch in case the signal tends to go to the other controllers as well, but we'll see when I get that far.













Again, not very happy with the finish on this but I've got some cool decals in mind which should cover the imperfections nicely.

Thanks again to all those who joined me on my chat channel as well! It's a great deal of fun!

[AppleQueso]

looks like someone wants to challenge Bacteria's dominance

[Downing]

Haha, naw this is only going to control 3 systems, I wouldn't have the nerve to take on 20! Though, everything is in the desk and visible so that's pretty sweet as it is. It'll only be cool if it works though. haha.