Day 211

Last Saturday, my X-Arcade Solo Console finally came in the mail. It seems that the post office didn't like the label the seller put on the package and they sent it back. So he had to resend it, this time in 2-3 Day Priority (like that means anything, the Post Office just sends it when they feel like it).

Anyway, setting it took no time at all. Windows XP recognized it immediately. The only thing is that it doesn't show up like a game controller. The movements of the stick and the buttons represent keyboard keystrokes. Not that it's a bad thing, it just took me by surprise.

 

So far, most of the games are working just fine. Just got some fine-tuning to do and include a small program that will control the main volume via the stick and buttons. I'll have to get a trackball to sit alongside for some of the games, such as Centipede and Missile Command. 

I got some new cable staples to replace the ones that came with the rope lights. The ones that are there now have a bit of a gap between the rope light and the surface of the cabinet edges. I'll get that done when I have a chance.  I also need to resubmit my marquee to this banner company in Colorado. I didn't hear anything at all from them and I'm starting to think my submission got lost for whatever reason.

Day 201

Well, I spent the last few days filling in the blanks in Hyperspin and making the game menu wheels look nicer. I added Vectrex to the mix, but I'm still having difficulty getting the emulator to work within Hyperspin.

Anyway, last Sunday I was in Fuddruckers with my wife and they had wi-fi, so I thought I'd check my email. As soon as I connected to their internet, my Ipod Touch pinged me that an auction I'd been watching on Ebay was close to ending. Now this auction was for an X-Arcade Solo game panel.

X-Arcade's products are tough and they can withstand a lot of abuse. They're solid and well-made, which is why they command such a high price. When I saw this one on Ebay, there was one bid and it was going for $50 with free shipping. I figured I'd keep an eye on this and put it on my watch list.

Anyway, when my Ipod pinged me, I clicked on the view button and it opened up Ebay. It was going for $52 and there were two bids and there were two minutes left on the auction. So I put in my bid of $65 and it came up with me as the highest bidder.

So I waited, knowing full well that someone was going to snipe me and bid at the last second. But then the timer ran out and popped up with "You are the winner". So I paid the auction and now I sit....waiting...for the bloody Post Office to update their "Track and Confirm" web page. Hasn't been an update since this whole thing began. I realize that last Monday was a banker's holiday, but jeez. On one hand, the seller used Economy shipping, but on the other hand, he's only one state away.  I hate waiting.

Meanwhile, I've been working on my marquee art. Not having used the graphics program Gimp in awhile, I had to re-learn a few things.  But it doesn't look too bad...