Retro-1980s-Arcade-Machine Part 1: Destroy a laptop

GOAL: Build a table-top retro arcade machine from an old computer.
Target completion date(s):

1. June 2009: Best!
2. September 2009: Good!
3. Ever: Acceptable.

After initially thinking that my current desktop PC would work great, I decided to switch to an old laptop because that would save space and make the cabinet lighter. First I decided to remove the screen and see what I found. This is a Dell Inspiron 7500 laptop. I think it has a P3 chip, I don't remember the chip speed. Good enough, though, to run 25-year-old games with.

I had to remove the keyboard to get the screen off.


Here are things all taken apart. I was a bit worried that I would screw everything up at this point. Oh well, no risk no reward!

Ever wonder what the back of an LCD screen looks like? No? Well it looks like this!
I will need to get two 'extension cables' to make this work in the cabinet. One is that green ribbon cable and the other is the pink-and-white power cable. I (HOPE!) neither of those are difficult to find at a used PC parts store... That little card just sitting there is part of (or all of) the video card, I think. Not sure, don't really care, I'll just keep it connected after the modification.


Plug the things back together and it still works. How about that! I was a little surprised, myself.

That's right, baby! This is what it (will be) all about!!!


I leave you with two words smushed into one that I ordered today:

TankStick

Google it.