While I was attempting to update the pictures on my original album, where some of you left comments, I accidentally deleted the entire album, so I have remade this picture album. My "command center" now has full LED lighting and the brushed metal trim. I've done some re-arranging to accommodate new items and have re-arranged my glass case so it's more hardware oriented, mostly controllers and input devices now, the ones that get used only on occasion.
It's a shame that you have lost the comments However the area you have created for youself is really great, that along with not just systems but all of the additional media you have collected and have displayed. I'm sure your very proud of what you achieved, however knowing you a little over the last year, I'm sure you will keep tweeking odds and ends, especially when you have both 1200XL & 800 up and running (they may both be working by now of course) I guess your looking forward to spend time in your 'Den' rather than working on it
Well, I can't help myself. Working both on the main house with my brother by day, building him a bedroom and bath, which involved moving a bunch of construction supplies, tools and junk in storage in an, as of yet, unfinished part of the house. Well, I came across some things I had forgotten about, and wishing for more shelving and space, I've changed, added too, improved and expanded my XL Command Center by night. I've posted new pictures of my re-designs, additions and expansion. The main things being the move of my electronics work table and stand to the opposite side of the room (still an unfinished area of my room, so no pics until it's done, which actually will be soon) I did this to open up the window space for my air conditioner. So I moved my rack to the end next to the air conditioner, and the over where the rack was, I removed a few posters (which I have yet to find a new place for, atm) and added a cabinet with shelves and some corner shelving to the cabinet and wall. I have two pictures of two versions of the new corner shelving attached to the cabinet, one with metal scroll work attached underneath, and one with them removed, as it remains now, since I think the shelves without the scroll work match the other corner shelving and over-all motif better. But what do you guys think? Shelving with metal scroll work, or with out? No pictures have been replaced, I have just added new ones to the album. Matt
Hi Matt checking out 3827 against 4446, I know this is a my personal preferance but I think the scroll is way older in looks than the 'Atari' era of the 80's so I guess for me seems out of place... However it would allow additional led lighting strip to be hidden to light up under the shelf for the items there and if color coded to the Lava lamp above make an impressive 'base' of light for that.. Of course even a bit of very thin plywood with that iron on shelf edging strip bend to act as a replacement for the scroll could also work well to hide the strip of RGB LED as well, thats of course if you go down the route of adding any more LED's Just need 1200 & 800 to be working.. although did look like 1200 and 1050 fired up ??
Yes, I had the1200XL and 1050 powered up. LED lighting for both 1050's is powered off the one 1050, the cable only long enough for them to be stacked or side-by-side. I did this because the other 1050 is already powering 3 upgrades/mods and I wasn't sure what amperage was still available, as little as these LED's use. But if I turned on the screen, the 1200XL would be displaying the red screen of death. I have the LED lighting turn on with the 1200XL, with the sensor hidden inside to control it with a remote through the venting. The 1050 lighting is extra length left over from the 1200XL lighting job, connected to a 5v test pin inside the 1050 with a 4-switch DIP mounted on the back to control on/off of power and each RGB light. It's limited to color mixing provided by the number of positions on the DIP and cannot color-cycle. The 800's LED lighting uses an exterior PSU, the plug and remote sensor coming out the venting underneath the rear, so I can power up those lights even though the 800 motherboard is currently sitting on a shelf in the new cabinet, you might have noticed. And the keyboard lighting is disconnected still. I don't know if I'm going to add any more LED lighting to my command center or those new shelves in particular yet. I have been planning on installing some some small track lights on the ceiling that could be positioned to point at certain areas or shelves. But currently the ceiling above my XL command center is unfinished,with holes in the gypsum sheets where I tore out a walk-in closet I decided to turn into my command center alcove. Which is why I avoid showing the ceiling in pictures if you've noticed. I have a left-over sheet of vinyl from a shower installation that intend to cover the 4x7" ceiling area above it all, Instead of repairs, as the ceiling is textured too anyway. After I install that in a few days and get the trim installed, I'll install some track lights. Also, you recently mentioned seeing a pistol grip in a picture. I don't currently own a pistol, though I've been meaning to get one, probably a .45 for it's stopping power. I was borrowing a pistol from a friend for a while, due to the loose and viscous dogs of my neighbor, until I bought a pump-action shotgun. And then there are the Bally Arcade controllers that have pistol grips that are dead-ringers for real guns, so it could have been either. I also borrowed the same pistol to take a concealed carry class for my license. But last year open carry without license was passed into law in Oklahoma, so I never bothered to take my certificate of completion to the county sheriff's office and pay the fee for my license.
Looks like your still going to be busy for a while then, I find moveable spotlights especilly the small MR16 LED ones to be very useful, and low power.. I did spot the large crystal on a circuit board, did'nt however think of it being your 800 mobo. Think you have a stack of RAM boards in glass case as well ? I don't know what photo I'd noticed what looked like a revolver grip, rather than a pistol grip in .. was to the left of the picture and grip only. I guess it was the Bally controller or part of.
I've been doing some more re-arranging of my XL Command Center. As I've been slowly building my Atari 8-bit original software collection, I've been running short on space. At least to have the vast majority of my software collection on full display, and not just rows of software on shelves only showing the box side, which it may come to eventually. But as long as I can I just keep being inventive in my arrangement to create more room but not be over crowded, I'll keep items displayed in as near to full view as I can get. For all my years as an Atari computer system owner, I've had little space and everything was over-crowed and stacked or tucked away. I built my XL Command Center nook so I could finally spread my systems out some what. So far I think I've maintained the open and spread out look and feel while managing to cram more stuff in, but not be crowded. But my XL Command Center was the result of down-sizing my plans when my sister moved in to help with my mother. Originally the room where my command center resides was to be a full-blown man-cave/workshop/lab/office, and I would have a separate bedroom (and bath). Then I had to down-size into my bedroom being in the same room, hence my command center nook that was originally to be an entire room, with much more desk/workbench/shelving space all around. The command center nook was only possible because I expanded the new combination room into where the bathroom was next-door. Then what was to be my original bedroom would become a larger bathroom. Then enters my brother, in dire straights and home-less. So the new master-bath instead becomes his room and we all share on bathroom, at the moment. But, since things are so tight now, plans for an addition are under way. By this time next year, we will have an addition built that includes 2 large bedrooms, a large family and library room, and a large bathroom. So the room which is currently my bedroom/man-cave. etc., will once again become an entire room (with and extra 40-50 square feet of space now) and I'll have more room for more stuff, including some of the non-Atari systems I fancy. I have some new pictures of my currently re-arranged XL Command Center I'm adding (while keeping the old pictures to show how it has evolved), but soon I'll be finishing the rest of the room with paneling and carpeting, etc. and I will take pictures of the entire room at that point. The room, at that point, will still look like a man-cave and not a bedroom, even though it is where I sleep, because I have a new couch that the back can be laid down by night to use as a bed and folded up by day into a post-modern office couch. And none of that terrible sofa-bed nonsense with bars and springs sticking in your back-side, this is a comfortable bed when flattened out. though half the time I just sleep on it as a couch. While I will eventually be adding more desk space and shelving/cupboards, just a few more feet worth, the man-cave/office/workshop will be finished for the most part... Once I have my real bedroom the couch will stay a couch except when used for company.
I have to say Matt how great it is for you to take in your broher and look after him in his time of need. Not all families are like that. Well what can I say Matt, I'd always predicted you would make small changes and bit by bit your doing just that.. Maybe in a year when the extensions all built and up and running, you'll be able to lay it out with more space to spare, at the moment, It's nice to see your collection, I'm sure I see items that you have probably have for sometime, but not noticed before. Keep it up fells, it's really great to see
