Q. im new to building my own arcade cabinet. are there any tips that anyone wishes to share to a bignner? like where to shop? safty precautions? or how much money and time and space it could take up?
A. I am assuming you are building from scratch. Best advice is plan, measure twice, cut once, Use quality controls, and Take Your Time.
Let me start off by saying the end product is what every thing is based on:
Money:
The wood: What you use to make the cabinet needs to be sturdy and one side finished for a good look. (I have used HDO plywood in the past very good product http://www.freemansupply.com/HDOFirPlywood.htm)
The computer: It needs to be fast enough to run the games you wish to play. You can go overboard here and just buy to fast of a cpu that you just didn't need. Remember hard drive space.
The monitor: This can very also. Mainly 3 types to use. 1 a CRT type like the original arcade games used. 2 a flat screen plasma or lcd TV/Monitor. and 3 a regular TV 20+ inch. (Note that orientation is a factor also for the install and overall size.)
The controls: You will need to know how many buttons, joysticks, rollers, spinners, ect you will need for the games you will have loaded. The control panel is what I always built my Cabinets around. I determined How many player and the needed controls and placement. Made a mock up with cardboard to see the size and function ability of the controls. Knowing this size allowed me to know how wide the cabinet would be and then the size of the monitor. Also it showed what king of hardware I needed to connect the controllers to the computer.
The Hardware: You will need wire and at least one ipac/jpac. I always added two fans, a power strip, lighting, speakers, wireless keyboard and mouse.
Cost: from scratch can run from as low as $800 to over $2000 from my experience.
Time:
As stated before TAKE YOUR TIME! plan, plan, plan. I never finished one on a set time schedules, but did make goal points.
1 acquire the computer, hardware, and controls.
2 while still acquiring parts,start design as mock build ups.
3 acquire the wood and other materials to assemble the cabinet.
4 build the cabinet.
5 build the control panel.
6 install the monitor.
7 install the wiring
8 Install the CPU
Not really that easy but generally the order.
Space?: To build? I use an 8x10 Shed. Cabinet size, I've only made one monster that was almost 4foot wide and deep. I built one that was a sit down that was two parts and they pinned together and took up about 3.5 wide and 7 foot long. But most are gust over 2 foot wide and just under 3 foot deep. All sizes are footprint size, control panels not added.
Here is a great resource sight for a lot of you needs when building. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=1
More reading:
http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm
http://www.dave-gallagher.net/arcade/porn/page17.htm
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/arcade/
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/10/mame_cabinet_build_photos.html
http://thydzik.com/mamecab/
Now the Meat and Taters:
http://www.happcontrols.com/index.html?http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/5891xxl.htm!
http://www.ultimarc.com/
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index
http://midwestgames.stores.yahoo.net/
http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/
http://www.ozstick.com.au/
http://www.thrustvector.com/products.html
http://www.conntrol.com/default.html
http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl
http://www.arcadeshop.com/parts.htm#Monitors
http://www.twobits.com/parts/
http://www.quarterarcade.com/Default.aspx
http://www.highway.net.au/parts/wiring.html
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/
http://www.elektronforge.com/parts.htm
http://stores.ebay.com/TWISTEDQUARTER
http://www.t-molding.com/store/home.php
http://www.directron.com/mods.html
http://www.svideo.com/displayvideo.html
And lastly a good tip is use a front end program such as GameEX http://www.gameex.net/ and use mame32 version. It makes for a clean install and easy for anyone to find a game and plat, very programmable.
Congrats on on your build, take your time and have fun.
Yahoo questions closed about MAME Cabinets http://answers.yahoo.com/search/search_result;_ylt=AoNzY_JsDy56jbDPJsJm_OQnzKIX;_ylv=3?ps=2&p=mame+cabinet&pn=&scope=&mc=&fltr=_en&tab=1&asktime=&save_search=1&st=1
Let me start off by saying the end product is what every thing is based on:
Money:
The wood: What you use to make the cabinet needs to be sturdy and one side finished for a good look. (I have used HDO plywood in the past very good product http://www.freemansupply.com/HDOFirPlywood.htm)
The computer: It needs to be fast enough to run the games you wish to play. You can go overboard here and just buy to fast of a cpu that you just didn't need. Remember hard drive space.
The monitor: This can very also. Mainly 3 types to use. 1 a CRT type like the original arcade games used. 2 a flat screen plasma or lcd TV/Monitor. and 3 a regular TV 20+ inch. (Note that orientation is a factor also for the install and overall size.)
The controls: You will need to know how many buttons, joysticks, rollers, spinners, ect you will need for the games you will have loaded. The control panel is what I always built my Cabinets around. I determined How many player and the needed controls and placement. Made a mock up with cardboard to see the size and function ability of the controls. Knowing this size allowed me to know how wide the cabinet would be and then the size of the monitor. Also it showed what king of hardware I needed to connect the controllers to the computer.
The Hardware: You will need wire and at least one ipac/jpac. I always added two fans, a power strip, lighting, speakers, wireless keyboard and mouse.
Cost: from scratch can run from as low as $800 to over $2000 from my experience.
Time:
As stated before TAKE YOUR TIME! plan, plan, plan. I never finished one on a set time schedules, but did make goal points.
1 acquire the computer, hardware, and controls.
2 while still acquiring parts,start design as mock build ups.
3 acquire the wood and other materials to assemble the cabinet.
4 build the cabinet.
5 build the control panel.
6 install the monitor.
7 install the wiring
8 Install the CPU
Not really that easy but generally the order.
Space?: To build? I use an 8x10 Shed. Cabinet size, I've only made one monster that was almost 4foot wide and deep. I built one that was a sit down that was two parts and they pinned together and took up about 3.5 wide and 7 foot long. But most are gust over 2 foot wide and just under 3 foot deep. All sizes are footprint size, control panels not added.
Here is a great resource sight for a lot of you needs when building. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?board=1
More reading:
http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm
http://www.dave-gallagher.net/arcade/porn/page17.htm
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/arcade/
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/10/mame_cabinet_build_photos.html
http://thydzik.com/mamecab/
Now the Meat and Taters:
http://www.happcontrols.com/index.html?http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/5891xxl.htm!
http://www.ultimarc.com/
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index
http://midwestgames.stores.yahoo.net/
http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/
http://www.ozstick.com.au/
http://www.thrustvector.com/products.html
http://www.conntrol.com/default.html
http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl
http://www.arcadeshop.com/parts.htm#Monitors
http://www.twobits.com/parts/
http://www.quarterarcade.com/Default.aspx
http://www.highway.net.au/parts/wiring.html
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/
http://www.elektronforge.com/parts.htm
http://stores.ebay.com/TWISTEDQUARTER
http://www.t-molding.com/store/home.php
http://www.directron.com/mods.html
http://www.svideo.com/displayvideo.html
And lastly a good tip is use a front end program such as GameEX http://www.gameex.net/ and use mame32 version. It makes for a clean install and easy for anyone to find a game and plat, very programmable.
Congrats on on your build, take your time and have fun.
Yahoo questions closed about MAME Cabinets http://answers.yahoo.com/search/search_result;_ylt=AoNzY_JsDy56jbDPJsJm_OQnzKIX;_ylv=3?ps=2&p=mame+cabinet&pn=&scope=&mc=&fltr=_en&tab=1&asktime=&save_search=1&st=1
What is the perfect CPU for running a full Mame Setup?
Q. I ordered the wood already cut to build my cabinet, but I want to know what kind of CPU would be the best possible to run mame at full speed and even the larger ones ( Killer Instinct 2, NBA Jam...etc.) Also running all emulator and roms? What kind of monitor is also recommended? I've seen some really good cabinets people have made searching the net, but I want the full Arcade experience.....
A. Let me start by talking about the monitor. The easiest and most widely used monitor is a LCD 20"+. They are easily installed in cabinets, low heat, and great picture. But when installing any screen you are going to mostly play full screen or horizontal scrollers. Playing vertical scrollers or games like PacMan it gives a visual impact I don't care for, (personal opinion). I make specific cabinets for the two types of viewing.
Now for the CPU always the faster the better as far as the newer games. However the the older games will run tooooo fast and you will have to throttle them down. The bad news Games such as KI2, NBA Jam, and CarnEvil use cpus in the cabinets dedicated for them as well as hard drives dedicated to the processing. Also the emulation may not be 100%. Any game you play thru an emulator will be slower and if the emulator then needs to run a bios or CHD you will find everything slower. Also If you use MAME32 or any other windows based emulator is not as good as the command line version of mame. Technology is still moving fast you can go into a computer shop and ask for the fastest processor and even a dual processor, and the motherboard to go with it. I'm buying 500gb and 1tb drives right now and putting them in the games Im making. Video cards are getting better and better, just get one with plenty of onboard ram and that matches up to what ever monitor you decide on. Spend the money on a goo power supply 700w is fine but clean power. You will need to get an Ipac usb converter for the controls. I use Wireless keyboards and mice. I use the TopGun Guns and lightbars. I don't install disk drives, I either network into the games HD or pull it and edit it on another computer.
Okay the cpu I use the most is http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3476411 I have used this one also great but pricey for no noticeable difference http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2341239. the mother board http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2824015&csid=_25 and keep it well ventilated. This is the video Card I have been using lately http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4042992&Sku=G458-9806. Here is the Ipac http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=76&zenid=d432b25398dfe853e859cc1d34c3c2af
Good luck
Now for the CPU always the faster the better as far as the newer games. However the the older games will run tooooo fast and you will have to throttle them down. The bad news Games such as KI2, NBA Jam, and CarnEvil use cpus in the cabinets dedicated for them as well as hard drives dedicated to the processing. Also the emulation may not be 100%. Any game you play thru an emulator will be slower and if the emulator then needs to run a bios or CHD you will find everything slower. Also If you use MAME32 or any other windows based emulator is not as good as the command line version of mame. Technology is still moving fast you can go into a computer shop and ask for the fastest processor and even a dual processor, and the motherboard to go with it. I'm buying 500gb and 1tb drives right now and putting them in the games Im making. Video cards are getting better and better, just get one with plenty of onboard ram and that matches up to what ever monitor you decide on. Spend the money on a goo power supply 700w is fine but clean power. You will need to get an Ipac usb converter for the controls. I use Wireless keyboards and mice. I use the TopGun Guns and lightbars. I don't install disk drives, I either network into the games HD or pull it and edit it on another computer.
Okay the cpu I use the most is http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3476411 I have used this one also great but pricey for no noticeable difference http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2341239. the mother board http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2824015&csid=_25 and keep it well ventilated. This is the video Card I have been using lately http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4042992&Sku=G458-9806. Here is the Ipac http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=76&zenid=d432b25398dfe853e859cc1d34c3c2af
Good luck
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