Thinking about building a VERY universal arcade cabinet

[17daysolderthannes]

Most people tend to build MAME machines using a real arcade monitor and built in controls with a dedicated PC running the operation, but I want to make something more universal, edging on ghetto. I use drafting software on a daily basis for my engineering job, and while it's designed for metal, I can just as easily design parts to be cut by a wood mill instead. Therefore, the only real cost here would be the actual material I use (I want something fairly strong and more importantly very smooth to the touch, nothing splintery and lumpy) and the cost of milling it out.

Here's my idea: I want a space to put a normal CRT TV in unmodified form, essentially a shelf large enough for a 27" TV. Around that, I want to put a black bezel to cover all but the screen and the row of key function buttons. For controls, I want a simple shelf more or less designed to fit the X-Arcade dual stick (which I already have) but can also accomodate any other joysticks I may want to use. Underneath, I want some standard entertainment center-style shelving to put any system I might want to hook up to the TV. I plan on leaving the back open for easy access (I don't mind the idea of wires hanging out and around, though I want the controller wires to come through a hole between the shelf and the TV), but I want the sides to resemble that stereotypical Neo-Geo MVS type arcade shape. I guess when you get down to it, I want an upright arcade shaped entertainment center big enough for a 27" TV (that's how big most arcade monitors are, right?) with some shelves below and an opaque door to go in front of them and a shelf on the front for an arcade stick. I'll model up a rough sketch of what I have in mind if I get a chance today.

So my questions are:

1. does some company already make an inexpensive version of this? I know X Arcade makes one, but its a couple grand, requires a real monitor, is built JUST for the X-Arcade stick and nothing else, and it seems like swapping out systems wouldn't be too easy.

2. has anyone ever had anything cut from a wood mill before...is it expensive? I can't imagine it's too much since it takes NO TIME to cut through wood vs. metal and tool wear is almost nill. I MIGHT even be able to do it at school because I know the industrial design department has one, though I don't know if its big enough (it probably is). I could probably even cut out both sides, etc. all in one shot and save alot of time that way. I know I could probably do this with just a hack saw, but it would be very rough around the edges and I don't really have a place to do it. Since I have the necessary skills to do it CNC, that's the way I would like to go.

3. What is a good forum to discuss this further on? I know there are MAME forums, but if anyone could recommend me a good one, that would be great.

4. if this becomes a reality and kicks some ass, would anyone be interested in this more-universal-than-normal arcade cabinet? How much would you pay for said cabinet? Would you be willing to drill holes and use screws and paint it yourself or would you require everything to be tabbed and pre-drilled and pre-painted? If the interest is there and I can find a place to do this for a reasonable price, this may be worth the time to make and sell a few of these.

[bohokii]

i built my own to my specifications but it still kind of sucks

i make it narrow so it just fits a pc monitor and i do emularors on it

i have the keyboard in the coindoor i was going to have the kb under the control panel but i got lazy

i got speakers above near the marquee my advice dont have the marqee hang out too far i whang my head on mine all the time
also put it on wheels go to an arcade and take notes on how they are built copy styles you like
i used a bunch of random used parts control pannel coin door marquee
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/bohoki/hogstrid.jpg

also made a sit down one but it took up a lot of room
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/bohoki/arcade_mame_machine_sitdown_by_boho.jpg

[17daysolderthannes]

yeah, but what I'm trying to build is significantly less permanent than what you made. What I'm talking about is basically almost a bookshelf when looking straight on and then has the profile of an arcade from the side. You have permanent control panels, etc. in yours. I do want to build a dedicated cabinet someday, but that's down the road a few years and when I do that, its going to be like or 4 or maybe even 6 player balls-to-the-wall arcade. What I'm talking about for now is more like a TV stand that gets everything the right height to play it like an arcade and make it so that it gives the illusion that it's an arcade (mostly with the bezel around the TV).

[MN12BIRD]

I get what you're saying and I actually like the idea. I thought of the same thing when I had a spare PC, CRT, 12V DC PSU, 2ch PG car amp and 6x9 speakers lying around. I thought it would be cool to build a really basic cabinet that could "store" almost anything. I was even considering the X-Arcade unit as you have. It would be a nice piece and really you could put whatever you felt like at the time inside. Since its not "permanent" as you said you would have no obligation to keep one game in it. Plus CRT TV's are easily found unlike RGB monitors. People are basically giving them away!

Unfortunately I don't have the tools or space for that now. But it would be nice!

[war2thegrave]

This site has everything you ever want to know.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/


Most people tend to build MAME machines using a real arcade monitor and built in controls with a dedicated PC running the operation, but I want to make something more universal, edging on ghetto. I use drafting software on a daily basis for my engineering job, and while it's designed for metal, I can just as easily design parts to be cut by a wood mill instead. Therefore, the only real cost here would be the actual material I use (I want something fairly strong and more importantly very smooth to the touch, nothing splintery and lumpy) and the cost of milling it out.


Most people use MDF. It was also used on many real arcade machines as well.


Here's my idea: I want a space to put a normal CRT TV in unmodified form, essentially a shelf large enough for a 27" TV. Around that, I want to put a black bezel to cover all but the screen and the row of key function buttons. For controls, I want a simple shelf more or less designed to fit the X-Arcade dual stick (which I already have) but can also accomodate any other joysticks I may want to use. Underneath, I want some standard entertainment center-style shelving to put any system I might want to hook up to the TV. I plan on leaving the back open for easy access (I don't mind the idea of wires hanging out and around, though I want the controller wires to come through a hole between the shelf and the TV), but I want the sides to resemble that stereotypical Neo-Geo MVS type arcade shape. I guess when you get down to it, I want an upright arcade shaped entertainment center big enough for a 27" TV (that's how big most arcade monitors are, right?) with some shelves below and an opaque door to go in front of them and a shelf on the front for an arcade stick. I'll model up a rough sketch of what I have in mind if I get a chance today.

It would be best to think long and hard about this before you jump into it.

A lot of people build abominations like these thinking that they will
re-live some kind of unrealistic arcade fantasy while shortly aftward
losing intrest in the project and regreting the large amount of time and money
they have wasted on a less than functional ugly peice of crap.

You might want to check this site out.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/


4. if this becomes a reality and kicks some ass, would anyone be interested in this more-universal-than-normal arcade cabinet? How much would you pay for said cabinet? Would you be willing to drill holes and use screws and paint it yourself or would you require everything to be tabbed and pre-drilled and pre-painted? If the interest is there and I can find a place to do this for a reasonable price, this may be worth the time to make and sell a few of these.

You're wasting your time even thinking about it.

Hundreds of people think they can try somthing like this, but only dozens
of people do. Out of the dozens who actually have the money to try this,
only 1 or 2 will actually be able to squeeze enough of a profit to keep at
it for another year or 2 before failing.

[17daysolderthannes]

This site has everything you ever want to know.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/



Most people use MDF. It was also used on many real arcade machines as well.


It would be best to think long and hard about this before you jump into it.

A lot of people build abominations like these thinking that they will
re-live some kind of unrealistic arcade fantasy while shortly aftward
losing intrest in the project and regreting the large amount of time and money
they have wasted on a less than functional ugly peice of crap.

You might want to check this site out.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/



You're wasting your time even thinking about it.

Hundreds of people think they can try somthing like this, but only dozens
of people do. Out of the dozens who actually have the money to try this,
only 1 or 2 will actually be able to squeeze enough of a profit to keep at
it for another year or 2 before failing.



That's an awfully pessimistic post, lol.

I've already engineered oilfield equipment that sells for $50,000 and worked on larger projects that are probably selling for close to $1,000,000, making a shitty wooden cabinet is not even an afternoon of design work for me and by then I would have prints and CAM programs ready to go. The difference here is that I'm still technically an intern and don't have a full engineer's salary yet, so $1000 is still alot of money to me. The people you're talking about couldn't change their oil without causing $6,000 in engine damage. You should've taken the hint by me suggesting CNC machining that I'm not just trying to clusterfuck some scrap lumber together into a poorly planned abomination. There is no question I could build this, the stuff I don't know is the little odds and ends you don't think about till after the fact (like the marquee overhang problem and hitting your head mentioned above) or what is the best/most common material to use since wood isn't exactly the ideal material for oilfield equipment and I'm sure as fuck not building this out of 1" thick steel. If I was going to produce these for people, it would only be if I could get the CNC milling done for cheap and I was literally making it by the order for a couple dozen people at the most.


This is pretty much exactly what I'm talking about. He got reemed on that website you linked to, but with this you could swap in a steering wheel, or use any other custom/specialized controller. I mean, the whole point of a MAME cabinet is to be universal, so why do you have to build it to look exactly like one specific arcade cabinet? I'll probably make a specific arcade cabinet down the road, maybe even several, but for my first one I want to keep it as universal as possible to the point I can throw up a Logitech steering wheel one minute and an X-Arcade the next.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/reboot.jpg

[war2thegrave]

I wasn't trying to be disrespectful, just realistic.

The closest examples of what you want to do are the x-arcade cabinet
( that you've already mentioned ), a cabinet built by quasicade, and a cabinet
that may or may not still be sold at either sams club or costco
(which has been universally panned).

http://www.xgaming.com/Misc/img/cabinet/8615.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414iT1i8UoL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.quasimoto.com/images/as_images/efx/efx1.jpg

The best place you could go for information is the BYOAC forum.

It has a mix of both amatures who have built multiple cabinets,
as well as professional who make a living doing it.
There are also a few people who have built cabinets using cnc machines.

[runback22]

do a search on arcade controls.com....I saw something on there a while back that might suit your needs....Basically, someone made a mame machine that built on the wall.....It wasnt exactly what you are describing, but it might get you headed in the right direction....

As far as selling some cabinets, thats a tough call....I looked into doing that after building a few cabinets and it doesnt seem like something that would be easy to do....

The best place to go for info, ideas, and help is arcadecontrols.com or byoac.com which is the same site......Been going there for years and its a great forum....

[war2thegrave]

This is pretty much exactly what I'm talking about. He got reemed on that website you linked to, but with this you could swap in a steering wheel, or use any other custom/specialized controller. I mean, the whole point of a MAME cabinet is to be universal, so why do you have to build it to look exactly like one specific arcade cabinet? I'll probably make a specific arcade cabinet down the road, maybe even several, but for my first one I want to keep it as universal as possible to the point I can throw up a Logitech steering wheel one minute and an X-Arcade the next.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/reboot.jpg

I can only assume that your talking about the cabinet with the x-arcade
sitting on the shelf.

I can't be really sure though, since that site doesn't allow hotlinking
to it's images and replaces them with a pic of a naked david hasselhoff
with a puppy laying on his wang.

[17daysolderthannes]

I can only assume that your talking about the cabinet with the x-arcade
sitting on the shelf.

I can't be really sure though, since that site doesn't allow hotlinking
to it's images and replaces them with a pic of a naked david hasselhoff
with a puppy laying on his wang.

yeah, I realize that now, WTF LOL! I guess I'll upload it to my photobucket so people realize I'm not talking about making a David Hasselhoff with wrinkled dogs on his dick cabinet.

oh, and what are those 2 smaller joysticks supposed to be in those pre-fabbed MAME cabinets you posted? I've NEVER seen an arcade with those things.

[17daysolderthannes]

Since I'm such a badass, here's a cartoon block model that's about 75% of the final aesthetic design:

As it would appear with TV and everything (minus controller):

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcade.jpg

Full setup from the back:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadewithtvback.jpg

Cabinet alone:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadeiso.jpg

Cabinet alone with lower door removed:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadenocab.jpg

Cabinet alone from the back:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadebackiso.jpg

Cabinet with 27" TV and bezel removed:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/specv4life/wholearcadewithtv.jpg


Once the design is finalized, I'll go back and tab all of the pieces for proper placement so that you could glue the thing together if you wanted to. Also note that the controller platform is only 1" thick and would be perfect for use with the Logitch GT Pro Force Feedback Steering Wheel, effectively making it like a standup driving arcade. Anyone know if that wheel works with MAME? even if it doesn't, I still get all of the Ferrari F355 Challenge, Gran Turismo 3 and 4, Enthusia, Need for Speed, etc. I can handle. Another fun fact is that it would be the perfect height for light gun games. Even with all of that arcade greatness, its still a usable height to kick back on the couch and play some Sonic the Hedgehog since the natural eye level when reclining is about the height of the TV. Any change of heart on the potential for selling this cabinet?

[Joe Redifer]

Sounds like you need to go back to 1989. They made something almost exactly like your design:

http://www.joeredifer.com/crap/proplay.jpg

[17daysolderthannes]

shit, for $249, sign me up! I'm not even sure I can get the MDF and machine it for that much.

[Puffy2k316]

Are you putting a CRT tv in because of price? If not then there's a converter that you can use to put PC/Dreamcast/Xbox 360/anything on an arcade monitor.

[17daysolderthannes]

Are you putting a CRT tv in because of price? If not then there's a converter that you can use to put PC/Dreamcast/Xbox 360/anything on an arcade monitor.

Price, ease, and compatibility, so all of the above, really. You can get them practically free if you get it used, I already have all of the appropriate hookups, and its a TV so its already compatible with everything. Keep in mind, this is sort of a midway to a dedicated MAME machine I will build out of top quality parts later on. Once I build the dedicated MAME machine, this one will become my Genesis/NES/SNES/etc. machine since the CRT TV is the ideal monitor for those systems.

[17daysolderthannes]

So, to further modify and revise my arcade, I was thinking about what size of TV would be ideal. I've heard 20" is the best size of CRT TV to play 16-bit and older games, has anyone done a side by side comparison to really make a solid judgement call on this? How big are most arcade monitors for an upright arcade with joystick controls and a completely vertical monitor (by vertical I don't mean like a vertical shooter, I mean straight up and down as opposed to being tilted back like many arcades do)?

Also, would anyone be interested in something like this? how much would you pay? I'm not taking pre-orders or anything, so don't expect answering that is going to have me hounding you to buy one or anything, but if the interest is there I might try to market this to a company like IKEA (probably not them, but someone like them, probably smaller too) and maybe get a couple bucks and a free one instead of paying for one out of pocket. Anyone have any idea about how much the MDF would cost for a job like this? I can't find a site that has MDF for sale big enough for the sides, I think you have to call for quotes on panels that big.

[Puffy2k316]

In regards to fighting games, I'm pretty sure the original SF II World Warrior cabinets like this (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1043276265.jpg) were 19 inches and then capcom later started putting out these (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1067369146.jpg) and these (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1048924447.jpg) which were 25. SNK gave you a choice between 19 and 25 for Neo-Geo's as well I think. So 19 or 25 inch is what most upright fighting games were. I don't know about other upright cabinets but I'd assume they are the same.

The 19 appears to be more straight vertical as opposed to the other two tho.

[17daysolderthannes]

In regards to fighting games, I'm pretty sure the original SF II World Warrior cabinets like this (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1043276265.jpg) were 19 inches and then capcom later started putting out these (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1067369146.jpg) and these (http://www.klov.com/images/10/1048924447.jpg) which were 25. SNK gave you a choice between 19 and 25 for Neo-Geo's as well I think. So 19 or 25 inch is what most upright fighting games were. I don't know about other upright cabinets but I'd assume they are the same.

The 19 appears to be more straight vertical as opposed to the other two tho.

that first picture is exactly what I had in mind for my universal cabinet, I even have that same marquee from a parted out arcade. I think 20" is the way to go for a completely vertical orientation.

[ThugsRook]

^ nice! :rock:

[17daysolderthannes]

May I suggest buying a nice working Capcom Dynamo arcade cabinet, and installing a PC using a JPAC converter and arcade VGA card (for 15KHz low-res support).

Custom built arcade machines are ugly as sin.

Personally, I prefer my Japanese universal Sega cabinets:


Well, if you've been paying attention:

#1 I want it to be as universal as possible so I can use normal systems like NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. with it as well as use multiple types of controllers like arcade sticks, trackballs, mouse and keyboard (if I'm feeling frisky for online FPS games), or even a steering wheel and pedals. MAME cabinets almost always become clusterfucks if you try to incorporate all of the controls in one control panel, so by just having a simple shelf I can use whatever is best suited for that particular game.

#2 I don't have alot of money as I'm still in college and need to save most of what I make for law school expenses. Therefore, I want to build this as cheaply as possible without using garbage materials for me to use in my apartment during law school. If I make it out of MDF or even Particle Board, I could probably do it for only a couple hundred bucks.

#3 it will serve double duty as an entertainment center, another reason I want a normal TV with a completely vertical monitor rather than slanted back RGB arcade monitor.

#4 I'm about to have a degree in Mechanical Engineering and am currently working as one and have designed several thousand dollar oilfield equipment, I have more than enough know how to properly draft this in a solid modeling program and have it machined once I can find a good facility for wood CNC. If you took the time to look at my rendering, you would see I already have a solid concept that would look pretty decent in practice. All I have to do now is make a few decisions on how I want to equip it and measure some real arcades to fine tune the dimensions and finally tab the components so they fit together in predetermined configurations instead of having to guess when it comes to drilling. I have about a year before I move to whever I attend law school, which means I have a year to fine tune the dimensions and materials (I have nowhere to put this right now).

#5 Later in life when I have a house/big apartment I plan on either collecting arcades or buying a handful of arcades with dead hardware to convert to purpose built MAME machines (one for driving, one for fighting, one for vertical monitors, etc.). Therefore, I am not interested in having an arcade for just one type of game now when I could have a universal one now and have better purpose built ones later. When I get the purpose built arcades, I can use this one for general NES/SNES/Genesis use as it will have an ideal 20" CRT TV.

[Robivy64]

Unless you just want to build one for the sake of doing it, you can buy a used Capcom Dynamo for under $200 fully working (and usually with a game installed in it). These cabinets have been largely decommissioned and can be found at local auctions. Rest assured, you will spend near that in parts building your own custom machine.

This is a universal JAMMA cabinet with a monitor that can be easily rotated with 4 bolts and some muscle. These cabinets are solid, and parts are readily available. It was one of the most common uprights in U.S. arcades. These cabs are designed to be universal.

You can install a PC with an arcadeVGA card to drop the video to 320 x 240 15KHz usable by the RGB monitor. You can also use a JPAC converter to convert the controls to JAMMA, without sacrificing the original wiring if you were to choose to start collecting arcade PCBs in the future. Some of my favorite arcade games are not emulated. This would be handy for such games. And trust me, there are plenty. All-in, you might be looking at $400 + a PC.

Of course, this is just one person's suggestion.

[17daysolderthannes]

wow, you still completely missed the point of this venture. I WILL NOT NEED ANY ADDITIONAL PARTS BECAUSE IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF SHELVES FOR A TV, VIDEO GAME SYSTEM, AND CONTROLLER I ALREADY HAVE. You maybe have arcade cabinets out the wazoo where you live, but in fucking shithole louisiana there aren't many. Again, having a SF II arcade cabinet won't be much good if I want to put my Logitech driving force pro steering wheel on it. The whole point is that nothing is permanent and any TV, video game system, and controller can be swapped out in a matter of seconds. And when I said vertical, I meant with respect to the ground, not like a vertical shooter; in other words, not tilted back like many arcades are. I'm glad you are aware of what everyone else does when building a cabinet, but I'm trying something completely different from the usual semi-permanent setup.

[Robivy64]

I'm not sure I understand the hostile tone in your post, all I am doing is trying to help. It's obvious that you have your mind made up on what design you want to execute. Don't ask for input if you are not willing to receive it. What do I know anyway, right?

Good luck with your build.

[17daysolderthannes]

I'm not sure I understand the hostile tone in your post, all I am doing is trying to help. It's obvious that you have your mind made up on what design you want to execute. Don't ask for input if you are not willing to receive it. What do I know anyway, right?

Good luck with your build.

Am asking for help in line with my fundamental design. You are completely throwing out the core and going a completely different direction. What I want is good examples of arcades shaped and sized similar to what I want (vertical screen vs. tilted back, and not like vertical shooter vertical, flat control panel, 20" ish monitor, etc.). My mind was made up from the get go that I wanted it to be a pure LITERAL cabinet/entertainment center shaped like an arcade with no permanent components other than the wood its made of the and the caster wheels on the bottom. I don't understand why no one can ask for input on this forum giving choice A or B and everyone makes up their own C and gets offended when you reject it. I'm looking for suggestions like bohokii made like wheels on the bottom and not making the marquee jut out too far, things you would need to have built an arcade to really think of. I know what I want the components to be, what I'm looking for is sizing/height/etc. advice because I haven't been around arcades enough to really have a dead set idea of what shape and height I want it to be.

[Robivy64]

It looks like you want a rolling shelf filled with consoles, controllers, and a TV and marquee holder mounted on it. Your drawings looks like a fucking arcade machine, which is why buying a real arcade machine makes more logical sense considering how cheap they can be.

I have to be honest, and i'm not being rude, so please don't consider it as such, but this is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard, and I have been in the arcade business for many years.

If you stopped to consider converting a real arcade machine for what you are wanting to accomplish, your "shit for $249 sign me up" comment referring to the NES enclosure is not far from the truth. Alabama is not "littered" with arcade machines, but they are easily available if you know where to look. Arcade machines are everywhere, even in Louisiana. I lived in Louisiana for several years.

Using a PC would allow you to emulate most any classic console and arcade game, while allowing you to connect a USB wheel or trackball. There are numerous older arcade machines with monitors mounted flush to a level vertical bezel and a flat control panel, most of which can be had for around $100 and include a working 19" or 20" monitor. These arcade machines usually contain small shelves for manuals and coin boxes. Most of this can be accomplished with little to no technical knowledge.

I would love to help you out, since I have some insider knowledge in this arena, but i'm afraid the "noob on a high horse" attitude might prevent me from providing any further assistance without being gangbanged with noob angst.