FWIW, my 2 cents would be to get a newer player, and one of the adapter/conversion cards, if needed (as I'm not sure which players can be used in the Leland cab). Daphne and Dexter are great products, don't get me wrong, but a laser game without a laser in it just isn't the same.
Maybe I'm more of a purist, but having a working player inside the cab with a gorgeous 12" disc, hearing it vibrate and whirr, feeling it shake as it seeks between scenes, etc, is all part of the experience. It's just not the same without it (and not as fun to get and see it all working).
It's also probably cheaper to find a working player, disc, and a Merlin card, than it is to buy a Dexter. Unless you're going to operate the machine, a newer player can be perfectly reliable for home use. (It's really just the original ones that came in the 1983 DL cabs that are consistently bad. The later-gen ones are much better.)
Going with the player & Laserdisc is a possibility. I'm not sure if there is a Merlin card available for DL2 hardware. I think Shaun said no.
As clean as this machine is inside & out, keeping it original is a possibility.
Dexter is interesting too because it's basically "plug n play", no hacking. I could go that route and still get a player (easy) and a DL2 Laserdisc (probably not easy). Having it all would be good for resale down the road if that ever comes.




