mame question(s) for huge cabs

jcterzin

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hey all

so ive been looking into buying some arcades that have rather large cabs (ie. ironman stewarts super off road im looking at you!) but they are so flipping huge! would it be feasible to make my own cabs and just mame it out with a crappy old cpu, cheap lcd, add possibly original cp parts to play it, and add the coin mechs? im looking for a light, slim system to just play the one game, not 1000's here.
 
You're... You're serious... Aren't you?

(whispering to others behind him) "He's SERIOUS, I think."

Yes, make your own cabs. Win-win. ;)
 
hey all

so ive been looking into buying some arcades that have rather large cabs (ie. ironman stewarts super off road im looking at you!) but they are so flipping huge! would it be feasible to make my own cabs and just mame it out with a crappy old cpu, cheap lcd, add possibly original cp parts to play it, and add the coin mechs? im looking for a light, slim system to just play the one game, not 1000's here.

Possible: yes

Practical: no

Sorry to spoil the party :p
 
hey all

so ive been looking into buying some arcades that have rather large cabs (ie. ironman stewarts super off road im looking at you!) but they are so flipping huge! would it be feasible to make my own cabs and just mame it out with a crappy old cpu, cheap lcd, add possibly original cp parts to play it, and add the coin mechs? im looking for a light, slim system to just play the one game, not 1000's here.

May i ask what the one game is????????
 
May i ask what the one game is????????

I was assuming super offroad.

That game has a 25" monitor. You would probably need a 28 - 30" LCD to view the game at the same size since they are all widescreen above 19". You can usually find the whole game for way less than even the budget LCDs of that size. The cab depth on that game is not nearly as space consuming as the control panel. If you are worried about the space, I would suggest finding a 2 player version as the best compromise.
 
yea, i was talking about super offroad. Or NBA jam perhaps but I have not seen that cab up close but it looks pretty big. Thanks for the link to that site TOK.
 
Im pretty good at woodworking so im thinking that i could build my own cabs, nice and compact ones as opposed to the ironman super huge can't-fit-through-your-door models. Anyways, I know I need a pc with mame and roms installed, a monitor, the cab, and the controls. the question is how do I connect the controls to the pc itself. is there like an adapter i need?

the rest sounds pretty straight forward since it all runs on a normal pc, but how do I convert the controls and coin mechs. to be plugged in to the computer?
 
Most standard cabs from the period were only 27-28" wide. How compact were you looking to go? You could pick up a mini or a cabaret cabinet.

If you're into woodworking, then you may have a lot more satisfaction building your own.
Balance that with the ability to pick up an old cabinet for $100.
 
Im pretty good at woodworking so im thinking that i could build my own cabs, nice and compact ones as opposed to the ironman super huge can't-fit-through-your-door models. Anyways, I know I need a pc with mame and roms installed, a monitor, the cab, and the controls. the question is how do I connect the controls to the pc itself. is there like an adapter i need?

the rest sounds pretty straight forward since it all runs on a normal pc, but how do I convert the controls and coin mechs. to be plugged in to the computer?

You can hack keyboards or game controllers to make it work, but there are really good encoders available for fairly cheap that I think are a better option. You will find all of that info at BYOAC that TOK linked to. Buy encoders from www.ultimarc.com or www.groovygamegear.com. There are others on eBay, but I would stay with those 2 because the quality is great from both.
 
I will just say this...

Converting an Ironman into a MAME cab is a stupid idea... Unless you plan on only emulating Ironman's or Super Sprint.
 
You would really hack up a great game like super off road for a MAME? Ugh.. What is this world comming to? I'm sure you can find a far more crap cab to hack up. If you only want to get this to convert, leave it for someone else who will actually appreciate that game. Empty cabs are plentiful if you look around, or just build your own. If you DO insist on doing this, I may be interested in buying the boards and controls off you, so shoot me a pm if you start tearing into it.
 
How about building a cab around a 19" monitor and ditch the three player for a two player setup? I am assuming you want at least two player capability. Build your own super-off-road mini. Or just wait for one and buy it.

Most of the 3 player and 4 player cabs are huge......because 3 and 4 people are playing on them at once! Go line up 3 or 4 of your friends, see how wide they are? Now can you fit them in front of a 25" cabinet? Me think not. :)
 
yea, im not hacking in the slightest manner. The two player version is exactly what i am going for, but i cant find any around here so i thought that mame could help me out. So im looking into building my own cab, buying the controls from a parted out racing machine, and plugging them into a old cpu and monitor that is 19" and BAM, my own super offroad that is now much more compact AND two player. You guys make me sound like a crazy mad scientist! All im looking for is what the steps are from controls to cpu, what harnesses are needed, etc.
 
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