Winter Project - MAME Arcade Cabinet

[350Xhilaration]

Starting my build...Have the PC ready to go, next step is to see if I can fit a 25" TV in the hole...Then order a JPAC and maybe a new JAMMA harness and a converter from S-Video to RF/Coax...stay tuned...

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab01.jpg

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab02.jpg

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab03.jpg

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab04.jpg

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab13.jpg

And the 25" TV....
http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab14.jpg

[400exguy]

Got enough pics ya think? Jk buddy...I always wanted to get a Ms. Pac Man or Pac Man for that matter but they are too costly. Looks like a fun project.

[Derrick Adams]

I'm confused. Are you going to try to use the original controls? Original game or some other game? Looks like fun though.

[350Xhilaration]

I'll be using the original controls. I'll be putting in either a 25", 27" TV, or 21" PC monitor (19" tube). Not sure what's going to work best.

Inside will be a PC running software to emulate all the old arcade games. I will probably load an emulator for SNES, N64, and Atari later. Not sure yet. The ROMS (original programs that ran the arcade games) are available for every game known to mankind. I already have the PC set up and running the needed software (actually I have 3...a Win98SE, XP Pro, and Linux box) Trying to see which will work best. Win98 is out already. Down to Linux and XP Pro

The JPAC board is a converter for the controls. Since it's a PC running, the inputs are expected to be coming in as a mouse and keyboard. The JPAC converts the signals from the joystick/buttons to mouse and keyboard inputs. The benefit to using the JPAC was to have it connect to the JAMMA (Japanese Arcade Machine Manufacturers Association) harness inside the cabinet. This harness is a bit hacked and I think I'll get an IPAC board instead (cheaper and takes individual wires as inputs instead of using any original harnesses). The one TV I have as a spare (25") only has a coax in on the back. I'd need an RF modulator to get S-Video to go into the TV. If I can make it all fit, I should have pretty much every game known to mankind, a 25" TV as a monitor, and stereo sound from PC speakers. I might redo the artwork on the marquee and control panel, maybe paint the cabinet, too.

Gonna be a fun project.

[SYKO]

thats awesome!!! I always wanted one!! I would so have a LCD screen for it or at lease a flat screen tv for it, as for emulators, I can seem to grasp how they dowload and are playable... I guess I'll just stick with my old regular cartrage games. good luck man!!

[MyMistress86R]

Damn Rhuel...screw the game for now and CLEAN THOSE RIDES!!!

j/k But seriously dude...I see some nasty Shee and X fenders peeking around the game console.

[350Xhilaration]

Updates:

Got the 21" monitor mostly mounted. Still needs the neck board and power boards hooked up and mounted.

Got the front end working pretty well. Using Wah!Cade with MAME and Stella as the emulators so far. I'll probably add more, but I'm not sure when. I ran Wah!Cade in a window for the screenshot. When running it will be full screen.

Pics:

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/05.jpg

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/06.jpg

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/07.jpg

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/wahcade-fighter.jpg

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/wahcade-atari.jpg

[84honda200s]

ha ha i use to have like 3 atari systems. also had a nitendo, super nes, n64, ans ps2. but now all i have is a couple computers and a ps2. my brother use to have a bunch of emulators.

[350Xhilaration]

Got the monitor hooked back up and plugged in for testing it after I had it all apart.

***IF UNHOOKING THE ANODE, DO NOT FORGET TO DISCHARGE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO HOOK IT BACK UP***

I guess it built up a charge again from sliding it around on the carpet while I worked on it for several days. I got bit and it didn't feel good at all. I couldn't even imagine how it would feel if just unhooked from power.

Anyway, I plugged everything back in, made a bracket to mount the power circuit board to and hooked the PC up to test.

My 10 year old daughter was the 2nd to try it out in the cabinet. She was pretty excited when she got past level one on Crazy Kong.

I still need to order the ipac board and wire the joysticks/buttons. It was pretty cool to see the game playing in the old cabinet again...kinda like firing up an old trike for the first time in years...this machine hasn't been played in 5 years or more I bet...maybe closer to 10.

http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/dk01.jpg
http://350xriders.com/sf2cab/dk02.jpg

[350Xhilaration]

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/sf2cab-marquee.jpg

http://www.350xriders.com/sf2cab/marquee-lights.jpg

[SYKO]

man thats awesome!! I want to do that ssoooo bad..... but all I would be sucessful in doing is starting a fire and burnin the house down

[350Xhilaration]

Got it upstairs in my office now. Here's a vid of my 4 yr old playing...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xy7YHHLXnDA

[SYKO]

DUDE thats so cool! I want one!! I want one!! hey need another kid? im available!

[350Xhilaration]

I'll be making a "bartop" version soon (maybe 2)....interested in a purchase?

I still need to work out details of how I'm going to get them from Sandpuppi...he was kind enough to pick them up for me in MI. I need to get the pc components, joysticks, buttons, artwork, etc in, configured and working, then I'll see what I have in them.

Below are some pics of what I'm starting with.

[SYKO]

MAN I would love to buy one! but unless you take "air" dollars I dont have anything to give for one....lol... realisticaly what would one cost all done and turnkey?

[350Xhilaration]

For one of the small ones, I'd say probably $300 + shipping.

I know what I have in my big one, but I'm not 100% on what all I'd need to get the smaller ones finished up.

I know I'll need at least $100-$150 in joysticks, converter board, buttons, artwork to finish and that doesn't include the motherboard, chip, RAM, hard drive, power supply, speakers, fans, etc.

With all that, I can't see it being any less than $300.

PS...I'm planning on keeping the one with the artwork and sticks for myself...the other one needs more hardware...