Saw a MAME cab at my neighborhood theater

[nitz]

Never seen this before. Actually saw a cab with a MAME marquee at my local movie theater.  It was running Icade. Not sure what makes an Icade an Icade, but it looked just like a 60in1 that I've seen elsewhere except the frontend says Icade instead of Happy Hour.

Just thought I'd share as this seemed kinda nuts to me. Looks very much to be your typical MAME cab. So strange to see one in a public place alongside real machines. Not to mention illegal.

What I've always found interesting is that if someone were publicly selling pirated CDs or DVDs they'd probably get shutdown pretty fast - but no one seems to pay attention to stuff like this.

To tell the truth, I actually think the vertical xxin1 boards are kind of neat. I like the front ends - somehow feels more like a "real" game than having a front end with a bunch of text and having to insert a coin after selecting a game rather than before. Wouldn't mind having one for home use - but putting these in a cab, slapping a MAME marquee on it and then charging people to play just seems wrong to me.

Oddly, it doesn't bother me as much to see multiboards that are MAME based used publicly without actually saying MAME on the machine. It's equally wrong I guess, but somehow it just seems so audacious to actually present it as a MAME cab and put it in a public place.

[milkit]

icade 60 in 1 isnt mame? Ive seem several in public

[nitz]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's MAME. And I've seen them around too, but never with a marquee that says "MAME: Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator" on it before. That's what really seemed strange to me.

[Turnarcades]

It's old hat. Happens a lot; even saw them here in England. The legal grey area remains, but it just seems the heat's off everywhere recently. Ebay are getting slacker, I've seen a few new rom sites emerging again, and I've even seen a few selling roms on disc or xxx-in-1 cabinets with no masking of the fact they're illegal. The line is slowly blurring again, so there's another chance the big boys will club together and hit the scene again, wiping a large chunk of these guys away.

[Havok]

Yeah, it's happening more now. I stopped into a restaurant for lunch, and saw a converted Street Fighter with a 60-n-1. I'm sure it's the operators doing this, not the actual business.

[dgame]

The watchdogs follow the money. When coin-ops were in their heyday even little mom-and-pop store owners were getting fined for having out-of-date license stickers on their Ms. Pacman and Galaga.
Now that the money [and hype] is gone so are the watchdogs. Those XXX-in-1's are everywhere in the wild, it almost like they are bubble gum machines now.

[WhereEaglesDare]

Thats a good point, now video poker, those are hard to find in the wild now, down here at least.  The state started the lottery so now they take all the video pokers and smash them up in to little tiny pieces.  They dont even sell them to other states.

[92greenyj]

just a though here, but as an arcade manager I can see this happening. Maybe the original marquee got broken and they couldn't find a multicade replacement so they ordered a MAME one. stuff like that does happen. Kids are pretty rough on these things. I can't go a week without having to fix or replace a broken part on a game here. Most common are the lighted buttons. they seem to crack very easily. Also the shotguns for my Big Buck Hunter unit. kids drop them all day long onto the hard floor. I'm actually amazed I havent had issues with my guitar hero guitars yet. (knock on wood)

[manman]

What I've always found interesting is that if someone were publicly selling pirated CDs or DVDs they'd probably get shutdown pretty fast - but no one seems to pay attention to stuff like this.

Well, it would definitely be illegal if it's a mame cab, but but I think the disparity you're talking about is because that analogy doesn't really work.  If someone were selling pirated games plubicly they'd probably get shut down pretty quickly as well..  having a mame cab in an arcade is more like if someone had a juke box in a bar or something that played burned cd's or illegally downloaded mp3's.  1) it's totally automated, you don't see a vendor sitting there selling things, 2) it's not immediately obvious that the IP is an copy vs. an original, and 3) theres no actual media being sold, or transfer of ownership, the buyer is just paying to use/experience the IP for a short amount of time.  The jukebox situation would be illegal, but probably take just as long to be noticed/shut down (if at all).

[nitz]

The watchdogs follow the money. When coin-ops were in their heyday even little mom-and-pop store owners were getting fined for having out-of-date license stickers on their Ms. Pacman and Galaga.
Now that the money [and hype] is gone so are the watchdogs. Those XXX-in-1's are everywhere in the wild, it almost like they are bubble gum machines now.

Makes sense. I'm of the opinion that if stuff is no longer being sold commercially, it should just become public domain anyway. The idea of copyrights lasting 100 years or whatever is ridiculous. I'm more annoyed about the blatant ripoff of MAME than the games. If someone made their own emulator and wanted to charge for games that haven't been sold in like 20 years I'd be cool with that.

What I've always found interesting is that if someone were publicly selling pirated CDs or DVDs they'd probably get shutdown pretty fast - but no one seems to pay attention to stuff like this.

Well, it would definitely be illegal if it's a mame cab, but but I think the disparity you're talking about is because that analogy doesn't really work.  If someone were selling pirated games plubicly they'd probably get shut down pretty quickly as well..  having a mame cab in an arcade is more like if someone had a juke box in a bar or something that played burned cd's or illegally downloaded mp3's.  1) it's totally automated, you don't see a vendor sitting there selling things, 2) it's not immediately obvious that the IP is an copy vs. an original, and 3) theres no actual media being sold, or transfer of ownership, the buyer is just paying to use/experience the IP for a short amount of time.  The jukebox situation would be illegal, but probably take just as long to be noticed/shut down (if at all).

You're absolutely right. I guess the analogy doesn't really work. And there almost certainly are mp3/burned cd jukes out there and if it's well done, you'd never be able to tell.

Heh heh, I'm not losing any sleep over this or anything. I'd seen multi boards before, it was seeing the MAME marquee in an arcade that just seemed weird. I guess it would be a little like a sign that says mp3 Jukebox on an illegal jukebox. It just seemed kinda funny to basically advertise that it's pirated games.

[Dannymh]

Is it illegal only if they charge for it, or to just have it "not for home use"?

I mean is it that different to say having one in my home and allowing my clients to play it whilst they wait (i work for home) but allowing them to play it for free?

[WhereEaglesDare]

I pretty sure its the same as vending a counterfeit item, its all copyrighted and stuff, but that is an interesting question.  Of course if its at a theater then it is probably 1.00 per credit