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Kind of Overwhelmed and Unsure of Where to Begin an Arcade Project

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Donkbaca:


--- Quote ---If you decide that you want a cabinet, an X-Arcade typically isn't a good place to start, as Donkbaca may now be realizing.
--- End quote ---

I find this insulting.  I am doing just fine with using an x-arcade as my start. Got many good years out if it and it now lives on as the guts to my new CP.  Even if I didn't decide to gut the thing I could have sold it on e-bay and gotten just about what I put into it.  Sure the x-arcade encoder is a little different since it doesn't have a common ground, and the wires are a little short, but extending wires isn't at all difficult, and the encoder works just fine.

There is nothing wrong with an x-arcade.  The kid is 18, he doesn't have fond memories of the wonders of leaf switch buttons and joysticks that people on this forum go nuts over.  The arcade cabs in his memory are more likely Neo geo multi slots, dynamo cabs and crappy conversions on beat up old cabs.  Most, scratch that ALL of my friends that aren't hard core arcade nerds think the x-arcade is great. 

Going cheap is pretty much near impossible.  Unless you have a free pc, a free monitor and a free cab, and already have all the tools, its pretty hard to keep a 2 player build under 200 bucks unless you get really lucky.  Add up the minimum cost, people always leave stuff out, because they have stuff laying around.    The kid is 18, he probably doesn't have a woodshop at his disposal.

Look I don't want to be negative, and if you really want to build a cab, I am all for it, but lets not pretend like its something that will be cheap and easy.  Maybe this kids situation is different than that of mine and my friends, but anything over 200 -300 bucks is a lot of money to a kid that age, and he could invest in an x-arcade off ebay, and a external hard drive and try out everything.  If he really digs it, he can either gut the x-arcade or resell it for probably what he put in for it, plus or minus 20 bucks.  He could plug his external right in to his dedicated cab and use it, or transfer it all over.

If he decides it isn't worth it to build a cab, he can still play his games.

If he decides its a passing fad, and not as cool as he thought, he can ebay the x-arcade as mentioned and either keep the external hd, they are always useful to have around, or wipe and ebay that too.

To me that makes a lot more sense then buying a cab, dumping a bunch of money and then potentially being stuck with a cab that there is no way he will be able to make his money back on. 

Not to mention the opportunity cost of that money.



CheffoJeffo:


--- Quote from: Donkbaca on March 29, 2011, 01:22:10 pm ---
--- Quote ---If you decide that you want a cabinet, an X-Arcade typically isn't a good place to start, as Donkbaca may now be realizing.
--- End quote ---

I find this insulting. 
--- End quote ---

Fair enough, but it isn't as if I making this stuff up.


--- Quote from: Donkbaca on March 29, 2011, 01:22:10 pm ---Going cheap is pretty much near impossible.  Unless you have a free pc, a free monitor and a free cab, and already have all the tools, its pretty hard to keep a 2 player build under 200 bucks unless you get really lucky.  Add up the minimum cost, people always leave stuff out, because they have stuff laying around.    The kid is 18, he probably doesn't have a woodshop at his disposal.

--- End quote ---

I find this ignorant.

My last MAME cab cost me less than $100 to get up and running. My last desktop CP cost me less than $50, including encoder and a shiny NOS Wico stick.

How much was that X-Arcade again ?

Again, best advice is to read the damned book.

Donkbaca:

Right, but you are an old man with a house and tools who has built lots of stuff in the past, not a 18 year old kid with presumably no tools and zero woodworking experience.  If he has to buy a router, that's at least 100 bucks right there, and its not like me who thinks "well its an investment for other projects"  Most 18 year olds have no need for a router.

Please detail the costs of this 50 bucks.  How much did you pay for sticks?  Buttons? Encoder? T-molding? CP Overlay/paint? wood? Wiring/screws/misc?

I am guessing it was probably so cheap because you had some of this stuff laying around.  Its always cheaper and easier to build your nth project than it is your first when you have nothing and you have to get EVERYTHING. 

Am I saying it CAN'T be done cheaply and well?  No, but I'll bet there are a lot more people on this board that spent WAY more than they thought on their FIRST build then those who spent only 100 bucks in total.

+1 on buying the book

I'd suggest making a spreadsheet to see how much you would need to spend, a lot of little things, like screw, drill bits, router bits, wiring, those type of things add up to more than you would think.

Like I said, I am not trying to say I know everything, or that he shouldn't build the cab, I am just trying to give perspective.  I am not going to pretend like, "oh hey, no problem, just shake the change out of your couch and spend a weekend with a six pack of beer and a buddy and you will have an awesome cab."  Because, generally, it doesn't work out that way... ever.

CapriRS302:

Now now gentlemen.....    >:D

It is expensive though, and almost everyone here went over budget I'm sure.

CheffoJeffo:

Get offa my lawn.  ;D

If he gets a proper donor cab, WTF would he need a router ?

I have a router, but haven't used it on a cab project in years.

Again, with some patience and armed with even a modicum of knowledge, this stuff can be done on virtually any budget.

It *is* very easy to underestimate costs on a build, but if you shop wisely, pay attention, reuse parts of donor cabs, get computers and monitors for free and simply borrow any basic tools that you may need, you can actually build cabs for practically free. Reusing stuff from donor cabs is a great place to save money -- to start reuse the sticks and buttons, then as you learn more about your preferences and save some cash, buy shiny new stuff. I have helped a few folks build cabs this way.


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