2 player control panel size? (Neo Geo Bartop?)

[kb84]

Hey guys- I am nearly finished building my donkey kong themed bartop and am in the planning stages of what I would like to do next. I really want to build another bartop strictly for Neo Geo titles with a 2 player control panel. I would love to build an upright but I just don't think I have the room for it. I have seen some of the "low boy" builds- how much smaller are these?

I know a bartop might be a bit tight for a 2 player setup but I am looking for some insights on width dimensions of what you think would be workable. I am looking at probably a 17" 4:3 monitor for this however at this time I haven't acquired anything yet.

Any help would be appreciated.

[jameth]

Heya, if its any help my bartop’s control panel is about 18” in width - I spent a while debating if I could squeeze a 2 player 6 button setup in there but I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t haha, and even if I could there would be far too much shoulder rub, so I definitely recommend a larger CP width than that, even for four buttons. What's your plan for the neo-geo button layout? I imagine the traditional curved line would take up a bit more width than a snes-style layout (like on the Wee-cade http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=83366.0)

Here are a few options I can think of:

• Make a fairly wide bartop. At a guess I’d say you’d need at least 20” and even then you’ll probably still be rubbing shoulders, unless you angle the joysticks perhaps. Also a 17” monitor may start to look too small compared to the rest of the cabinet (IMHO bartops look better with as small a monitor bezel as possible)
• Make the control panel wider than the rest of the bartop (there are some great looking examples on this forum)
• Make the second player’s control panel removeable/modular in some way? Or something wacky?!

[apfelanni]

my current project is a conversion of a damaged 2 player upright universal into a small neogeo lowboy cabinet. the panel wide is 48,5 cm ( around 19 inch ) + 18 mm ( 3/4 inch ) each side. its housing a 20 inch crt ( a 20 inch 4:3 lcd would also perfectly fit in ) . i think this is as small u can go with reasonable 2 p gaming. u should consider taking a 20 inch dell or hp instead of a 17 inch whatever brand ( with mame filter the neogeo games will look ok ) . 2 p neogeo gaming on 17 inch is no fun , id say 18-19 inch minimum . otherwise it could end in a decorative nice looking something , but u wont enjoy it . if u decide to try the 2p version then take ur time with the panel layout part, it will be tricky .   

the pics show a similar 19 inch wide sourcecab in the back and the raw outcome after chopping . in the end it will be a small sitdown lowboy . i havnt decided bout the panel layout yet.

[lettuce]

Really like the design of that cut down neo-geo lowboy, do you have plans that that at all?

[macattack]

Yeah really cool, some plans would be sweet.