Cabinet Style/Size Opinions for the home

[mann0mann]

Here's where I'm at - I've built two cabinets so far.  One was a 2 player cocktail bartop based around 21" IPS Monitor and the other being a bartop mini virtual pinball cabinet based around an ipad.  In both cases, once the projects were completed they ended up being items that just didn't work out for myself our family and home..the Cocktail bartop ended up being just alot bigger than I expected....it was huge actually and really was not as portable as I had hoped.  The ipad pinball cabinet, I just never used.   Both though felt a little clunky to move around, I never really had a great place to set them and play them in the house.  I don't have a dedicated arcade room and they were kinda always in the way (kitchen table, coffee table, etc). 

I'm ready to pull the trigger on my next project, but I just don't know what direction I want to go.  I'm going to build something around an original xbox console running CoinOPs/Visionary.  I've completed all the work on the console, I'm ready to go place my order for components, etc...I just have to *decide* what I want to put it all in.

I really don't want to take on a big woodworking project, so I'm thinking of these scenarios

         a.) Buy a single player bartop flatpack from one of our great vendors here, go like a 19" LCD

         b.) Buy a two player bartop flatpack, go with a like a 21" widescreen TV (makes it easier to hookup xbox).

         c.) Build a VigoLix style cabinet and then do I go stock size (which is like a mini sit down) or scale the plans up to a full-size

         d.) Find a full-size cabinet and convert

Here's my thoughts.  I've built two "bartops" essentially and they didn't work out.  That worries me.  I do like the idea of a bartop over a big cabinet, but will I just be in the same position when I'm done?  This makes me lean towards the single player bartop if anything since it would be smaller and lighter.  However, my kids and I really enjoyed playing together and I think that is a big part of the fun....a very helpful member here suggested that I could allow a 2nd player on a single player cabinet by just including a wireless controller hookup on the xbox, which I did think was a smart idea.

I also think that these might just end up in the garage, it is the place where I do have more room   So I wonder if a larger cabinet makes more sense.  Something to stand at or use a stool?

I go around and around when I think about it.   

I'm curious how do you guys feel about your bartops?  Do they get more or less use than other style cabs in your collections.  Any thoughts to the pickle that I am in?  Advice or direction you could give?

I know this is a very all very subjective and I'm sure I'll get 10 responses and all be different.  Which is ok.  I'm just looking for some input and perspective from guys who actually own different cabs and have the experience. 

Thanks for staying with me and reading...

-Mike

[EMDB]

I am creating a full size cabinet but due to the wife I kept it "small". It's not that high (1.67m, 66") and deep (60 cm, 24") but still feels good to play.



The design is based on Project MAME by Rasmus Kønig Sørensen:

[yotsuya]

Go with the two player bartop. Neither of your previous experiences was with a traditional bartop, so don't let that color your thinking.

[JDFan]

What games do you plan on playing on it ?? -- with it being an Xbox based system if playing console games you may want to instead go with a barstick type controller that connects to a TV so that you could place it on a coffee table in front of the TV to play as console games are really designed to play sitting down rather than standing up for hours. Also since the barstick doesn't have a monitor in it they are much easier to move around the house and put away when not in use.

With Bartops esp. 2 player setups you pretty much need to have the space available to place them just like you would for a full size cab as they are not exactly portable once assembled (sure you can move them but it isn't something you'd want to have to move everytime you want to play and then move again when finished - so best to have a dedicated place for them.)
 

[yotsuya]

What games do you plan on playing on it ?? -- with it being an Xbox based system if playing console games you may want to instead go with a barstick type controller that connects to a TV so that you could place it on a coffee table in front of the TV to play as console games are really designed to play sitting down rather than standing up for hours. Also since the barstick doesn't have a monitor in it they are much easier to move around the house and put away when not in use.

With Bartops esp. 2 player setups you pretty much need to have the space available to place them just like you would for a full size cab as they are not exactly portable once assembled (sure you can move them but it isn't something you'd want to have to move everytime you want to play and then move again when finished - so best to have a dedicated place for them.)

JDFan raises good points. My preference is full-size all the time (and not modified skinny or slim cabs but FULL-SIZE), but I know you were thinking bartop. If the goal is to play with kids and have it self-contained, bartop is what has worked for my extended family.

[jdbailey1206]

Mike,

First I would take into consideration where you are going to end up putting your cab.  My first build was a weecade with a 17" monitor that I find is not that intrusive.  Even my Nintendo cab is not that big for a full sized cabinet.  If you are going to ultimately going to put your cab in your garage it would be conducive to build a full size so that as you say everyone can enjoy it.  Even if you do a small bartop with just one controller you still can't lose.  I can't remember how many times I was at the arcade when I was younger and we crowded around the single player games.  It didn't really matter that there was only one controller.  As long as I was watching my friend or friends play the game I felt like I was playing right along side them.

In the end I would say it comes down to location as I have stated.  If it's inside go with a bartop.  Outside you can go with a larger full size cab.  And even if you don't want to take the time with a full size like you have said there are many bartops that can accommodate two players.  It just make jostling that much more fun with less space.   

One last question I had to was why are considering another 21"   bartop when it didn't work out that well for you?  Like I have stated I have a 17" bartop and it works out just fine.  As you know the closer you are to the screen the less you lose in seeing the overall visual making a larger screen close to useless.

[JDFan]

One last question I had to was why are considering another 21"   bartop when it didn't work out that well for you?  Like I have stated I have a 17" bartop and it works out just fine.  As you know the closer you are to the screen the less you lose in seeing the overall visual making a larger screen close to useless.

Or even go with a 15" monitor so you can keep the size down if Space is at a premium - I used another members bartop build plans modified a bit and downsized to about 75% scale to use a smaller footprint since I was using an old 15" monitor I had laying around and it came out fine (overall dimensions are 16" deep x 17" wide x 23" tall ) - It was made using 1\2 MDF so is still fairly heavy to move around but can be moved by one person if needed and as mentioned when sitting that close to it the size is fine.

[chopperthedog]

Bartops and slim cabs make me wanna hurt people. Have you thought of a cabaret of some sort?



good day.

[mann0mann]

What games do you plan on playing on it ?? -- with it being an Xbox based system if playing console games you may want to instead go with a barstick type controller that connects to a TV so that you could place it on a coffee table in front of the TV to play as console games are really designed to play sitting down rather than standing up for hours. Also since the barstick doesn't have a monitor in it they are much easier to move around the house and put away when not in use.

With Bartops esp. 2 player setups you pretty much need to have the space available to place them just like you would for a full size cab as they are not exactly portable once assembled (sure you can move them but it isn't something you'd want to have to move everytime you want to play and then move again when finished - so best to have a dedicated place for them.)

The games I would be playing are actually the same as if this was just a basic MAME machine.  The easy way to explain it is, CoinOps is like visual front end for all the emulators that are available for the xbox.  It's setup to boot directly into the software and will launch all the games and emus automatically.  Basically the equivalent of "hyperspin" but for an xbox console.

So my thoughts are this will be playing alot of the vertical classics, some nes/snes/genesis console games and then the usual NeoGeo and Capcom Arcade ports.  The xbox can emulate up to a PS1/N64 fairly decent, but obviously the controls get more challenging with the introduction of analog sticks at that level so I'm really sticking with the generation of games just before that and earlier.

Your comments about a two-player bartop are what worry me.  I've had no time ever playing on a traditional bartop and it seems like that a two player size no matter what would still feel crowded.  And the larger size & weight I feel like contribute to my original issues with my other builds.

jdbaily1206: The only reason I was considering another 21" size is just because I started to talk myself into the 2 player benefits and the upside to the larger size is being able to use a TV in the cabinet instead of a true VGA monitor.  It makes the video connection much easier and IMO looks better visually.  I have one of the component/RGB to VGA converter boards and it looks good, but component directly in looks better.  But honestly, just one of those things where you start weighing the options and it leads you down this path....you're right on though.

Thanks for all the feedback guys.   For those that feel so strongly against bartops and slim cabs, could you elaborate as to why you dislike them so much?  Is it because of how different they play or is it a nostalgic/principal type thing...

[jdbailey1206]

Not to completely throw a wrench in the works but have you considered doing an econ design like the creator of the weecade built not too long ago?    Worth a try.  It's small, one player, and can be hooked directly to your tv.

[yotsuya]

For those that feel so strongly against bartops and slim cabs, could you elaborate as to why you dislike them so much?  Is it because of how different they play or is it a nostalgic/principal type thing...

For me personally, it's a nostalgia thing, but I have no issue with them. Some of them look awesome (KISSCADE, for example), and the bartops I've built have made the recipients very happy. But for my gameroom, if it doesn't look like it came straight from a convenience store, then it's not for me. Personal preference.

[paigeoliver]

The fact is that most games take up roughly about the same amount of space and if it is truly easily portable then it isn't a real arcade game and won't feel like one. This might be why you haven't been satisfied with what you were building before.

A real cabinet is 2' wide and a bit less than 3' deep. From a pure square footage in your home situation it actually takes up less space than the bartop with a pair of stools. Cocktails take up A LOT MORE.

The true amount of space saved by a cabaret is negligible when you are only talking about owning a few machines. They shave off a lot of height, but that just gives you unusable airspace above the top of the cabinet. Some collectors favor them simply because owning a number of them allows you to squeeze in one extra game.

Build or convert a standard classic era style cabinet and give it a two player control panel.  The Williams Defender style cabinet is an easy one to build from scratch if you don't have a junker cabinet available.