TESTED build an arcade cabinet

[meyer980]

Not sure if anyone follows the site tested.com but it's great for tech review, podcasts, 3d printing and lots of other cool stuff. They've decided to build a MAME cab and it sure seems like they've done their research. It's going to be a multi-video series...looks like it'll be fun to watch.

http://www.tested.com/art/makers/463888-tested-projects-building-custom-arcade-cabinet-part-1/

[Generic Eric]

Should be neat to watch a cocktail cabinet get the Tested.com treatment.  They are all about videos and options and talking about options.    It'll be interesting to find out how different the tested.com cabinet is than the maximumpc.com one.

[yotsuya]

An oversize 4 player cocktail? Enh. I'll pass. But you guys enjoy! 

[BadMouth]

I saw that on my youtube feed this morning. 

When the guy started talking about forums I was expecting him to go into how the members there are all elitist ---daisies---, but instead he said most of the examples were bad pictures from circa 2002.  It made me wonder if he even came across BYOAC.  How can you search for info on a cab build and not come across BYOAC and its hall of fame builds! 

[Generic Eric]

Why complain about 12 year photos emulating something 30 years old?

[BadMouth]

Why complain about 12 year photos emulating something 30 years old?

It was probably the blue lightning graphics. 

[yotsuya]

I saw that on my youtube feed this morning. 

When the guy started talking about forums I was expecting him to go into how the members there are all elitist ---daisies---, but instead he said most of the examples were bad pictures from circa 2002.  It made me wonder if he even came across BYOAC.  How can you search for info on a cab build and not come across BYOAC and its hall of fame builds! 

Yeah, that kind of rankled me, too. Especially when he mentioned there were NO good vendors out there besides whoever got trashed by Sandy. HaRuMaN, Rick, and eBarlow all put out quality products.

[meyer980]

You guys are right about the forum stuff. In their defense, in a follow up article they link to BYOAC and the wiki. http://www.tested.com/art/makers/463926-designing-cocktail-arcade-cabinet-sketchup/

I'm sure they came across the forum, but it's not surprising they didn't find a lot of what we'd consider "good" vendors. Unless you spend a good chunk of time browsing through threads you probably won't realize who's who and all the great resources. And for the specific thing they were looking for - exact blueprints for a 4-player cocktail - it's not too common.

I'm just excited for the videos more than anything. Great video documentation of people building this stuff is good for everybody.

[Typefighter01]

I didn't mind that...guy on the left seemed to have his head wrapped around whats, what. As long as I don't have to listen to Adam Savages obnoxious laugh and tell me for the thousandth time it is the coolest thing he has ever seen, its all good.

[PL1]

You guys are right about the forum stuff. In their defense, in a follow up article they link to BYOAC and the wiki. http://www.tested.com/art/makers/463926-designing-cocktail-arcade-cabinet-sketchup/

They linked to the old main page and the old wiki.


Scott

[Generic Eric]

As cool as tested is they operate in California which among other things has maker fairs, tech shops.  The Internet has me thinking these shops are everywhere.

Also tested was big into makerbots, which to me explains there expectations for detailed plans.

I like tested.  I'm looking forward to the video series. 

[IAmDotorg]

An oversize 4 player cocktail? Enh. I'll pass. But you guys enjoy! 

That's what I'm building. My reasons aren't for 4-player (its actually a pretty ---smurfy--- way to play 4-player games because the people on the end of the table have a sideways view of the screen), but because it gives you a natural way to play two player horizontal games, as well as vertical games by just sitting in a different spot. It also blends into a room better than an upright.

That said, some games actually work well 4-player. Gauntlet, for example, because you can rotate the up/down/left/right on the table ends to make left go down, right go up, etc ... so the movement on the screen matches the stick movement.

So it entirely depends on what someone wants out of a cab, but IMO there's a reason 4-player cocktail designs are so popular outside the US.

[BadMouth]

Anyone else been watching the videos?

They couldn't have done much homework.
They show a close up of a .187 QD terminal connected to a Japanese button (which use .110) "to show how it's done".

I like to see people jump right in and build as a learning experience if they can afford it.
When you are presenting something to others as informative though, do more than an hour of research.


 

[Rick]

Yeah, that kind of rankled me, too. Especially when he mentioned there were NO good vendors out there besides whoever got trashed by Sandy. HaRuMaN, Rick, and eBarlow all put out quality products.

I love you, man.



I love that we can rib one another - usually in our own vendor threads! - and then, every so often I'll venture into a thread I wouldn't normally read, and see some positive call-out from Yots or others, with no prior provocation nor inspiration... That is simply great to see - and likely something an outsider doing his 'research' won't get on the first pass through.

[yotsuya]

Yeah, that kind of rankled me, too. Especially when he mentioned there were NO good vendors out there besides whoever got trashed by Sandy. HaRuMaN, Rick, and eBarlow all put out quality products.

I love you, man.

You forgot the #NOHOMO bro. 

I love that we can rib one another - usually in our own vendor threads! - and then, every so often I'll venture into a thread I wouldn't normally read, and see some positive call-out from Yots or others, with no prior provocation nor inspiration... That is simply great to see - and likely something an outsider doing his 'research' won't get on the first pass through.

Yeah, I think our vendors here, especially the ones offering CNC and  arcade products, all have good ideas, products, and intentions. They're much better than a DreamHomeArcades or MAMERoom who push out cookie cutter items. I know if I needed something custom, I could go to a HaRuMaN or Rick and work with them to customize stuff without getting gouged on it.

[Rick]

You forgot the #NOHOMO bro. 

No I didn't.

They're much better than a DreamHomeArcades or MAMERoom who push out cookie cutter items. I know if I needed something custom, I could go to a HaRuMaN or Rick and work with them to customize stuff without getting gouged on it.

I think that's the major difference - you don't see the 'big box' guys interacting with people on a meaningful level. Sure, I'd love to be able to pump out kits all day long, but I'm not planning on reducing the number of 'inspired by' items I have - I want to increase that number! (And once I've got that workshop humming, you can bet this is what is going to happen.)

[IAmDotorg]

I think that's the major difference - you don't see the 'big box' guys interacting with people on a meaningful level. Sure, I'd love to be able to pump out kits all day long, but I'm not planning on reducing the number of 'inspired by' items I have - I want to increase that number! (And once I've got that workshop humming, you can bet this is what is going to happen.)

I'm not sure I'd even assume they're any bigger than the "smaller" guys. I think they just have better search engine optimization and are easier to find.

If you go looking for arcade cabinets, NorthCoast Customs comes up, not Haruman's. I think they've done something better with their web presence that makes them seem de-facto bigger.

[Rick]

I'm not sure I'd even assume they're any bigger than the "smaller" guys. I think they just have better search engine optimization and are easier to find. If you go looking for arcade cabinets, NorthCoast Customs comes up, not Haruman's. I think they've done something better with their web presence that makes them seem de-facto bigger.

You are definitely correct. Their SEO is definitely better tuned for the search engines to find. When I ran my last company, I was able to tune my SEO efficiently enough, that the competition - that had a similar web presence for 10+ years prior to my arrival - were ranked beneath me in a simple search. (The only reason I haven't recreated this success is I have a "thing" about directing people towards my website when it presently is still 'under construction'. I simply won't do it until I'm ready.)

[HaRuMaN]

Try searching bartop kits.  I know results are tailored, but my site shows up #1 for me.   

[Rick]

Try searching bartop kits.  I know results are tailored, but my site shows up #1 for me.   

It does for me as well! /fistbump

AND, if you add the word "Canada" to the ole "Bartop Kits" search, I show up in the top THREE links.

[IAmDotorg]

Try searching bartop kits.  I know results are tailored, but my site shows up #1 for me.   

You may search for yourself a lot -- rankings vary by your interests, too.

On Bing, searching for "bartop kits", your first mention is on page 2, and its your thread on here, not your site!  NorthCoast actually comes up before you. "bartop mame" I went four pages down and saw no mention of you. Lots of competitors!

In fact, other people pointing me at you on Reddit is the only reason I had ever heard of you or your company after months of research. And I don't get the impression that the companies that did come up are any bigger. And I'm glad I did find you, because I got exactly what I was looking for!

[HaRuMaN]

Well thanks man!   

I guess I should do some research on that then.  I'm fairly clueless when it comes to SEO and all that. 

[yotsuya]

Those guys have been around a lot longer, too, so I'm sure that helps with mentions and everything.