Computer Choices

[bjhille]

A family member has offered to help build a cabinet next month.  I am looking to build an evo clone and will be two inches deeper than the Woody.

As for controls, I was going to follow Knievel's layout with a small tweak.  I will have: player 1, player 2, coin 1, coin 2, 4 admin buttons (emu, list, pause, quit), 2x u360 joysticks, 6x button per joystick (maybe 7 buttons each, but I'm not into fighters so I'm not sure I need it), 2x SpinTrak, 2x buttons for each spinner (I'll use player joystick buttons if I need more than 2 for a game), the u-trak, maybe an admin button to pull up the controls when a game is paused??  All this connecting to an Optipac and iPac2

I have a 21" 4:3 LCD that I intend to use as the display.  So, I only need to run emulators that look right on a 4:3 screen (I'm thinking nothing newer that n64 or Dreamcast). I want to be able to load PC games that work well in a cab which is why I didn't want to mess with a used computer.  It has been awhile since I built a PC (I've become a mac user), so can you please review and let me know your thoughts?  I was thinking about a 600W power supply because I will be driving the marquee LED's, the coin door lights, a possibly a cold air intake fan, off the computer power supply as well.  Then, if I ever add LED buttons, etc...  The only reason I was thinking about a Sound Blaster card is in the DOS days you really wanted a creative sound card for game compatibility.  I assumed that might still be an issue.  Maybe not?

• Sound card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102062
• Power supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048
• Motherboard / Chip: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2342049
• Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA30R2NZ4766
• Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239434

I have been preparing the drive that will go in it on another computer.  I have been reading about the CHD files.  Are there any working CHD that only need a 4:3 monitor or are they all HD games that really need a widescreen?  I'm trying to figure out if it's worth keeping any of the CHD's or only saving a select few...and which few those should be. 

Thanks for the help.  I really look forward to finally start building.

[eds1275]

I'm pretty sure the majority of games that work with mame are square-ish or vertical resolutions, and off the top of my head I can't think of any widescreen CHD games. Although I am using an older version of mame (.129 I think?)

[yotsuya]

I'm pretty sure the majority of games that work with mame are square-ish or vertical resolutions, and off the top of my head I can't think of any widescreen CHD games. Although I am using an older version of mame (.129 I think?)

This. Almost all CHD games are 4:3.