First Arcade Build - Have a few Questions

[MDFDisc]

Just recently bought a pretty decent Silver Strike cabinet off Craigslist and gutted the thing out. Monitor and all that are good.
Couple of things I'm getting hung-up on are:
    1. I'm buying a 2-player bundle deal off Ebay with 20-buttons. I'm making a 6-button control pad, but what other buttons would I need? 1-Player/2-Player of course, but after that I'm stumped. I just want to have an idea of the basic ones that are required. Is there one I could create to power-down/power-up windows? And maybe one on each side for flippers for pinball games?

    2. I traced the original power cord in the cabinet to see where they all go, and it seems like it powered the computer, the monitor, the marquee light, and the coin mechanisms area. Could I technically use this power supply still to power the same items, and convert one of the power lines to a regular outlet for an amp or sub w/ speakers? Most setups I've seen have a regular power strip in the bottom of the cabinet. I'm trying to use the original speakers w/ a sub.

    3. Is setting up the front coin mechs to function as a credit with it's triggered a difficult setup and is it even worth having?

    4. Recommendations on what keyboard encoder to get as well as an encoder for the original track ball?



Thanks for the help!!

[Titchgamer]

1) buttons are a personal thing but the ones I would reccomend in addition to your start and play buttons are:
Previous Menu/Back button for use in front ends, Exit button to return to front end, Coin button if you want one but If you are useing a coin mech forget this And maybe use a shift key (see 4).
And yes a external power button to start the PC etc up.
I also have genre and favorite buttons but the choice is yours.
Some people also have mouse buttons.

2) Totally depends on what PSU it is.
Is it the correct voltage and can it produce enough current for what you need.
Check your rating plates.

3) Depends on the coin mech there are many types.
If its just a mech switch type that only accepts one coin you can just wire the switch wires to an encoder as your coin switch.
If its a programable type you will have to program it to your needs, get power to it and again wire it as a coin switch.

4) Has to be the Ultimarc I-pac for me.
Great encoder and is supports so many options including shift keys which allow buttons to take on 2 purposes which is good for service buttons etc.

[cj138]

+1 for the Ipac.  They are great keyboard encoders and you can also hook your trackball to it (latest version).

[mgb]

1) as said, buttons are personal taste.
My preference is for just the needed game buttons, 1 & 2 player start as well as pause and exit.
I prefer to not have a bunch of admin buttons taking away from the arcade feel and look.

2) the power goes through all that but it's not like it's a power supply powering all that.
Easiest way is to have a smart power strip where your pc plugs into the control outlet and your marquee light, monitor and all the rest go to the other outlets, when the pc gets turned on, the other outlets go live and everything else turns on.

3) No one can tell you if coin mecha ate worth it or not, it's for you to decide.
For me, it wasn't worth it to actually use coins so I mounted switches behind the coin rejects so that when pressed, it gives credits. It's a very common way of doing it.
Whether you use that method or actual coin mechs, it's similar for tieing into the system. With coin mechs the coin just hits a switch. Just tie the switch to your encoder