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Some questions on building
Centipeed:
Thanks DaveMMR, great help... I am probably going to build a bartop style, but with a base so that it stands... I don't have any available table space in my room, so I really need a standing cabinet...
I think I can manage everything except for the control panel... This is going to stump me... I have no intent of building my own, but ebay won't turn up anything! I need something that can hanle two players (Each with a joystick, 6 buttons and a start button)... I can't find one anywhere because I live in england. Does anyone have any ideas?
EDIT: Actually, I have been thinking... And if I buy a arcade controller meant for a gamecube or playstation 2, and then buy a controller to USB adapter, will MAME recognize the buttons being pressed and be able to use them?
I mean something like this: http://www.webboffins.co.uk/games/gamecube/Logic_3_Arcade_Stick.htm
If I took that arcade controller for the gamecube and plugged it into my USB port through an adapter like this: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/midwestgames/ningamtopcus.html
Then would it work with mame properly? I know it seems a strange way of doing it, but it would really save a lot of trouble for me!
Thanks for the help
Centipeed
paigeoliver:
Buy a Streetfighter 2 panel, populated or unpopulated, england or America, and then make your cabinet to fit that panel. They are on ebay often enough.
Also, your video card doesn't matter one bit for Mame, 2 MB card, or 512 MB card, it will look exactly the same, as Mame is a 2D app (even the 3D games are 2D as far as your video card is concerned), and nothing much has happened in the area of 2D video cards since the early 90s.
SideShow Rob:
In response to some of your questions:
1. The controller.
You can buy an X-Arcade in the UK from:
http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/x-arcadeshop.htm
They are UK based, and they often have items listed as "Buy Now" on UK EBay.
The control panel is okay for starters, and may be all that you need. There is a good review here:
http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/controller3.html
There are a few minus points about the controller - the sticks and the buttons have a "different" feel to them - not quite Arcade...but certainly better than using the keyboard or some hacked console controller. Also, the unit doesn't have much spare room inside, so adding a spinner is difficult, but not impossible; adding a standard gaming trackball is impossible, although someone has hacked a Logitech trackball sucessfully and mounted it inside the X-Arcade unit. If the MAME "classics" are a favourite, the sticks don't do 4 way too well (and adjusting them can be a pain in the ar5e...). 8 way fighter/shooter type games are fine though...
2. The TV.
Argos sell a 20" BPL monitor, for
Centipeed:
I have decided, and I want to build a bartop style cab, just with a stand, so that I wont have to put it on a table or something. Also, although it may not be as good, I am going to buy an old monitor about 13-15" in size, and try and get the cab to be as small as possible...
But on the matter of the control panel.. I really don't have that big a budget, and so I would greatly appreciate any input on the gamecube arcade pad with a USB adapter idea... I read somewhere that those adapters will work fine with things like arcade controllers... but if anyone knows better, please tell me!
Thanks,
Centipeed
RayB:
The answer to question 1 is: Build your own. It's way easier than you think, and cheaper to build it yourself.