Final Cabinet Kit-Build Checklist

[mwoody]

I've decided to put together a Slikstik cabinet, either a 27" or 33" (haven't decided).  Below is my final checklist for parts to order; I'd greatly appreciate if anyone who has done this or something similar before could take a look at this and tell me if I'm missing any parts, some of these might not work, or some of these are unnecessary.

Please don't bother to chide me for not building one myself out of an old cabinet.  I fully appreciate the work, talent, and skill that goes into making a "real" MAME box, but I am a gamer, not a carpenter.  Even if I could pull off something more complicated, I would not enjoy it, so this option is the best for my purposes.

Oh, and the links are, for the most part, demonstrative.  I can find cheaper prices than these; they're just there to demonstrate the items to which they link.

Thanks!

PC:
Whatever I can make from combining spare parts with what's cheap at Fry's this weekend - includes keyboard and mouse

SlikStik 27" (or 33") Arcade Cabinet & Quad
http://www.slikstik.com/detail.aspx?ID=54

Wells Gardner D9200 (27" or 33" - haven't decided)
http://www.wellsgardner.com/wellsgardner31....cfm?itemid=691

Smart Strip LCG3
http://www.bitsltd.net/smartstrip/buy.htm

Arcade VGA video card
http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

Speaker amp/subwoofer:
Creative I-Trigue 2.1 3300
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc....-116-120&DEPA=0
(Will these work properly with 4 ohm speakers?  I can't find an impedance rating.  Bart seems to think so.)

Speakers (x2):
Blaupunkt TSx542
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-mKjbJ3OOOt8/c...1&avf=N&search=
(OK that these are unshielded?)
w/wire:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-mKjbJ3OOOt8/c...1&avf=N&search=
(Real newb question: should I get the version with the connectors already on them?)

Marquee lighting:
http://www.happcontrols.com/lighting/49100100.htm
(Will this properly fit both the 27" and the 33" installations?)

[RayB]

You can get much cheaper florescent light fixtures (with bulb) at Walmart or discount/surplus stores.

[Wizard of DelRay]

Please don't bother to chide me for not building one myself out of an old cabinet.  I fully appreciate the work, talent, and skill that goes into making a "real" MAME box, but I am a gamer, not a carpenter.  Even if I could pull off something more complicated, I would not enjoy it, so this option is the best for my purposes.

Seems like you're expecting a barrage of posts getting ready to rip you for buying.  I say whatever suits you, as long as you're happy.

I was even like you at first.  I purchased an ArcadeDepot cocktail kit (great company) but after putting it together I was disappointed.  I knew that I would be happier with a cab that I built and if I had more confidence from the beginning then I wouldn't have wasted $400 (the kit went out with the trash recently).

That being said, the SlikStik cabinets do seem kinda nice, but I just think most people would rather try their hand at building one (or more if necessary) then paying $1500 or more for what's essentially an empty cabinet.

Don't think I'm slamming you, cause I'm not.  Just letting you know that I was once where you are.  Good luck on your cab!

[DougHillman]

First off, if you really know you wouldn't enjoy building a cab from scratch then no one should have any room to criticize you.  I think many of us here feel that even doing an unenjoyable task would far more than make up for the TON of $$$ you'd save, but everyone has to price their own time & such.

I know you said you're likely to get stuff cheaper, so I thought I'd throw out a few options.  Check out www.tigerdirect.com if you're buying parts to assemble your own PC.  WAY cheaper than Fry's.   There's also a thead floating around that offers a cheaper alternative to the SmartStrip.  Essentially it's a SmartPlug that you can then plug a regular strip into.   No reason that a decent computer speaker setup wouldn't be appropriate as well.  Don't really need to buy separates.

[bdsjake]

hey, I have the exact same creative sound system and blaupunkt speakers.  Sound fine together to me (but them I'm not really an audiophile).  Small tip, don't just cut the wires to the creative speakers, I opened them up first and then cut as close to the small speaker as possible, I was able to identify the positive wire, had a red mark on it and made hook up to the car speakers easy.  Not shielded but I don't notice any intereference with my monitor, here's my cab:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=25045

[GGKoul]

You must have a bunch of disposible income.

[rjarcade]

Wizard of DelRay,

What was it you didn't like about the Arcade Depot cocktail kit?  I have been doing the old build/buy trade study. . .

[Wizard of DelRay]

Wizard of DelRay,

What was it you didn't like about the Arcade Depot cocktail kit?  I have been doing the old build/buy trade study. . .

Sent you a PM, but basically it was just the fact that I had bought a kit and doubted myself that kept bugging me.  Working on two projects now has me feeling great that I'm doing it and not letting someone else do it for me.

[Hoagie_one]

was the kit quality good though?

[Wizard of DelRay]

There were some spots that were so-so, like where the control panels mount.  And the dowel system was misaligned on one side, which made everything misaligned, but it's an adequate kit.  I don't want to bash ArcadeDepot because Scott was great to deal with and if a person is dead-set on buying a kit then I would say go with ArcadeDepot.  I just don't think that buying is better, or even necessary, over building.

[DYNAGOD]

I gotta say,33" might be a bit much..
 i have a 29" monitor...and its almost too big..
99.9% of the games you will be playing were never meant to be played on anything that big..a 33" monitor is going to show alot of imperfection and give it an almost broken up look.
i dont think you will appreciate the look.the tighter dot pitch of a smaller monitor is definetly more appealing,more vivid and truer to the original intent of the game designer.
but thats just my opinion..
i was playing with my 29" monitor just today at lunch, and i wished i had gotten a cab with a slightly smaller monitor..

[Buddabing]

SlikStik 27" (or 33") Arcade Cabinet & Quad
http://www.slikstik.com/detail.aspx?ID=54

Wells Gardner D9200 (27" or 33" - haven't decided)
http://www.wellsgardner.com/wellsgardner31....cfm?itemid=691

I personally would go with the CO2 rather than the Quad on a 27" cab. I saw a picture someone posted with a 27" cab and a Quad and the Quad looked too big for the cab. The CO2 has a couple of other advantages, too, and you can still play 4 players with well-chosen button placements.

Also, you might check Retroblast for a review of a monitor he likes better than the WG9200.

Please post back on what you decide and your experiences with the SS cab.

[RayB]

When deciding on monitor size, also consider that games were designed so you could "take in" all of the screen and react accordingly. If your screen is so large that you find yourself actually turning your head to look at various parts of the screen, then your game playing will suffer because you won't be reacting to stuff the way you would if you could see it all.

~Ray B.