Dedicated Space Invaders Cabinet - What hardware should I use?

[chablis97]

I recently purchase a Clone Space Invaders Cocktail Cabinet by a Company called Jatre.  The cabinet is c1980 and ran a cone of SI called Jatre Specter.  Anyway, I was hoping to restore it to its former glory, but the unique hardware and lack of replacement parts probably means I will have to empty the cabinet and start from scratch.

PC Hardware for a full MAME based machine is probably over the top, as I only want to run Space Invaders on this unit (I already have a full MAME based machine).

What other hardware/software platforms have been used to just run Space Invaders (or similar) on?  Am I better off sticking with basic PC based hardware (eg, 486/Pentium 1) and a M$ Windows based MAME,  or maybe a DOS based emulator?  I understand sound can be difficult to set up correctly with DOS emulators.

What hardware/software are others using for single game machines? Any feedback on DOS emulators?

[SirPeale]

For that?  Use VAntAGE.  Will run that on a 486 just fine.

[garyh]

Yep,  VAntAGE is the way to go. I'm currently building a dedicated Galaxians bartop that I wanted to be as cheap and simple as possible. PC is a Pentium 200Mhz with 64Mb RAM 'cause that is what I had lying around. I'm using an ISA slot  Soundblaster  with built-in amplifier to avoid the need for an external amplifier and the whole thing will boot and run off a 64Mb CompactFlash card in a CF-IDE adaptor card using DOS 6.22 so there is no need for a hard disk.

[chablis97]

OK, looks like I need to get up to speed with VantAGE.  I have an old P200 (I think) lying around, so I'll use that.  I presume there is no keyboard emulator around to suit and I need to hack a keyboard? 

Anyone had any experience with different soundcards working/not working with VantAGE?

Do I need a DOS soundcard driver for my soundcard?  I presume it depends on the sound card I have? 

[bloodyviking77]

I presume there is no keyboard emulator around to suit and I need to hack a keyboard?

No need to hack a keyboard (unless you want to). There are AT-PS2 adapters that will let you plug an IPAC/Keywiz/whatever into any PC with the old-style AT keyboard port.

Do I need a DOS soundcard driver for my soundcard?  I presume it depends on the sound card I have? 

If you find an old soundblaster you won't need any drivers. An old ISA SB16 or AWE32  is ideal, just needs the "SET BLASTER" string in your autoexec.bat.

 Go to http://www.mameworld.net/dosmame/ for more info.

[SteveJ34]

....

If you find an old soundblaster you won't need any drivers. An old ISA SB16 or AWE32  is ideal, just needs the "SET BLASTER" string in your autoexec.bat.

....

And should you need an old ISA SB16, I'm sure I have 1 or more of these that you or others are welcome to have for cost of postage.....

[chablis97]

Thanks for all the help guys.  Steve334, I'm in Australia, I assume you are in the US?