My first MAME 'cabinet'

[RTj]

Hi all!

I was quite dubious of posting photo's of my 'cabinet' especially after seeing some of the excellent designs and ideas you folks have come up with. My design seems a bit lame now... but, i'm so proud of it I thought i'd post some photo's of it anyway... 

Before the images, the story:
Didn't have room for a full arcade cabinet in my bedroom so had to be a bit more inventive. Infact, even if i'd had the space I doubt i'd have been able to get it up the stairs anyhoo. So... think... think... what can fit into a bedroom and hold MAME?...

Hmm...   

Ah HA! I know... a wardrobe! 


Add a sliding shelf for a control panel...


Chop the doors and hide the computer from the player....


Wire up controls, install MAME, add MAMEwah and voila!


 

If anyone's interested in knowing what I did in more detail then feel free to visit my MAME Cabinet page. Through time i'd like to add some other emulators. Maybe a Megadrive/SNES emulator. Hell, maybe even an ST/Amiga emulator too! 

Please, be thoughtful with your comments, she's my pride and joy at the moment!   

[CJK]

Cool cabinet! It's like a stealth cab! 

The great thing about this hobby is that there are SO many ways to enjoy old video games: I love seeing approaches that differ from the usual conversion or replica arcade cab.

I like your sliding CP -- how do you prevent it moving when playing the games? Is there some sort of a mechanism to lock it in the "pulled out" position?

-- Chris

[Clonedsheep]

Great way to be inventive. Gives it a bit of an upperclass look to it. Now you just need to vacuum.

[RTj]

@ CJK : The sliding CP holds still due to the person leaning on it. Although I need to strengthen the sides of the cabinet coz leaning on it too much can start to push the shelf off the rails. Easily fixed...

@ Clonedsheep : Vacuum? VACUUM! No way! I have MAME running... i'm busy!! 

[Stobe]

I've thought of doing the same thing with a armoir (sp?).

Here's a couple ideas (you can take or leave) I came up with by looking at your pictures.

1.  You could 'bezel' up your monitor with either plain bezel, or art/instruction type bezel.

2.  On the shelf above your monitor (I'm guessing you have speakers up there?)  You could frame a marquee with a florescent light behind it.

Those things may take away from the "class" that has been described, but it will get it closer to a real cab.

(plus, who has a marquee in their wardrobe?  It would be unique!)

Anyhow, it looks great.  More importantly, it looks FUN!

-Stobe

[RTj]

What I might add is some neon 'string'. You know the flexible lit cable that gives a nice glow in your computer case? Might put that on the back inside of the wardrobe. Although i think that might be a distraction while playing... hmm   

With all the MAME/MP3 progs out there I might upgrade the speakers, drill some pinholes on the upper of the wardrobe, point the speakers to the outer sides and use it as a jukebox too...      (the pinholes allowing the sound out of the wardrobe even when the doors are closed). Need to find a decent MP3 playing prog that will allow key mapping to let me choose songs with the joystick(s)... hmm...    any recommendations?     I tried a few progs but some either don't allow key mapping or look right ugly     Time like this i wish i could program...   

I feel like a mad scientist...      

Anyway, thanks for the kind words and ideas folks, I appreciate you taking the time to look at it and give feedback.   

[Stobe]

If you go to the Audio/Jukebox/MP3 board here, there is a sticky listing all the jukebox programs out there.  A lot of them allow key mapping and joystick control.

-Stobe