How many use mame to make replica cabs??

[the3eyedblindman]

Now that I am almost done with the 4 player that can play all the mame games, console emulators, etc, I was thinking about getting an older pc and just having it run 1 mame game. Then making a replica cab. Basically instead of having a pcb, I would just use mame to run the 1 game. How many of you have done this, any pictures?

[M3talhead]

To be honest, it'd probably be cheaper to find a working PCB on eBay or one of the newsgroups depending on the rarity of the game.

[the3eyedblindman]

I have an old one layin around, and I dont want another multiple arcade machine, I would rather have a dedicated cab.

[NoOne=NBA=]

Here's something you may find of interest regarding this.

Arcade Machine on a Disk Website

Their goal is to get as many games as possible into the single game bootable floppy format.
That should require minimal ram, minimal CPU, and no hard drive.

[AlanS17]

That's a great idea, but the first thing I would do is transfer it to a CD and boot it from a cd-rom drive. Diskettes have a limited number of read/writes before they go byebye, but optical discs can last indefinitely if they're taken care of.

[Q*Bert_OP]

My Pac Man runs just pac man games(pac man, Ms.pac,jr. Pac, Super pac)

[RayB]

I was thinking about this the other day, and really, a used PCB is usually the same or cheaper than the equivalent PC + JPAC setup.

The advantage is playing more than one game.

[NoOne=NBA=]

That's a great idea, but the first thing I would do is transfer it to a CD and boot it from a cd-rom drive. Diskettes have a limited number of read/writes before they go byebye, but optical discs can last indefinitely if they're taken care of.

That is assuming that the computer/BIOS/OS you use will actually BOOT from a CD though.
I've run into alot of older PC's that won't.

[AlanS17]

I don't remember the last time I used a PC with an ATX motherboard that couldn't do it.

[grueinthebox]

By the time you factor in the cost of building the replica cabinet, it would probably be cheaper to buy a dedicated machine.  All the little bits add up.

[ArcadeMaze]

Believe it or not, I almost went this route with my Battlezone.

[Gamecab]

I decided to buy an IDE to Compact Flash adapter ($9 on ebay) and fill the CF with Freedos, some games and a dos gaming front end.  The best part is that from power up to front end menu is 3 seconds.  I forgot how simple the dos days were....
 
I had a few CF's laying around from my old digital camera that were collecting dust so I decided to give them a second life.

Thanks
Charlie

[Nannuu]

I just recently got a stripped Star Wars I plan on putting just SW 1, 2 and 3 on.

[AlanS17]

I decided to buy an IDE to Compact Flash adapter ($9 on ebay) and fill the CF with Freedos, some games and a dos gaming front end.

[rlemmon]

Hi. I made a robocop

[the3eyedblindman]

http://netbox.home.mindspring.com/spaceinvaders/

This is what I am talking about... just somethin cool like this (only running space invaders tho...) If you only wire the original controls, wire up a coin door, and turn the game on...you have yourself a dedicated cab to others eyes. I have nothing agasint a multiple arcade machine, I am almost done with mine, which is why Im considering this idea. If you have an older pc and monitor laying around, you wouldnt have to spend hardly an money at all. I was thining about making a  mini moonwalker...I just like the game  . You can get the marquee online, but thats it, I need to find the CPO, and sideart.

[AlanS17]

There's nothing about that thing that even resembles a Space Invaders, though. It's hardly a replica.

Now that Robo Cop is a good idea. Build a machine to replicate just 1 game, but then have it play multiple games using the same control set.

[the3eyedblindman]

I know its hardly a replica, but you know what Im talking about...

[daywane]

I am doing a Ms Pac.
on boot up Ms pac starts. hit esc and a menu comes up with vertical 4 way 1 button games menu is up.
but it is a MS pac cab most of the time