MAME vertical cab question

[Bill_S]

I'm thinking about building my next MAME cabinet, this time doing a vertical display, catering it to the old games from the 80's.

My thinking: I've got an old P166 laying around that should run 80's games and I've got a 14" monitor collecting dust I could mount vertically.

What size were the monitors on these old machines?  Will my 14" seem too small?
How many buttons did these machiens have?

I started looking through klov for this info, and it was spotty (ex: pac man gave monitor size, donkey kong didn't.)

[Carsten Carlos]

Most of them featured 19", like Centipede, Donkey Kong, and so on. This is the most common size those days, and so I didn't have to think long of what my cab needs!  

I fear the 14" you have would only be good for a tabletop.

[Brax]

For the most part I think they used 19" monitors.

I use a 19" and I must say, it looks great. It's hard to say if 14" is too small, try it and see for yourself. As an alternative, 19" monitors aren't terribly expensive........

[OSCAR]

What size were the monitors on these old machines?  Will my 14" seem too small?

Depends on the style of cabinet you are building.  Many of the classic mini (cabaret) cabs had 13" vertical monitors.  Donkey Kong, Pac/Ms. Pac, Williams games come to mind.  I think maybe some of the Atari games, too.  I know the Centipede cocktail also used a 13".

A 13" monitor in a full size cab would look rather dinky, though.

[Bill_S]

I don't think I remember mini cabs.  Does anyone have a link showing some examples?
Maybe I'll build one of those. (I'll look at klov again too)

[OSCAR]

You may find some pics of mini's on KLOV, but also try eBay and search for "mini" or "cabaret" in the arcade section.  It seems like there is always a Pac mini up for auction.  A lot of mini's had wood grain sides, if that helps refresh your memory?

[Bill_S]

I found the pac man and donkey kong pics at klov.
I remember the pacman now.  I think I played one of those at a Holiday Inn when we were kids.
I've never seen that donkey kong, though.

This might be just what I need to cure my itch to build something!
(I'm at happs ordering buttons & joystick now)
There's a sale on supers btw!

[Minwah]

How strange - just half an hour ago I had the same nagging idea (I haven't even build my 'main' cab yet).

I have an old 14" Amstrad CPC monitor (CTM644) lying around in my loft, which would be easy to connect up with Andy's new card...and I have a P2 333 doing nothing.

I think a 14" screen would be great in a cabaret style cab.  

[Birdtales]

I bought an old poker cabinet at auction for $10.00 . Put a 15" monitor in it and mamed it. It's a perfect cabinet for my 12 year old son. It's just about the size of a cabaret.

Here it  is before painting sitting next to my full sized cab.

http://www.birdtales.com/gagecab.jpg

[OSCAR]

Nice one, Birdtales.  That cab has a pretty familar shape, but I can't put my finger on it... Somehow it looks Nintendo-ish to me.  

If I was going to build a mini from scratch, I would definitely try to make it in the style of a Robotron.  I think it is one of the best looking mini's ever made.

http://www.phoenixarcade.com/games.htm

[Dave_K.]

http://www.phoenixarcade.com/games.htm

Woah! What the heck is that "Multi Williams" machine!  The bezel, overlay, and monitor glass graphics, and all look quite original!  Was this beast ever really produced? Or is this just a highly detailed custom job?

[Birdtales]

Woah! What the heck is that "Multi Williams" machine!  The bezel, overlay, and monitor glass graphics, and all look quite original!  Was this beast ever really produced? Or is this just a highly detailed custom job?

 They sell on ebay quite often, most go for $1700.00 plus.

[MinerAl]

I always thought it would be fun to make a 3/4 or 5/8 scale fullsize Pac/Galaxian style cabinet with a 13-15" monitor in it.  

I love that shape, but the size of a full scale cabinet might be too much for a little room, and it would be perfect for littler kids to stand, or adults to sit at.  Instead of 66" tall and 24" wide (or whatever), make it more like 50" tall and 18" wide.  Much lighter and more portable.

The narrower control panel would limit the number of controls, but for the vertical classics that's not much of an issue. You could easily fit everything one player needs in 18".

It would essentially be a cabaret sized cab shaped like a full sized cab.  I've seen Neo-Geo kid scale cabinets that are this way.

[OSCAR]

Woah! What the heck is that "Multi Williams" machine!  The bezel, overlay, and monitor glass graphics, and all look quite original!  Was this beast ever really produced? Or is this just a highly detailed custom job?

It's basically a "mod kit" for a Joust or Robotron board designed by Clay Cowgill, www.multigame.com.  Phoenixarcade designed control panels and artwork to compliment the kit.  Do a google search on the RGVAC for multi-williams, and you will get a ton of info about them, they've been pretty hot lately.

[dhansen]

...must resist the urgre to build a mini.....must resist...must re..sist...

Oh what the heck, the first step is admiting you have a problem!

Doug