Anyone in Northern NJ That Can Help Me With My Cabinet?

[sunoco]

I was wondering if anyone that is experienced with mame/consoles into an arcade cabinet that can help me out.

I've already purchased a ps2/dc adaptor from a member at neogeo and i'm also getting an avga + jpac for the other cabinet.

I just need help with installing these into my cabinets.  I also need this person to be able to install new buttons as well.

I am definitely willing to pay and we can negotiate the terms.  I just really need some help here.  Thanks.

[urbecrisch]

sunoco, I'm nowhere near NJ however I just want to let you know about 2 months ago I knew ZERO, NADA, NOTHING about arcade cabinets, Mame, encoders, wiring, etc, etc, etc.  I have since then started 2 CABS and learned a hell of alot from the people on this forum and searching the web.  If you have the time (or make the time which most of us do), it's worth installing these things on your own.  If you're confused or just have no start, search the web and/or the WIKI for answers.  You'll be surprised as to what you find.  Also IMO, I think most people here just don't do house calls.  With that being said,  after your initial research for your problem post a detailed question and typically you'll get a good starting response.  It may take a few days to figure things out between replies but it's better than waiting for someone to get back to you about a house call.  Just my 2 cents, but building it yourself is half the fun.  Good luck and welcome.

Cheers!

[sunoco]

Thanks for the comments and i've been getting this question a lot from other forums as well.

The thing is, these cabs cost me a lot (hyper neo geo and a new astro city) and i'm just so nervous messing around with it that i'm willing to pay to get this done.  I've modded an xbox and messed up the soldering.  It was reversible but even still, i had to give it someone else to help with it.  I just can't put myself in that situation.

I've read the installation guide for the jpac and i have no idea what the hell it was saying.  I know i have to learn but i just wanted to pay and then pay close attention while the person installs it.  I just want it done right for my new babies.

If rides are an issue, i can go pick anyone up within an hour radius to just get this done.

[sunoco]

Can anyone help me out?  I'm desperate.

[MameMaster!]

did you buy Saint's book yet (he runs this site by the way)?....you really should. This only seems hard....it's really not.....

http://tinyurl.com/2b6vyp

[Fozzy The Bear]

Can anyone help me out?  I'm desperate.

This forum is called "BUILD YOUR OWN ARCADE CONTROLS" People here will be happy to help "you" to figure out how to do it. If you have specific questions on how to acomplish a specific job then please feel free to ask them.

What people don't like here, is questions like yours where you are asking somebody else to do it for you.

You bought two expensive Cabinets...... Great!! Enjoy them as they are. 

If you don't know how they work then why are you trying to rip them to pieces to turn them into something they were not designed to be.  If you didn't know what you were buying or you were buying something that wasn't what you wanted, why did you buy them.

If you want to modify them, then we will help "you" do that. But you are unlikely to find anyone here, who will do it for you. Especially if you're not even prepared to take the trouble learn how for yourself.  You're looking for too much of a quick fix here. You won't learn anything by having somebody else do it.

As mentioned above, start by buying Saints book and going from there.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[shardian]

What do you mean "install new buttons"? Do you not like the candy cab buttons? If not, then you made the wrong choice in cabinet because those control panels are very shallow and don't have room for standard happ arcade buttons.

Fozzy, chill dude. If the guy is willing to pay someone on here, then more power to him. Obviously the guy is aware he is over his head and just wants help to get to gaming nirvana.

[(+_+)]

As mentioned above, start by buying Saints book and going from there.

Or simply peruse and/or search the forum and ask questions. Save your hard earned money. There are enough FAQs, diagrams and documents about BYOAC'ing to help you out with pretty much anything to do with the hobby. To boot, you'll be self sufficient in the end.

[unclet]

I think he is not interested in spending the time/research to get what he wants.   I have no problem with someone asking whether someone is interested in getting his cab working ..... especially if someone is willing to pay for the effort required.

Some people just want to have an arcade cabinet in their home and do not worry about the money.   They just do not want to spend the time.    Some people on here might help him for free if it did not take that much time and the location was pretty close ..... who knows.

[sunoco]

What do you mean "install new buttons"? Do you not like the candy cab buttons? If not, then you made the wrong choice in cabinet because those control panels are very shallow and don't have room for standard happ arcade buttons.

Fozzy, chill dude. If the guy is willing to pay someone on here, then more power to him. Obviously the guy is aware he is over his head and just wants help to get to gaming nirvana.

Thank you shardian for sticking up for me.  I want to learn but i want to learn while watching someone.  I did have plans to install it myself but just looking at the installation guides on this site, i am just not ready to do it.  I'm more of a watch and follow kind of guy so if i have someone help me out, i'll watch them, ask questions, and learn from there.

As for putting in new buttons and sticks, i bought one that was in bad shape for 500.  The buttons were missing and the sticks were in bad shape.  I bought seimitsu sticks and buttons already from glgaz (great seller btw) and i wanted them replaced.

I did take the time out to clean it inside out and it took me a full week to paint it and clean it.  Might i add i didn't know what i was doing then and completely messed up the paint job.  Fozzy, i totally understand what you are saying and i do take your words to heart, it's just i really want someone to help me, give me pointers, and just help me in the future if i do get more cabinets by learning the right way from the start.

Thanks to all for the suggestions and if i can't find someone (it looks like that's the case), i will use the fine resources and people here to help me out.

Thanks for reading.

[Havok]

I'm probaby a tad too far to help (upstate NY) however, we do have some users in your area - hopefully they'll chime in. Where exactly are you located?

[sunoco]

actually i'm on the border from upstate NY.  I live at the tip of bergen county, not to far from tappan zee bridge but close to the bigger towns in NJ (paramus, hackensack)

[ahofle]

I hope the Xbox modding attempt didn't shake your confidence.  I can tell you that modding a console is probably 10 times harder than MAME'ing an arcade machine.

[javeryh]

For what it's worth, I'm on my second MAME cab and I've never soldered something in my life so don't get discouraged based on that.

[Havok]

actually i'm on the border from upstate NY.  I live at the tip of bergen county, not to far from tappan zee bridge but close to the bigger towns in NJ (paramus, hackensack)

Yeah, that would be a 2 hour+ drive for me. Hopefully you can get someone a little closer. But, like ahofle says - an arcade is much simpler, and like an old car - lots of room to get at what you're working on. You can do it, but if you would like some help, I'm sure someone here can work something out. Good luck!

If no-one offers, perhaps you can take some pictures of what you've got and post them here (under additional options below the message box). Just to give us a better idea of what you're dealing with...

[sunoco]

OK..i'm going to try to replace the buttons tonight.  If i feel comfortable after that, i'll tackle jpac and then the consoles.  I am still open for anyone who would want to get paid though.

thanks to all who posted and wish me luck lol.

[jimjim]

Okay, I cannot believe how shortsighted some people might be. 

I needed help with my arcade cab and looked on the boards to see if there was anybody that lived near me.  I was lucky enough to find Circo.  He only lives fifteen minutes away and when I contacted him, he was more than happy to help.

Since then, we have become great friends and keep in contact a couple times a week.  We have gone to movies, share beers, and even have spent many hours making a bartop together.  We are making plans to go to California Extreme in San Jose, and Vegas later on.

People should be encouraged to meet other people in this hobby.  Besides, I'm sure there are a lot of people in the forums that would love the opprotunity to get paid to do something they like.  If somebody wanted advice on artwork, I wouldn't say read Saint's book, rather than directing them to Mamemarquee.

[leapinlew]

I was lucky enough to find Circo.  He only lives fifteen minutes away and when I contacted him, he was more than happy to help.

Since then, we have become great friends and keep in contact a couple times a week.  We have gone to movies, share beers, and even have spent many hours making a bartop together.  We are making plans to go to California Extreme in San Jose, and Vegas later on.

jimjim and Circo sitting in a tree... 

Thats the spirit sunoco - give it a shot. It's very rewarding when you do it. Fozzy may have sounded harsh, but the dude knows how satisfying it is to do things on your own and he was just giving you a nudge. Your thinking right - start small and give it your best shot. The best thing is - once it's done, you'll be able to stand next to it and know that there isn't one thing on it that you can't fix. It's a very good feeling indeed.

jimjim, of course you know I am teasing you. It's great to have a friend in this hobby. Good for you. 

[emdkay]

OK..i'm going to try to replace the buttons tonight.  If i feel comfortable after that, i'll tackle jpac and then the consoles.  I am still open for anyone who would want to get paid though.

thanks to all who posted and wish me luck lol.

I'm in northern nj but am not sure how much help I could provide.  I'm curious though to see if you were able to tackle this over the weekend?