[POLL] - Premade cab or built your own?

[kelemvor]

Just curious what everyone here has done.

This poll is solely concerned about the physical cabinet that you have.  Doesn't matter what's in it, what it used to be or anything else.  If you bought an existing cabinet that was an actual arcade system at some point and put on a whole new CP on or made other major changes to the physical cabinet, then count that as customized.  If you just painted it and put on a marquee and such, count that as using it the way it was since the physical cabinet didn't get changed.



Thanks.

[leapinlew]

I think people are going to confuse pre-made with new-just-needs-assembly style cabinet from Slikstik. I'm assuming you also mean refurbing an existing cabinet. Like taking a Nintendo cabinet that had popeye in it and turning it into a donkey kong - what would that be?

[Kajoq]

Got a premade cab,  Built a new CP cause the original one was kind of mediocre for fighting games.  Also replaced the JAMMA harness because the original was a super messy confusing spliced-and-respliced touch of chaos.

[superart]

Built from scratch; however, getting a pre-made cabinet would save a lot of time. I don't think it would be as much fun though. Also I think all of the cabinets that I have seen on this forum (hand built) look a lot better than what I have seen at the arcades.

[kelemvor]

Edited the post regarding premade meaning actual arcade system.

[Kangum]

got a cab kit from arcade depot. i didnt have the space at the time (apartment) to be doing all kinds of woodworking. I also knew there would be alot to do even with a kit.

i think that alot of people think you buy a kit throw in a computer and your done. um no. if it taught me anything at all its how much you dont see and you dont think about when your building a cab. it also made me appreciate more those who built from scratch.

I intend to build a control panel from scratch to start with then an upright. i have a much better grasp of what to expect and i honestly believe that it will make my own personal project come out better later. especially the planning side and calculating expense.

[bfauska]

Not sure I answered the poll right, I choose multiple.

I have a Dynamo HS-5 that I got empty with a 4 player CP and I mounted a monitor from a PC, mounted the PC innards, made a custom 2 player CP and replace part of the coin door.  I consider that one a premade but customized cabinet.

I also have Magical Spot cabinet that was converted by an operator to run Dig Dug.  I currently have only cleaned up the inside and done a cap kit on the monitor.  I would say that is a premade cabinet being used the way it was.

Part of my confusion was that I don't have multiples of each, I only have 1 of each, but multiple kinds, but it was the only appropriate looking option.

[loadman]

I got a shell of an old Galaga table and stuck a PC in it etc

[kelemvor]

I got a shell of an old Galaga table and stuck a PC in it etc

So that'd be a pre-made cabinet that you didn't have to modify...  Did you vote?

[bfauska]

Is there no difference then (in this poll) from a cabinet running original arcade boards and a cabinet with mostly stock hardware but with a computer swapped in?  Maybe there should be 1 more choice for cabs running dedicated hardware.

[kelemvor]

This poll is jsut about the cab.  not what's inside it.

[Anubis_au]

My first cab was a 4-player Neo-Geo which I bought back in 2003. The only modification to the original cab (apart from shoving a MAME pc inside) was I cut out a new CP top piece in the same shape as the old, so I could put new joysticks and new button layouts to my specs.

This time round, I am going to build one from scratch. Partially for the challenge, and partially because you can't get even an old half-busted cab in Australia for anything less than $1000, seemingly. So, from a financial point, it makes sense to build your own.

More importantly, building from scratch means the cab is FULLY customised to your requirements / tastes / wants.

[bfauska]

This poll is jsut about the cab.  not what's inside it.

Got it. Thanks.  My vote stands. 

[loadman]

I got a shell of an old Galaga table and stuck a PC in it etc

So that'd be a pre-made cabinet that you didn't have to modify...  Did you vote?

Yes I did vote..  But I did modify it.   Stuck in extra buttons, joystick and LEDS etc   

[Paul Olson]

I bought a Tekken II that was in a 4 player cab. I bought it for the size and shape of the cab, but I enjoyed playing Tekken II until I started converting. At first, all I did was change the top board of the CP, then recently a built a new cp box to house a modular panel. I may still build a cab from scratch, but not until I find something I really want to change about this cab. So far, the cp was the only thing I wanted to change.

Paul