Just starting out, have a few random questions

[MillerTyme]

ok well i just decided this looked interesting a few days ago and have spent a few hours doing some research on this forum and other sites, still a few things i am trying to wrap my head around.

To precursor I have no experience with any of this or anything like it and dont have a ton of spare time available.  For simplicity (and sanity), I decided to go with a prebuilt CP (xarcade dual), which from reading here is apparently a bad idea.  However apparently most of the problems w/the xarcade seems to be the cheap sticks/buttons.  I have seen a lot of people reccomend the happs competition sticks which are not terribly expensive, so how hard/easy is it to just open the xarcade and swap the sticks, are they plug and play so to speak?  Next part would be the buttons, same thing i would be fine buying some happs or other butons and using them in the xarcade, same question, how easy/difficult are those to replace?
Yes i know buying an xarcade and replacing the sticks/buttons is probably not the most sensible thing to do.  Please try to avoid the responses telling me to just build my own CP etc...that is not an option for me right now.

Thanks in advance.

[unclet]

I have no experience with an X-arcade style control panel so I can not comment for sure, however, I have two recommendations you might consider:

1) Contact XArcade to ask them how feasible it would be to swap out the joysticks/buttons, whether it would cause any problems and whether the new joysticks you want to put it will line up with the current joystick mounting holes or not.

2) For the money you would spend on an XArcade control panel in addition to replacing the joysticks/buttons on it ..... "perhaps" someone on this forum could build a control panel and wire it up with the joysticks/buttons you want.  I understand you do not want to make your own control panel, which is fine with me, but I know people on this forum could make you a nice (probably even a nicer looking ... in my opinion) control panel for the same amount of money.   Just an idea to think about.

Welcome to BYOAC!

[MillerTyme]

thanks for the quick response, i have found numerous mentions of people replacing their xarcade parts with happs so it doesnt seem like it should be that big of a problem.  I also sent xarcade an email as well and am waiting to hear back from them.  I think i am going to give the stock stick/buttons on the xarcade a try first, it is hard for me to gauge how much of the dislike for them is caused b/c of the product of b/c of the expectations some of the more "enthusiastic" members.  I would definately fall into the casual category (for now). 

[BrentRadio]

You might even ask them to upgrade the controls to the ones you want. Have them install everything and get it working good. For what it's worth replaceing joysticks and buttons is easy as long as they are the same size and have the same mounting holes.

[Xam]

I know that the Happ Super and Comps will fit the X-Arcade openings.

Its a little tight working on the inside, but very doable.

Xam

[MillerTyme]

thanks, i think im gonna take the plunge.  I found a spare computer i think will be good enough, athlon xp 2000, 1gb ram, and geforce4 card; only needs a new heatsink/fan.  Now the next debate is going to be monitor/tv.  Size wise and fiscally and for ease of conncectivity i am leaning towards a 22" lcd monitor.  I am not wild about the widescreen model but w/BF and unpopularity of non-WS models i may not have much of a choice.  They have a couple different ones for under 175. 

[Tiger-Heli]

X-arcade has more problems than just the controls - the encoder board isn't great and I'd really just recommend it if you were going to take advantage of the console adapters feature.

That said, it's hard to beat the price $129 for a casual gamer.

You could get a blank panel for $80 from http://www.mameroom.com/webstore/productinfo_2PlayerCP.asp, then the joysticks - $20 from BobRoberts or Ponyboy, buttons - roughly $30 for 20, and a KeyWiz or I-PAC - roughly $30.

Cost is $160 and you would have to wire it yourself, but it's less by about $50 than buying the X-Arcade and then swapping all that out.

FWIW!!!

[unclet]

..... and wiring it yourself is pretty straightforward, although you would also need to buy some wire as well as the quick disconnects to crimp the wires into.   Probably about another $20