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What's the cheapest you've made a MAME cabinet for?
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Sephroth57:
i spent a decent amount on mine so far, i dont want it to be ghetto so im using mostly all new parts

Empty Robocop Cabinet w/coindoor - 50$
19 inch computer monitor - 125$ off ebay
brand new athlon 2200xp setup - 230$ pricewatch.com
speakers with subwoofer - 30$
controls - 60$

total so far - $495.00
still need marquee, CP overlay. probably repaint the cab
Trenchbroom:
I told the wife it would only be about $400 or so.  Hah!

Empty Blue Print cabinet--Free
3 sidewinders to hack--$15
Mobo & chip to put in freebie case-$25
paint, sandpaper, screws, etc.--$30
MDF to construct new control panel--$20
Plexiglass-$25
Coin door-$30
Joysticks, T-molding and buttons-$50
17" monitor--$80

Then things got hairy as my thirst increased:

20" TV w/ S-Video--$250
Video card w/ TV out--$30
Original Galaga marquee--$30
Reproduction sideart--$40
Used faster computer--$100

Capacitor blows up in new computer.  Don't play cabinet for 8 mos.  Now the itch is REALLY bad:
Another computer--$280
J-Sticks, IPAC, wiring kit from Ultimarc--$120

Moral of this story--stay FOCUSED on one goal, not jump around from idea to idea like me!  Oh, and don't buy used mobo's from Ebay.

Lilwolf:
NOTE:  You CAN do it cheap... but you will spend extra time instead of cash... and in the end you wont' have as good a solution.

Controls -
  Cheapest Encoder 29 bucks or something for one of the   econs.  Great little item (every one)..

  Hacked Joystick - limited buttons... usually need one per player.. so if you have them great... otherwise you might be 1/2 way to an encoder.
 
  Hacked keyboard - lots of troubles.  some here have gotten VERY VERY good at getting around ghosting... but you will spend LOTS of time... and not configurable.


Video -

  best cheap - Used free arcade monitor if you can find it and a trident ultra...
  next cheap - Any VGA you have around.

  best - 200 new 19" Arcade monitor (shipped) + 90 arcadevga... nothing better.
  next - SVid TV out with a good ATI card (or nvidia... but watch the tv-out chip on it..  some suck rocks...  ATI is consistent if built by ati... not powered by ati)..  TV + 30 bucks.
  next - B-Grade VGA monitor - industrial monitors with low resolution and scanlines already added.  About 200 bucks or so.
  last - SVGA monitor... man they suck for arcade games.  Don't spend money on this.  Only do it if its free (and plan cabinet that you might get something better later.)


Cabinet -
  Best cheap - Used cabinet (try not to mame a classic... please).  Consider you can get them free and 5 bucks in wood putty and some paint (unless the sideart is good... then ignore repairs)
  next cheapest - Buy some wood... figure it out...  Lots of free plans around...  60 bucks in parts?  Add some paint..
  next - Buy some $40 plans.  Many ARE great and will help you out. (plut the same as above).
  next - buy a prebuilt kit - about 500 + shipping?  

  BEST (cost not issue)- 1ups kit... wish I had money... sigh...



daeven:
I just converted a generic arcade cabinet for a friend with the following:

-'Infinity 1' cabinet from his mother's basement - FREE
-Pentium 233 MHz computer from another friend - $20
-Ipac (could have tried keyboard hack for this one) $42
-VGA extension cable for monitor hookup- too much at $10
-Leftover Soundblaster 16 card: FREE

Total $72

It helped that the cabinet, monitor and controls are in EXCELLENT condition.  It took some serious software configuration to figure out the integrated video and ADVmame and ADVmenu, but I think the results were worth it.
Nightmare03:
I havent built a mame cabinet yet, but i built a clone of arcade in a box, with 1 joystick and 6 buttons per player and player 1&2 start buttons, 233 mhz comp, speakers etc.. it cost
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