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What's the cheapest you've made a MAME cabinet for?
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