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

[Sir Auros]

Either converted an existing cabinet or built one from scratch.  Just interested in seeing what the cheapest price anyone here has built one for.

[AlanS17]

Breakdown:

Data East (Bad Dudes) cabinet with coin door $50
monitor $150
controls $35
computer (free)
j-pac $60
misc parts $50
speakers $50

That's just materials, though. I did buy new bits and tools. I didn't include these in the price, tohugh. I'll have them from now on and can use them for anything else. But I probably spent a LOT on tools... Didn't keep track.

Otherwise I have about a $400 machine!  
I should call it BudgetMAME

(Of course, they've never finished and upgrades are in the works... more $$$)

[CthulhuLuke]

My cabinet's been suuuper cheap to get a playable copy.  Although if I ever buy a new PC and a new TV for it, the price will jack up another 500 probably -__-  but that won't be until I stop being a bum.

No game cabinet  - Free
Working Happs Coin Door - Free
17" Pc Monitor - Free
300mhz server computer with 12gb hard drive - Free
Ghouls N Ghosts Marquee - $13
Trackball w/usb mouse interface - $150
2 joysticks 26 pushbuttons ~ $ 80
I-pac - $60
2 MadCatz Psx Pads - $12
Wires and quick disconnects - $20
Dreamcast + 50 backups - *previously owned*
Psx - to - DC convertors ~ $30  *previously owned*
Cheap Melamite wood - $15
Dreamcast VGA adapter - $10

Total - about $ 350

Well actually the only things I paid for was the Ipac, the marquee, and the dreamcast vga adapter.  Everything else I got for my b-day and christmas, including all the wires and solder.  So I'd say at most I myself have spent 100 bucks on my cabinet and it's fully working with PC and Dreamcast.  The price will go way up when I finally get a TV with s/video input and a nice 1ghz computer to put in there, and make sure the case is nice and small so that I can shove it all in and put the coin door in place.  Once I do that *haha, it won't be for a LONG time, probably not until I move out or something* I'll close it all up again, with the monitor glass over it and everything, and have it be better than before.
PS: how did I get all that free shiat, be friendly.  I just got to be pretty good friends with this arcade manager, and I got 2 japanese arkanoid spinners, 2 coin doors *spliced them together to make one working coin door*, and an entire free cabinet with a power supply in it.  The server came from a friend who had like 3 of em, but they're 50lbs which is bs, and they are SUCH a pain to move.  The pc monitor was my bro's old monitor, and it works great.  http://www.geocities.com/cthulhuluke/Cabinet/updatepics.html  if you're too lazy to search my site for the link of pure pics.
   -Luke

[anthony691]

Dreamcast + 50 backups - *previously owned*

I am going to think that you mean 50 backup Dreamcasts, and NOT pirated games?

J/K

[paigeoliver]

If you look very carefully you can make a working mame cabinet for under $100.

First you must get a cabinet for no more than $25. And it MUST have usable controls on it. $25

15" Pc monitor - Find one at the thrift store. $10-$15

PC speakers (Used) $5

Gamepad for hacking $5 (Used or new)

That leaves you with $50 to buy a cast off Pentium MMX era computer that should be able to run quite a few games.


Now this won't be a GREAT Mame cabinet, but it will work. Add $75 to $100 to get a decent 19" display and it will be MUCH better. If you can find a 13" cocktail case with controls and glass intact then that 14"-15" PC monitor will be all you will need.

[BillyJack]

I've spent 40 dollars so far on my cabinet...
I still need the keyboard controller, however...
but i've sold parts from the cabinet totalling 86 dollars...
so i think i'm going to come out 10 dollars ahead on this hobby...
until i paint it, then i'll probably have a total of about 30 bucks invested in the machine.

BillyJack

[Chris]

The original version of my cabinet cost about $300, half of which was the monitor... but I was using scrap PC parts (had to buy a power supply, though), and the empty cab I bought for $60 had a full complement of working controls.

Since then, though, I've spent about $500 more on "upgrades"....

--Chris

[Mario]

Solitaire cabinet: $37 at auction
Mouse interface: $0 (already had one)
VGA monitor: $0 (already had a 13")
Keyboard interface: $0 (hacked a throwaway from work)
Software: $0
ROMs: $7 (from Tombstone)
PC: $0 (given to me by a neighbor)
Joysticks/buttons: ~$5 (parts from misc machines, and some pieces given to me)

Total cost: $49

It's not the greatest MAME machine, but it was a good starter project.

Mario

[SNAAAKE]

I build my white cabinet pretty cheap.
wood,screws,Ls,plexi glass = around $100
monitor =$175
Dual joystick = $100
Coin door = free
marque print = $11
marque retainer and bezel = $60
Magneto sideart = $10

total around $500

Not that bad !  

[armad1ll0]

Modeverything.com Arcade PC

$100 arcade shell
$300 27" eygo VGA
$6 2 USB hacked gamepads
$20 Joysticks and some buttons.
$150 Upgrading my old computer to 1.4 ghz
$20 random wood pieces to fix broken corners.
$10 New T-molding
free old bookshelf speakers
free old Sony reciever to power them

More upgrades coming along slowly.

[ErikRuud]

$268.00

PC and 17 inch monitor $50.00 used from work.
Ipac $60.00
Joysticks and buttons from Happ $50.00
Additional parts t oupgrade to Top Fire joysticks $38.00
Crayola Kids Ball $30.00
Generic mouse for spinner $10.00
Hardware for spinner $10.00
Sheet of Cherry Plywood $20.00
Wood, screws, and Misc hardware free (left over from other projects)

[gnateye]

the first incarnations of both my cabs was very cheap, then after that i start to get bored, and that costs a lot more money *)

but the 1st workable, playable designs run down like this:

1.
-millipede cabinet w/ speakers, coindoor not workiing - 30$
-old g3 mac - free from friend
-old 15" viewsonic monitor - free from friend
-ipac - 50$
-2 players 6 buttons each from happs - 75$
-subwoofer/amp to power speakers - 40$
-misc wires and stuff - free

approx - 195$

2.
-25" jamma MK3 cabinet - free in an alley
-old 15" viewsonic monitor - free from friend(the same one in a new spot)
-dreamcast - 50$
-vga box - 15$
-subwoofer/amp to power speakers - 40$
-2 players 6 buttons each from happs (recyceled from other projects) - free

approx 105$

like i said afterwords i have spent more on upgrading both, but both remained in their original incarnations for a while until funds were drummed up for upgrades, and they get p;layed alot! i have all the parts for my 1st cab for a few weeks before i got ht ecab and i had it up and running that day, and finished more within the week. the dc cab as well, i brought the cab home, moved the dc into it right away. i love to play

[rob]

Let's see:

So far:
Cabinet - 50
Tools - 75
buttons and joysticks and ipac - 130
Paint and contact paper and stuff like that - 40
Computer and monitor - free

Total so far - about $300

To go - probly about another $100

So about $400 total for the whole gig when it's said and done

[nipsmg]

Empty 19in Cab for first failed project: $50
Wood/plexi/screws to rebuild from scratch waterdamaged first failed cabinet:  $80  
2  Hagstrom KE24s for First Cabinet: $180
Controls for first failed cabinet: ~100

Basement floods, cabinet ruined.

2 years later...
Wood/plexi/screws/fasteners/etc for 2nd cabinet: $150
Monitor for 2nd Cabinet: $200
Ipac/Optipac: ~$100
Trackball: $70
Spinner: $35
Controls/Monitor Bezel: $80
T-Molding: $20
Tools: $300  (Not at home any more... )  
Cut sides too big, had to recut, new piece of wood: $18  
Computer: $500


Yeah so the cheapest cabinet I've ever built comes out to roughly $1783.00.

I suck.. I know..  

NipsMG    

[paigeoliver]

Looks like my Battlezone project is going to come in as the price buster.

Cabinet. FREE
Computer. FREE
keyboard .25 (from garage sale).
Used PC speakers .50 (from garage sale).
Piece of posterboard .30
Used VGA monitor $8 (ebay).
Material to recover step. $3
Total. $12.05

[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

[Stingray]

Like so many of the others here a lot of the components inside mine were freebies. I think it cost me about $100 to get mine running. I'll probably have another $200 altogether in new artwork and new plexi, but that's just extra stuff to make it pretty.

-S

[rampy]

Building a Cheap Mame cabinet no problem... stopping at that and not upgrading it to $1k or $2k MAME cabinet is the trouble.

It's a crazy treadmill/escalator that you get on...  oooh a spinner, oooh light guns... oooh a bezel...oooh tinted glass... oooh star wars yoke... oooh new tmolding... oooooh high intensity leds... ooooh atari volcanoe start buttons.... ooooh custom marquee printing... ooooh processor upgrade to play .chd games... oooooh sears or bitstrip autosensing powerstrip to startup with one button... ooooh new oscar products... oooh new randyt keywiz products... ooooh new ultimarc joysticks... ooooh cheap trackball flood on ebay.. ooooh ooooh ooooh oooh ooooh *explode*

And that doesn't include tools, paint, and knick knacks from home depot =P

FWIW I started my cabinet really cheap... free donor cabinet from arcade warehouse, 100 dollar 21" (after shipping) ebay monitor o' doom, 23 bucks for two sidewinders, 20 bucks for 2 superclone sticks and 20 buttons from x-arcade auction... some misc wire paint scrap plywood etc laying around... "extra" pc laying around (celery 300@550)
so basically a couple hundred bucks but factor in that I had geek/PC parts and stuff laying around

*shrug* good luck!

rampy

[nipsmg]

Rampy makes a good point.. HOME DEPOT MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT on this project..

Dammit  .

Home Depot should donate 1% of their profits to BYOAC if half of you spent the way I did in that store for arcade projects..

oooooh hand held belt sander, oooh new jigsaw, ooooooh new 18V cordless drill, oooooh new circular saw, oooooh t-nuts, oooooh flourescent fixtures, ooooh drill bit sets, oooooh router....

--NipsMG