Computer for Cabinet

[Hoov]

Hey all, first post here! I've been lurking around as a guest for a while, and have been using a lot of you as inspiration for my first build; it's nearing completion, but I'm currently stuck!

I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions as to a computer to use in my cabinet, and which MAME version I should use to maximize speed. I've been searching eBay and newegg.com for possible used computers, and I can always make my own from parts, it's just that I don't want to go ahead with a purchase and then find out after the fact that the computer is too slow!

Any suggestions for a rig that would be able to smoothly run games as demanding as, say, Marvel vs. Capcom? I'm trying to fit it in a $200 dollar budget as well...

(I've been contemplating http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103199 with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856110073 and an old harddrive and some cheap ram, but that's already pushing my (self-imposed) budget!)

[northerngames]

try google searching craigslist pc for sale or something along those lines and you should be able to find a good used pc for around $200.00

[gonzo90017]

I run Marvel vs Capcom using Nebula on a 400mhz Celeron.

[ark_ader]

Check out your local thrift store.  You would be surprised what you find.

[Faramir]

I'm considering using this barebones kit from Tiger Direct:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685169&CatId=31

$100AR for 2.2GHz and 1Gb ram seems decent, not sure if the mobo is any good though.

I've been on the lookout for something used, but people seem to think the computer they paid $1000 for 4 or 5 years ago is still worth $400.

[TelcoLou]

We're going to the local Marketpro PC show next weekend. Several vendors build rigs to your specifications on the spot. I'm looking to spend ~$400 or so .. maybe there's something similar in your area.

[jhabers]

I'm considering using this barebones kit from Tiger Direct:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685169&CatId=31

$100AR for 2.2GHz and 1Gb ram seems decent, not sure if the mobo is any good though.

I've been on the lookout for something used, but people seem to think the computer they paid $1000 for 4 or 5 years ago is still worth $400.

Just ordered, sweet deal! Thanks

[Zobeid]

I'm considering using this barebones kit from Tiger Direct:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685169&CatId=31

$100AR for 2.2GHz and 1Gb ram seems decent, not sure if the mobo is any good though.

Or the PSU. . .  Still, at that price I might be willing to take a chance on it.

It's been some years since I've built a computer, so please be patient with me.  If I bought one of those, what else would I need to get it fully functioning?  I'm guessing. . .

CPU fan
AGP graphics card
hard drive
operating system
optical drive (to install the OS)
case fan?
sound card??
remote power switch

I know it has on-board sound, but I'm not sure how far I'd trust it.

[Faramir]

It's been some years since I've built a computer, so please be patient with me.  If I bought one of those, what else would I need to get it fully functioning?  I'm guessing. . .

CPU fan
AGP graphics card
hard drive
operating system
optical drive (to install the OS)
case fan?
sound card??
remote power switch

I know it has on-board sound, but I'm not sure how far I'd trust it.

Bare minimum is a CPU fan, hard drive, and optical drive I guess.  It does have on-board sound and on-board video, but yeah, it's probably sketchy.

I just ordered mine.  I'll report back when it arrives and is up and running.  I plan to try out the on-board audio and video to see how it works with MAME and some other emulators...

[RikaKazak]

I was going to make my own thread, but guess I'll put it in here.

I SUCK with computers...and would like to "just buy one and plug it in"....I was going to go to like bestbuy and bring a list and say...I need "x, y, z" etc.

So far I know I need S Video, but what else are "must haves?"

[Ginsu Victim]

Or the PSU. . .  Still, at that price I might be willing to take a chance on it.

Those Ultra brand PSUs are pretty good. I love mine and have yet to read anything bad.

The ones to watch out for on Tigerdirect are the Power-up PSUs.

[clickhea]

will that computer run any type of emulator/rom with no problem?

[Zobeid]

will that computer run any type of emulator/rom with no problem?

I don't think such a computer exists.  Some of the games are very demanding.  I'm thinking in particular about Ridge Racer. . .   I tried that on my G5 system and it was amazingly beautiful -- as it crawled along about 1/10th actual speed.

If I can run most of the 68000-based games at full speed, I'm happy.  That'll get me through most of the 1980s anyhow.

[clickhea]

think it'll run the mame chds?

[Turnarcades]

I still think we're a long way from finding perfect benchmarks for late/chd/polygonal games in MAME. Though MAME covers over 30 years of gaming, it's only been around like 10 years and although the supported games list increases rapidly with each new release, fine-tuning the emulation does not come on so quickly.

I certainly don't pitch for top-end machines just to try and play a handful of games that wont be consistently easy to emulate for some time yet. As most games can be squeezed playable on a P3, I don't think it's much worth it.

[Faramir]

I was going to make my own thread, but guess I'll put it in here.

I SUCK with computers...and would like to "just buy one and plug it in"....I was going to go to like bestbuy and bring a list and say...I need "x, y, z" etc.

So far I know I need S Video, but what else are "must haves?"

I tend to avoid bestbuy like the plague.  I think for the money you're best off waiting for a deal on a Dell.  You can pretty consistently get a good computer for under $500, usually with a 19" or 20" LCD monitor that you can use somewhere else or sell on ebay or craigslist for a couple hundred.  Here's one: 

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=65032&l=en&oc=brpcsff&s=bsd&dgc=BF&cid=7421&lid=197378

Of course, you will probably need to add a suitable video card yourself.

[padstack]

do you have a microcenter near by?  They continually have a $200 computer available (no monitor).  If you can get one that has been returned, they typically take another 10% off too.  For what you're looking to do, I don't think you could go wrong there.  Obviously, if you need you can upgrade from there.

[Hoov]

Microcenter?

I don't need a monitor, I already have a TV stripped and fitted to the cabinet, the computer is the last thing I need...

I also just realized that if I DO go the route of assembling the computer, the OS I use will add considerably to the cost of the rig (I don't have a copy of Windows XP or Vista to install with...)

Hrm...

[Faramir]

I also just realized that if I DO go the route of assembling the computer, the OS I use will add considerably to the cost of the rig (I don't have a copy of Windows XP or Vista to install with...)

Hrm...

I think Vista would be out of the question for a cabinet anyway.  Why not try Linux?  You can't beat free, and if you try it and don't like it, you're not out anything. 

[Zobeid]

I think Vista would be out of the question for a cabinet anyway.  Why not try Linux?  You can't beat free, and if you try it and don't like it, you're not out anything. 

I would try Linux, but there isn't good support for configuring the U360s, is there?

[paigeoliver]

If you are willing to say "screw the CHD games" then you can use just about any old freebie computer you can find (I LOVE version .55 for processors 400mhz up to 1ghz). There have been very few non-chd games of any substance added to mame since that version anyway.

Screw the CHD games is actually a really good strategy too, since they happen to contain all the games that won't run full speed on ANYTHING and they also happen to largely contain a bunch of games that require specialty analog controls that you probably won't have.

Any money you planned on spending on a comp budget would make you a lot happier funneled into your monitor budget or simply being spent on a trackball or spinner or something. The real-world difference between what your mom's old computer will run in mame and what a brand new $2000 one will run is actually very, very little.

[Zobeid]

If you are willing to say "screw the CHD games" then you can use just about any old freebie computer you can find (I LOVE version .55 for processors 400mhz up to 1ghz). There have been very few non-chd games of any substance added to mame since that version anyway.

But if using anything other than the most recent MAME, then finding matching and compatible ROMs would be a problem wouldn't it?

I've never understood why, but every time I got a new version of MAME a lot of old games that worked just fine suddenly don't work anymore, then I had to get new versions of the ROMs.  (Who is making new versions of Pac Man, anyhow?  Doesn't make sense.)

[Ginsu Victim]

But if using anything other than the most recent MAME, then finding matching and compatible ROMs would be a problem wouldn't it?

A set of rollback roms and Clrmamepro fixes that. I just rolled back my .123 set to a perfect .84 set.

[metaHipster]

i've got a crusty old P3 700Mhz for my vert cab and an Athlon 2000+XP Shuttle PC for my work-in-progress.

Both are somewhat noisy so if you want things to be super quiet you may want to consider an Antec case.  The shuttle is great & compact form factor but I would imagine most cabinets could fit a standard ATX case without problems.

[soulblazer28]

Something that might not have been touched upon, sure you can get an old pc on the cheap and you will be able to play most games, and this is exactly what I did, except in my case I just used my old pc and built myself a new "main" pc.

In any case, it plays most games beautifully, but using Mala as a front end is extremely slow!  Of coure I am using Mala with glitzy graphics and a gameplay avi video whenever a game is selected, but it literally takes about 3 seconds to browse through each game in the list.

For me, part of the charm of playing the cab was having a kicka55 front end that will motivate me and others to play games we've never heard of before. So I am going to end up buying a better computer for it just for that reason. Lucily it didn't cost me anything the first time around.

Of course that might not be your case but thought I'd pass that consideration along. 

For reference my cab's pc is an AMD Athlon 1.4 or so with 512kb RAM and a Radeon 9600 with S-Video out.

[jhabers]

I'm considering using this barebones kit from Tiger Direct:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3685169&CatId=31

$100AR for 2.2GHz and 1Gb ram seems decent, not sure if the mobo is any good though.

I've been on the lookout for something used, but people seem to think the computer they paid $1000 for 4 or 5 years ago is still worth $400.

Just got my setup today from TD, very happy with everything. Great price! Case is very flimsy but who cares its just gonna sit in the cab anyways!

[Faramir]

Just got my setup today from TD, very happy with everything. Great price! Case is very flimsy but who cares its just gonna sit in the cab anyways!

Got mine too.  Yeah, the case seems to be made of aluminum foil.  Other than that everything looks good.  I put it together but didn't have time to install anything yet, maybe tonite.