Build or buy?

[beerbarrel]

I have yet to build one but was wondering one thing...I was going to build a cab but then I found a working machine that has a WG K4600. I'm thinking of converting this to a MAME machine and retain the WG monitor using stuff from Ultimarc. I can get the machine for 100 dollars and I have a spare computer to throw at it so I'm thinking for a few hundred more I can have a pretty good machine. Seeins as I don't have much experience yet, is this the way to go in your opinion? Also, this is a horizontal layout machine will vertical games work with it? I don't care if they are squashed a little but I would like to play Galaga too. I might pick up another cab so that I can run both types of games.

Thanks,
Tracy

[SirPeale]

I'd buy.  Vertical games will look like ass, though.  You don't want to combine vertical games with horizontal games. 

I'm hoping the cabinet you have in mind isn't a dedicated classic...

[beerbarrel]

I'd buy.  Vertical games will look like ass, though.  You don't want to combine vertical games with horizontal games. 

I'm hoping the cabinet you have in mind isn't a dedicated classic...

It is a Scramble cab with Arkanoid installed. With that said, I'm going to build another machine if this one works out OK. I have yet to build one but buyiny seem to make more sense. You are right though, I don't want to ruin a rare game.

Thanks

[SirPeale]

It's already converted.  You're in the clear.

[beerbarrel]

It's already converted.  You're in the clear.

hehe....I will let the kids wear out Arkanoid for a few weeks then the conversion will commence. I look to totally refinish the cab just leaviing the monitor. I have plenty of scrap computer stuff lying around to make two machines.

Tracy

[beerbarrel]

BTW...

here is the machine...I bought it on Ebay. It looked like a good donor.

280241493006

Tracy

[Flake]

Why do you say vertical games look like ass on a horizontal monitor?  I'm using a 27" horizontal TV monitor and find they look OK and are very playable.  I guess I never could understand the need for vertical monitors but I havent seen the two side by side to know for sure.  Is the difference really all that dramatic or is this simply a "purist" point of view?

[pinballwizard79]

beerbarrel, since you are new to the hobby I have some advice.

Before you put money into the monitor make sure its bright, clear, crisp & free of burn in. If it has any issues you may want to consider replacing it with something else.

FYI: The larger your monitor the better vertical games will look, you can always play my favorite game "Pythagorean theorem" to determine the area of a vert screen vs the effective area of a vert game on a horizontal screen. You may drive yourself crazy doing that however & thats not really the formula to use anyway, I was trying to be funny....its actually easier to figure out than that.

IMHO dont worry about the "purist" aspect either, its called emulation for a reason, because...its not even the .....um I better be quiet....just use whatever you want be it a TV, LCD or PC tube....its all good 

[Timstuff]

My TV is only 20", and that's not going to stop me from playing vertical games on it even though it's horizontally oriented. Some people would simply rather not play vertical games at all than play them on a horizontal screen, but I am not that picky. The way I see it, if I really want to play vertical games that bad, I can build a special cab for them in the future. But the vast majority of games I want to play are horizontal, so I think I can stomach Donkey Kong and Pac-man looking smaller.

[beerbarrel]

Thanks for the follow ups guys. Thanks for the advice pinball. I look the monitors over good while I have them out. Hopefully, they will work ok.

Tracy

[severdhed]

i have a 19" LCD monitor mounted horizontally in my cabinet and I play lots of vertical games.  yeah, they don't fill the screen, but they are still alot of fun, and nobody has ever had a complaint about it.  i am in the process of building a vertical classics cabinet now, but until it is finished, i'll continue to play them on my horizontal monitor, because they are still just as much fun...so don't let that discourage you.

[beerbarrel]

i have a 19" LCD monitor mounted horizontally in my cabinet and I play lots of vertical games.  yeah, they don't fill the screen, but they are still alot of fun, and nobody has ever had a complaint about it.  i am in the process of building a vertical classics cabinet now, but until it is finished, i'll continue to play them on my horizontal monitor, because they are still just as much fun...so don't let that discourage you.

You know, that is exactly why I'm looking to get two cabs. One for each layout.

[ahofle]

Why do you say the machine is a horizontal layout?  It's running Arkanoid which is vertical. 
Personally, I'd make it a vertical MAME machine with the vertical arcade monitor if you don't restore it.

[beerbarrel]

Why do you say the machine is a horizontal layout?  It's running Arkanoid which is vertical. 
Personally, I'd make it a vertical MAME machine with the vertical arcade monitor if you don't restore it.

Sorry, I confused myself. I bought 2 machines, One was vertical and the other horizontal. Most of the games that I played as a kid were vertical games. I figure that it was easier to build two than try to rotate. I'm not really looking to restore unless it was some sort of rare game which I probably would not have bought.

[ahofle]

In that case IMO you should make one a vertical MAME and one a horizontal MAME.  You won't be sorry and you will be able to run pretty much EVERY SINGLE GAME at its correct resolution!

[Havok]

That's the way to go - two dedicated machines with each aspect. Me, I run a 20.1 LCD horizontal for everything, and I don't have any complaints, but I can see how it would look a bit better with dedicated orientations if you can do it.

[beerbarrel]

In that case IMO you should make one a vertical MAME and one a horizontal MAME.  You won't be sorry and you will be able to run pretty much EVERY SINGLE GAME at its correct resolution!

That's my goal! I'll build one first and see how it goes. If all works out well then I'll build another. Like that guy in Contact says:

"Why build one when you can have two at twice the price" 

Tracy