3 Questions about Monitor, Joysticks, and Video

[Belrain]

Hi All,

   I am building a 4 Player Arcade and working on the design plans. My control panel plans to be 48" x 18". I was wondering, would a 20-21" TV be too small for this type of 4 player arcade?

   2nd - On my Video card I have S-Video and DVI out, I have an adapter to go from S-Video to Component and was gonna look into if there is one for DVI to component. Would this be alright for my video to the TV?

  3rd - I was planning on buying the 4/8 way super joysticks, but I have read of people having problem with them not doing the diagonal properly sometimes when switched back and forth. Should I just go with an 8 way and will this cause problems when trying to play a 4 way game?

Belrain

[Ginsu Victim]

1 - 48 inches?!?!?!??!?

2 - Should be fine. There are DVI to Component adapters out there. My card included one.

3 - Check out the Ultimarc UltraStik 360 at ultimarc.com.

[Flake]

Well - first off I think 48" is almost standard for 4P control panels.  I wouldnt be concernced with this.  I know this is the dimensions of Arcades R Fun 4P panel.

Second - you should be careful with the DVI to component adapter connection.  If you are using an Nvidia card, this will not work.  You will have to use the 7 din pin dongle that usually accompanies the card.  Even if you are using an ATI card you should make certain your model number supports DVI out to component as I'm not sure all do - and you have to make sure you purchase the correct adapter.  Monoprice has one I know that works with ATI cards - the website has the specs and tells you which model numbers the adapter works with.

Check out this thread I had going awhile back - TOK has some good info on ATI cards  [url][http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=80089.0/url]

Finally, yes I think a 20" - 21" TV would look too small.  I would go no smaller than a 25" TV.  I have a 27" TV in mine and find its perfect.

[Flake]

sorry here's the better link http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=80089.0

[Ginsu Victim]

4 ft just sounded huge to me, but I only use a 23 5/8", so double that sounded enormous.

[Flake]

Well I'm sure it is big - but if your going to go 4P (and have room for other joysticks/trackball, spinner) I assume you need this much space.  The 4P panels in this width I have seen pictures of seem to need this much space.  I was considering a 4P panel - if cost was no object I probably would have purchased one (my panel is from Arcades R Fun).  Still I dont think I would have ever used P3 and P4 except maybe a handful of days out of the year so it was hard to justify spending the cash.  But they do look cool.

 

[Ummon]

Yeah, standard 2-player frankenpanels are around 35" wide. Though the space is a little bit of a luxury, it's nice. What are actual arcade 4-player panels?

[Ginsu Victim]

Just a comparison: The X-Men 6-player CP is 50.25"

[Flake]

Yeah, standard 2-player frankenpanels are around 35" wide. Though the space is a little bit of a luxury, it's nice. What are actual arcade 4-player panels?

My cabinet was a Killer Instinct cabinet modified into a Guantlet Legends cabinet.  So it had a retrofitted 4P Guantlet Legends control panel on it when I bought it.  I believe it measured about 36" or so, maybe 38".  But there is no way you could have put a trackball on it.  Also, I think the game play would have been pretty cramped with four players.  Come to think of it, I still have that - 4,  49-way sticks waiting to be plundered...............

[Turnarcades]

Disagree. See the pic of a 4-player we built recently, with a 21" screen and 37" control panel. We playtested this thoroughly (and we're all big chaps) and it was fine. The angle of the screen aids viewing for players 3 and 4, and some jigging of the coin+admin buttons and a trackball and spinner would fit fine.

See it here.

[Belrain]

Thanks for all the replies,

   But I really now need an answer to my joystick problem, I can't really afford to buy the 4 - 360s so I am wondering if the 4/8 way super joysticks are the way to go or should I just go 8 way. Will having an 8 way affect playing games like DK or Pacman? and will an 8 way play Street Fighter and those types of games?

[Flake]

Why dont you get all 8-ways and add a dedicated 4-way?  If your planning on a 4P panel you will have plenty of room.  Yes an 8-way will play many games including SF series although its not recommended for old school games like pacman or DK.  I have no experience with the switchable joysticks.

At least this way you dont have to worry about the playability of the switchable joystick.  Plus you wont need anymore than one 4-way joystick anyway.

[Belrain]

So I presume I would hook the wires of the 4 way and 8 way to the same 1st player spots on the IPAC 4 to work?

[Ginsu Victim]

Yep

[Turnarcades]

If budget and space are your concern you will want to save as much of both as possible. 4-ways do make those excellent older games play better but consider first how often you really play those games; if it's infrequent just stick with 8-ways as they cover the most bases. If you really want 4-way, get an easy 4/8 way switchable stick like those from Ultimarc for player 1 and just get 8-ways for the rest.