My idea for a MAME and Xbox360 cabinet.

[Fitznab]

Hello All,

I have never built a cabinet before so please be patient with me.  I want to build a cabinet that I can use with my computer for MAME emulation and with an Xbox360.  I plan on building an Ultimate Arcade II from MameRoom.  I want an HD Display for the Xbox.  I know it is not as authentic but I’m ok with that.  I haven’t decided on the particulars of joystick and buttons yet, but when I will build it and will be using an I-PAC.  I want to be able to switch the controls from the Xbox to the PC.

Now my first dilemma is with controls.  Controls won’t work with an Xbox 360 because they lack something from Microsoft.  This article demonstrates a work around using the XFPS, it shows up as a keyboard to the Xbox.  With the controls connected to the I-PAC then to the XFPS then to the Xbox360, will the controls be recognized?  If not my second question is moot.


If I can get the Xbox to work I want an HD monitor.  I don’t really want a wide screen for as an arcade monitor.  The largest non wide screen I was able to find was the Samsung T260HD, it’s a 25” LCD.  My concern is how to physically mount the flat panel.  I have thought about getting a flat panel wall mount and just mounting it to the back or top of the cabinet.

Anyone have any feedback on my control question?  Are there any issues with my concept?

[ridicrick]

My cabinet played xbox and mame (I say played because my LCD and pc was stolen from my cabinet when my house got broken into). I went and bought all X-Arcade controls to accomplish this. It worked out great and all I had to do was simply open the front coin door and unplug the pc cable from the panel and plug in the xbox one. X-Arcade makes a 360 adapter like I have. My adapter is for the first XBOX otherwise I would just give it to you since I dont need it any more. As for the LCD in my opinion you should just go wide screen since you want to use a Xbox 360 and games fully support that format. But thats just my opinion. If you need any help with any controls just ask, I am in the process of building a new cabinet with my newly bought 55" LCD, going to be a monster and piss off my girlfriend on how much room it will take in the house..LOL

[severdhed]

My cabinet played xbox and mame (I say played because my LCD and pc was stolen from my cabinet when my house got broken into). I went and bought all X-Arcade controls to accomplish this. It worked out great and all I had to do was simply open the front coin door and unplug the pc cable from the panel and plug in the xbox one. X-Arcade makes a 360 adapter like I have. My adapter is for the first XBOX otherwise I would just give it to you since I dont need it any more. As for the LCD in my opinion you should just go wide screen since you want to use a Xbox 360 and games fully support that format. But thats just my opinion. If you need any help with any controls just ask, I am in the process of building a new cabinet with my newly bought 55" LCD, going to be a monster and piss off my girlfriend on how much room it will take in the house..LOL

x-arcade does not offer an xbox 360 adapter. so that will not work.

as far as i can tell, the best option you have is to hack some xbox 360 controllers.  that way they would work fine with the 360, and also on the PC.  i believe there is a member here who has hacked these for other people if you dont want to do it yoruself.

i could be wrong, but i don't beleive they make HD monitors that arent widescreen..since all HD resolutions are 16:9.

[Turnarcades]

My cabinet played xbox and mame (I say played because my LCD and pc was stolen from my cabinet when my house got broken into). I went and bought all X-Arcade controls to accomplish this. It worked out great and all I had to do was simply open the front coin door and unplug the pc cable from the panel and plug in the xbox one. X-Arcade makes a 360 adapter like I have. My adapter is for the first XBOX otherwise I would just give it to you since I dont need it any more. As for the LCD in my opinion you should just go wide screen since you want to use a Xbox 360 and games fully support that format. But thats just my opinion. If you need any help with any controls just ask, I am in the process of building a new cabinet with my newly bought 55" LCD, going to be a monster and piss off my girlfriend on how much room it will take in the house..LOL

One thing you will learn from being here is that if it's monitor size you want, only genuine arcade monitors are really affordable. Affordable PC monitors in CRT ceased at around 21", and you will do well to find any LCD above 19" in a 4:3 aspect ratio. It is very difficult to find a happy medium between a console and PC display, which is why the two are best kept seperate.

Unfortunately, this query is sadly becoming more common as the younger generation (who caught the end of the arcade era and are more into new consoles) attempt their own arcade machines and realise the demands of the two different mediums make such a project hapless. I get several e-mails a week from people asking us to create such machines and very kindly have to say simply 'no'.

[Fitznab]

x-arcade does not offer an xbox 360 adapter. so that will not work.

as far as i can tell, the best option you have is to hack some xbox 360 controllers.  that way they would work fine with the 360, and also on the PC.  i believe there is a member here who has hacked these for other people if you dont want to do it yoruself.

From what I have seen of Xbox 360 hacks, the arcade controls would be solder on.  What am I missing for a way to connect to the PC?

This is looking more like it might be just strait MAME with an arcade monitor.

[severdhed]

well, the xbox 360 controllers will work with the PC, you connect them via usb.  it would be a matter of disconnecting them from the 360 and connecting them to the PC.

[dmckean]

The wireless controllers will work with the PC too as long as you buy one of these from microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/productdetails.aspx?pid=090

[ridicrick]

I am 31 and dont really consider myself "young generation". I grew up playing arcade machines since my uncle owned an arcade for many years. My new cabinet is strictly PC based for emulation and PC games. Not going to add any consoles to it this time. That sucks there is no 360 adapter that can be made, I guess hacking will be his only choice and good luck in that, it will make the build more personal and might teach you alot doing the hack. Good luck Fitznab with your project, it should be fun and well worth it.

[Jack Burton]

I might be crazy, but I have heard that you can use a VGA connector with an Xbox 360 and connect it to a PC monitor and play games high res 4:3 modes.  Some of the guys on SRK said they did this with HD remix and SFIV.  I know it is at least possible to use 640x480p on a cabinet with a Xbox 360.

Really it comes down to a simple choice, which is more important to you?  Xbox 360 or MAME?  That will dictate your display type.

[ShoryuKeith]

I use a  VGA connector with an Xbox 360 and LCD monitor, so i can use the 360 alot more without hoggin the Tv when my girlfriend wants to watch it.!

I have to say the picture is bloody brilliant. As good as my HD 50" for the xbox 360.

So thats something to think about if your wanting to go the whole PC/360 cabinet.


This is something i'm also very interested in doing, for SF IV and HD remix especially.

[ShoryuKeith]

Ok so i've been reading around alot since posting this morning and trying to learn a bit more....

If i was wanting to use a 360 and PC in my cabinet, would it be possible to hack 2 360 wired controllers and wire them  to 2 normal  8-way joysticks and buttons.  being usb it would be possible to work on both the PC (mame) and 360.

Using a usb switcher i could switch between the 2 quite simply.

And i'm guessing even the start buttons from the Xbox 360 controllers could be wired to the player 1 and 2 start buttons on my cabinet CP??

Now if wanted to use mame with a coin door, could i still use an IPAC to activate my coin inserts with this setup??

(i'm hoping somebody else out there has done something similar and can help me out here)

[opt2not]

Unfortunately, this query is sadly becoming more common as the younger generation (who caught the end of the arcade era and are more into new consoles) attempt their own arcade machines and realise the demands of the two different mediums make such a project hapless. I get several e-mails a week from people asking us to create such machines and very kindly have to say simply 'no'.

It's unfortunate you're stuck holding onto that purist torch. I'm too am not a young guy, but I'm not stuck in the past either. I can and do appreciate a lot of console games out there, while playing them I'm always thinking "this game would be so much better on a proper arcade setup".

Now-a-days, all our retro favourites are being remade onto these consoles and a bunch of them are actually really good updates and play really well on a standup machine. Look at games like Pacman:CE, Bionic Commando: Rearmed, Galaga Legions, Megaman 9, and not forgetting the higher-rez-HD updates of some arcade classics like Puzzle Fighter, or Super Street Fighter II.

I'm surprised, for a guy pushing that elitest angle on not supporting "the young generation" , your backing a business that relies on newer technology via rom emulation.  So consoles running these games are bad, yet PCs are ok? Seems misguided to me.


@ Fitznab

I went for the same thing, a PC/360 cabinet that can use the same controls.
Here's what I did:

- Hacked up 2 xbox 360 wired controllers, connected them to my Control Panel buttons
- Bought myself a DVI/USB Switch, connected both my PC and 360's DVI (my 360's an elite version that outputs native HDMI which I use a DVI adapter to connect to the switch)
- Connected the wired controller's USB cable to the switch, attached the USB output to both my PC and computer
- Connected the DVI output to my PC monitor

Using the switch I'm able to toggle back and forth from PC to 360 with a simple button press. Easy-peasy!

I find myself using mame for the classics that aren't on my 360 already, but I like playing on the 360 for classic games like Robotron, Time Pilot only because there are online leader boards to compete with.

Ahhh high score competition, rejuvenated onto a world-wide scale, what can be better than that?!

[ShoryuKeith]

Great info opt2not.

What DVI/USB Switch are you using.  Also what Joysticks are you using with the hacked controllers?

[Turnarcades]

I'm surprised, for a guy pushing that elitest angle on not supporting "the young generation" , your backing a business that relies on newer technology via rom emulation.  So consoles running these games are bad, yet PCs are ok? Seems misguided to me.

No not at all. I simply believe that modern consoles belong in front of a TV in their hi-def glory. The expense and trouble of wiring a console into a cabinet for the sake of a few remade classics seems pointless to me, just as I think using the latest Quad-core with all the trimmings is an uneccesary length just to play the latest MAME addition, or a single arcade-worthy PC game like Street Fighter 4. There aren't enough games that come out now that would be suited to an arcade cainet as newer consoles are not really born of necessity to bring arcade feel home, as consoles were back in the day. Modern consoles and most of their games are designed for lengthy, comfy sit-down play and whilst these remakes are great I would argue the cost+complexity outweigh the gaming benefits of such an addition.

I'm sure I'm not the only one stuck holding a 'purist torch', as many will agree with this. After all, the building of a cabinet is primarily about recreating that same arcade environment and feel the classic games were played with originally, which new technology and games were not - they were designed with home console playing in mind.

I'm only 28 so can see both sides of this fairly, plus I'm not so naive I can't appreciate that an arcade building business is finite as it is of most appeal to a narrow generation span of about 20 years. Attempting to introduce these kinds of modern additions would actually kill the business early as none of the younger generation is willing to pay the kind of costs this custom work involves, and focusing the business on more modern additions would alienate and effectively scare off the niche market the business is mainly aimed at.

Those new remakes are great I agree, but if you had as many stroppy people approach you and walk off shrugging their shoulders at the cost of having such additions as I have, you'd be peeved too. More power to you if you do it, though personally I think a lot of people would look at the handful of worthwhile games available and wonder if it is worth it.