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An ethical question.

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Epyx:

I honestly don't see the need to convert an old cab into a MAME cab...Restorations heck ya I am all for them...but for your own MAME cab why not just scratch build it?

At the end of the day you are probably putting close to the equivalent amount of work in considering there are things with an old cab you would have to do to that you wouldn't have to do with a scratch build and vice versa.

And I should add Im not against converting crappy games etc...I just don't see the need when you can build one from scratch.



Chris:


--- Quote from: Epyx on February 22, 2010, 01:15:34 pm ---I honestly don't see the need to convert an old cab into a MAME cab...Restorations heck ya I am all for them...but for your own MAME cab why not just scratch build it?

--- End quote ---
Because some of us are much better at computer work than carpentry, or don't have the workship resources to handle 4x8 sheets of MDF.  I know that I persobally fit into both categories.

I was fortunate though... I managed to get a cabinet that was begging to be MAMEd... a generic Konami cabinet that had been converted who knows how many times, had a plain control panel with 2 sticks and 14 buttons and clear bezel glass with no electronics.

However, there are many many times where I have found myself wishing the cabinet was just an inch or two wider, and that is the big plus of rolling your own... fewer compromises.

I have considered tearing apart my cabinet and just keeping the two sides and rebuilding it a few inches wider... the sides are the difficult part without a shop, tools or skills, the rest is just rectangles. I might be able to handle rectangles.  :D

Epyx:


--- Quote ---Because some of us are much better at computer work than carpentry, or don't have the workship resources to handle 4x8 sheets of MDF.  I know that I persobally fit into both categories.
--- End quote ---

True, but unless the cab you buy is only requiring a paint job it will be difficult to get away without doing *any* carpentry.  But understood :)

mwong168:

Originally I had I acquired a pretty mint original Midway Mortal Kombat II cabinet which I was going to MAME but leave the option by going back to stock.  I got as far as getting an ArcadeVGA video card and a JPAC.  Worked great and to revert back to the original all I would have to do is move the JAMMA harness from the JPAC back to the main board.  The reason I went this route was because I don't have many of the tools such as a table saw, skill saw, router and oh I almost forgot the experience or skill using any of these  :laugh:  I need all 10 of my fingers to make a living since I am a software developer by day.  To MAME or not to MAME is entirely up to you but it can be done with minimal modifications unless you buy a MK machine like me and re-drill the control panel to say a SF straight 6 button layout then sort of hard to go back.  But then again you could always remove the original control panel and cut a new piece of wood.  The same could also be done for Dynamo cabinets as well, just buy a generic or uncut one and save the original.

Unfortunately I didn't see my MKII mame conversion because it was too big to fit down my basement stairs into my game room.  So I sold off the machine on craigslist and even made a small profit on top after storing it in my living room for 2 years and what an eye sore that was.  Then last summer I asked my brother in-law if he would be able to help me build my cabinet from scratch since he just sold off his furniture business and retired now.  He is always finding something to do around the house and seems restless.  The nice thing about building it from scratch is you get things done exactly how you want it without having to settle or work with an existing cabinet layout.

Epyx:

Agreed.  Besides if this site of ours has proven anything it is these two valuable lessons:

I) you don't have to be a great woodworker when you are starting out
II) space isn't necessarily a restriction...Look at what Martijn was able to build on his apartment balcony and living room lol.

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