To build or buy considering...

[Rossman]

I was wondering in terms of ease to build, and price, would it be better to get a premade mameroom.com multicoloured control panel like this: http://www.mameroom.com/SignatureSeries.asp which would be about $1400, or risk it and try to build my own, and find the parts? I'm not especially handy, but have a few friends that are.

Anyone have any advice one way or the other?

[Alpha17X]

I'd personally go with grabbing some compatible plans for the type of cabinet you want off of a site like Jakobud.com and building the whole thing yourself.  It will cost waaaaay less.  Cabinet kits, (including the PC, or not) are nice, but, personal opinion here, vastly overpriced regardless of where they're coming from.  

It feels more rewarding if you make your own, it's totally custom and has exactly what YOU need in it, nothing more, nothing less.


You can pay 1400 for a MameRoom/NorthCoast Customs machine, that will no doubt be a well built machine,  but you can also build ones just as well, for 200-300 (cabinet, and maybe even less than that)  and anywhere from 300 to 600 for a PC that will run everything MAME can run plus some extra PC software like Street Fighter 4.

So,  1400, one size fits all,  or 900 at the most for a custom job that your hard work went into,  Not only will you be able to enjoy using it because of the content on it, you'll also be able to enjoy it even more knowing you worked hard for it.  Sort of like when you finally finish rebuilding a classic car and finally get to take it for a drive.


So that's my opinion.  However,  if you do not have the time, if you are willing to spend the extra cash, if you just want a cab and you wanted sooner than later.  Then NorthCoast does make some good systems. 

So while you'd save money, and have an additional sense of pride and accomplishment once your project was done,  you would not be throwing money away if you went for a NCC cabinet.  But shop around if you haven't.  There are other cabinets out there. Quasimoto Interactive for example.

[RobbyMac]

Agreed. I am building a machine based on the ultimate arcade II. I have roughly 1k in the project, but was able to modify it to house satellite receiver, dvd and ps2 since this arcade is going in a family room. Added some custom cut smoked glass doors on the front which drove cost up a bit. I did get a deal (ie 'free') on all graphics since thats what i do for a living. I had the computer on hand.
I also have over 130hrs in it so far, and am going on about 6 weeks but I should have it completed within a week now.
If I had to do it again, it'd go quite faster (Like with most projects). You can check it out here if interested; FUSION Arcade build. Maybe it will help you in your decision...

[HanoiBoi]

Correct my if I'm wrong, but the Control Panel alone is $1400, not an entire machine.

Rossman, build your own.  If you want help, keep pluggin away at the threads in here and you'll get it.

Before answering that question fully, really you should state some background and such.  What the purpose of the machine will be?  How 'blinged' out you want/need it to be?  Do you need it in a hurry (upcoming event)? Will it be MAME dedicated? etc. 

If you are looking to throw something simple together, say a 2P MAME machine, and you already have a PC running MAME and a usable monitor, you can build something for far, far, far less than $1400.

Now, if you want crazy blinged out, and price is no issue and you want it in a timely fashion, then by all means buy a system.  But, since you are here on Build Your Own Arcade Controls...I think you already know what to do.

[mwong168]

$1400 for control panel alone is way too much even if it is pimped out with all those illuminated buttons.  Is that all you are interested in is the control panel alone or did you plan on making it part of a cabinet? 

If you or your friends aren't very handy with wood then I would say just buy the pre-cut 4 player control panel from NCC:

http://www.mameroom.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=4PLAYERCP

Then for the buttons, joystick and controller interface get them from either ultimarc.com or groovygamegear.com

That should run you well below $1400 and all you would need to invest is a wire stripper and crimper to hook up provided you get the interface controllers with the screw in terminals.  Building it yourself is not also rewarding but helpful in the future should a joystick or button need to be placed because you would know the entire ins and outs of your own control panel.

[Rossman]

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

I have lots of time to build this, I can see it taking years actually! I really wanted a multicoloured 4 player joystick (spinner and 4 way stick also) and a cabinet like the ultimate arcade 2, with the pull out keyboard drawer.

The cabinet wouldn't really be a problem, I just need the plans and I can build that myself (the plans cost $30 by itself). The controller though, I would like it to have the multicoloured LED controls so that 2 player games light up differently, and when you press the buttons they change colours. I know I can do this through LED Blinky, but making a control panel like that seems overwhelming.

I have computer parts coming out of ---my bottom---, and I've been spending a lot of time with hyperspin. I've also been looking into a wells gardner d9800 27".

In all I think it'll cost me $2000-$3000 if I go with the custom control pad from them. Unless someone knows of plans and detailed instructions to do the same thing. I think I would give it a try in order to save a huge chunk of money.

Edit: oh, and really important that it hooks up through USB, so I would need to get a part that connects the controls to a USB connection...

[Alpha17X]

Holy crap, I didn't realize that was just for a controller.  Yeah that is a pretty nice controller but you could probably pull off building one yourself, for... not 1400.   Heck, back when Hanaho's site was still active they used to sell full Arcade PC systems for around that price.

As stated, you're on Build Your Own Arcade Controls,  pretty much everyone here loves this stuff, if you post your layout idea, or describe it you'll get people enthusiastically throwing ideas out like an open water main.    Which is why this place is so awesome.


Were you looking for a layout pretty much like the MM/NCC CPanel or were you thinking of changing it up a bit?    It's not like you have to be restricted, if you think a different arrangement is better, there's nothing stopping you from changing it.

[Rossman]

Honestly, I couldn't think of anything else I would need. I plan to add some light guns to it later on, but I already found some really nice USB ones that have recoil. Is there something else I should be putting on it, or changing up? Anyone have a site that sells the multicoloured LEDs or some plans to build one?

[Alpha17X]

Whatever design works for you.   If you sit and think about what kind of games you'll play and how you need the controls arranged, then that's your design,  If the NCC panel pretty much does it for you, then just make something based on you.

I haven't really used LEDs in my cpanels much so I'll let someone else answer that, and look for the answer as well now that you've gotten me interested.  If no one beats me to it, I'll post what I find.

[Alpha17X]

Well, I found some illuminated pushbuttons on Suzo Happ:  http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/ilumn1.htm

I've seen people use something called LED Wiz and their cpanels put on light shows while in attract mode, I'm not sure how that whole process works and if some of their pushbuttons rotate through multiple colors or not, hopefully someone with experience in that regard will respond once they have time.

[Rossman]

I found quite a few places that sell LED wiz, and the LED arcade buttons, but I need plans for cutting and wiring, and turning it into a USB controller. Thanks for the info though!

[Rossman]

After doing quite a bit of research, I found that I can't get LED parts at the quality I'm looking for, or some just aren't for sale on the net. I think the only way to get this type of controller is to fork out the $1400! Anyone have any additional information or plans that would help, please post!

[divemaster127]

Jack at arcadesrus can build you a unit for half of this one.  He does good work

[Rossman]

Jack at arcadesrus can build you a unit for half of this one.  He does good work

Does he have a website?

[divemaster127]

yah but he does not maintain it anymore, its best to contact him thru ebay, he build my panel its great its just takes a while he is part time like all of us

[Rossman]

yah but he does not maintain it anymore, its best to contact him thru ebay, he build my panel its great its just takes a while he is part time like all of us

Uh... No one on ebay called arcadesrus as far as I can tell. Do you have a link or anything?

[divemaster127]

his id is gumby123 or search for arcaderus on google it will take you to his website & links to ebay

[Rossman]

his id is gumby123 or search for arcaderus on google it will take you to his website & links to ebay

I'm getting confused here. There's no arcaderus, with no s, no arcadesrus, with a s, and gumby123 only has 1 sale on ebay and no items for sale... Are you sure arcadesrus isn't shut down? Do you have an actual link to this website that I can't seem to find?

[divemaster127]

hello, here is a ebay link
thanks
dm
arcadeemulator.net(my webstore)


http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Player-28-LCD-Custom-Video-Arcade-Game-MAME-TM_W0QQitemZ230422139733QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a63ad355

[Rossman]

Thanks a lot for the info!

[bkenobi]

Depending on how much stuff you throw into your CP, it is possible to spend more than $900 and probably more than $1400. 

To start with, you have a couple hundred in buttons and joysticks (depending on your selections of course).  Then with all the LED stuff available, you can drop several hundred there alone!  Then, add track balls and spinners for another couple hundred (or so).  At this point you don't have a box yet, so you need to build one.  That shouldn't be expensive, but you could spend several hundred on tools (if you wanted) to build the thing.  Now you need some artwork...so add up to another hundred to have one sent to you.

I personally would build one myself (and not spend anywhere near that much money).  I'm just saying it's possible to at least come close to the $1400 and possibly exceed it if you tried REALLY hard.  BUT, you will just have what someone else built rather than something you can feel proud of.

[Havok]

$1,400 for a control panel from a company that can't even flush mount a trackball?

Do it yourself! You'll learn in the process, plus in the end it's more rewarding. Everything you need as far as advise and knowledge is right here.

Good luck!

[Rossman]

Everything you need as far as advise and knowledge is right here.

now if only parts were here to...