The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: 1UP on October 30, 2004, 09:43:37 pm
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The shadows will fall...soon all will be revealed... 8)
www.1uparcade.com
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Holy bejebus! Three grand for the kit? That better be one bitchin' cab man...Any chance for a stripped, no-artwork version to bring that price down?
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yeah dude, that price is kinda steep. you should change your screenname to SlikStik or something.
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Sounds right to me for a highly-engineered cab like this.
Agreed, not everyone will be able to afford it, but the price seems fair.
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Look around the site, and you'll see why it's justified. ;)
The other part is, I have to do quantities of more than 50 to budge my costs downward, so if we get enough orders, everyone who signs up may get a nice surprise...
For the full monty, the cost is definitely justified. Take Hanaho's cabinet, add the cost of the larger monitor, and the extra controls on the additional control panels, and you get about the same number.
Like I said, if demand is high enough, prices will eventually come down. But it's a complex rig, and the odd angles add a lot to *my* costs, but you couldn't do a cab like this with all 90o angles.
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The shadows will fall...soon all will be revealed... 8)
www.1uparcade.com
Does the 'kit' include everything that's in the 'finished cabinet'? (i.e. monitor, pc, etc)
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Does the 'kit' include everything that's in the 'finished cabinet'? (i.e. monitor, pc, etc)
No, just the finished wood and heavy-duty cam-and-dowel fasteners. You supply the guts of your choice.
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Does the 'kit' include everything that's in the 'finished cabinet'? (i.e. monitor, pc, etc)
No, just the finished wood and heavy-duty cam-and-dowel fasteners. You supply the guts of your choice.
so.. kits would be, ipac, joysticks, buttons, spinner, trackball, ect, all wires, quick disconnects, screws, wood?
im kinda lost as to how exactly 3 GRAND is fair for a "kit" and if its fair what exactly is included
i mean, the rotating panel owns, dont get me wrong, but im kinda lost as to the "deal" of this..
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3k is a lot to spend on anything
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so.. kits would be, ipac, joysticks, buttons, spinner, trackball, ect, all wires, quick disconnects, screws, wood?
im kinda lost as to how exactly 3 GRAND is fair for a "kit" and if its fair what exactly is included
i mean, the rotating panel owns, dont get me wrong, but im kinda lost as to the "deal" of this..
This is gonna get ugly, I can tell. It always does when money is mentioned on a hobby forum.
No, the kit is an empty cabinet, nothing more. It is black laminated wood, cam connectors to join the pieces, and the locking mechanism/axle that allows the rotation feature. The price includes the labor involved to construct the rotating panel assembly, because it is too complex to be shipped in "knocked-down" form. And of course there is profit.
Fair does not mean everyone can afford it. In the marketplace, fair means it is competitive with other products. You pay more for something when it is built of better quality materials, or has better features, or maybe just looks better.
To use Hanaho as an example again, look on their FAQ page, and they will tell you how to order a cabinet without a monitor and PC. Subtract $1500 for a PC and $600 for a 21" monitor (don't ask me, those are their prices... :o ), and you will have a number around $2899. I think the extra features of our empty cabinet make it worth the extra $$.
Not all products are right for all markets. If you don't need 3 control panels, get the Slikstik kit with their classic control panel, a $200 21" monitor, and a cheap PC, and you'll have a pretty decent cab for a lot less than Hanaho's Arcade PC. But people still buy the Hanaho product by the hundreds, because some people don't have the time nor desire to build it themselves.
I have worked on this project on and off for 2 years. The time, effort and money I've put into it over that time has been enormous. That factors in too.
Then there are my costs, which are going to be high right now because of all the setup. Everyone I'm sending parts to is charging me up the rear to set things up for the first time. The smaller the quantity of what I need, the more manual labor goes into it, and thus the higher prices.
This cabinet is not for everyone, but it is for those who can recognize the value of having an entire arcade in one corner of their home.
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This is gonna get ugly, I can tell. It always does when money is mentioned on a hobby forum.
Amen to that.
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3k is a lot to spend on anything
It all depends on who you are, how much money you have, and what your priorities are.
There are people who will spend $50,000 on a car. Personally, I think it's insane to spend that much on something that will probably not last 10 years, however people do it all the time.
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so.. kits would be, ipac, joysticks, buttons, spinner, trackball, ect, all wires, quick disconnects, screws, wood?
im kinda lost as to how exactly 3 GRAND is fair for a "kit" and if its fair what exactly is included
i mean, the rotating panel owns, dont get me wrong, but im kinda lost as to the "deal" of this..
This is gonna get ugly, I can tell. It always does when money is mentioned on a hobby forum.
No, the kit is an empty cabinet, nothing more. It is black laminated wood, cam connectors to join the pieces, and the locking mechanism/axle that allows the rotation feature. The price includes the labor involved to construct the rotating panel assembly, because it is too complex to be shipped in "knocked-down" form. And of course there is profit.
Fair does not mean everyone can afford it. In the marketplace, fair means it is competitive with other products. You pay more for something when it is built of better quality materials, or has better features, or maybe just looks better.
To use Hanaho as an example again, look on their FAQ page, and they will tell you how to order a cabinet without a monitor and PC. Subtract $1500 for a PC and $600 for a 21" monitor (don't ask me, those are their prices... :o ), and you will have a number around $2899. I think the extra features of our empty cabinet make it worth the extra $$.
Not all products are right for all markets. If you don't need 3 control panels, get the Slikstik kit with their classic control panel, a $200 21" monitor, and a cheap PC, and you'll have a pretty decent cab for a lot less than Hanaho's Arcade PC. But people still buy the Hanaho product by the hundreds, because some people don't have the time nor desire to build it themselves.
I have worked on this project on and off for 2 years. The time, effort and money I've put into it over that time has been enormous. That factors in too.
Then there are my costs, which are going to be high right now because of all the setup. Everyone I'm sending parts to is charging me up the rear to set things up for the first time. The smaller the quantity of what I need, the more manual labor goes into it, and thus the higher prices.
This cabinet is not for everyone, but it is for those who can recognize the value of having an entire arcade in one corner of their home.
I really think the rotating panel thing is dope, but truth be told, theres no way in hell (assuming your sending just wood and the assembly for the rotating panel) that theres 3 GRAND in cost there.. i understand profit, understand it well, but theres a point where profit and rape get to close.. now i know time is money, and depending on what kind of time is used for each one of those assemblys, im just personally not to sure about that kind of price..
i know i know, this isnt a cheap hobby bla bla.. but were not talking about a full ready to rock cab here, were talking about a pile of wood..
and dont take it personally, but this to me is one of those things that people are just trying to make huge bank off of when in reality its nothing more than 100 bucks in wood shipped to someone for crazy money..
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I myself do not prefer cab kits but you're failing to see everything. It may be just wood, but:
Time is definitely money. Two years is a long time (and probably feels like an eternity doing something like this). And like he said, when he has to have things sent, that costs quite a bit. He's probably having the wood CNC'd and not cutting it in the garage so that costs. Electricity costs. If he's to have a physical front to store these cabs, that costs. Setting up a business costs. And obviously taxes are gonna cost him.
Of course he's gonna want a profit. Who wouldn't? But I seriously doubt he's gonna be Daddy Warbucks with this venture. Most of the cabs he sells in the beginning I would imagine would have to go towards paying off a lot of bills he has incurred (and probably still is incurring).
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I myself do not prefer cab kits but you're failing to see everything. It may be just wood, but:
Time is definitely money. Two years is a long time (and probably feels like an eternity doing something like this). And like he said, when he has to have things sent, that costs quite a bit. He's probably having the wood CNC'd and not cutting it in the garage so that costs. Electricity costs. If he's to have a physical front to store these cabs, that costs. Setting up a business costs. And obviously taxes are gonna cost him.
Of course he's gonna want a profit. Who wouldn't? But I seriously doubt he's gonna be Daddy Warbucks with this venture. Most of the cabs he sells in the beginning I would imagine would have to go towards paying off a lot of bills he has incurred (and probably still is incurring).
i have zero problem with profit.. i dunno, just seems more like a retail profit to me.. you know.. 300% markup kinda stuff.. hell maybe im wrong and hes making 40 bucks on each one..
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I really think the rotating panel thing is dope, but truth be told, theres no way in hell (assuming your sending just wood and the assembly for the rotating panel) that theres 3 GRAND in cost there
There's no need to go down this road again, it's been done so many times before... ::)
Nobody sells at cost. Everything you buy is marked up by 50-200% of what it cost to make, some things are even more. I pay $125 per month for a prescription medicine that is a pile of pills that barely covers the bottom of of the vial. There's no way it costs the drug company $125 for about half an ounce of chemicals to make that. But they have the patent, so they can charge whatever they like. In 10 years, the patent will run out, and there will be a generic form that will cost $5. It's supply and demand.
This isn't something you need like a prescription. If it's too expensive, don't buy it. You'd be much happier turning a pile of wood into a game cabinet! It's so much fun, I know from experience...
i know i know, this isnt a cheap hobby bla bla.. but were not talking about a full ready to rock cab here, were talking about a pile of wood..
Let me know where you can find a pile of wood pre-cut and pre-drilled to do what our cab can do for $100. It would save me a lot of money! And it's actually a cab *almost* ready to rock. An hour with a screwdriver will have it up and running.
and dont take it personally, but this to me is one of those things that people are just trying to make huge bank off of when in reality its nothing more than 100 bucks in wood shipped to someone for crazy money..
And a car is just a pile of sheet metal. Welcome to the real world. Even the cheapie kits out there don't cost $100. No one is selling cabs to be a humanitarian. They are all selling them for money. ;)
I think if you compare similar products, you'll find I'm in roughly the same price range as most others out there. But you probably wouldn't buy their cabs either.
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[quote author=SOAPboy link=board=1;threadid=26657;start=0#msg220636 I really think the rotating panel thing is dope, but truth be told, theres no way in hell (assuming your sending just wood and the assembly for the rotating panel) that theres 3 GRAND in cost there
There's no need to go down this road again, it's been done so many times before... ::)
Nobody sells at cost. Everything you buy is marked up by 50-200% of what it cost to make, some things are even more. I pay $125 per month for a prescription medicine that is a pile of pills that barely covers the bottom of of the vial. There's no way it costs the drug company $125 for about half an ounce of chemicals to make that. But they have the patent, so they can charge whatever they like. In 10 years, the patent will run out, and there will be a generic form that will cost $5. It's supply and demand.
This isn't something you need like a prescription. If it's too expensive, don't buy it. You'd be much happier turning a pile of wood into a game cabinet! It's so much fun, I know from experience...
i know i know, this isnt a cheap hobby bla bla.. but were not talking about a full ready to rock cab here, were talking about a pile of wood..
Let me know where you can find a pile of wood pre-cut and pre-drilled to do what our cab can do for $100. It would save me a lot of money! And it's actually a cab *almost* ready to rock. An hour with a screwdriver will have it up and running.
and dont take it personally, but this to me is one of those things that people are just trying to make huge bank off of when in reality its nothing more than 100 bucks in wood shipped to someone for crazy money..
And a car is just a pile of sheet metal. Welcome to the real world. Even the cheapie kits out there don't cost $100. No one is selling cabs to be a humanitarian. They are all selling them for money. ;)
I think if you compare similar products, you'll find I'm in roughly the same price range as most others out there. But you probably wouldn't buy their cabs either.
maybe i just have moral issues with charging people insane ammounts of money for something..
love the idea, great youll sell it, id just feel better knowing that you arnt just jacking the price up ten fold..
and enough of the ::) crap.. sarcasim is thick enough..
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Most of the cabs he sells in the beginning I would imagine would have to go towards paying off a lot of bills he has incurred (and probably still is incurring).
Exactly. The startup on something like this is expensive. There are patents, lawyers, business taxes, setup costs for all the shops that build the cabinets and parts, web design, credit card billing, accounting services, insurance, an industrial space to package and ship from, and on and on. These are the things no one sees when they say "there's no way it costs that much." I probably won't even see a profit until the first couple batches are sold. And I'm doing it totally by myself, on credit cards, savings, and a macaroni diet. :)
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love the idea, great youll sell it, id just feel better knowing that you arnt just jacking the price up ten fold..
Definitely not anywhere near ten fold. I'm obviously not going to reveal my costs, but if you saw the bill I got just for cutting out the wood, it would probably shock you. :o
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Most of the cabs he sells in the beginning I would imagine would have to go towards paying off a lot of bills he has incurred (and probably still is incurring).
Exactly. The startup on something like this is expensive. There are patents, lawyers, business taxes, setup costs for all the shops that build the cabinets and parts, web design, credit card billing, accounting services, insurance, an industrial space to package and ship from, and on and on. These are the things no one sees when they say "there's no way it costs that much." I probably won't even see a profit until the first couple batches are sold. And I'm doing it totally by myself, on credit cards, savings, and a macaroni diet. :)
takes money to make money man.. i 100% understand the process of this kind of thing, so dont think im just a kid who thinks its to expensive because my allowance wont pay for it.. its just one of those WTF 3 GRAND FOR WOOD kinda things.. im sure if you were on the other side of the fence you would see what im talking about..
and i wish the best of luck with it, and for someone who just has tons of cash to blow its a awsome idea.. its just i dunno, one of those things that hits me odd..
its like my computer buisness and xbox modding i do.. i charge cost and a very very small markup.. say a video card costs me 200, its 220 to the customer.. that way both partys are happy.. now i realize you cant markup a cabinet that costs say 500 to make to 550 bucks and call it good, i totally realize that.. hell a grand, grand and a half is fine.. but once the markup hits that point where its outragious is where the line kinda starts.. i dont wanna say greed because well, liek you said, its out of your pocket atm, but you gotta see what im saying here too.. lets say, you invest 40k into this, and you can build AND ship one for 800 bucks.. 1600 bucks wouldnt be all that unfair considering the unique layout of the cp and such.. in fact, its kinda a one of a kinda thing, so double cost is more than reasonable..
/me shrugs
hell maybe im just missing where the huge cost is comming in..
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love the idea, great youll sell it, id just feel better knowing that you arnt just jacking the price up ten fold..
Definitely not anywhere near ten fold. I'm obviously not going to reveal my costs, but if you saw the bill I got just for cutting out the wood, it would probably shock you. :o
im thinking you need to hit me up on aim.. for real..
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lets say, you invest 40k into this, and you can build AND ship one for 800 bucks.. 1600 bucks wouldnt be all that unfair considering the unique layout of the cp and such.. in fact, its kinda a one of a kinda thing, so double cost is more than reasonable..
/me shrugs
Nope, it's not 800 bucks either, keep going... And shipping costs quite a bit on something this heavy.
There's one other thing to consider that I haven't brought up. If I was able to sell the kits for $1600 and make a decent profit, anyone could buy a bunch, stack them in a garage, get a bunch of illegal immigrants with screwdrivers and set up a little side business undercutting my finished cabinets, even if I dropped my prices back down to Hanaho's level. This is why I almost didn't consider making kits at all.
When I get a greater volume of orders, the price will come down, because my prices will come down. I'll still be able to make a good profit, and charge less. That's the goal.
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lets say, you invest 40k into this, and you can build AND ship one for 800 bucks.. 1600 bucks wouldnt be all that unfair considering the unique layout of the cp and such.. in fact, its kinda a one of a kinda thing, so double cost is more than reasonable..
/me shrugs
Nope, it's not 800 bucks either, keep going... And shipping costs quite a bit on something this heavy.
There's one other thing to consider that I haven't brought up. If I was able to sell the kits for $1600 and make a decent profit, anyone could buy a bunch, stack them in a garage, get a bunch of illegal immigrants with screwdrivers and set up a little side business undercutting my finished cabinets, even if I dropped my prices back down to Hanaho's level. This is why I almost didn't consider making kits at all.
When I get a greater volume of orders, the price will come down, because my prices will come down. I'll still be able to make a good profit, and charge less. That's the goal.
only problem with not doing kits, shipping is easier with it not assembled =P
its all good man, i really dont mean to bag the buisness, i just have a hard time with costs considering i live in the midwest where everything seems cheap :P
kinda like these looneys trying to sell gutted cabs in medocer shape for 200+ lmfao, no less there generally junk knockoffs anyways.. >_<
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its all good man, i really dont mean to bag the buisness, i just have a hard time with costs considering i live in the midwest where everything seems cheap :P
Hey, I totally get your perspective. I came from Arizona, where you can get an absolutely awesome house for $250k. I mean a 2-story dream home. Here in L.A., you can barely get a duplex for that. :P
That's another thing...rent for industrial space here is a nightmare. I could save so much cash by taking the business elsewhere, but we do kind of like California. Besides, I just registered the business here.
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its all good man, i really dont mean to bag the buisness, i just have a hard time with costs considering i live in the midwest where everything seems cheap :P
Hey, I totally get your perspective. I came from Arizona, where you can get an absolutely awesome house for $250k. I mean a 2-story dream home. Here in L.A., you can barely get a duplex for that. :P
That's another thing...rent for industrial space here is a nightmare. I could save so much cash by taking the business elsewhere, but we do kind of like California. Besides, I just registered the business here.
AZ huh? i lived in havasu.. ;D
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Just a suggestion, but your biggest "catch" by FAR is that rotating control panel obviously. No plans on JUST selling the CP setup with hardware?
I think we've all built comparable mame cabs for under $1,200 buying everything brand new, WITHOUT that type of control panel, but noone is going to spend an extra $4,200 (listed cost of complete cab on your site) just for a spinning CP.
Just a thought, would DEFINITELY be in everyone best interest to sell JUST that CP, with hardware, and brief "one way of installing it in our cab would be this...." papers.
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Quick story.
My buddy really wants a cab, bad. But he has no skill what so ever. When i told him about the spinning panels, he drooled and asked if i could do one. I cant, because im not that skilled. When I told him that one was being built for production and would prolly cost about $6000 for a complete cab...he said he was all there.
Now thats alot for some people, but for others, its a fine price for what they are getting.
So I say...too expensive, dont buy it then. DUH
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Wow, this is a damn shame. It's really sad how people are ripping on 1UP here. Saying "no offense" or "dont take it personally" doesn't change what you are doing.
1UP is starting up this company from scratch. Some people in this thread obviously have NO CLUE about business. Why don't you try to get a patent, set up a production facility or chain, pay for storage, electicity, materials, overhead, shipping, etc etc, and then ---smurfette--- about his prices.
Seriously... if you don't like his prices, go make your own cab for less money.... 1UP is one of us, he builds his own cabs too. If you wanna go build your own for a third of his price, go for it. Go build a corvette for $15K if you want too... some people just don't have the ability to do so. Those are the people that will buy a car or be interested in a cab like this.
I mean, think of it this way.... if 1UP could sell these cabs for 50-200% profit at say $1800 or $2000 or some such, don't you think he would? He would completely destroy the competition. He's only doing what every other buisiness on this planet does. An xbox modding service is NOT a business... I build computers for family/friends/acquaintances and usually charge say $50-100 above cost to put it together.... that doesn't make me a business and doesn't mean that Alienware should charge $50 above cost.
1UP - Good luck with your venture, I know its a huge risk starting up a business, especially in such a niche market. I personally (and unfortunately for me) can't afford one myself, but I don't think there is anything wrong with your price. You're offering a unique product and I can only assume it will be a high quality product after seeing the original Pac-Mamea.
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I was just reading the argument between Soapbox and 1-Up...
Soapbox comes out with...
maybe i just have moral issues with charging people insane ammounts of money for something..
but then I read this from him..
its like my computer buisness and xbox modding i do
What do you think all these people who are modding their x-boxes are doing? 99% are making illegal copies of games and playing them on their modded x-box...No morality issues with that, Soapbox?
Don't get me wrong..I don't care either way, but I just thought this was funny ;D
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Sound good 1UP :). I agree the price is fair, considering the amount of time/effort and the very small market there is for this kind of thing (not to mention the unique rotating CP's). Sound like 1UP is going about everything the right way too, so the quality should be top-notch.
Looking forward to seeing more...
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I think this machine looks freakin' awesome.
I do admit that I was surprised that the cab kit without computer, monitor or even controls was $3k, but I think that's primarily because I naturally visualize the guts (all the electronics) and the assembly as being more 'valuable' than the box it goes into.
So that's why (to me) paying $3000 for the cab parts and 'only' $2500 for the controls, computer, monitor and assembly seems odd.
But, while $5499 for a complete item is a little too steep for my blood, I'm sure there are people out there who would pay that for what sounds like a really great setup.
My only other question is when you say "And shipping costs quite a bit on something this heavy". Are you implying that shipping is included in these prices? If so, I think you should mention that. Otherwise people look at the $5,499 and think that it'll probably be closer to $6,000 when it's all said and done (and more if there are taxes involved)
One last thing to ponder (maybe for the future, maybe for now). If you were to set up some kind of 'referral' bonus/credit/whatever, you might be able to utilize the DIY community to your benefit. My guess is that even those who won't buy this machine MIGHT know people who would. And with some kind of incentive, they might even beat the pavement/make some calls for you.
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This squabbling about the price is obsurd. If people saw 1-UP'S stack of bills for this project they wouldn't be whining about the price and those who do whine have absolutly no idea what it costs to design and market a unique product like this. There's currently *nothing* on the market that even comes close to this type of design. Every other prefab cab out there looks like any typical run of the mill conversion cabinet and yet they all charge an arm and a leg for it. I think 1-UP'S prices are justified when you consider the alternatives. Just look at the glorified book shelf that X-ARCADE is selling. I don't think I've ever seen a new product announced here where there isn't a few people who complain about the price. I'm sure 1-UP knows that this site won't be his target marketplace for his new cab but this is a good place to get the word out since their are many guests who stumble onto this site and lurk around for alternatives. Some of the hardcore do-it-yourselfers around here will squabble about a five dollar price difference on a florescent light fixture for their marquee. Its just human nature for the "do it yourselfer" to seek out bargains for their project since they're trying to make their project for less then it would cost to buy a premade unit in addition to having the freedom to built it to suit their needs myself incl. BUT there's alot of people out there who don't have the time,knowledge,patience,room and motivation to build their own but still want a cab that stands out over the typical prefab MAME cab designs that are currently out there. Where else can you find a cab kit with a three sided rotating control panel that has enough room to *tastfully* house enough types of controls to play probably 80 to 90% of the games offered in MAME ? The answer is..nowhere ! Don't be discouraged 1-UP as I'm sure you'll do just fine. If there wasn't money to be made then all the other prefab companies out there would close their doors. Keep in mind that most of the prefab cabs out there all look very similar in that they're pretty much based on a standard cab design yet their seems to be enough buyers out there to keep most of these copycat companies in business. You on the other hand have *no* competition when it comes to cabs with rotating control panels so if someone has their heart set on this design then they either build it themselves or they buy it from you. Enjoy it while it lasts as I'm sure their will be copycats but right now you're on top of the heap :) so good luck with your unique design.
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I think since it's his product, he can charge whatever he wants. 1up in no way should have to "justify" his prices. He knows what the bills are and what he needs to make off each one to make it worthwhile. Nobody bugs Ultimarc (Andy) to justify his prices. You just buy it if you justify your expense vs. time equation. A keyboard is like 1/10 the cost of an ipac. ;)
Anyhow, any chance of getting a peek at each of the CP's? Did you stick with a similar setup to what you had on the original? I've got a two panel modular type design I'm working on and want to see what I won't be able to do. ;)
Excellent work 1up, wish you the best. If I had the cash, I'd buy one fully assembled. You do great work and have inspired several of us.
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the biggest thing to keep inmind here... is that this isn't one of those 'wall-unit' snap together cabs... this is a REAL cab... something that is quality design.
and even ontop of that... who else sells a rotating panel cab? nevermind of this quality.
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to all:
If you want a Porsche but can't afford one, don't ---smurfette---.
I'm in the business of making and selling Flash games. I get similar reactions as 1up got here sometimes. I name my price to license a Flash game and when it's a serious customer, they don't flinch. We work out details, maybe tweak the costs and tweak what the game needs and in the end I get my costs covered plus profit. This customer is usually related to marketing for a company or brand. They understand the value of the product for their purposes.
But then there's the other kind of customer, the one who will actually reply with comments like "are you insane!?". They expect Flash games for $50 each. They typically are owners of those sites with hundreds and thousands of Flash games on them. They think my prices are ridiculous because THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. My attitude to them is "you are not my target audience".
I would rather sell 1 copy of my game for $1000 than 20 copies at $50. The less my game is out there, the more value it has. Also the less tech support I have to provide. Tech support eats into profits.
1Up will surely have to eat into his profits every time a shipment arrives damaged. Every time he has to get on the phone and help someone too dense to understand the assembly instructions, and every time someone screws up and 1Up has to ship out a replacement part out of customer courtesy.
The bottom line, is if you think the cost is ridiculous, you are not 1up's target audience. But it's to be expected when posting on a Built It Yourself website. We are all making our own "street cars" while 1up will be selling luxury cars.
~Ray B.
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I talked to a couple friends of mine about this, and even though we have the tools and the skills to build one, this is a good alternative and well priced for the end result.
This is just my opinion, I could be wrong.
Nice work 1UP keep it coming :)
TM
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My feeling is with all the time and effort and expense it cost to get a project like this off the ground no one has the right to say it cost to much.Its real simple you dont like the price dont buy it.I just thinks its really cool that 1up is trying to innovate something that has been pretty much the same design for many moons.Way to go 1up keep up the good work!!!-Will
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I say congrats to you 1UP. Its not an easy decision to get into the business world, and risk your own possesions on a venture such as this. Good Luck to you.
I'm NIVO, and I approved this message.
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I'm not going to read all the arguments for/against in this thread but I'm just gonna say this, for hobbyists like us who really like to build things on our own, it might be expensive, but I just realized that there is a lot of appeal to other really rich people (including celebrities) where that price would be no problem
if you sell to any famous people let us know
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Im with 1up go for it man... If I had the money I would buy one... There is def a market place for this cab and I wish all the success one can handle 1up... Im tired of seeing 4 player cabs for 5 grand on Ebay. I think with the rotating CP and the slick design youll make some money.. Just need to get the word out... best of luck...
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I love how people always come out and say "I could do it for cheaper wah wah wah". Go ahead. Try. I DARE you.
The buisness world is a scary place, and having a new buisness is a VERY risky venture.
That being said, this cabinet is not geared towards 99.9% of this board. This is byOac. emphasis on OWN. This is a DIY board. Would any DIY community be extremely interested in buying a finished product? I doubt 1up will sell many kits, but I hope that he sells quite a few finished cabinets.
1up, my only worry for you is advertising. Those who would be making the decision of slikstik vs. 1uparcade cab have no idea about either. What plans do you have so that people learn of your cabinet, and arcade cabs in general?
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I'm just wondering if you are going to be selling any of the controls seperately from the cabinets? I thought I had read that the cabs would come with better Tron sticks than the ones you used in your original cab, I'm also interested in a star wars yoke if you are having those produced for it as well.
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1up, my only worry for you is advertising. Those who would be making the decision of slikstik vs. 1uparcade cab have no idea about either. What plans do you have so that people learn of your cabinet, and arcade cabs in general?
That will all be taken care of. I plan to take the machine to several trade shows for starters. For now, I have enough interested parties to get started.
I may drop the kits altogether after the initial run, as they just aren't going to sell well at the prices I have to charge to make it worthwhile. The kits are really only for the hobbyists, the very people that are trying to save money by doing it themselves.
So anyone who has any interest in the kits at all, get on my list while you can...
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I'm just wondering if you are going to be selling any of the controls seperately from the cabinets? I thought I had read that the cabs would come with better Tron sticks than the ones you used in your original cab, I'm also interested in a star wars yoke if you are having those produced for it as well.
That is certainly a possibility. The sticks will depend on demand. If it's only 2 or 3 people who want them, it may not be worth keeping track of.
But the yokes would definitely be a separate upgrade to the cabinets. Most likely, they won't be ready for the first run of cabinets, so it will be an add-on option that will also be available a-la-carte.
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1UP, "Good luck with the cabinet venture", you have a great solid design as I have mentioned many many times in the past. I'm sure the cabinet will do well, just remember to market the heck out of it.
You may want to hold off on the flight yoke for a little bit. ;D
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Wow, this is a damn shame. It's really sad how people are ripping on 1UP here. Saying "no offense" or "dont take it personally" doesn't change what you are doing.
1UP is starting up this company from scratch. Some people in this thread obviously have NO CLUE about business. Why don't you try to get a patent, set up a production facility or chain, pay for storage, electicity, materials, overhead, shipping, etc etc, and then <auto-censored> about his prices.
Seriously... if you don't like his prices, go make your own cab for less money.... 1UP is one of us, he builds his own cabs too. If you wanna go build your own for a third of his price, go for it. Go build a corvette for $15K if you want too... some people just don't have the ability to do so. Those are the people that will buy a car or be interested in a cab like this.
I mean, think of it this way.... if 1UP could sell these cabs for 50-200% profit at say $1800 or $2000 or some such, don't you think he would? He would completely destroy the competition. He's only doing what every other buisiness on this planet does. An xbox modding service is NOT a business... I build computers for family/friends/acquaintances and usually charge say $50-100 above cost to put it together.... that doesn't make me a business and doesn't mean that Alienware should charge $50 above cost.
1UP - Good luck with your venture, I know its a huge risk starting up a business, especially in such a niche market. I personally (and unfortunately for me) can't afford one myself, but I don't think there is anything wrong with your price. You're offering a unique product and I can only assume it will be a high quality product after seeing the original Pac-Mamea.
yeah all that was me, and tbh, i dont care what you or anyone else thinks about what i was thinking or what i said.. truth be told, im not a huge fan of overinflation, now if im way underestimating the cost of his cost + profit, so be it, and he can gladly hit me up on aim or email me and me and him can talk it over so maybe ill understand why things are so expensive..
regardless, everyone says HES PAYED SO MUCH SETTING UP A BUIS BLA BLA, do you not think i understand that? my family runs casinos for a living, i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness.. you dont pass that cost to customers
I was just reading the argument between Soapbox and 1-Up...
Soapbox comes out with...
maybe i just have moral issues with charging people insane ammounts of money for something..
but then I read this from him..
its like my computer buisness and xbox modding i do
What do you think all these people who are modding their x-boxes are doing? 99% are making illegal copies of games and playing them on their modded x-box...No morality issues with that, Soapbox?
Don't get me wrong..I don't care either way, but I just thought this was funny ;D
I dont care what people do with the product after it leaves my hands.. thats not my business nor does it effect my life in any way shape of form..
and its soapboy.. not box/
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Well, the design is nice, but for 3000... its a little out of control.
I think the main problem lies in the fact that you are making these in ca. where everything is expensive.
You should look into having them done somewhere else... maybe like pa. where theres plenty of wood, and costs arnt so high.
Hanhos prices are pretty high... and has been complained about many times. And really, if you look at other cabinet 'entertainment centers' you can see that most are well more affordable that that. Obviously, theres a bit more parts.. but I cant imagine 2000$ more.
There are the wealth extreme that will buy.
All Others... grab your tools and BYO : )
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[regardless, everyone says HES PAYED SO MUCH SETTING UP A BUIS BLA BLA, do you not think i understand that? my family runs casinos for a living, i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness..
Ah, the most overinflated business of them all, casinos. So your family probably really gives their customers what's "fair", right? It must be the only casino where you're guaranteed to walk out with something to show for the thousands spent, and the machines aren't rigged to rob you blind. Gotcha bro. ;)
My machines might be expensive, but playing with them won't leave you laying in the gutter, or being chased down by loan sharks...
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[regardless, everyone says HES PAYED SO MUCH SETTING UP A BUIS BLA BLA, do you not think i understand that? my family runs casinos for a living, i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness..
Ah, the most overinflated business of them all, casinos. So your family probably really gives their customers what's "fair", right? It must be the only casino where you're guaranteed to walk out with something to show for the thousands spent, and the machines aren't rigged to rob you blind. Gotcha bro. ;)
acually, all the MACHINES in the casinos he run, are set to a 70% payout.. and i can attest to it accually paying out.. out of the 20 bucks i blew there on the 3 machines i played, litterally every 3rd or 4th play id win SOMETHING, be it a free spin, or a few bucks...
HUGE payout is totally random.. a machine could hit 3 times in an hour..
id consider 70% it fair odds for a possible 5+ winning payoff for a quarter..
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Ah, gambling, the most dishonest business there is in the entire world. Theft is more honest than running a casino, because at least most theives won't rob the same person twice.
I assume you are at least taking advantage of your casino connection to pick up some free cabinets and monitors right? SOME casino cabinets make excellent mame cabinets.
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So getting back 3-4 bucks for spending $20 is fair?
I'm telling you, it's the same in any business. You're just proving my point.
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Ah, gambling, the most dishonest business there is in the entire world. Theft is more honest than running a casino, because at least most theives won't rob the same person twice.
I assume you are at least taking advantage of your casino connection to pick up some free cabinets and monitors right? SOME casino cabinets make excellent mame cabinets.
nah.. i should tho, but shipping would be a biatch..
CA to KS, lmfao
and yeah 1up, people know the odds, there posted everywhere..
i looove how people complain about casinos.. YOU KNOW the odds, unless your totally retarded and are dumb enough to beleive that every time you put money in youll win millions..
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well its a good time to get your site going with sales...right before christmas! maybe you can rack up 3 or 4 cabs before christmas and jumpstart your business. im sure the craftsmanship will be great, and you will definitely make fat bank on those cabs if you can sell a few. you better get to marketing that though!
i got a girl at my work who wants me to build her a cocktail cab, and if that turns out decent....ill offer it to others at work, and maybe they'll want one for the "grandkids" ;D
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Wait, your machines are set to 70 percent? Have you not been audited by your state gaming commission? Are you not required to post the aggregate payout? I know at Harrah's here in St. Louis it is something like 95 percent.
It can be 95 percent, it still eats all your money. The casino could set their machines at 99 percent and still make money (I'd get rid of the free sodas then though, since it would take people much longer to lose their bankroll).
From what I have seen most gamblers who play machines walk in with a certain amount to lose and they play until they either lose that amount, or win some large amount.
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Wait, your machines are set to 70 percent? Have you not been audited by your state gaming commission? Are you not required to post the aggregate payout? I know at Harrah's here in St. Louis it is something like 95 percent.
It can be 95 percent, it still eats all your money. The casino could set their machines at 99 percent and still make money (I'd get rid of the free sodas then though, since it would take people much longer to lose their bankroll).
From what I have seen most gamblers who play machines walk in with a certain amount to lose and they play until they either lose that amount, or win some large amount.
winning payout is 70% as in MAKING money not just getting a free credit.. ;)
St louis huh.. /me ponders trip to steal some cabinets
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Yeah, definitely not worth shipping an empty casino cabinet.
I like getting ex casino monitors. They are always burned in, but otherwise seem to be well maintained and late model.
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Yeah, definitely not worth shipping an empty casino cabinet.
I like getting ex casino monitors. They are always burned in, but otherwise seem to be well maintained and late model.
guess i could talk to the old man and see if he has any monitors he can ship :D
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Speaking of marketing yourself, when will Kevin Steele be seeing a pre-release cab to review? :) Your rotating panels scream for a retroblast video review.
Good luck with everything, 1up. It's obvious you've invested a ton of time, energy and dollars and I'm sure they are going to look fantastic given your history.
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Bah, casinos have a bad rap. If you're sensible about your spending, you won't get robbed. I spent $100 in one a few months ago, and walked out with $2400.
On the other hand, when I was a kid I got $10 as birthday money and was supposed to save it. I took it to the local shop that had a few video games, with the intention of only spending 4 quarters. Well when those 4 quarters were gone, I got change for another 4. And so on, and so on... Until I walked out of there with nothing.
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With respect to soapboy... 1up will be luck to survive at this price point. I work in the manufacturing industry, in a much larger scale. I sold over 14 mil last year, in a midwest environment (=lower cost compared to California), and luckily netted a bit over 100 grand in the end. This is for a business that is 47 years established, and is a niche market as well. Bottom line = it's hard to stay liquid in a world full of tightwads :P
Before you judge 1up further consider this. I watched a used jamma cabinet, 2 player with a computer trackball still on the cord, Mamewah on a nice pc with no special layout, loaded with games, sell for $2400 at the St Louis auction. If folks will pay that much for that, a new state of the art cab, with all the whistles, should easily sell for 1up's price point.
My $0.02... FWIW
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BTW, *every* business passes their costs on to the consumer. Why did Playstations/XBoxes/Etc cost twice as much when they came out? Because they cost more to produce when the product was new.
Every time you manufacture something for the first time, there are setup costs. The smaller the production run, the more each unit costs because they all carry part of the setup, R&D, marketing, etc. You don't think you pay for advertising?
As time goes on, larger and larger runs of the product are produced. The manufacturing equipment starts to pay for itself. Advances in technology bring better prices on the components. Prices drop, and the company starts to make more money by sheer volume.
No matter how generous your casino's payout is, I guarantee most of those machines pay for themselves in a few months, if not weeks.
Someone who got ripped off there would probably storm out, swearing that the owner was making money hand over fist, for very little work (the machines run themselves, after all. ;) ) But there is also overhead, licenses, staff, taxes, upkeep on the machines, etc. So many things that the average gambler wouldn't think of.
That being said, I still think gambling is the biggest scam on the planet. Who ever thought of making people pay just to try and predict the outcome of a roll of the dice, or the number of times a mechanical reel turns over? What is really being sold is false hope, and gambling does very real damage to people's lives. I guess there's no moral problem there either....
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BTW, *every* business passes their costs on to the consumer. Why did Playstations/XBoxes/Etc cost twice as much when they came out? Because they cost more to produce when the product was new.
Every time you manufacture something for the first time, there are setup costs. The smaller the production run, the more each unit costs because they all carry part of the setup, R&D, marketing, etc. You don't think you pay for advertising?
As time goes on, larger and larger runs of the product are produced. The manufacturing equipment starts to pay for itself. Advances in technology bring better prices on the components. Prices drop, and the company starts to make more money by sheer volume.
No matter how generous your casino's payout is, I guarantee most of those machines pay for themselves in a few months, if not weeks.
Someone who got ripped off there would probably storm out, swearing that the owner was making money hand over fist, for very little work (the machines run themselves, after all. ;) ) But there is also overhead, licenses, staff, taxes, upkeep on the machines, etc. So many things that the average gambler wouldn't think of.
That being said, I still think gambling is the biggest scam on the planet. Who ever thought of making people pay just to try and predict the outcome of a roll of the dice, or the number of times a mechanical reel turns over? What is really being sold is false hope, and gambling does very real damage to people's lives. I guess there's no moral problem there either....
and spending random money on other things dont cause damage to peoples lives? games dont? ect..
yes the ps2, xbox, ect all costs 300 when they came out.. they were also first gen, new hardware that wasent cheap to find or produce.. its older now and parts are cheaper to make, thus price dropping.. in fact, now, an xbox or ps2 costs MORE to make than they get sold for..
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oh and paigeoliver get on yim
;D
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Hey 1up,
Can you describe the mechanism you used for axle? I've been building a PacMamea inspired cab for more than a year (every time school starts work stops completely for the next five months). I'm getting really pretty close to completion, but I've been dying to find out how you manage the rotation of the CPs in your retail product.
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and spending random money on other things dont cause damage to peoples lives? games dont? ect..
No one believes that buying Grand Turismo 4 is going to make them millionaires. I've only been to Vegas a few times, but that gambling bug is a lot stronger than any impulse game-buying spree I've ever been on.
Anyway, I'm not trying to attack your family or anything, I'm just trying to prove a point. Everything costs much more than the materials and labor are worth. No business is exempt, or there would be no such thing as profit. Everything is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. Nuff said.
yes the ps2, xbox, ect all costs 300 when they came out.. they were also first gen, new hardware that wasent cheap to find or produce.. its older now and parts are cheaper to make, thus price dropping.. in fact, now, an xbox or ps2 costs MORE to make than they get sold for..
Ok, I picked a bad example. It is a well known fact that console manufacturers intentionally lose money on their hardware. The hardware is there to sell the software, where the real money is. So it all balances out.
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Hey 1up,
Can you describe the mechanism you used for axle? I've been building a PacMamea inspired cab for more than a year (every time school starts work stops completely for the next five months). I'm getting really pretty close to completion, but I've been dying to find out how you manage the rotation of the CPs in your retail product.
I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you... 8)
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and spending random money on other things dont cause damage to peoples lives? games dont? ect..
No one believes that buying Grand Turismo 4 is going to make them millionaires. I've only been to Vegas a few times, but that gambling bug is a lot stronger than any impulse game-buying spree I've ever been on.
Anyway, I'm not trying to attack your family or anything, I'm just trying to prove a point. Everything costs much more than the materials and labor are worth. No business is exempt, or there would be no such thing as profit. Everything is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. Nuff said.
yes the ps2, xbox, ect all costs 300 when they came out.. they were also first gen, new hardware that wasent cheap to find or produce.. its older now and parts are cheaper to make, thus price dropping.. in fact, now, an xbox or ps2 costs MORE to make than they get sold for..
Ok, I picked a bad example. It is a well known fact that console manufacturers intentionally lose money on their hardware. The hardware is there to sell the software, where the real money is. So it all balances out.
i personally know more people who spend MORE money on ebay, games, ect than i do people who have gambling problems..
and games are 50 bucks, takes millions to make, takes TONS of copys to even break even for the devs..
video games are kind of a bad example all around..
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This F'ing thread is getting out of hand!!!!!!!!
I'm here to get info on these cabs that look sweet, not read a bunch of whiners complain about prices. If you can't afford it or think it's too expensive, maybe don't post or post once and state your opinion and then press on, damn!
1up, I do have some questions:
1. The kits will or will not have have the artwork and ipacs and what not?
2. The price does or does not include the shipping?
3. When will we know more?
Everything sounds sweet so far man, keep up the good work!
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I have a used SPIT Cup. Anyone want to take this of my hands for $5.00 shipped ?
I guess my pojnt is, no matter what you sell and how much you sell it for, if you have a buyer that is willing to pay for that product, so be it.
Now for my spit cup, maybe alot or of all of you here might not want to buy it, but who knows, maybe someone out there will.
Just have hopes and best of luck Iup.
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This F'ing thread is getting out of hand!!!!!!!!
I'm here to get info on these cabs that look sweet, not read a bunch of whiners complain about prices. If you can't afford it or think it's too expensive, maybe don't post or post once and state your opinion and then press on, damn!
1up, I do have some questions:
1. The kits will or will not have have the artwork and ipacs and what not?
2. The price does or does not include the shipping?
3. When will we know more?
Everything sounds sweet so far man, keep up the good work!
1. The kits will have artwork, but no controls or electronics of any kind. The control panel section will be pre-built, but all else requires assembly by the customer, using included screws and cams.
2. Shipping is extra.
3. I will release more details in the next 2-3 weeks. By this time I also plan to set a firm price and start taking orders. Full specs of both units, and actual photos of the prototypes will be available on the website before ordering begins. Sorry to keep you all in the dark, but I am still dealing with patents, trademarks etc, so I am limited in what I can reveal at this time.
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I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you... 8)
Deal. Start talking.
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1up, what type of materials are we talking about? What type of finish? Basically, what quality level are we looking at?
I can relate to the prices. I recently picked up a bass guitar. been teaching myself. I could build a high quality guitar for less than store bought. You can do that for most anyhting. I have been looking at effects pedals. Goto a guitar store, look at the price of the effect pedals, they cna very form $40 to over $200. And most are made with just $10-$30 worth of parts. Production adds alot. You don;t have to pay yourself if you are going to make something yourself. But if you buy it from someone else you have to pay for the time people put into it.
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This F'ing thread is getting out of hand!!!!!!!!
I'm here to get info on these cabs that look sweet, not read a bunch of whiners complain about prices. If you can't afford it or think it's too expensive, maybe don't post or post once and state your opinion and then press on, damn!
1up, I do have some questions:
1. The kits will or will not have have the artwork and ipacs and what not?
2. The price does or does not include the shipping?
3. When will we know more?
Everything sounds sweet so far man, keep up the good work!
I am with you! I read through two pages of this thread. I know less about this new cab now then what I know about Pac Mamea.
Details, thats what I want to hear
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i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness.. you dont pass that cost to customers
I told myself to bow out of this thread, but I have to reply to that..... that comment is so utterly absurd, I actually laughed out loud.
How exactly do you think a business would stay IN business if they didn't pass off that cost of initial start up to the customer in one way or another.
"Gee, I just spent $60k to start up a business making magnets, but the magnets only cost .05 to make, so I'll only charge .10 so as not to anger some of my customers who might think anything more is too expensive. Guess I'll just have to wait to sell enough magnets to cover that $60k"
How could you even make a comment like that? Of COURSE businesses DO put their start up costs into products, if they didn't, they wouldn't survive.
I promise I'll stop now, I'm sorry I aided in bringing this thread downhill 1UP, you have my apologies. Smack me upside the head in a PM if you'd like ;)
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1up, what type of materials are we talking about? What type of finish? Basically, what quality level are we looking at?
Aaaah...I see I'm going to have to update the site again...looks like I created more questions than I answered! :)
The quality level on these will be very high. Everything is being precision machined from black 3/4" melamine with tons of odd-angle bevel cuts on the control section.
Features of both the kit and cabs will be:
-Full vinyl sideart on both sides, professionally printed by a company who does nothing but arcade artwork, not a Kinko's bubblejet job.
-Full printed overlays on the control panels, including backsplash area, subsurface printed for durability.
-Marquee artwork, printed directly on the Lexan.
-Customer may choose color of t-molding.
-Improved axle/locking mechanism, totally redesigned and machined from heavy gauge steel.
-An exclusive front storage area, allowing for discrete storage of folding dance pads, driving pedals, gamepads, light guns, cables and more. Also allows cables for guns and pedals to be routed thru the FRONT of the cabinet! You know all that dead space in the bottom of your cab? We finally figured out a use for it!
-Thoughtfully placed ventillation ducts to prevent gaming meltdowns.
Additional features of the fully built cabinets:
-Fully printed monitor bezel.
-Three instant-switch panels filled with authentic arcade controls, and a real coin door with coin box.
-A top of the line PC with 80 gigs of hard drive space and fast graphics.
-A bright 27" VGA compatible (WG D9200) TRUE arcade monitor (not the dim 21" PC monitor that comes with Hanaho's system).
-A premium sound system with powered subwoofer for deep, rich sound you can feel.
-Illuminated multimedia keyboard stows away when not in use. Allows easy access to volume controls.
-4-port USB hub inside the panels, with a super bright LED to provide light for hooking up controls.
-A fully modular, infinitely expandable third panel, equipped with a high-quality Logitech force-feedback steering wheel with shifter and pedals. Future add-ons will include flight yokes, gun holsters, authentic pinball controls, and more.
-Easy rear access to CPU, allows for installing components without removing PC or crawling inside the cabinet.
-And a few more surprises I'm holding back... 8)
Any more questions?
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i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness.. you dont pass that cost to customers
I told myself to bow out of this thread, but I have to reply to that..... that comment is so utterly absurd, I actually laughed out loud.
How exactly do you think a business would stay IN business if they didn't pass off that cost of initial start up to the customer in one way or another.
"Gee, I just spent $60k to start up a business making magnets, but the magnets only cost .05 to make, so I'll only charge .10 so as not to anger some of my customers who might think anything more is too expensive. Guess I'll just have to wait to sell enough magnets to cover that $60k"
How could you even make a comment like that? Of COURSE businesses DO put their start up costs into products, if they didn't, they wouldn't survive.
I promise I'll stop now, I'm sorry I aided in bringing this thread downhill 1UP, you have my apologies. Smack me upside the head in a PM if you'd like ;)
are you dense?
I know theres a cost you have to pass, charging mroe than it costs is understandable, raping them of their wallet is not..
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i understand the "cost" of starting a buisness.. you dont pass that cost to customers
I told myself to bow out of this thread, but I have to reply to that..... that comment is so utterly absurd, I actually laughed out loud.
How exactly do you think a business would stay IN business if they didn't pass off that cost of initial start up to the customer in one way or another.
"Gee, I just spent $60k to start up a business making magnets, but the magnets only cost .05 to make, so I'll only charge .10 so as not to anger some of my customers who might think anything more is too expensive. Guess I'll just have to wait to sell enough magnets to cover that $60k"
How could you even make a comment like that? Of COURSE businesses DO put their start up costs into products, if they didn't, they wouldn't survive.
I promise I'll stop now, I'm sorry I aided in bringing this thread downhill 1UP, you have my apologies. Smack me upside the head in a PM if you'd like ;)
are you dense?
I know theres a cost you have to pass, charging mroe than it costs is understandable, raping them of their wallet is not..
No i'm not dense... why are you so special that you get to say what is "rape" and what is reasonable profit margins.
Damn, I really need to stop with this thread....
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The quality level on these will be very high. Everything is being precision machined from black 3/4" melamine with tons of odd-angle bevel cuts on the control section.
-Full vinyl sideart on both sides, professionally printed by a company who does nothing but arcade artwork, not a Kinko's bubblejet job.
-Full printed overlays on the control panels, including backsplash area, subsurface printed for durability.
-Marquee artwork, printed directly on the Lexan.
There, I hope this explains why it is so expensive, this is not cheap stuff.
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Looks cool, 1UP! I'm very curious to see what the final product actually looks like.
While I'm not in your target audience, I will say that everything that I've seen you do has reeked of quality and attention to detail, so I have no doubt that the commercial cabinet that you're selling will follow suit.
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Someone is going to come along and build a cab with their own version of retating controls and sell the kit or blueprints for a fraction of the cost. Just be careful that you dont' price yourself too high or it will happen exactly as I'm saying it.
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"Finished cabinets would include printed marquee and sideart, CP overlays, monitor, PC, controls, interface, and an attractive, pre-configured frontend."
What FE?
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With respect to soapboy... 1up will be luck to survive at this price point. I work in the manufacturing industry, in a much larger scale. I sold over 14 mil last year, in a midwest environment (=lower cost compared to California), and luckily netted a bit over 100 grand in the end. This is for a business that is 47 years established, and is a niche market as well. Bottom line = it's hard to stay liquid in a world full of tightwads :P
Before you judge 1up further consider this. I watched a used jamma cabinet, 2 player with a computer trackball still on the cord, Mamewah on a nice pc with no special layout, loaded with games, sell for $2400 at the St Louis auction. If folks will pay that much for that, a new state of the art cab, with all the whistles, should easily sell for 1up's price point.
My $0.02... FWIW
MrArcade built that cabinet and other than the trackball it was super nice and had a cool brand new computer in it and arcadeVGA and a very good setup and all.
Did you see my cab at the auction? It was the red Mame cabinet labled MGS that was next to the Dragon's Lair. I got $800 for mine. Sure MrArcade got 3x as much for his, but his also cost probably 4x as much to build.
I'm on msn messenger now for the person who asked.
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I do agree, it's a bit expensive for this crowd. It would be better marketted elsewhere. Since this is a build your own arcade controls site people here, in general, build their own stuff. There will be a few that will buy something like this. But for the most part I wouldn't think it wouldn't be too marketable here.
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I don't think the full on system for $5500 is out of the question pricewise at all... it's the $3000 "wood and connectors" kit that's the killer.
I think we ALL want cabs like that, but hell, it's not worth that much money just to avoid a little cutting and planning.
There are others...
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Someone is going to come along and build a cab with their own version of retating controls and sell the kit or blueprints for a fraction of the cost. Just be careful that you dont' price yourself too high or it will happen exactly as I'm saying it.
There are half a dozen little garage shops that sell cabinets at a fraction of Hanaho's prices, yet Hanaho continues to do business as it has for years, and shows no signs of dropping prices or going bankrupt.
Why is that? The difference is quality. Hanaho has a different customer base than the nameless guys who sell cheap Mamecabs, and those people actually are willing to pay more because they know they are not getting cheap crap that is all out of square and wobbly. I know the people who buy Hanaho, and they are highly paid film editors, CEOs, producers, directors, etc. These are the people I'm going for. The kits were just a way to give the BYOAC crowd a product that they could still customize.
This is an entirely different kind of product than anything that's out there right now. It beats every other commercial cabinet in looks, function, and expandability. It's at least 10 cabinets in one, without the cluttered layout. It has 3 times as many controls as any other upright.
At this moment, I have dozens of people waiting to order. Every time I even post on this forum, about any topic, I get about half a dozen more. That doesn't sound like I'm heading for a dead end. ;)
Oh, and if anyone else tries to market a cab with the same exact rotating design, they will be sued. They will have to come up with something different to skirt the patent law, and it will either be more expensive, or of lower quality. I'm not afraid.
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"Finished cabinets would include printed marquee and sideart, CP overlays, monitor, PC, controls, interface, and an attractive, pre-configured frontend."
What FE?
I'm working on a deal with )p( to get Emulaxian shipped standard with a custom animated skin and some other bonus features...
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1UP, I have nothing but respect for your skills and your operation. I hope you have great success saleswise and take the world by storm.
And heck, sue anyone you want! We are a litigious people after all.
But it doesn't stop me, the enthusiast, from building my own rotating CP cab for the cost of materials. ;)
And if I someday by chance have $6000 laying around, maybe I'll order the real thing. ;D
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Now, if you could only work out a deal with someone who owns the rights to some games (perhaps the LLC that owns Gottlieb's IP now?) That way you could sell your machines with games loaded, and legal to put on location!
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1UP, I have nothing but respect for your skills and your operation. I hope you have great success saleswise and take the world by storm.
And heck, sue anyone you want! We are a litigious people after all.
But it doesn't stop me, the enthusiast, from building my own rotating CP cab for the cost of materials. ;)
And if I someday by chance have $6000 laying around, maybe I'll order the real thing. ;D
Absolutely! I have no problem with anyone building something similar for their own use. If you're one of the few with a copy of the original *secret plans*, or if you can figure out how to do it yourself, go for it! Just don't give them out, lest they fall into the hands of the darkside...
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"Finished cabinets would include printed marquee and sideart, CP overlays, monitor, PC, controls, interface, and an attractive, pre-configured frontend."
What FE?
I'm working on a deal with )p( to get Emulaxian shipped standard with a custom animated skin and some other bonus features...
HowardC called it in chat....
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"Finished cabinets would include printed marquee and sideart, CP overlays, monitor, PC, controls, interface, and an attractive, pre-configured frontend."
What FE?
I'm working on a deal with )p( to get Emulaxian shipped standard with a custom animated skin and some other bonus features...
HowardC called it in chat....
Yep, it's been my favorite for years! ;D
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i dont know what it is... but somehow.. snobish, arogent, egotistical, rich people piss me off... >:(
all i can say, is that if i had the resources, id be making and selling cabs affordibly for the genral masses. i also wouldnt be bragging like i was a god. You think your the only one who ever thought about using the lower section for pedals/storage? ::) Maybe I should be suing.. I have proof of first rotating panel design. Ohh... but hey, Im not a spineless buttplugger..
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i dont know what it is... but somehow.. snobish, arogent, egotistical, rich people piss me off... >:(
...are you referring to me? If so, I am by no means rich at this point...I've been out of work for a month now. In the industry I'm in, I'm out of work an average of 2-3 months every year! Shoot me for wanting to dig myself out of the hole I've been in for my whole adult life. :P
all i can say, is that if i had the resources, id be making and selling cabs affordibly for the genral masses.
That's what everyone your age says. Why don't you take a vow of poverty and do it anyway if you're so idealistic? ;)
i also wouldnt be bragging like i was a god. You think your the only one who ever thought about using the lower section for pedals/storage? ::) Maybe I should be suing.. I have proof of first rotating panel design. Ohh... but hey, Im not a spineless buttplugger..
WOW. You never cease to amaze me with your hatred, and always for no apparent reason. I think its just that you never really liked me much. ::)
So pushing my product in a confident tone (as any advertiser would, whining doesn't sell much) is 'bragging like I'm a god'? And I never said no one else could make a rotating control panel, but if they copy my design verbatim (or at least close enough to it), it's a violation of intellectual property laws. There is not enough similarity between our two designs for you to claim that mine is infringing on yours, and I doubt you ever took out a patent on it.
Mods, I recommend you lock this thread, it is about to get very, VERY ugly...
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Thread locked by request of thread originator.