Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Mr Wilson on March 15, 2008, 02:52:45 pm

Title: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Mr Wilson on March 15, 2008, 02:52:45 pm
just wondered how much people where spending on there cabinets?

so far for me

wood £70
t-molding,marquee and cpo overlay  £65
perspex £20
buttons,joysticks,minipac,trackball £100
marquee light £12
paint £20
21"dell crt £45
27" t.v £25
2.1 speakers £20
bits and pieces i needed £40
tinted glass £27
i had an old pc
loads of time £££££££
borrowing tools from friends =loads of favors owed
playing it with my mates .....priceless

Total=£424

Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Games001 on March 15, 2008, 03:09:25 pm
$150 on the used cab
$16 wood for CP
$130 for CP controls (joysticks:2, buttons:20, spinner:1(home brew))
$20 on 20inch PC monitor
$35 2.2 GHz, 1 GB DDR RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive PC System
$20 2.1 Sound System (PC speakers & Subwoofer)
$15 Marquee & Bezel Plexi
$30 misc wires, clips, screws
$60 misc costs and extras (paint, t-molding, etc)

About $500 in total thus far

Sold off the parts from the used cab, so minus -$120 from the total

Makes it about $380 for a fully functional, though still not 100% cosmetically done, cab with MAME and 2200+ games.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Avrus on March 15, 2008, 03:14:22 pm
Oh I think I hold the record.   :dunno
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: RikaKazak on March 15, 2008, 04:30:05 pm
Once it's ALL done... ~$3K
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: sfrascella on March 15, 2008, 05:07:01 pm
Once it's ALL done... ~$3K

Is it ever really done...      :)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on March 15, 2008, 05:07:24 pm
I'm not keeping track.
That way my wife doesn't notice.

EDIT: Though if you scroll down, you'll see where I just added it all up. Jeeze....
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: rackoon on March 15, 2008, 05:38:07 pm
$1800 at least on my oak cocktail. Heck! I spent $50 just on router bits, then $400 for a 27" monitor, $100 for a computer, $50 on diamond plate, $200 on oak wood, $140 for two trackballs, $55 for a coin door, $80 on four metal control panels, $120 on speakers, equalizer and 300 watt power supply, $60 on speaker and fan grills, $120 on buttons and joysticks, $80 on spinner, $60 on hole saw bits for CPs, $50 for tons of metal braces to hold it all together, etc.... :dizzy:

I wont even go into the 100 UV LEDs, wiring and soldering stuff, stain and sealer, glass top, custom art, plexi glass for around speakers and coin door, lost wages :blah:

Im about 75% done. Been at it two years. Its my hobby.  When its done it will blow some minds. I set out to make the best yet.  :o
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Havok on March 15, 2008, 06:01:08 pm
This thread was obviously started by one of our wives - don't respond to it!

 ;D
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: MazzMn on March 15, 2008, 08:13:12 pm
This is a good question, I was thinking of posting the same thing.

I aimed to make mine for less than a new PS3...spent $322 on a 2 player cocktail cab
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Paul Olson on March 15, 2008, 09:10:27 pm
Are we counting tools in the total? I ended up with a pretty full woodshop; not sure how that happened, but it cost a lot of money.

The cab itself is probably between $2-3k. Buying authentic controls on ebay not only becomes an addiction, it is also very expensive. Hopefully this is the year that all those parts get installed so I can start using them. I am getting a little tired of having a closet full of parts that do not do anything. ???

New ideas cost the most money. Every trip to Home Depot costs more than I think it should, and those little trips add up over the life of the project.

I think the people who make multiple cabinets will get the most bang for their buck. The prototype is always the most expensive. If my modular panel is ever complete, I want to build a vertical cabinet that will use the same panels so my average cost will be lower. OK...that is my justification for the vert cab, I really just hate seeing the screen cropped in Donkey Kong.  :)

These cabs can be built cheap, but the cheap ones will not do everything. The more you want it to do, the more it will cost. When you already have 20 different joysticks and you still NEED more, it costs a lot more. Seriously, I have 5 shifters sitting on the shelf next to me, please help me.   ::)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: TelcoLou on March 15, 2008, 09:21:24 pm
Well:

• $50 for a gutted centipede cab
• $50 for a 19" CRT monitor
• $50 for tinted custom-cut, tempered tinted glass to cover the monitor/bezel
• $25 for a plastic bezel
• Just dropped $490 for a new PC
• Will get a custom-built CP for ~$610
• Figure $100 or so for extras (power strip, acrylic for the marquee, new light fixture)

... not too shabby; not even $1500 for everything .. well worth it for the privilege of playing several hundred classic arcade games in our basement  8)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: BobtheAddict on March 15, 2008, 09:51:08 pm
So far I am up to $21.97 "4'x8' sheet of MDF. When it is complete, I am thinking under a grand.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: infamous360 on March 15, 2008, 10:14:03 pm
so far about 2k... i have to spend another 500 to get another dance pad
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: somunny on March 15, 2008, 10:40:51 pm
Several thousand between my first, second and current project.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: ids on March 15, 2008, 11:02:31 pm
Also not keeping a close tally for obvious reasons...

I think $600-700 and just for controls and wiring, etc.  (4 U360's, piles of translucent buttons, LED's, led-wiz, micro-leafs, the afterburner, hi/lo spinner, trackballs & lighting kits, ...)

I'm not counting tools.  I either had them already, or would have bought them eventually anyway.  (Maybe not a slot cutting bit, but...)

No money spent on wood yet.  I've used some spare bits for prototyping so far.  And looking for a 27" tube....
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: barrel_hopper on March 15, 2008, 11:13:55 pm
I have $600 for my DK JR Cabinet and $160 for my DK PCB. When I start to build my Nintendo Style Replica (if I can ever frind 5/8th MDF for anything even close I should be able to do a cabinet for $600 or so

I may just buy a Popeye cabinet for $300 $400 and convert that.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Eggroll on March 16, 2008, 10:48:10 am
hrmm... let's see...

since march 4th, i've gotten...
90$ in wood/mdf
25$ in hardware (drawer slide, screws, brackets)
120$ on a used 27" tv
112$ on a motherboard/cpu combo (i already had other items needed for pc)
23$ on logitech speakers
12$ on some new cooling fans for pc and cabinet
9$ for a marquee illuminator

that's close to 400 bucks and that's not including a few tools and things (sandpaper, jigsaw blades, router bits, drywall square, just things that I needed but hadn't bought yet).

I still need t-molding, primer/paint, pushbuttons, joysticks, trackball, spinner, encoder, etc... etc.. etc...

I still haven't purchased things
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: MK3FAN on March 16, 2008, 11:37:40 am
I don't have the itemized list being that I built it over two years ago, but I spent just over $3000.

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/Day12.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/Day41.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/Day52.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/100_4160.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/100_4159.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/index4.jpg)

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/zenomorp/mortal%20kombat%203/index10.jpg)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Dustin Mustangs on March 16, 2008, 11:53:57 am
I figure it would be $1400 to reproduce.  Some things would be cheaper (no trial and error this time) and some would be more expensive (can't count on getting the same freebies) from what I paid originally.  I consider it worth every penny!

 ;D
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Franco B on March 16, 2008, 12:19:52 pm
My last project came to a little over £1000, I was thinking this project would come to around £500 but ive nearly doubled that already with plenty still to go.

As pcolson said its the new ideas that end up costing you as well as the overly expensive trips to the hardware store.

Its good job I dont need to add machining time at work to my build or that would easily be £5k  ;)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: my58vw on March 17, 2008, 01:04:37 am
I have over 2500 in my 5 key Beatmania dedicated, including the 10 upgrade kits. 

(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/my58vw/beatmaniathefinal.jpg)

Because everyone was posting pictures.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: esaelectrionics on April 27, 2008, 08:12:33 pm
£170 for tatty moon cresta cocktail,
£15 for 14" multisync monitor( more like 15" now de-cased)
£3 for pc motherboardboard + proc (pentuim III 933)
£7 for akasa silent fan
£5 graphic card matrox g400
£10 hardrive (20 gig)
£50 for new glasstop.
 
found ISA soundcard.( its a advmame system)
found a new speaker in a broken ghetto blaster!

Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: esaelectrionics on April 27, 2008, 08:15:10 pm
 :dizzy:
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: protokatie on April 27, 2008, 08:21:02 pm
Quote
£15 for 14" multisync monitor( more like 15" now de-cased)

FYI, most CRT's are diagonally measured based on the size of the case, not the tube. So your 14" screen (CRT) went down to a 12" screen when you decased it.

LCDs/plasmas OTOH are diagonal measures of the screen themselves.

Unless you have different rules about screen sizes in the UK, this is how it is. (Grab a ruler and check it out)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: paigeoliver on April 27, 2008, 11:54:13 pm
Computer monitor measurements are almost universally the same, TV ones vary by location, and they ARE measured by the tube, however computer monitors generally advertise the whole tube size, while only viewable size is allowed to be advertised for TV sets in most countrys.

In general a standard CRT computer monitor is about 1.6" smaller than advertised size. However most 14" and 15" ones seem to be the same darn tube size (at least both come really, really close to fitting the mounting holes for a 13" arcade monitor.

Japan does the inflated measurement size for arcade monitors, so monitors in imported Japanese cabinets will be labeled as a bigger size than they actually are. Like the 29" monitors in all those candy cabs, which are really 27" monitors.


Also, about the actual topic.

I probably win the contest, as I have done multiple machines for negative amounts of money, one of them about negative $205 dollars. (In all those cases the innards of the crappy Jamma title I converted brought me more than I spent on the project and donor cab combine). Actually, the majority of machines I have done have had a negative cost.

Quote
£15 for 14" multisync monitor( more like 15" now de-cased)

FYI, most CRT's are diagonally measured based on the size of the case, not the tube. So your 14" screen (CRT) went down to a 12" screen when you decased it.

LCDs/plasmas OTOH are diagonal measures of the screen themselves.

Unless you have different rules about screen sizes in the UK, this is how it is. (Grab a ruler and check it out)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Jack Burton on April 28, 2008, 12:05:15 am
Mortal Kombat cab was free from the Laundry Mat in my home town.  Monitor was dead, game board and controls still worked.

21" PC monitor was free from a computer repair shop near where I live.

Borrowed a bit of plywood off my Dad.

Used a spare low-range computer I had laying around for MAME.

Pad hacked a playstation controller for a control interface.

Plugged in some pc speakers on the sides of the cab for sound.


Total for my first MAME cab: $0!  Sort of, since I already had  a lot of the stuff.  If you added up the current valueof everything I added to the cab, it would be around $50.

Eventually I ended up spending about $125 for the whole project including new controls, I-pac,
wireless keyboard and mouse, stools, new wooden control panel, etc.  I may not be pretty or awesome, but it does exactly what I wanted it to do, and for a broke college student that's a lot.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Kajoq on April 28, 2008, 12:32:11 am
Oh god.  Lets see... This is kind of scary:

300 for Street Fighter 3: New Generation cab with 25" Monitor
~200 for new custom control panel with brand new sanwa parts
125 for Super Street Fighter 2 X CPS2 cart
110 for MAME PC
~120 for JPAC/ArcadeVGA
40 for MAME PC Speakers
Almost a grand.. And that doesn't include other random hardware and such
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: danny_galaga on April 28, 2008, 04:52:39 am


$1271 aus for me (762 euros  ;)) . that was for my cocktail cab. current project is a much lower budget affair, total should be less than $500...

(if i ever finish it)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: wbassett on April 28, 2008, 09:37:25 am
I just got started, but it is up, running, and fully functional without looking like an eyesore while I build the modular CP.
(http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/wbassett/Arcade/ArcadeBuild/UAII_18.jpg)

Cost-
So right now around $840, but I agree... is it ever really finished? ;)

I'll be upgrading from a 21" Trinitron PC monitor to a 27" VGA monitor and then the custom modular CP is going to nickel and dime me I know it, but it's a lot of fun building and even more fun playing when it's done right![/list]
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: wbassett on April 28, 2008, 10:11:01 am
$1800 at least on my oak cocktail. Heck! I spent $50 just on router bits...
Question...  will you use the router bits for any other projects?

Reason I ask is I run into this when helping people build Home Theater systems and DIY screens.  Many count the cost of tools such as sprayers, power saws, and whatnot as part of the total expense.  If it will be the only time the tool is used, then yes include it in the total cost, if it's something you know you'll use over and over, I'd leave it out.  It was just a great excuse to buy some more tool toys is how I look at it! ;)

My frame of mind is if it is a one time usage, see if the tool can be rented or sometimes it's cheaper to have someone do the work rather than buy a lot of expensive gear.  Even better is if you have a friend or family member that has the tools and is willing to help out.

Still $50 for bits isn't bad and I'm sure you'll use them again on something.  :)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 28, 2008, 10:13:19 am
cabinet itself - $50 (trashed Track and Field)

emdkay - $32 (Tron-style Mame marquee plus lexan)

mamemarquees - $36 (side art from bargain bin)

Divemaster - $103 (2 x Happ universals, 4 x wheels, 17 x buttons, 35ft black t-mold, pcb feet, button wrench, miniature momentary pushbutton)

Mike's Arcade - $36 (2 x coin mechs, coin door lock)

Ultimarc first order - $60 (Mini-pac with wiring harness and ground harness)

Ultimarc second order - $177 (2 x Ultrastik 360s w/balltops, 2 x medium spring, 2 x restrictors, 1 x encoder wiring)

Radio Shack, Lowes, Ace, Wal-mart - ~$100

Newegg.com - $80 (250 GB hard drive)

Total = ~$680 (my wife and I agreed on a budget of $300  :laugh2: )

The computer was given to me free from the local hospital. (733mhz w/ 384 MB ram)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: javeryh on April 28, 2008, 03:44:06 pm
I would guess with the new computer and everything I average about $1,200 per build.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: telengard on April 28, 2008, 04:19:16 pm
A lot, but worth every penny.

The original controls and metal panels (including having them professionally machined) have been the biggest cost and doesn't seem to be stopping.  Re-doing things hasn't helped either (re-doing artwork, re-doing monitor, etc).

~telengard
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Chris2 on April 28, 2008, 10:23:36 pm
I'm working on my first cabinet and I've currently spent about $1,500 or so. After I order some more controls and put together a new computer for the machine, I'll be looking at around 2k for the entire project. All in all, it'll totally be worth it.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Jdurg on April 28, 2008, 11:59:50 pm
Heh.  Does "More than anticipated" count as an answer?   :P ;D
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 29, 2008, 12:12:46 am
Heh.  Does "More than anticipated" count as an answer?   :P ;D

No, because that goes without saying in damn near every single case.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Minwah on April 29, 2008, 12:17:06 pm
I haven't added mine up but having come across a load of old receipts lately...more than I remember  :o

At a guess, somewhere around £1000, probably more.  New arcade monitor and PC parts make up well over half of the cost (PC was 'overkill' in 2003 ;) ).  Mind you, that is spread over 6 or 7 years, and I have ended up selling some of the stuff I've bought.

It was these old receipts that made me realise I've had my trackball 6 years...and it's still not in a finished panel.  I need to get on with it...
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 29, 2008, 12:24:30 pm
£1000?
Ouch.
Good thing that was spread out over time...
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Minwah on April 29, 2008, 12:54:55 pm
£1000?
Ouch.
Good thing that was spread out over time...

Yes indeed! Not sure where you are from, but stuff seems to be much more expensive in the UK than for example the US tho. We get ripped off for everything :(  That said I bought some parts which I knew were expensive, such as a 'silent' PSU for £80...even still that would probably have cost more like $80 in the US.

Most of the controllers and stuff I have got cheap on ebay. With the exception of the PC and monitor, the only other very expensive things I can think of are various spares from Happ...who once again rip off UK customers by adding on some kind of mystical 'duty' (even tho they have a UK division). That plus their now £100 minimum order fee means I will never order from them again.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: CrazyKongFan on April 29, 2008, 01:05:08 pm
I don't have a total written down or anything, but off the top of my head,
$13 for the cabinet (gutted Robotron that was converted to Final Fight, at an auction)
$200 or so for a motherboard,  21" monitor, 1 gig RAM, HD, other misc computer parts
$20 for 2 used Wico joysticks
$5 for a couple extra buttons,
probably another $30 for misc, power strip, wire, connectors, etc.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: shardian on April 29, 2008, 01:16:10 pm
I just find this whole thread humorous. Why? because I have  several games that come to a total cost of a mere fraction that you guys spend on one machine!

Every time I see someone on here throwing a $600 pc into a frikkin wood box I feel like giving you the "shoulda had a V8" head smack. :laugh2:
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 29, 2008, 01:51:42 pm
That's why I used a free PC in mine. I wasn't going to buy a new setup just for a cabinet.

Oh, and Minwah:
I'm in the US. Oklahoma to be precise.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: protokatie on April 29, 2008, 08:56:46 pm
minipac and controls from ultimarc.....150
computer and monitor........................Free from my boss
Coindoor/mech...................................about 50 after shipping
speakers............................................Free from my boss
Labour to have it built........................50 from a former roommate*
Wood/paint/etc..................................Guessing about 100-150*

* Denotes things that havent happened yet, but will in the next few weeks.

So in total about 350-400, not too shabby for someone on a budget who is doing this more or less from scratch. It may cost me less, as the guy who runs the bar next to where I work is going to email the company that installed his arcade machines and ask if they have any old upright cabs that they were going to get rid of or would sell for cheap.



Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: CrazyKongFan on April 30, 2008, 12:26:34 pm
I forgot to add in mine that I'm not done yet. I've stripped the paint on one side (it still has the 2084 logo on the side from when it was originally Robotron) It's damaged, so I'm not sure if I'm gonna strip it off completely, or touch it up. I also need a marquee, some locks and a coin mech. I'd like to get some leaf switch buttons too, right now I'm using microswitch ones. It's playable now though, so I think that's why I haven't worked on it more...I usually end up playing it instead ;)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Minwah on April 30, 2008, 01:33:24 pm
Every time I see someone on here throwing a $600 pc into a frikkin wood box I feel like giving you the "shoulda had a V8" head smack. :laugh2:

Well the way I look at it is there is no such thing as overkill in terms of PC's. I mean, I would rather spend more and have a PC last for 5 or 10 years, than spend next to nothing and struggle to run anything a year later.

Exibit A: look at all the people who are struggling to play Donkey Kong etc. on 2+ ghz PC's.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: paigeoliver on May 01, 2008, 04:16:36 am
As long as you don't try to do software upgrades on a completed machine then the hardware you put in it will last until it fails.

I am very much against doing any software updates on a completed machine. It has the potential to break everything.

I don't mind a $600 PC in the cabinet if the rest of the machine is equally awesome. But most people would be a hell of a lot happier with a $100 PC and a $600 monitor. Unfortunately I usually see the reverse situation.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on May 01, 2008, 08:26:43 am
I agree. I have FastMAME .84 in mine, and it will stay that way unless I get new hardware.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: CrazyKongFan on May 01, 2008, 10:31:38 am

Exibit A: look at all the people who are struggling to play Donkey Kong etc. on 2+ ghz PC's.

Yep, I have a 4 year old 2.6ghz PC with XP, and I'm not sure what my MAME cab has, but it's probably better than the 2.6ghz one, since it's less than a year old, running Win 98, and on either one, DK stutters really bad :(
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Minwah on May 01, 2008, 10:43:54 am
As long as you don't try to do software upgrades on a completed machine then the hardware you put in it will last until it fails.

I agree with that, but sometimes software updates are hard to avoid. eg I recently found input probs in polepos with my primary Mame version (v0.99)...so have gone to v0.123 for that one. Polepos now has discrete sound code so would probably not run well on a lower spec machine.

Quote
I am very much against doing any software updates on a completed machine. It has the potential to break everything.

True!

Quote
I don't mind a $600 PC in the cabinet if the rest of the machine is equally awesome. But most people would be a hell of a lot happier with a $100 PC and a $600 monitor. Unfortunately I usually see the reverse situation.

Again, I agree!
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: northerngames on May 01, 2008, 10:52:04 am
I just find this whole thread humorous. Why? because I have  several games that come to a total cost of a mere fraction that you guys spend on one machine!

Every time I see someone on here throwing a $600 pc into a frikkin wood box I feel like giving you the "shoulda had a V8" head smack. :laugh2:

I just put a x1950 pro agp in mine and I tell you from a 128MB DDR arcadevga to a 512MB DD3 x1950 pro opens a new world of gaming on arcade cabs.

I dont have a ps3 or 360 and after getting that card in the cab and playing resident evil 4 on a 6 button layout and company of heroes and various other great games with a trackball I am glad I built it with some horsepower and dont have any regret for not buying a 360 or ps3 instead.

I also run a dremcast wich has an unbelieveable display on a 15K monitor.

if your maming a cab for mame only that I could see as over kill for a $600.00 PC beuase it is not really needed but if you use it for all around gaming then a decent pc is needed and worth every penny for the results.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: shardian on May 01, 2008, 10:53:30 am

Exibit A: look at all the people who are struggling to play Donkey Kong etc. on 2+ ghz PC's.

Yep, I have a 4 year old 2.6ghz PC with XP, and I'm not sure what my MAME cab has, but it's probably better than the 2.6ghz one, since it's less than a year old, running Win 98, and on either one, DK stutters really bad :(

I can't figure out if you guys are serious, or being sarcastic! Odds are the reason your DK is screwed is because you are using the most recent version of MAME. Use 0.54 or something old like that to run classic games.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on May 01, 2008, 11:03:45 am
That's totally serious. With the current mame, it takes a good machine to run DK now.
I run .84 on my cabinet, so DK runs fine where it counts, albeit with incorrect sound.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: northerngames on May 01, 2008, 11:09:59 am
anyone tried these stuttering sounding games with a up to date sound card?

for instance my current sound is 16-bit 46KHZ where my new card on they way is 24-bit HD with 196KHZ

I'm not sure if it will help or not and that is why I ask but I know my sound quality all around will be dramiticly improved overall.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: paigeoliver on May 01, 2008, 06:49:10 pm
Just roll your mame version back about a zillion versions and watch all your performance problems vanish.

Very few games of substance have been added to mame since the .55 era, and version .55 runs like a bat out of hell on 10 year old hardware, it was a very stable version, and all the games that you want to work actually work in this version (it isn't one of those, "Oops, Galaga is broken in this version, etc" versions).

Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: rackoon on May 01, 2008, 08:19:19 pm
FEEL MY PHYIC MIND RAGE WAVE HIT YOU SOON WITH EVIL INTENT! :timebomb:
I spent tons of money on my cab because it makes me feel good and helps me remember the good old days of childhood; even if they were not really that good :-\
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: ivwshane on May 14, 2008, 03:58:18 am
So far? Way more than I was planning but it's too late to turn back now! (damn you ggg!)
I already had the wood and most of the tools and who knows how much paint and art will be:o


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UltraStik 360 Oval Top with USB cable Color: Black 2x $59.00 $118.00

UltraStik Button / Encoder Harness 2x $8.00 $16.00

Electric ICE™ Lightable Horizontal Pushbutton - Microswitch None 14x $2.25 $31.50

RGB-Drive™ Pushbutton Lighting module
- Configuration Installed RGB LED, Resistors and 24" 4-conductor cable 14x $3.95 $55.30

Micro-Leaf™ Arcade Pushbutton Switches 14x $2.75 $38.50

LED-Wiz™ 32-port USB Lighting and Output Controller
- Device Number 1 (Use if FIRST or ONLY device of this EXACT type) 1x $44.95

LED-Wiz+GP™ 16 Output + 16 Input, Output and Gaming Controller
- Device Number 2 1x $39.95

Electric ICE-T™ Deluxe RGB Arcade Trackball V2.0
- Trackball Size 3 inch
- Default Port & Cable Type USB
- USB Device Number 1 (Use if FIRST or ONLY of this EXACT controller) 1x $116.95

Electric ICE™ Lightable Horizontal Pushbutton
- Microswitch Cherry™ w/ RGB-Drive and 2' cable 4x $6.49 $25.96

1.125 Inch Wood Boring Bit 1x $2.99

Samsung 27" HDTV 4:3 1x $399.99

40-0055-00 DOOR ASSY,SMALL, 2 SLOT, $.25
PLASTIC (HP) MECH 1x $68.20

42-0517-07 Reject Button Assembly - Red 2x $4.80 $9.60

49-1000-00 Retainer for Video Game Marquee 1x $13.35

Triple red leds 2x $3.49 $6.98

3/4" White T-Molding 40x $0.37 $14.80

Whiteside Slotting Cutter 1/16" 3-Wing 1x $17.95

Whiteside Slotting Cutter Arbor 1/4" Shank, 2-3/8"OL 1x $9.95

One day glass 25 5/8" x 23 7/8"
Shape: Square/Rectangle
Glass Type: Tempered
Glass Thickness: 3/16"
Glass Tint: Solar Gray (Light Gray)
Edgework (Step 1): Seamed Edge 1x $51.67


Sub total $1069.24
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: wbassett on May 14, 2008, 10:40:20 am
Where did you get the Samsung 27" HDTV 4:3 and what are the dimensions of it?

I assume this has a VGA input in addition to the HDMI inputs.  How do you like it so far and have you used any light guns with it yet?
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: ivwshane on May 14, 2008, 02:35:51 pm
I bought it new at circuit city:o (it was $400). I would have preferred a real monitor but no one carried (as in had in stock) the one I wanted (billabs).

I have not tried it with a light gun yet (I'm trying to avoid playing with it till I'm done). And no vga connectors.
While the little tests I have done with it looked fine to me, I would highly recommend just getting an arcade monitor. You will have a much easier time mounting it.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-TXS2782H-Slim-Fit-HDTV/dp/B000F2R5MY

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=100701;image)
The moiring is due to the camera not the tv.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=100693;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=100679;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=100681;image)
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: wbassett on May 14, 2008, 02:55:29 pm
I don't want to take this thread off track... but could you take a closeup shot of the inputs?  I'd like to be able to connect a PS2 as well as a Mame PC.

As far as mounting, I like what you did but I most likely would keep it in the case and set it in the cab that way.

Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Namco on May 14, 2008, 03:08:13 pm
Cab - $200
Controls - $60
iPac - $50
Artwork - $300
Paint, Wood, Tools - $200
Monitor - Free
Computer - Was free, until I upgraded it - $100
=====================================
$901, but that's a rough estimation. Maybe it was more, maybe it was less. I spent a lot on artwork and tooling up. If I were to build another one, I could do it for around maybe $400 or $500. However by the time I build another one, the US dollar will be nearly useless, so make that $1600 in future US monopoly worthless paper, or $120 in Euros  ;D
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: ivwshane on May 14, 2008, 03:21:34 pm
I don't want to take this thread off track... but could you take a closeup shot of the inputs?  I'd like to be able to connect a PS2 as well as a Mame PC.

As far as mounting, I like what you did but I most likely would keep it in the case and set it in the cab that way.


Keep in mind that keeping it in the case will make your cab quite wide (mine cab is at 30", with the tv it would probably be at least 32").

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=101038;image)
There are also s-video inputs on the side of the tv as well.
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Flake on May 19, 2008, 03:44:47 pm
Well mines not 100% completed yet but its getting up there. 

Killer Instinct cabinet at auction (monitor doesnt work and no game board)   $78
Computer bought off E-bay (Pentium D 2.8 GHZ, 3.25 GB Ram, 250 GB HD, NVidia 8400GS - hate this card)     $420
Klipsch Promedia 2.1 off E-bay  $88
Toshiba 27" Flat-screen CRT found on Craigslist w/component inputs (that consequently are useless at this point due to video card)$150
Tools/supplies such as paint, bondo, sanding pads, marquee light from Lowes   $136
2P control panel from Arcades R Us w/ upgraded spinner and plexi overlay (havent received it yet - last major piece) - not sure if I should post cost
Rom set $40
Smartstrip $40
Winzip software (wouldnt have purchased but for this project) $30
T-molding $16
Marquee (not yet ordered) $30
DVI to component adapter (which turned out to be worthless - see comments about NVidia card)  $18
Maximus Arcade (not activated yet though) $25

Total cost $1,071 without adding in control panel cost but I'm sure you can ballpark that one.

Bottom line is I think I'll end up about $100 over budget cost.  Plus taking me WAY more time than originally anticipated but I do enjoy it (think the wife is about sick of it though - hehe).
Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: kagaden on May 19, 2008, 06:30:26 pm
- Street Fighter III 3rd Strike (CD-Rom Version)
- Hanaho Showcase Cabinet
- 34" Sharp Image Monitor
- 360 Perfect Optical Sticks
----------------------------------------
$795

- Shipping, Delivery, and thank you party for friends
----------------------------------------
$300

- Sandpaper
- Novus (for control panel scratches)
----------------------------------------
$35

- NovaMatrix LED w/ molex adaptor
- Wire stripping tool
- New coin door bulbs
----------------------------------------
$32


Total = $1162

Playing street fighter at work during breaks... Priceless.

Title: Re: how much have you spent on your cab?
Post by: Loafmeister on May 20, 2008, 01:40:44 am
Since my wife can read, I refuse to commit to any numbers that could incriminate me in a divorce court.