Cabinet built just for a console system?

[BobbyG66]

I am thinking about building a cabinet made just for a console system.
The kids are always making a mess with all the games, steering wheels, dance pads, guitars, etc.
I currently have a PSone and a PS2.
I am thinking of buying another PS2 and ditching the PSone. That would give me two setups, possible networking the PS2's together.

Has anyone done this?
I was thinking of making one similar to a standard cab, but want it to be functional as well.
It does not really need a marquee or control panel (except maybe to mount a steering wheel).
I would like to have a big drawer on the bottom for storage of the big stuff.
Maybe even a bookshelf type design to store games.

Looking for ideas or suggestions.
Thanks
BG66

[Green Giant]

People have done these before, typically using xbox for a driving cab.

PS2 would be pretty easy, but make it look like a cab, not a book shelf.  You should definitely mod your ps2.  You can put a harddrive in it and run every game from the harddrive instead of the discs.  I have a 300GB drive in my console which is really good cause the dvd drive is pretty much broken.

You should lean it toward an arcade over a PS2 storage bay.

[AtomSmasher]

While its still on my todo list (along with many other projects), I picked up a Quasicon control panel a while back with the purpose of building an arcade just for consoles.  The reason I went with a quasicon instead of building my own (like I did with my other cabs) is because with the quasicon you have a good setup for consoles with 2 analog sticks per player and even analog buttons.

[northerngames]

I'd like to find more info on them analog mini joys.

[BobbyG66]

I will have to work on some drawings and layouts to show what I am thinking.

[AtomSmasher]

I'd like to find more info on them analog mini joys.

Quasicade doesn't sell them seperately and I have no idea if anyone else makes something similar.  Heres a review of the control panel though:  http://www.retroblast.com/Hardware/RetroBlast-Review-Quasicade-2-by-Quasimoto-Interactive/pg3.php

[crashwg]

Check this out.  Greatest cab built for a console EVER! IMHO...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=72311.0

[Franco]

Greatest cab built for a GAME non the less!

But without a doubt 

I wish I could have Knievels bum babys, at least that way my kids may stand a chance of building awesome cabs 

[Howard_Casto]

I'll say the thing nobody is willing to say here.  Making a console cab is a stupid idea. Why?  Well do you enjoy standing up while playing console games for hours on end or would you rather sit?  Do you enjoy making a giant box, who's purpose is typically to hold over-sized arcade controls only to use console controllers, which are obviously meant to be held in the hand, very far away from the console they are connected to?  How about your eyes?  Do you have magic eyes that allow you to see a screen angled upwards at 15 degrees or more while sitting on your couch?

From what you are describing, you are making a home entertainment center, NOT a cab.  This is a good thing, because a cab would be a stupid idea.    I will gleefully admit that the guitar hero rig is nicely done, but it's just a glorified tv stand.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, I think it turned out rather well, but I've never seen so much drooling over someone who bought three amps and stacked them on top of each other before. 

[BobbyG66]

Howard, thank you for your honesty. It's good to have you around.

I guess I need to work on some sketches to show what I mean.
I am not trying to make a standard arcade cabinet, a bookshelf or a home entertainment center.
It is something that has elements of those but functional. I want something that will store everything and be neat and clean.
It will almost be like a tv stand but cooler looking. The TV will be on a flat surface, not angled. Sorry, no magic eyes but I am thinking about ordering some x-ray glasses (I saw then in the back of a comic book).
The kids will be sitting in a chair not standing. They have those gaming rocking chairs that sit on the floor.

Oh yea, the GH cab rocks! I bet you could setup shop and sell a bunch of them.

Thanks for everyones ideas and comments
BG66

[slycrel]

I'll agree with howard as well.  I have an old defender cabinet that houses an xbox.  Originally I set it up to play all of the old consoles, but I found that it just wasn't practical.  The stand-up arcades are for quick games and many o fthe console games are created for more extended periods.  I've since gone back to simply having the xbox play MAME games in the arcade machine and then I have a modded xbox that I use to play the older console games as well as stream media from my PC.  It actually works out quite well for that purpose.  If you're going to want to do a console cab, keep your eyes on the sit down cabs that are out there.  You don't have to build a chair into it or anything (though you could) but you do want to make a lot of the same design decisions as the sit-down cabs have.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

[Green Giant]

I'll say the thing nobody is willing to say here.  Making a console cab is a stupid idea. Why?  Well do you enjoy standing up while playing console games for hours on end or would you rather sit?  Do you enjoy making a giant box, who's purpose is typically to hold over-sized arcade controls only to use console controllers, which are obviously meant to be held in the hand, very far away from the console they are connected to?  How about your eyes?  Do you have magic eyes that allow you to see a screen angled upwards at 15 degrees or more while sitting on your couch?

From what you are describing, you are making a home entertainment center, NOT a cab.  This is a good thing, because a cab would be a stupid idea.    I will gleefully admit that the guitar hero rig is nicely done, but it's just a glorified tv stand.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, I think it turned out rather well, but I've never seen so much drooling over someone who bought three amps and stacked them on top of each other before. 

I disagree with your to a certain degree.  If you were a huge fan of fighters, a cab with a modded ps2 would be great.  You could have all the best fighting games from the US and Asia.  This is actually on my todo list sometime in the future.  There are probably more fighters for the PS2 than anything else around.  The cheap cost would also make it easy to integrate into a cab.

Now to play anything other than fighters or mame games on an arcade would be stupid, agreed there.

Otherwise sitdown cabs are the only use for consoles.

[versapak]

I'll say the thing nobody is willing to say here.  Making a console cab is a stupid idea.

I disagree.

I have an Xbox arcade machine and it has been excellent.

On top of being able to run MAME and FBA for the slew of actual arcade titles they encompass, I am also able to run several other titles such as Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, Soul Calibur II, DOA 1, 2 & 3, House of the Dead II & III, Mortal Kombat Deception, Sega Soccer Slam, Top Spin Tennis, NHL Hitz, NFL Blitz, etc...

I also have a Dreamcast cabinet which allows me to play tons of greats from that console, though I do admit it is nowhere near as versatile as the Xbox cab.





Now, if the idea was to play non arcade cabinet friendly games, then yeah the idea is stupid, but there are some very arcade cabinet worthy games on consoles.

[BORIStheBLADE]

See, I have been wanting to the same thing, but keeping it like a console. I want to play NES, Snes, Super nintendo gamecube and PS1 games.

I have been thinking about getting a pc like a mac mini to do it. I don't know if I can do all that with a xbox.

[slycrel]

I don't know about the gamecube stuff, but all the other you have listed there have emulators on a modded xbox.  (And more)

See this page for the general emulators list for the xbox:
http://www.xbox-scene.com/software/software.php?page=emulators

[ark_ader]

I'll say the thing nobody is willing to say here.  Making a console cab is a stupid idea. Why?  Well do you enjoy standing up while playing console games for hours on end or would you rather sit?  Do you enjoy making a giant box, who's purpose is typically to hold over-sized arcade controls only to use console controllers, which are obviously meant to be held in the hand, very far away from the console they are connected to?  How about your eyes?  Do you have magic eyes that allow you to see a screen angled upwards at 15 degrees or more while sitting on your couch?

From what you are describing, you are making a home entertainment center, NOT a cab.  This is a good thing, because a cab would be a stupid idea.    I will gleefully admit that the guitar hero rig is nicely done, but it's just a glorified tv stand.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, I think it turned out rather well, but I've never seen so much drooling over someone who bought three amps and stacked them on top of each other before. 

I agree with you Howard, thats why my next cabinet will be purpose built and not a shell conversion.  I like the design used in casinos with a 45 degree sit down screen and comfy stool or bucket seat to play marathon sessions.  The only problem with any sit down is space, but when I get my workshop together that design will be on my priority to do list.  If you are going to play please do it in comfort.

Stand up console games do suck after 20 minutes.