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To build or buy considering...
Rossman:
I was wondering in terms of ease to build, and price, would it be better to get a premade mameroom.com multicoloured control panel like this: http://www.mameroom.com/SignatureSeries.asp which would be about $1400, or risk it and try to build my own, and find the parts? I'm not especially handy, but have a few friends that are.
Anyone have any advice one way or the other?
Alpha17X:
I'd personally go with grabbing some compatible plans for the type of cabinet you want off of a site like Jakobud.com and building the whole thing yourself. It will cost waaaaay less. Cabinet kits, (including the PC, or not) are nice, but, personal opinion here, vastly overpriced regardless of where they're coming from.
It feels more rewarding if you make your own, it's totally custom and has exactly what YOU need in it, nothing more, nothing less.
You can pay 1400 for a MameRoom/NorthCoast Customs machine, that will no doubt be a well built machine, but you can also build ones just as well, for 200-300 (cabinet, and maybe even less than that) and anywhere from 300 to 600 for a PC that will run everything MAME can run plus some extra PC software like Street Fighter 4.
So, 1400, one size fits all, or 900 at the most for a custom job that your hard work went into, Not only will you be able to enjoy using it because of the content on it, you'll also be able to enjoy it even more knowing you worked hard for it. Sort of like when you finally finish rebuilding a classic car and finally get to take it for a drive.
So that's my opinion. However, if you do not have the time, if you are willing to spend the extra cash, if you just want a cab and you wanted sooner than later. Then NorthCoast does make some good systems.
So while you'd save money, and have an additional sense of pride and accomplishment once your project was done, you would not be throwing money away if you went for a NCC cabinet. But shop around if you haven't. There are other cabinets out there. Quasimoto Interactive for example.
RobbyMac:
Agreed. I am building a machine based on the ultimate arcade II. I have roughly 1k in the project, but was able to modify it to house satellite receiver, dvd and ps2 since this arcade is going in a family room. Added some custom cut smoked glass doors on the front which drove cost up a bit. I did get a deal (ie 'free') on all graphics since thats what i do for a living. I had the computer on hand.
I also have over 130hrs in it so far, and am going on about 6 weeks but I should have it completed within a week now.
If I had to do it again, it'd go quite faster (Like with most projects). You can check it out here if interested; FUSION Arcade build. Maybe it will help you in your decision...
HanoiBoi:
Correct my if I'm wrong, but the Control Panel alone is $1400, not an entire machine.
Rossman, build your own. If you want help, keep pluggin away at the threads in here and you'll get it.
Before answering that question fully, really you should state some background and such. What the purpose of the machine will be? How 'blinged' out you want/need it to be? Do you need it in a hurry (upcoming event)? Will it be MAME dedicated? etc.
If you are looking to throw something simple together, say a 2P MAME machine, and you already have a PC running MAME and a usable monitor, you can build something for far, far, far less than $1400.
Now, if you want crazy blinged out, and price is no issue and you want it in a timely fashion, then by all means buy a system. But, since you are here on Build Your Own Arcade Controls...I think you already know what to do. ;)
mwong168:
$1400 for control panel alone is way too much even if it is pimped out with all those illuminated buttons. Is that all you are interested in is the control panel alone or did you plan on making it part of a cabinet?
If you or your friends aren't very handy with wood then I would say just buy the pre-cut 4 player control panel from NCC:
http://www.mameroom.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=4PLAYERCP
Then for the buttons, joystick and controller interface get them from either ultimarc.com or groovygamegear.com
That should run you well below $1400 and all you would need to invest is a wire stripper and crimper to hook up provided you get the interface controllers with the screw in terminals. Building it yourself is not also rewarding but helpful in the future should a joystick or button need to be placed because you would know the entire ins and outs of your own control panel.
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