Finished my MAME Cabinet Project!

[Bivotar]

It's finally done! My MAME cabinet is up and running and is providing me with much gaming goodness.

 

Megamanfan and I got cabinets at the same time, but unfortunately we haven't been able to work on them together much. However, much of what I learned on mine I can apply to MMF's. He'll be up and running soon too!

 

Attached is a pic of the cabinet. It was an Aqua Jack that I picked up for $50. I used a PIII 600MHz as the PC, with a TV out video card, and a 19" TV for the display. I built the control panel and used arcade controls from Ultimarc. The front end is MAMEWAH.

 

I love it! My wife hasn't touched it yet, but tolerated me putting it in our finished basement.

 

[Flack]

Looks great! There are things you can learn about building a MAME cabinet that can only be learned by building a MAME cabinet, if that makes sense. I'm sure many of the lessons learned will apply to MMF's!

 

If you ever want to personalize that cabinet, you can put your own marquee in there pretty inexpensively. I had a piece of plexiglass cut for a couple of bucks at the local plastic shop. Then I printed out a marquee for free at work on our printer plotter. I'm sure it wouldn't cost more than a couple of bucks to print one out at Kinko's or something.

 

Marquee printed out:

http://www.robohara.com/albums/mame/P1010001.JPG

 

Marquee installed:

http://www.robohara.com/albums/mame/P1010010.JPG

 

Again, we learn from our mistakes. If I had it to do over again (and I'll probably correct it someday), I wouldn't have used tinted plexiglass.

 

(Note: The arcade near my house that I grew up hanging out in is named Cactus Jack's. "Cactus Flack's" seemed only fitting.)

Edited June 30, 2005 by Flack

[maibock]

Looks great!

 

That's a neat idea about the TV out - is that common for a MAME machine? Did you turn the TV sideways to make it longer than it is wide?

 

Any lesssons learned along the way you'd like to share?

[maibock]

If you ever want to personalize that cabinet, you can put your own marquee in there pretty inexpensively. I had a piece of plexiglass cut for a couple of bucks at the local plastic shop. Then I printed out a marquee for free at work on our printer plotter. I'm sure it wouldn't cost more than a couple of bucks to print one out at Kinko's or something.

 

883476[/snapback]

 

That's a great idea..

[Bivotar]

Looks great!

 

That's a neat idea about the TV out - is that common for a MAME machine? Did you turn the TV sideways to make it longer than it is wide?

 

Any lesssons learned along the way you'd like to share?

883482[/snapback]

 

I don't know how common it is, but it is a fairly cheap approach. The TV out card was $20 and the 19" TV was $90. While not as crisp as a PC monitor, I feel it gives more of an actual arcade quality image. I didn't want to shell out the bucks for a 19" arcade tube and interface either. So a TV is kind of a compromise. The NES and Atari emulators look wonderful on it.

 

I kept it horizontal rather than vertical. The cabinet and bezel were originally horizontal. I could have done it vertical (the video card even supported it), but opted not to. I still get a decent sized picture on vertical games, especially when you are standing only a couple feet from the monitor.

[Dones]

Congratulations bivotar! It looks great. MAMEWah looks great from here.

 

About your tv out: What resolution did you setup your front end and emus? What type of video card did you use? Did you use TVtool? (OK too much questions )

Edited June 30, 2005 by Dones

[Bivotar]

Congratulations bivotar! It looks great. MAMEWah looks great from here.

 

About your tv out: What resolution did you setup your front end and emus? What type of video card did you use? Did you use TVtool? (OK too much questions )

883582[/snapback]

 

I set up for 640x480 resolution.

 

The video card is a SAPPHIRE 100949 Radeon 7000 32MB DDR AGP 2X/4X Video Card. It has composite out, and came with an RCA adapter that plugs directly in to the card.

 

I didn't use the TVtool. I recall seeing it, but don't remember the purpose of it.

[Dones]

Never mind. TVtool only works for nvidia cards with non "MV integrated" chips. You are far better off with your radeon card. Good call going for 640x480. I bet you must be getting excellent quality from your tv-out.