Irish arcade machine builders

Mitchomagic · 26-08-2010 09:44PM

Hi Undy,

Budget about 900-1000ish for a good 2 player set up,and yes it can be intergrated in to the orginal wiring.

Pm me your number and I can answer any more questions you have

Cheers Mitch

Mitchomagic · 26-08-2010 09:48PM

Hi Cowboydreams,

Pc is a good way to go you will need a j-pac to interface with the controls.other option is a multi-game board no need for a j-pac its nearly plug and play some set up is required but not much it will all depend on the cab you have and how its is wired.

Cheers Mitch

alandel2001 · 31-08-2010 04:03PM

Mitchomagic wrote: »

Hi Alandel2001,

I can sort you out with a cab,anything from Cocktail,woddie upright,or a candy cab.Just let me know what you are after,and I can build it to you needs.

Cheers Mitch

Mitch,

Thanks for your reply. I'm REALLY new to this, so would like to get an idea of what I would need, and what price you're doing different cabs/accessories at. Maybe you could pm me and we could go from there?

Thanks,

Alan.

ballyball · 21-09-2010 10:07PM

Hi, i'm looking to build an arcade machine. I want to build a MAME setup but I also have two original Virtua srtiker discs. I'd love to be be able to play these on my arcade machine. Just looking for some advice on where to start really ie: maybe buying an old cab or if anyone is selling a similar machine already set up with mame and virtua striker id be intereseted?

Cheers B

LoGiE · 22-09-2010 11:41AM

ballyball wrote: »

Hi, i'm looking to build an arcade machine. I want to build a MAME setup but I also have two original Virtua srtiker discs. I'd love to be be able to play these on my arcade machine. Just looking for some advice on where to start really ie: maybe buying an old cab or if anyone is selling a similar machine already set up with mame and virtua striker id be intereseted?

Cheers B

Hi ballyball, there is no need to double post so I've deleted the thread you created.

Well if you want to build a MAME cab you will need the following

A arcade cabinet with working monitor
A working PC with mame installed
A J-PAC and gfx card capable of displaying on an arcade montor
OR
A arcade cabinet with working monitor
An xxxx in 1 board

When you say virtua striker disks are you talking about dreamcast?

ballyball · 22-09-2010 12:54PM

LoGiE wrote: »

Hi ballyball, there is no need to double post so I've deleted the thread you created.

Well if you want to build a MAME cab you will need the following
A arcade cabinet with working monitor

A working PC with mame installed

A J-PAC and gfx card capable of displaying on an arcade montor
OR

A arcade cabinet with working monitor

An xxxx in 1 board

When you say virtua striker disks are you talking about dreamcast?

Hi,

Cheers for that Virtua Striker games I have are the arcade cd's that are made for Segatriforce.

LoGiE · 22-09-2010 01:25PM

Ah! Without the original hardware the GDs will be of little use I'm afraid. I know MAME now emulates the Triforce hardware along with Naomi boards but as to how fast I'm unsure.

If your looking for Cabinets Mitchmagic just updated his thread on what he has for sale.

23-09-2010 11:44AM

To the OP. I built a 3/4 size "apartment friendly" cab a few years back out of an old poker machine and fully intend to do another one once i've got space for it. I replaced the front panel of the original cab with my own custom built panel, 2 sticks, and 2 Straight six 3 over 3 sets of buttons (for street fighter), as well as coin and 1p+2p buttons. I used various suppliers for it and for other projects, but i always found gremiln solutions in the UK very good for almost everything i needed. (http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/).

They carry a big range, do all the sanwa and semitsu parts, jamma stuff, ultimark adaptors etc, and have good customer service and quick delivery. Andy is the guy i've always dealt with there, and he knows his stuff, i think he's the owner.

I had trouble getting t-moulding for it anywhere in europe, but eventually got it from the USA from here: http://t-molding.com/store/home.php. If you're into custom artwork there are a load of places online in the states that do that too. I heard that www.arcadeshop.de was good too, but i've never used them.

I've no idea about building a cab from scratch woodwork wise. Mine was bought for 50 quid from an arcade in greystones, but that gremlin solutions site has details on cab kits they stock which might be an option.

Optimus Prime · 01-10-2010 03:30PM

Hey guys,

I just read through this entire thread, Ive been thinking about getting an arcade machine of some sort for a while, but wasnt sure if i just wanted to buy one or try build one myself. But after reading through here i decided I will appreciate more if I put it together. Im a complete noob to this though and have no idea where to begin are there any guides or anything out there?

Im thinking of just trying to get mame up and running as it seems easier from reading through?

A working PC with mame is not an issue.

The rest, i havent a clue about lol.

I guess i need a cabinet first? I checked out all the links in the thread to other pages where you get graphics etc so thats cool.

My questions would be related to hooking up joystiqs, monitors etc to the pc? Id love to check out a guide on doing all this if there are any available it would be great if you could point me in the right direction?

Thanks

01-10-2010 03:51PM

keithgeo wrote: »

Id love to check out a guide on doing all this if there are any available it would be great if you could point me in the right direction?

This book will be worth it's weight in gold for you. It will give you step by step details and resources on everything you need, start to finish. I have it and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Project-Arcade-Build-Your-Machine/dp/0764556169

There's also a website for it with a lot of the same info:

http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm

Check out the newbie section first, there are useful guides on it. All the suppliers you need for all the stuff are further down in this thread.

Optimus Prime · 01-10-2010 03:59PM

Ill check em out thanks! That book is expensive, reviews look like its worth it though.

I was thinking of documenting everything and running it as an ongoing project on my website. I might even try contacting the sites that sell parts and see if i can get them for free for advertising and link backs from gamersireland.

I might buy a cabinet though, i dont think i would have the neccessary skills to make my own one!

o1s1n · 01-10-2010 04:24PM

Buying a cabinet is the way to go. Unless you really enjoy woodwork that is. It just seems like a lot of hassle when you can get that all done already for cheap enough. And it would be 100% authentic rather than a recreation.

Optimus Prime · 01-10-2010 04:26PM

Wheres the best place to get a cabinet, ive been looking all over the net, is there anywhere in Ireland you can get them from?

o1s1n · 01-10-2010 04:31PM

Adverts.ie.

There's a guy here called Mitchomagic who usually has some for sale. He has a few up now. One absolutely massive cab for 250. I'd buy it if I had the room!

I got my own on on ebay.ie. Worth keeping an eye out there too.

Optimus Prime · 01-10-2010 04:32PM

Ill check em out thanks for all the help, i wouldnt be looking for a big massive one this time out at least! A standard upright one would do me to begin with.

01-10-2010 11:09PM

You can get readymade cabinet kits too, like a flatpack arcade cab. It's a nice option if you can't find a used cab but don't have any real woodworking skills. They're as easy to put together as an ikea wardrobe.:D

Optimus Prime · 01-10-2010 11:27PM

where can i get these from?

02-10-2010 12:01AM

keithgeo wrote: »

where can i get these from?

There are lots of suppliers on the net, i've always used these, they're good and they're closest to ireland that i know of. They're based in the UK.

http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/arcademachines.php

Their cheapest kit is 250 sterling but i think thats a cocktail table kit. Their stock changes all the time, so drop them a line and they'll help you out.You can get anything you want from the states, but delivery will probably be steep.

If i was you i'd just buy a second hand cab from somewhere and sand and re-finish it, and then re-fit it with your own PC, there are loads of sites that will sell you readymade electronics kits to do that, including the one above. It would be the least hassle and most cost effective way of doing it.

Optimus Prime · 02-10-2010 11:53AM

it would seem getting a cabinet is the hardest part of the process! i cant find any on the web in Ireland, and that site only seems to have cocktail kits at the minute. Ill keep an eye on it and maybe give them a ring during the week. its kind of annoying there isnt a shop in Ireland selling them, you would think they would make a bit of money being the only shop in Ireland stocking the kits.

alandel2001 · 02-10-2010 01:43PM

keithgeo wrote: »

it would seem getting a cabinet is the hardest part of the process! i cant find any on the web in Ireland, and that site only seems to have cocktail kits at the minute. Ill keep an eye on it and maybe give them a ring during the week. its kind of annoying there isnt a shop in Ireland selling them, you would think they would make a bit of money being the only shop in Ireland stocking the kits.

I think you're right in that it is a shame that you can't just go into somewhere like Ikea and buy a flat pack arcade cab in the same way you would buy a table, but I don't think there is such a mass market out there for it. Yet. Once you get the cab, you still need to have a bit of know how to put in the controls etc, which I would say is too much work for most people.

I found the following, which looks pretty cool, but it is in the States.

http://www.mameroom.com/Products_UAII_Kit.asp

It seems like they have all of accessories for sale too. I wonder how much shipping would be?

alandel2001 · 02-10-2010 02:11PM

Found this rather excellent guide. It made my mouth water.

http://www.tmsoft.com/article-arcade.htm

nacimroc · 02-10-2010 02:35PM

The actual woodworking in building a cab is only a small part of the work! I have spent about 3 hours a night for last week or two trying to finish just the control panel. Photoshoping the artwork alone could take a very long time depending on your skill.

So I wouldn't be afraid to try and make the cab yourself. It is very easy compared to the other parts you will have to do and you will have the enormous satisfaction of knowing you made it ALL yourself.

If you are dead set on not doing the woodwork, just throw some of your own designs together and give it to a carpenter who could knock the bits out very quickly. It would just be a case of battening it and fixing it together yourself.

nacimroc · 02-10-2010 02:40PM

I have all the timberwork done for the a cab that you can see on my original post (I think) that I would sell if you were interested. It was a template I made in case I ever wanted to make more. It has the base with wheels assembled aswell.

It is just MDF so you would need to seal and paint or laminate yourself, but its there if your interested.

My emails: nacimroc@gmail.com

CiDeRmAn · 02-10-2010 03:06PM

I'm going to try building the IKEA cocktail cab using a netbook as the engine, then just use a 17" lcd for display.
What you reckon if that idea?
What sort of spec would be best?

o1s1n · 02-10-2010 03:21PM

You'd probably be better off using a laptop. I have an NC10 and while it runs MAME great, it's an expensive enough computer for what you're doing. A cheaper netbook wont run MAME as well.

Seeing as you're connecting a monitor to the VGA out, you have a major advantage of being able to use a laptop with a broken screen. Should be able to pick one up on adverts.ie for next to nothing.

the_syco · 02-10-2010 04:15PM

o1s1n wrote: »

you have a major advantage of being able to use a laptop with a broken screen. Should be able to pick one up on adverts.ie for next to nothing.

A quick search would give you:

http://adverts.ie/289723 €120
http://adverts.ie/225566 €80

Just search for "broken" or "cracked" in the "Laptop" section.

Mitchomagic · 03-10-2010 06:22PM

I will have more cabinets coming in the next week.Single drivers,KI2 I know another 1:)RR5,and 2 more cocktails.

Myrddin · 03-10-2010 06:39PM

Mitchomagic wrote: »

I will have more cabinets coming in the next week.Single drivers,KI2 I know another 1:)RR5,and 2 more cocktails.

What single drivers have you got coming in Mitch? Any Ridge Racers?

Optimus Prime · 03-10-2010 09:39PM

whats an RR5? Ridge Racer 5 is it?

Optimus Prime · 04-10-2010 05:48PM

Ive been doing a lot of reading and research on the net the last few days and i still cant find a cabinet worth buying, the only one i can see on the net is 550 euro from arcademachines.ie but to be honest id rather get the wood and build it myself. Ive found plans on the web and they seem fairly accurate so i think im going to bite the bullet and give it a lash myself!

Can anyone give me some advice on Joystiq/buttons etc. im going to be using a pc in it and just want two joystiqs, one/two player buttons and 6 buttons per player. where is the best place to buy this? can you buy it in a kit so its in a box, or do i have to buy everything seperate and make the box panel myself?

Thanks

Edit: I just discovered the X-Arcade after posting this, anyone have any experience with it?

Irish arcade machine builders

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