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Thread: MAME Cab

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default MAME Cab

    I've always been a huge fan of arcade games from the early 80's and prior. I spent many quarters in those days on the classics during the golden age of arcades. At the time I never cared for pinball and all the fighting games that were coming out and gaining in popularity. Fast forward to the early 90's when I bought a Tempest and a Stargate machine on the cheap which wasn't hard to do since arcade games weren't collectible yet. Problem was that they kept on breaking so I eventually sold them when I went off to college. So over the years I've kept tabs on multicades and such but I didn't want a full size machine. I finally found a company that will build anything you want and so I placed my order. It's technically a tabletop but its bigger than I wanted but that's because I went with a large 22" 4:3 monitor so that all the vertical games would look proper. It has many thousands of games which 95% of them I'll never play but that's just how the chips come programmed. All the great classics are there and some obscure Atari arcade titles I've never heard of. Dual joysticks for games like Robotron and Battlezone, a spinner for Tempest of course, and a trackball for Millipede, etc. A top notch sound system and the ability to display the old games complete with scan lines so the graphics on the on the screen look original.i chose Galaga graphics for the cabinet but you can have anything imaginable put there and the can shape is also completely up to the buyer. Basically everything is customizable from the button colors to light up track balls to well, everything. i woulda chose something other than green for my buttons but i left it up to the builder as i wasn't really too concerned. My main focus was having the original games exactly as they were in the arcades and the cabinet design was secondary.
    A few pics and one with my all time favorite game, Stargate, queued up.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Kungishi CarlW's Avatar
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    Smile Re: MAME Cab

    Not sure if this is a hijack?



    Here is some pictures of mine... Jealous of your illuminated track ball (and buttons)
    But I have guns and a steering wheel...

    Galaga.jpg Consoles.jpg Computers.jpg Light Gun Bar.jpg
    Top of Cabinet.jpg Side.jpg MAME Classic Arcade 4 Player.jpg Steering Wheel.jpg






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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Thats an impressive setup! My buttons and trackball aren't illuminated actually. I kept the cosmetics to a bare minimum. No guns or steering wheel on mine since there's no games I really care for that utilize those but they are options that Dream Home Arcades offers. Plus i wanted a small a footprint as possible while still having a trackball, spinner, 22" monitor, and twin joysticks. One thing that's cool are all the home systems that are on these machines. One system,Vectrex, is something that I've always wanted to play but have never seen in person. It was way ahead of its time back in the day. My cab has a few dozen of the games on it for that system. Cool stuff.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    I didn't count on repetitive use injuries. My fire button finger has already developed a callus. I've played my faves of course but am also really enjoying the older and more obscure titles like Gorf, Phoenix, Vanguard, Pleiades, etc. been playing the hell out of Millipede too. It's like walking into an arcade with every single game made set on free play.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Kungishi CarlW's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    I certainly was fooled by one of your pictures. Thought the trackball and buttons were back lit but it looks like a flash reflection now maybe.

    On your favorite Galaga game, the version I play, is called Midway (Set 1 with fast shoot hack). Mine came set up with software; thus I don't really know much about programming / fine tuning the MAME software...

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    I don't know much about the programming either. I can pull up menus for all the games to enable fast shooting or other things and lots of the games have multiple hacks/ versions. I play the games though in their original arcade form.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Scowlin' Jean Hornigold hanabi's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by emmadog View Post
    One system,Vectrex, is something that I've always wanted to play but have never seen in person. It was way ahead of its time back in the day. My cab has a few dozen of the games on it for that system. Cool stuff.



    I have an old Vectrex system and games stored away with my pachis

    I remember one of the games had speech 'Spike' i think it was called and you have little overlays for the screens.


    Also have a table top sized mini mame machine too 'Arcade XS Mini Mame Machine' my son plays it mostly when he has friends over, so it's set up in the living room

    will have to dig out some pics of the Vectrex and Mame

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    That's really cool. I'd like to see one in person one of these days. I almost bought a mini mame and there's a guy from your side of the pond that makes some really nice ones.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Fever Hunter Stompp's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by hanabi View Post
    I have an old Vectrex system and games stored away with my pachis
    Oh, a Vectrex. Never had the chance to own one. Hopefully one day!

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    Eye Shooter Mrtoad's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    What do the cost approximately? I would like to save up for one... I do have mame32 but not currently loaded on my PC but would really like to consider something full sized...

    Thx!

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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Just last night I got PiMame up and running... so far its been perfect on just about everything I've tried (a bit of sound jumps on some really graphic intensive neo-geo titles).
    Cost so far under $100. Pi, 4gig SD, and power supply - $50, 7" LCD on its way from China ($40)... And I have a mini arcade cab for an Ipad that I may butcher to put it in. Its pretty much useless on those games...
    Woof!

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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    I love the MAME cabinets. Definitely want to add one to the game room someday. Although currently I am on the hunt for a nice Megatouch for my bar.

    I used to have a Vectrex back when I collected game consoles. The controllers were the weak point on the system. They were notorious for breaking. If I remember correctly, a Sega Genesis controller would plug right in though and worked great. It was definitely a great system. Spike was pretty cool on it. It is definitely one of the systems I regret letting go of.
    "Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well."
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mrtoad View Post
    What do the cost approximately? I would like to save up for one... I do have mame32 but not currently loaded on my PC but would really like to consider something full sized...

    Thx!
    Dreamhomearcades.com
    that's the place where I got mine from. every single aspect of the game is customizable by the buyer. so you can call them up and tell them the most you want to spend and what you're looking for and go from there. look on the website gallery in the tabletop section and you'll see the black cab with Galaga which is my machine. the tabletops in general are cheaper due to their size but it really depends on the options. I didn't care about multicolor buttons that light up and all that. what I did want were the right controls for the classic arcade games I grew up with. this meant a spinner, trackball, and twin joysticks. mine was pricier than the smaller tabletops because I have a large 4:3 aspect ratio monitor.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Kungishi CarlW's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by Chumsize View Post
    Just last night I got PiMame up and running... so far its been perfect on just about everything I've tried (a bit of sound jumps on some really graphic intensive neo-geo titles).
    Cost so far under $100. Pi, 4gig SD, and power supply - $50, 7" LCD on its way from China ($40)... And I have a mini arcade cab for an Ipad that I may butcher to put it in. Its pretty much useless on those games...
    I'd enjoy seeing a picture of your set up! I'm guessing Pi means raspberry pi?

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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by CarlW View Post
    I'd enjoy seeing a picture of your set up! I'm guessing Pi means raspberry pi?
    will do, as soon as its done... and yes - raspberry pi. Waiting on a backordered beaglebone black too...
    Woof!

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    Eye Shooter Mrtoad's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by emmadog View Post
    Dreamhomearcades.com
    that's the place where I got mine from. every single aspect of the game is customizable by the buyer. so you can call them up and tell them the most you want to spend and what you're looking for and go from there. look on the website gallery in the tabletop section and you'll see the black cab with Galaga which is my machine. the tabletops in general are cheaper due to their size but it really depends on the options. I didn't care about multicolor buttons that light up and all that. what I did want were the right controls for the classic arcade games I grew up with. this meant a spinner, trackball, and twin joysticks. mine was pricier than the smaller tabletops because I have a large 4:3 aspect ratio monitor.
    Thanks. I will be looking into this and see what it will cost. I was originally going to try to build one but if cost is right I will take the easy road out. I have too many projects on my plate. But money talks..

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Here's another website with some great machines. I almost went with one of these but some of my favorite side scroller classics weren't offered and I'm not sure spinners, trackballs, etc are available. Still, they're sharp looking machines and the vertical monitor machines are what I described to the company that made mine. They designed it using the pic I provided but with all the controls I wanted and a large monitor, the footprint became larger. The monitor is oriented horizontally in my machine but due to the screen's large size, vertical games like Galaga for example look fine and the amount of screen used is the same and in some cases larger than the original arcade while maintaining the correct aspect ratio.
    Mini Arcade Machines - HOME
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Forgot to mention that I was definitely interested in building my own but like you, I've got plenty of other projects. So I decided that I would spend the money and have it professionally done. It took about 4 months or so for mine to be built but its a impressive machine. My girl's nieces and nephew love it and of course all the adults my age play the arcade classics.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Kungishi CarlW's Avatar
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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by Mrtoad View Post
    Thanks. I will be looking into this and see what it will cost. I was originally going to try to build one but if cost is right I will take the easy road out. I have too many projects on my plate. But money talks..

    Not sure what money you are looking to spend or save. But here is unsolicited advice for you if you do decide to build your own...

    Get the software to work before you make the hardware. Unhook the computer from the internet. Then get the hardware to work. A lot of the programs go out to the web and try to update themselves and it gets crazy in a hurry. Game that played fine yesterday, don't work today. There is a lot to be said for a stable platform.

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    Default Re: MAME Cab

    Quote Originally Posted by emmadog View Post
    Here's another website with some great machines. I almost went with one of these but some of my favorite side scroller classics weren't offered and I'm not sure spinners, trackballs, etc are available. Still, they're sharp looking machines and the vertical monitor machines are what I described to the company that made mine. They designed it using the pic I provided but with all the controls I wanted and a large monitor, the footprint became larger. The monitor is oriented horizontally in my machine but due to the screen's large size, vertical games like Galaga for example look fine and the amount of screen used is the same and in some cases larger than the original arcade while maintaining the correct aspect ratio.
    Mini Arcade Machines - HOME
    Thank you

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