My Arcade MAME Cabinet - UPDATED!

We upgraded the computer, software and monitor plus other random aspects of our standup MAME arcade emulator cabinet for the game room.
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My Video Gear & Equipment:
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Background music by Metal Jesus Rocks and the YouTube Creator Audio Library

** DISCLAIMER: This video was not sponsored. It would be cool if it was…but it wasn’t **

[GlensRetroShow]

Thank you for the shout-out . I know you will love these products
Glen's Retro Show product are arcade quality without the Arcade Price

[toxicmule]

I use a 5rpm geared dc motor running off standard 12v hard drive plug to rotate my mame monitor. Painted a plexiglass cover screen black with a center circle to see the monitor through, and with the monitor mounted in a plywood 'wheel' also black, it really blends the screen edges in whether horizontal, vertical, or on the move. Really does make a difference in how much screen space you get in both orientations. I use a 3 way switch on the control panel for rotations, and limit switches to stop the screen when it reaches the proper angle. I like seeing different engineering ideas for these cabinets, keep em coming!

[bask]

DMP did a great job cutting that board to shape. It looks really good.

[probablybobi]

MJR, just realized because of this video that I've been watching your videos for more than 10 years now! I was a kid when I discovered that first MAME Cabinet you had with the apple logo sticker.

I remember it being one of my favorite videos of yours of all time, tied with the one with Kacy DaGameNerd and his Wii collection. Love it.

[Mark_]

Some rubber bands, light bungie cord, etc. will hold the cables up and out of the way while you pivot the monitor.

[AngryCalvin]

This is fantastic. Very much like what I was thinking to do until I changed my mind on a kiosk instead due to my disability after an injury. I like how you placed the X-Arcade tank stick where it looks natural. It’s quite a project to put together something like this but it’s also a blast. I continued to add to mine year after year not just to decorate it more but customization of my frontend and game collection.

I have the Atari version of the tank stick. Put a Donkey Kong marquee over the screen since it’s the arcade cabinet of my childhood.
Put a few really cool props including Pac-Man lights and more.

Anyone around my age who grew up with Atari 2600, the arcades, and lived through the whole history of home consoles and Chuck E Cheese probably dreams of doing something like this. I sure have had fun with it.

[cwshumate]

From Drunken Master Paul to Drunken Mad Genius Paul!

[tbonemaloneknowsitall]

Love this now "Trilogy" of videos from creation of the MAME cabinet in 2012, to upgrades in 2017 to this newest upgrade in 2024. !!!

[crza]

Great video! I've been on YT since the beginning, and MJ is someone who's only gotten better over time; which is really incredible for the run he's had. Cheers!

[cheslynholland]

Wow that's an amazing idea to flip the monitor like that, and it looks dope. Good job guys.

[nick]

My arcade I made 20 years ago actually rotated with the swivel. The faced panel moves too.

[TrashPandamonium]

Your original arcade video was the first video I've ever watched from you, MJR! Been following you every week since heheh. Thanks for all your videos.

[mzzzzz]

This is what I love seeing, DIY projects for new ideas and new ways of using something

[firefox]

Few suggestions that might make the arcade cabinet even better. I'd mount the mini pc to either the top of the inside of the cabinet. Or mount it on the side next to the power surger. Along with doing some cable manegement to clean things up.

Doing so would give you even more space inside the cabinet. With the rest of the space I'd add either storage for handheld systems. Like the Steam Deck, Gameboy, Game Gear ect. Or add a mini cooler for beer or coke. Along with adding a Mister for that sweet FPA experience and mount it the same way as the mini PC.

Side note but wireless HDMI is a thing. Haven't tried it myself so don't know how well it works or if it would introduce lag. But it might make it less likely for you to disconnect the cable from the monitor when your turning it.

A few other things that might be of interest. Are rechargable AA and AAA USB batteries. I use them all time for gaming on my old handles like the Gameboy. It's nice because I never have to go to the store to pick up batteries. Plus I don't have to modify my Gameboy. I also personally use the AAA ones for all my remotes like my TV and Nvidia Shield aswell.

I also really like the super small USB drives like the Sandisk Ultra Fit. I've got a lot of the 512 GB versions that I use for a bunch of things. Including my PS5 & Xbox One. And because it's so small it makes it super easy to move those consoles. Of course I have an internal SSD in my PS5 aswell. But I store almost all my PS4 on the flash drive. To give me even more room for PS5 games on my console and SSD storage. And I've never run into any issues playing PS4 games off that USB drive.

[alastair]

I love your long format videos. Perfect for listening during walks or doing chores.

Beer is reserved for pick ups videos. 🤟

[R-nfvg]

For anyone doing something similar, you can have a permanent no-lift rotation if you cut slots in the sides of the cabinet to allow the screen corners to pass while rotating.

[darkdeity]

Drunken Master Paul's lack of safety gear whilst routing is impressive. Nicely done. 😂

[stratogustav]

Nicely done!

However for me the perfect arcade cabinet would be very simple:

Hardware:

- Dynamo Showcase Pedestal Cabinet (my generation of arcade cabinets) the one with the metal looking board, better than the granite one, but I like both

- Sony Trinitron KV-36FV310 (as monitor)

- Sanwa Denshi LED blue player 1, Sanwa Denshi LED player 2, (ball tops and buttons)

Software (list of games):

- Capcom: CPS I, CPS II, CPS III

- Konami: X-Men Based, Mystic Warriors Based

- Namco: System 11, System 12, System 23, System 246

- Nintendo: Vs. System, PlayChoice-10

- Sega: Model 1, Model 2, Model 3, Naomi 1, Naomi 2

- Sammy: Atomishwave

- SNK: NeoGeo MVS

- Sony: ZN-1, ZN-2

And that's it! Only my top 20 arcade system boards.

That would be enough for me, and the perfect arcade cabinet with 4:3 games.

No console games, no computer system games, no handheld games. That's what kiosks are for.

And if I want 16:9 stuff, like Sega RingEdge, RingWide, RingEdge 2, Taito Type X, Taito Type X2, NESiCAxLive then those titles would be for the Viewlix.

[roastbeef]

I like how this cab has the lower buttons that can be used for run in Mortal Kombat 3 🤘

[aaronchapman]

Check out DMP breathing in all that particulate from the MDF he was routing 😂😂😂 that dude is metal AF 🤘🏼