DIY Arcade Machine

Using Off the Shelf Parts

• For most arcade fans, the biggest stumbling block in building your own arcade machine will be the cabinet itself due to a lack of woodworking knowledge or equipment. Don't be dismayed. There are many companies online that sell preassembled arcade cabinets or cut and finished wood sections for you to assemble yourself. The same is true of the arcade controls; your prefabricated cabinet will be directly compatible with a number of joystick-and-button assemblies that can be mounted into the cabinet and connected to a computer via USB. Expect to pay approximately $200 for the arcade cabinet, plus $50 each for two control assemblies.

Selecting a Monitor

• Avoid using an actual arcade monitor for your cabinet. They are heavy and difficult to find. Try using a computer monitor instead; a 22-inch wide screen LCD monitor can be purchased for under $250. If you don't find an LCD display to be true enough to the classic arcade experience, purchase a used television instead. Remember that the television must have an input that matches the available output jacks on your computer. If the television only has a coaxial input jack, you won't be able to use it for an arcade machine. In descending order of quality, the inputs that you should look for on a television are DVI, VGA and S-Video. Many computer video cards have DVI and VGA outputs, but many do not have S-Video outputs.

The Brain of the Arcade Machine

• When building a DIY arcade machine, a computer powers it. The computer can be an off-the-shelf variety, or one that you build. The hardware requirements for MAME are low; nearly any computer built in the past five years will run it without problem. However, it is an excellent idea to invest in the largest hard drive you can afford. Nearly 100GB are required in order to store every known MAME arcade game.