Wanna get into buying arcade PCB's Where to begin?

[munchiaz]

So i have always been interested in owning my own arcade cabs.  I have seen plenty of you guys buying PCB's for arcade games and using a Jamma setup and what not. I have also seen some of the Sega naomi setups. I really don't know anything about Jamma setups or what not. Currently i wouldn't be able to accommodate an actual arcade cab. So what would be my next best option to start playing and collecting Arcade boards?

[Frank_fjs]

Sounds like you need a supergun of some sort. Do you have a budget in mind? You can get a basic and cheap Supergun for under $50 which will allow you to power Jamma based PCB's, extract audio and video from them and plug in a controller of sorts. They usually require a PC power supply, TV and controller(s) to accompany them.

At the other end of the scale, you can spend $200 and up for an enclosed supergun that includes joysticks and only requires a TV to plug it into.

[munchiaz]

For these super guns, do they accept USB controllers. I currently have a ps3/360/pc arcade stick i could use

[Frank_fjs]

I'm not aware of any that accept USB, most seem to use the Neo Geo DB15 pin connector. Some also use Mega Drive controllers and others allow you to wire up your own inputs with arcade sticks/buttons via screw terminals.

[Opethian]

 
If you dont have a way to output RGB you may have sync issues when running some games through an encoder (s-vid/composiite)
get a Sigma AV7000/9000
you will spend more than $200 on that

You are better off making your own supergun if cost is a factor

[munchiaz]

Anyone know of some good articles i can read on this stuff ?

[SignOfZeta]

A good way to get into PCBs is to buy a straightforward JAMMA cab locally, something like Street Fighter II or Raiden or something. Dick around with that for a while and decide where you want to go from there.

I'm not sure what you get in a $50 supergun, btw. I'm thinking jack squat. Unless you have a 15khz RGB monitor the encoder alone will cost that much, as will your first decent stick. A complete supergun with two controllers is probably more like $400, about half that used.

[SuperDeadite]

My recommendation is too first think long and hard and come up with a list of games you actually want, then check prices and decide if it's right for you or not.  Arcade pcb usage at home is a whole level higher then what a console only gamer is used to.  Your average pcb collector will gladly throw $200 on a game without even blinking.

Typically PCB collector's are in it for the "full authentic experience" so to speak.  Meaning, you need a quality RGB setup of some kind.  Sure you can get a cheapo S-Video or Composite encoder, but in that case, MAME will look better and you will be disappointed.  And honestly the monitor is by far the most expensive part of the setup.  You might find a cheap local cab, but do not buy one without a good fully working monitor.

Since money can quickly add up, I tend to stick with boards that are not emulated correctly, since there is no other way to play them, as well as some personal favorites.  Of course the games that don't work in MAME go for a lot of cash these days...

[GohanX]

You may consider going the consolized Neo Geo MVS route at first. It's kind of like arcade collecting lite. The games are (mostly) cheaper and more manageable, and you can get your feet to see if you really want to jump into hardcore PCB collecting.

I'm on the edge right now. I have an extensive MVS collection, and I could build my own supergun easily enough, but I dunno, between having all the Neo stuff and running Mame/CPS emulators on the modded Xbox, I think that might be enough for me.

[Frank_fjs]

One thing to consider is that arcade PCB collecting is an entirely different ballgame to console collecting. PCB's are a lot more fragile and tend to break down very often, so you'll definitely want a decent soldering iron and some basic diagnostic tools at your disposal. They're also more expensive to ship and difficult to store.

[munchiaz]

Thanks for all the great info guys. It is Def alot to take it. At this point it would seem more wise to just have a mame setup. I barely have room for the console collection i have right now. But i do want to read up on all this stuff, so someday when i move into a bigger place i will already have the knowledge

[Opethian]

http://www.jamma-nation-x.com/jammax/tutorials.html start here

[Gogan]

Step 1. Move to a bigger place
Step 2. Start buying cabs

I currently have 3 cabs. It's awesome.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

A good way to get into PCBs is to buy a straightforward JAMMA cab locally, something like Street Fighter II or Raiden or something. Dick around with that for a while and decide where you want to go from there.

I'm not sure what you get in a $50 supergun, btw. I'm thinking jack squat. Unless you have a 15khz RGB monitor the encoder alone will cost that much, as will your first decent stick. A complete supergun with two controllers is probably more like $400, about half that used.

^ All of that!  ^

I picked up a beat up Jamma SideArms a few years ago and just recently got an MVS.  Switching out PCBs is probably one of the easiest things I've done as far as modifications and whatnot.  It's no more difficult than tinkering with a PC replacing a HDD or whatnot.

The Cab cost me $100.  I got it from a local pizza place that hadn't used it in ages so I inquired about it.  It's a fun hobby to get into and I'll slowly pick up more cabs when I get more space!

Go for it dude!!

[Mishran]

Have to agree with JKM and say that the MVS route is a really good way to start. It's definitely addicting, as I started out earlier this year with an MVS cab with 6 games to having over 50+ in less than a year. Many games can be had in the $10-50 range, though the more sought after games can fetch $100+ each. Arcade boards can definitely take up a goodly amount of space, so it's best to go for the boards you want most.

[SignOfZeta]

The only reason I didn't suggest MVS, that is, an actual red MVS shipped from SNK, is that there are differences in the wiring that make them slightly different from generic JAMMA cab. Overall though, yeah, its the best arcade area to get into. There are still many exclusive games and they are cheap.

[Mishran]

Some of the PCBs' I wouldn't mind getting my hands on at some point is TMNT (original and/or Turtles in Time), NBA Jam, Contra, Crime Fighters, Ninja Gaiden, and Sunset Riders. They all sucked quarters from my pockets as a kid. First two Mortal Kombats are good ones to obtain as well in my book.

[SuperDeadite]

A lot of the 4+ player konami games are rather annoying.  As they don't have character selects, but basically need a coin button for each character.  So a bit of a mess in a gun setup.  The 2 player versions of the same games are seriously recommended unless you do have room for a full size 4 player cab.