Help! Building a Sega arcade cab

[SegaDreamscape]

I have an idea of building an arcade cabinet for my sega consoles but I'm unsure of pretty all the details with regards to monitors/tvs.

I don't have the woodworking skills to build an arcade up from scratch so initially (unless I later find an alternative) I'll be limited to using an existing cabinet and modding it for use. However as I mentioned the screen situation is causing me a bit of a headache.

Essentially I need to know what kind of screen to use as I've never had anything to do with them other than having a crt stuck in the corner of my room . Is there a screen/monitor capable of accepting rgb scart and vga that is compatible with the sega lightguns. I plan (if possible on using the same monitor for everything but would like to use the vga for the higher quality DC video.

Any help at all is appreciated.

[DCsegaDH]

I built one, its not hard. I found some of the software to be harder to configure than actually building the cabinet. It took me awhile because I was lacking power tools, but I had Homedepot cut it to fit so I had only one angle to cut. A already built cabinet is good, but I couldn't find one so I just built plus I didn't want to mess up a nice one. As for the monitor the only kind I think of is a LCD because CRT TVs don't have a vga and rbg input.

[MrPopo]

The first thing you should figure out is are you going to go the PC emulation route or are you going to have actual Sega consoles inside. If you go the PC route there are several things you can get at Ultimarc to help you out, including adapters to use the existing arcade buttons and monitor with the PC rather painlessly.

http://www.ultimarc.com/

[DCsegaDH]

I went with the Keywiz encoder, it is cheaper than the Ipac if your going the PC route. If I was going to use arcade hardware I would definitely go with the NeoGeo MVS 4-slot.

[Niode]

Unless you are going to put some arcade hardware in there there's not much point following this route. The system won't act like an arcade machine (IE extra credits and all that) it will be a bitch to change games all the time (you would have to open it up) if you are putting more than one system in there you're going to need some electronics skills to build a switch for the A/V on the control panel.

Unless you have some skills already this kind of project is either never going to get completed or it's going to look like shit.

I'd stick with just doing a MAME cabe first. Building consoles into an arcade cabinet is just too much work to be considered useful. You'd be better off just buying a CRT TV and using em on that, it would take up less room too.

Unless you're going to make the arcade cab act like an arcade machine, essentially all you're going to build is a big box for your consoles. If you want the arcade feel then you'd have a better time building arcade controls for your sega consoles (take up less space too).

[SegaDreamscape]

Thanks for the tips guys. I was looking at using my actual consoles rather than go the emulation route. im gonna have to have a good think if this is worth it its sounding like it is more than im capable of.

[Hobie-wan]

Remember that an LCD is easier to mount, but you can only use light guns with a CRT.

[eSPy]

Remember that an LCD is easier to mount, but you can only use light guns with a CRT.

haha..was just going to say that...

also, if you are looking to build one, this should be one of the first places you look at.
http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm

lots of great info on hardware, wiring as well as software if you choose to go the mame route.

for some of the video hardware like switches and cables, if i were you id head to dealextreme first as they have heaps of stuff for cheep and lots of different odd converters you may need as well.
http://www.dealextreme.com/

also worth checkin ebay or other places like that for arcade bits and pieces (joysticks, buttons, coin slots).

[eSPy]

just found this. http://benheck.com/bens-neo-geo-arcade-cabinet

good diagram of how to put one together