Neo Geo MVS: Fixable, or a lost cause?

[Pringles]

Sorry, I didn't know if i was supposed to post this in "The Garage" or "Other Platforms". I recently discovered a dilapidated MVS in my Grandfathers garage. I've been interested in arcade cabinets lately, and I thought this would be a good project. I have absolutely no money in this cab, and my Grandpa was just going to trash it, so the cost of repair, even if high, will not be adding on any money spent yet. I really don't know much of anything about arcade games, and especially not about cabs like the MVS. I was hoping some people here could give me some help, or at least a point in the right direction. From what I can tell, it has many of the major needed components (though in an unknown condition). Maybe a good start would be looking at the pics and telling me what I've go in the cab, and what it needs. I didn't exactly know where to turn for help like this, but I know the Racket boy Community the be some of the most intelligible and helpful folks in this hobby. Thanks in advance.

Here are some pics:




Here's the main cab (sorry for sideways picture)

CP

Monitor/Bezel (again, sorry)

Mysterious insidey-parts

Still has the cart...Err...port.

Yeah this is pretty much whats inside

Here's some...stuff.

Well thats pretty much it. So, video game doctor, will she live to Shodown again?
Again, thanks alot.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Seems to be missing a lot of cosmetic and slightly important things such as the door or coin mech, but the main stuff such as the monitor and MVS motherboard itself are still there.

EDIT!: Oh and check to see if the monitor's good at all if possible. If the monitor's gone bad, that means it's practically a money pit unless you have a contact that can get you new or used/refurbished/rejuvenated monitors for cheap.

[Hobie-wan]

Obviously going to need some sticks, but to my non arcade expert eyes, the cabinet itself looks to be in ok condition other than the front panel.

[darthbluntedone]

I would say no it is not a lost cause. If you can find someone to do the cosmetic work to the cab. I would make it a mame cab as it is cheaper to build that way if you already have a pc and mame is free.

you can get a new monitor from here http://www.wellsgardner.com/ I have one in my mame cab

you can get buttons and joysticks from here http://www.happcontrols.com/

you can get a i-pac from here and andy will help you out with any problems http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

you can get marquees and side art frome here http://www.mamemarquees.com/

Now you have a idea of how much most of it will cost .

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I would say no it is not a lost cause. If you can find someone to do the cosmetic work to the cab. I would make it a mame cab as it is cheaper to build that way if you already have a pc and mame is free.

you can get a new monitor from here http://www.wellsgardner.com/ I have one in my mame cab

you can get buttons and joysticks from here http://www.happcontrols.com/

you can get a i-pac from here and andy will help you out with any problems http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

you can get marquees and side art frome here http://www.mamemarquees.com/

Now you have a idea of how much most of it will cost .

Blegh, what is it with people ruining real cabinets just to make a crappy mame machine!?

[Xonticus]

Being a old car man myself, I'd say restore it to it's past glory

[Pringles]

I'm kind of iffy on the MAME idea, I just like the feel of a "real" cab. But this isn't the place to fight over this stuff. Like I said, we have no cash invested into this thing as of yet, so as long as the cost of fixing is equal to or lesser than the price of buying another machine it's a win. Well here we go with follow up questions:
How does one test a monitor if the game isn't in perfect working order?
What usualy goes wrong with a monitor and is there a fix?
Are there any other components to get this guy going ( except carts) ?
How about wiring? Is that stuff still safe after the years?
Are the internals supposed to be on a shelf/harness?
Probably many more stupid questions to come, but for now thanks to the replyers!

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

The only way to test the monitor would be to power the cab up with a game or put the monitor into another cab and fire it up. If the monitor is not totally bad, but needs some tweaks to it's settings or other details it's easy and cheap or free if you know anyone. DO NOT TOUCH THE MONITOR AT ALL IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SERVICE IT. THE FLYBACK TRANSFORMER WILL HOLD A CHARGE FOR YEARS AND UP TO TWO DECADES OR MORE AND CAN SEVERELY INJURE OR KILL YOU.

If it's a dead monitor you'll be in about $250+ at the minimum.

The wiring looks sound but dusty in the pic, I'd replace it if it's all weak and dry feeling, but it should be cheap as well, it's wire.

Component wise you'll need carts, brobably to rteplace some caps, the coin mech, buttons, sticks etc... etc...

[darthbluntedone]

I would say no it is not a lost cause. If you can find someone to do the cosmetic work to the cab. I would make it a mame cab as it is cheaper to build that way if you already have a pc and mame is free.

you can get a new monitor from here http://www.wellsgardner.com/ I have one in my mame cab

you can get buttons and joysticks from here http://www.happcontrols.com/

you can get a i-pac from here and andy will help you out with any problems http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

you can get marquees and side art frome here http://www.mamemarquees.com/

Now you have a idea of how much most of it will cost .

Blegh, what is it with people ruining real cabinets just to make a crappy mame machine!?

My suggestion was if he is looking for a cheaper fix than actually fixing the whole machine to orig specs but thank for your opinion.

[Niode]

Yeah don't wreck that cab for a MAME. If you want a mame build one from scratch, don't disgrace a (potentially) beautiful cab to do it.

I'd try and get it running and see what's broken first. Find out what works and what doesn't work. Then work one fixing what's broken. From what I can see it looks to be in very serviceable condition, touching the wood up where it has broken isn't a hard job with a bit of poly-filler, prime and paint.

Joysticks are dead easy to get for cheap, as are buttons, buy a full replacement kit while you're at it to save on shipping (as in buy 2 sets of sticks and buttons) then when they inevitably wear out (you're gonna play this thing a lot when it's finished, trust me) you have a quick and easy replacement.

Monitor is a tricky one, but you're lucky being in the US, you can find wells gardner arcade monitors very easily. I've been searching on and off for about 6 months to find a proper arcade CRT for my NeoGeo cabinet and I've so far been unsuccessful. Hopefully the monitor will still work.

If the power supply is dead you can get a 56 pin Jamma harness very cheaply (I got mine from ebay for less than £15 shipped from Japan) and then simply wire it to a PC PSU. You can get JAMMA pinouts very simply by googling for them.

Um.. that's all I can suggest until we know what does and does not work.