Tips

Here are a few tips that I wish I would have read before starting my project.

Cabinet

1. Only use the more expensive MDF on parts of the cabinet which will be seen.  Use less expensive 5/8ths flooring material for other areas. e.g. shelves inside, back, top, bottom. etc.
2. Leave 1" all around the sides so that when you put on your t-molding it will look original.
3. Use T-Molding from Happ Controls for the ultimate real look.
4. Buy a used coin door from E Bay. ~$30 with shipping.  You can even make the lights in the coin return slots work from the PC power supply.
5. Buy the $2 plexiglass/Lexan knife from Lowes or Home Depot.  It makes perfect snap cuts every time and is worth the money.
6. Allow for whatever the width of the material is you are putting together to make the surface of your keyboard when buying joysticks.  Some joysticks only mount in metal.
7. Use construction adhesive and wood screws not nails.

Controls

1. Include a true 4 way controller for game play.  Many controllers say 4/8 way but they are logical 4 way controllers.  You can still physically move the controller in the slanted positions but the adapter on the joystick is setup such that no microswitch is pushed.  A true 4 way controller has a block out plate which only allows movement in the 4 axis.
2. Put buttons on the side of your control board for PinMAME games. Virtual Pinball is a blast.

Video

1. Use AdvanceMAME or SmoothMAME to make your video images even better on a TV.
2. Use S-Video when available instead of composite outputs.

Computer

Software