About a year ago I picked up an old Zoo Keeper cabinet from a friend that had been gutted (sadly) and turned into a JAMMA Arch Rivals (Dear God Why!?!?). I spefically picked it up with intentions of turning it into a MAME Machine someday, but got distracted by something shiny (as usual) and forgot about it. Well this summer I've decided that I'm finally going to do something with it, but I need information.

I'vew been searching the net for a good page on making a MAME Machine, but everyone seems to have their own ideas on how to got about it. I was wondering if anyone here has built one, and which design they think is the best. I'd like it to be able to play as many games as possible, so that means I'll have to have a trackball, spinner, six buttons (possibly only two if I forsake the Neo Geo fighting games), etc. etc. Is there a place that I can get a pre-drilled control panel and add my own components or is this a make your own? Right now mine has two joysticks with three buttons a piece (I think there may be a fourth hole drilled), and two start buttons. Since it was an Arch Rivals machine I think it might have those strange optical sticks, so I'd probably have to replace those.

I guess my biggest questions are:

1. How fast of a computer do I need?
2. Should I use an Arcade montior or a Computer Monitor?
3. How big of a monitor should I use?
4. How do I handle Vertical vs. Horizontal montior games?
5. How do I get the max number of controls for games without a cluttered control panel?
6. How do I handle input into MAME for non-game stuff like program setup? An external keypad perhaps?


Any help you guys could give would be appreciated. I've always wanted a MAME machine, and this summer I might actually have the time to do it.

Tempest