Guide
DIY ROM Arcade Machine Guide:
If you are planning to build your own Arcade Machine you have come to the right place. DIY ROM Arcade was setup to act as a journal for Building my first DIY Arcade System. But since I am taking the time to document my progress I decided to take the next step and create a guide that others could use to help build their own home brew Arcade Machines.
If you have always wanted to build an Arcade System but didn’t know where to start, this Guide will serve as a bookmark that will walk you through your project in organized steps so that you can be sure all your bases are covered. Starting from simple planning stages and working your way through the more technical steps like building your own arcade controls, or setting up a MAME front-end, this guide will tell you everything you need to know to build your first DIY Arcade Machine.
Chapter 01. Introduction - About Qbert & DIY Rom Arcade
A little background about myself and the DIY ROM Arcade project. I have always been a gamer at heart and my love of classic gaming and console systems has prompted me to build my own DIY Arcade Machine.
Chpater 02. Planning How to Build a ROM Arcade System
What to consider when building your own Arcade Machine? What are Emulators and ROMs, and how do they work? How big will my Arcade System be? What PC hardware do I need for the project? How do I setup the internal components and build the Arcade Cabinet? These questions and MORE are address in my first post.
Chapter 03. Top 25 Arcade Machines - Arcade System Designs
How do I begin designing my Arcade Machine? What are examples of famous classic Arcade Machines? What are common traits of Arcade Machines and considerations to keep in mind when designing my first system? Read on for the answers to these questions.
Chapter 04. DIY Arcade Machine Design for Internal Components
What does the inside of an Arcade Machine look like? How can I create a “modern” Arcade Machine using PC hardware and parts? What are considerations to make when planning the internal design of my system? Are there any pictures or reference material that shows the inside of a classic Arcade Machine? In chapter 4 I cover the “ins” and outs off all these questions.
Chapter 05. The Right Display for a DIY Arcade Machine
What’s the best display to use in a home built Arcade Machine? Different factors involved in choosing a display. Considerations like budget, size, weight, compatibility, cost and much more are outlined in this article. I discuss CRT, LCD, and TV displays along with the Pros and Cons associated with each.
Chapter 06. Using a LCD Monitor for a DIY Arcade Machine
I discuss my choice to use an LCD Monitor in my Arcade Machine, and why I decided to go with an LCD over a CRT monitor or a TV. I discuss factors like size, weight, compatibility, availability and price in this article.
Chapter 07. Computer Hardware Choices - Parts for a DIY Arcade Machine
What types of computer hardware do I need to build an Arcade Machine? In Chapter 7 I discuss the PC Hardware requirements for a DIY Arcade Machine, and considerations you should make when choosing your hardware. What are the minimum system requirements of most Emulators? What should I plan to spend on my PC Hardware? Read on for these answers and more…
Chapter 08. Build Your Own Arcade Machine - Plans, Designs & Guide
I have my PC hardware, now how do I design my Arcade Machine? What are some considerations I should make when drawing my Arcade Machine plans? What are good materials to use to build an Arcade Cabinet? Are there example plans or instructions online for building an Arcade Machine? For example plans and designs checkout Chapter 8.
Chapter 09. Home Built Arcade Plans & Designs from the Internet
Are there any good examples of other Arcade Machines people have built? Do you know of any good sites with pictures and guides on building your own Arcade Machine? What are some of the best examples of home built Arcade Machines you have seen? If you are looking for some great examples of other “build your own Arcade” projects people are doing this is the article for you!
Chapter 10. How to Build an Arcade Machine – DIY System Guide & Instructions
If you have seen enough pictures of home built Arcade Machines online and are looking for some real life experience on building an Arcade Machine checkout some of the following sites that offer great summaries of other peoples experiences building their home Arcade System.
Chapter 11. Pictures – DIY ROM Arcade Machine Construction – Part 1
Ok, so we have covered a lot of information on building your own Arcade Machine, let’s actually see some pictures of the DIY ROM Arcade project. In Chapter 11, I have posted some of the first pictures of the construction of my DIY Arcade Machine. In my construction journal I offer tips and tricks to help you build your first Arcade Machine.
Chapter 12. Updated Build Plans for my DIY Arcade Machine
In an attempt to offer easy to read Arcade Machine plans to readers I have added updated versions of my original plans to the site. The actual measurements of the Arcade Machine have not changed; I have just made them easier to work off. The layout of the internal PC hardware has changed slightly and is noted in the updated plans in this article.
Chapter 13. DIY Arcade Machine Construction Images – Part 2
In my second series of pictures for the DIY ROM Arcade Machine I have highlighted the work we have done dry fitting the parts into the system to make sure our internal layout designs were going to work properly. In these pictures we make use of a PC Case we cut apart with an angle grinder to provide metal mounts for our PC hardware inside the Arcade Machine.
Chapter 14. Designing Your Own Arcade Controller or Joystick - Plans
Description coming soon...
Chapter 15. DIY ROM Arcade Machine Construction Pictures – Part 3
Description coming soon...
Chapter 16. Build Your Own Arcade Machine Construction Images - Part 4
Description coming soon...
Chapter 17. DIY MAME Arcade Machine Construction Images - Part 5
Description coming soon...
