Got Scammed, Need help piecing together a 4 slot MVS

PlayRaven

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I recently took over a retro video game store and we've had a dead neo geo mvs cabinet for months now. We had originally bought the cabinet from another retro store that also handled arcade stuff. We had bought the machine under the condition that the broken monitor chassis/neckboard would be fixed or replaced but after delivery they never came by for the repair and shortly after they went out of business. However, now that I'm the owner I've been trying to diagnose what I need to do to get this thing up and running ( I have no arcade experience) and what ive found out is that the people that sold the cabinet to us also gutted the 4 slot motherboard as well. Too much money has already been sunk into this machine and arcade techs are expensive, I was wondering if this forum could help me come up with a cost effective solution for this problem. OR at least point me towards what parts i would need to replace. Thank you everyone for your time and whatever assistance you can give me! Ill attach some pictures
 

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wyo

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Well, you need a new motherboard and monitor/chassis at the very least. Looks like some of the wiring harness is missing as well. Unless the cab is in nice cosmetic shape or you enjoy projects, you might be better off parting it out and looking for another one in working condition.
 

PlayRaven

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if by a miracle i am able to get the parts back from the seller would the project be viable. Cosmetically on the outside its a 6 to 7/10
 

Tech&Music

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That monitor looks like it's toast. The neck has some serious damage, and it probably has already leaked. Due to the left over chunks of neckboard socket on the CRT pins, it looks like someone just ripped off the neckboard all willy nilly. Are you at all comfortable with working around high voltage CRTs?
 

wyo

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if by a miracle i am able to get the parts back from the seller would the project be viable. Cosmetically on the outside its a 6 to 7/10

Probably not. You can pretty much plan on having to buy new parts or parting it out.
 

PlayRaven

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That monitor looks like it's toast. The neck has some serious damage, and it probably has already leaked. Due to the left over chunks of neckboard socket on the CRT pins, it looks like someone just ripped off the neckboard all willy nilly. Are you at all comfortable with working around high voltage CRTs?

Yes, i would be willing to work around high voltage I know the monitor need to be discharged/grounded before working on it. But considering the fact i would need a new monitor now too would a restoration be cost effective?
 

PlayRaven

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Probably not. You can pretty much plan on having to buy new parts or parting it out.

I appreciate your honesty. how much are decent 4 slot systems? around 1k? more or less? Would parting it out at least net me a couple hundred?
 

mjmjr25

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Working 4-slots aren't bad, $175~.

What it would cost you to restore this you should be able to find one in working condition.

Fully working cabs in good shape are $500-600 (cheaper in some areas).

If your goal is to have a working neo cab for your store - you should part this and buy one.

If your goal is a labor of love project then restore this for about the cost to buy a working one.

As for parting out value - no, not a couple hundred. Maybe $150 if someone wants a project, or a MAME house. Honestly, even where i'm at where cabs are not horribly common, you wouldn't get more than "free for the haul" on a cab w/bad monitor, bad chassis, and no mother.
 

wyo

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I appreciate your honesty. how much are decent 4 slot systems? around 1k? more or less? Would parting it out at least net me a couple hundred?

I think the going rate for a working 4 slot motherboard is around $200. Search locally for a monitor. Call arcade ops or ask on local groups. You need a Wells Gardner K7000 or equivalent. Around here those are relatively easy to source. YMMV, of course.

You might get $200 parting it out, less if selling as a project. If the CP is nice, someone will probably buy it. You can sell the PCBs for credit reader, memory card, etc. Give away the bare shell or maybe get a few bucks for it. How much is your time worth?
 
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PlayRaven

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Working 4-slots aren't bad, $175~.

What it would cost you to restore this you should be able to find one in working condition.

Fully working cabs in good shape are $500-600 (cheaper in some areas).

If your goal is to have a working neo cab for your store - you should part this and buy one.

If your goal is a labor of love project then restore this for about the cost to buy a working one.

As for parting out value - no, not a couple hundred. Maybe $150 if someone wants a project, or a MAME house. Honestly, even where i'm at where cabs are not horribly common, you wouldn't get more than "free for the haul" on a cab w/bad monitor, bad chassis, and no mother.

500-600 for a fully functioning arcade cabinet? That’s a lot less than I thought, I’ll probably just get a new one then and try to scrap the other one on the side. Thanks!
 

PlayRaven

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I think the going rate for a working 4 slot motherboard is around $200. Search locally for a monitor. Call arcade ops or ask on local groups. You need a Wells Gardner K7000 or equivalent. Around here those are relatively easy to source. YMMV, of course.

You might get $200 parting it out, less if selling as a project. If the CP is nice, someone will probably buy it. You can sell the PCBs for credit reader, memory card, etc. Give away the bare shell or maybe get a few bucks for it. How much is your time worth?

What would you say an entire new cabinet is running? I’d rather just save the time I have no attachment to the machine, just need an operational one
 

wyo

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What would you say an entire new cabinet is running? I’d rather just save the time I have no attachment to the machine, just need an operational one

I concur with mjmjmjmjmjmjr.
 

PlayRaven

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I concur with mjmjmjmjmjmjr.

Ok, then it’s settled. I’m buying a new one and parting out the old one. Last question, do you know of any good arcade vendors on the east coast or have a group that you know of who has the knowledge?
 

PlayRaven

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Thank you to everyone for the help! I’m completely new and clueless to this whole subsection of gaming. Without your help I would have still been scratching my head haha
 

Geekman1222

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Yeah that neck tube (the end of the CRT tube) looks damaged, if its damaged enough like another person said that the vacuum and gases leaked then its toast.
Like others have said and also IMO you might get more moneys worth by parting it out sadly. Especially if you just took over a game store your finances are possibly gonna be a bit crazy for a bit anyways.

If you really want a cabinet in the store to keep customers in the store longer while also providing some fun free entertainment I would look for something that is already functioning, that way your spending less time and money dicking around trying to make the thing work and have more time to focus on the store and your existing customer base. That would be me.

And if you want to keep it and work on it that is fine too but expect the price to creep up to the price of working cabinet especially if your missing the PCB, the chassis and you need to get a replacement tube.

PS welcome to the forums ! :D
 
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Ok, then it’s settled. I’m buying a new one and parting out the old one. Last question, do you know of any good arcade vendors on the east coast or have a group that you know of who has the knowledge?

Your best bet is probably selling the empty cabinet on Craig's list and finding a local arcade auction to bid on a working Neo Geo MVS. They turn up pretty often at auctions I go to.
 

wyndcrosser

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You can also use another type of monitor using the various adapters on any arcade site for lcd monitors. Still interested in keeping it or selling?
 

Tacitus

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I recently took over a retro video game store and we've had a dead neo geo mvs cabinet for months now. We had originally bought the cabinet from another retro store that also handled arcade stuff. We had bought the machine under the condition that the broken monitor chassis/neckboard would be fixed or replaced but after delivery they never came by for the repair and shortly after they went out of business. However, now that I'm the owner I've been trying to diagnose what I need to do to get this thing up and running ( I have no arcade experience) and what ive found out is that the people that sold the cabinet to us also gutted the 4 slot motherboard as well. Too much money has already been sunk into this machine and arcade techs are expensive, I was wondering if this forum could help me come up with a cost effective solution for this problem. OR at least point me towards what parts i would need to replace. Thank you everyone for your time and whatever assistance you can give me! Ill attach some pictures


I'll do you a solid.

I have a 4-slot in storage that has severe body damage... everything else is there, so your parts problem is fixed. The only thing you DON'T have is a monitor.

I have that as well, in another cabinet.

PM me and get up here by Saturday (I'm not more than 90 minutes away), I'll be more than happy to give you what you need. If I have an extra MVS board, I'll throw that in as well. You'll probably want to haul both cabs back with you or part out the MVS cab and monitor on site. (You will need to dispose of the remains, that's the only price.)

Let me know.
 

Tacitus

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Drop me a PM and we can do it soon.
 
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