Quality new Candy Cab production in the states, Viable? Possible?

[Jonmkl]

So I've been thinking about the crappy particle board "Arcade Classics" cabinets that seem to be frustratingly common in my area, as well as the dearth of actual quality cabs, and it got me thinking. What is stopping a company with actual class from designing and building some high quality multi purpose cabinets specifically for arcade collectors?

Big fiberglass systems like the Astro and Blast may be a little too crazy, but what about smaller metal cabinets like the Sega Aero Table, Jaleco Pony, and Capcom Status?




If someone produced something similar in design to an Aero Table but sporting a Tri-Sync monitor and a Jamma/VGA harness similar to the Blast's would you want it?

Are good Tri-Sync monitors even source-able anymore?

Would Metal be the best material for balancing Quality and Cost? Or would a Metal/Wood mix be better?

It seems like an interesting question to me, especially what kind of market it would draw, and I definitely think something done with nice wood and metal framing could feel really top notch, like a piece of high end furniture that plays games. The company could sell the cabs complete with legit refurbished arcade games and would very likely draw more business from outside the arcade scene than inside of it, even if they tailored their releases to the needs of arcade collectors.

As frustrating as some find it "Retro gaming" is huge right now, and there are endless numbers of older gamers who grew up "dreaming of owning an arcade cabinet". Yet this could be made to be more convenient in size, shape, and style for most homes, making it feel like a more sensible purchase. The cabs could even have optional harnesses that give them plug and play compatibility with VGA Xbox360s and Dreamcasts. You'd probably also want to have some super clean web design and photos get the story picked up by everyone and their mother, a la analogue interactive.

More importantly though, it would supply arcade enthusiasts with easily available, top notch cabinets for enjoying their games, in styles and form factors that aren't readily available.

Is it even financially viable though? And how much would these systems have to cost? Do people even want new Status or Aero Table cabs?

What do you guys think?

 

[theMot]

There is enough good old cabs out there to feed the niche home market that exists. There really isnt and probably never will be a market for collectors of new cabs. You see people who dont know any better sometimes buy those knock off Chinese cabs I guess but only people who dont quite get this scene are into those.

 

[Jonmkl]

I don't think the main market that this would find would be anything like "new cab collectors" as that seems an odd thing anyway. It's moreso in my mind about producing something that has all the features of a top notch cab, and perhaps even improves on those features, but is more readily available, and perhaps comes in a size or shape that's particularly hard to find in old cabs. I would assume people would either acquire one to go along with their cabs, or they would get one to be their only cab.

As much as there are cabs around, theres a huge pain that goes with getting your hands on them, and often a lot of repairs and cleanup to do once you get them. This would be a sort of turn key solution. You get it, it works, it's clean. The screen, wiring, controls are all top notch.

The only reason the Chinese ones are bad is because.. they are bad.

Let me ask you this. What if you could produce a cabinet that was better for gameplay, had better compatibility, and was easier to use and maintain than any other cab on the market? Or heck I don't know, a blast city with a rotate mech?




Side Note: If anyone Has a Sega Aero Table or a Capcom Status 18, I want you to take my money away from me.

 

[Chempop]

Kraylix.

 

[ebinsugewa]

Kraylix.

CRT.

 

[theMot]

I don't think the main market that this would find would be anything like "new cab collectors" as that seems an odd thing anyway. It's moreso in my mind about producing something that has all the features of a top notch cab, and perhaps even improves on those features, but is more readily available, and perhaps comes in a size or shape that's particularly hard to find in old cabs. I would assume people would either acquire one to go along with their cabs, or they would get one to be their only cab.

As much as there are cabs around, theres a huge pain that goes with getting your hands on them, and often a lot of repairs and cleanup to do once you get them. This would be a sort of turn key solution. You get it, it works, it's clean. The screen, wiring, controls are all top notch.

The only reason the Chinese ones are bad is because.. they are bad.

Let me ask you this. What if you could produce a cabinet that was better for gameplay, had better compatibility, and was easier to use and maintain than any other cab on the market? Or heck I don't know, a blast city with a rotate mech?




Side Note: If anyone Has a Sega Aero Table or a Capcom Status 18, I want you to take my money away from me.

That is the best thing about cabs though, the fixing, restoring and knowing you have something that done its time. Other than that cabs kind of suck. You will get a better picture out of a pvm than a nanao, you have more options with sticks than mucking around with control panels and cabs a basically big cumbersom things.

But i still love them. Old ones though, not new purpose built ones.

 

[Adderall]

I like the idea.

Aside from the monitor being tough to source, I'd love an entire cute repro to sit back to back with my original. In my opinion, if it were done tastefully (read: not like those gargantuan-mame'd-out-shitcans) there might be a market for it. Realistically though, I think the margins have stopped anybody from doing it. Nobody is going to pay 3k for one...... and you would have to have a lot of people on board to get the price down to a reasonable level. I'm sure Jasen can talk more about that.

 

[Pantarou]

I'd want to buy an Original Cab, a newly produced one even if better in any way just wouldn't give me the Feeling that I'm touching Arcade-History.

 

[ReplicaX]

If no one is going to pay 3k+ for one then it is in fact pointless.

Which is why the Used Candy market is preferred.

 

[Kid Panda]

This statement will kill this thread right now. No one, not Rodotron, not Wei-Ya, not anyone I have contacted makes a tri-sync chassis. 31K only.

 

[ReplicaX]

This statement will kill this thread right now. No one, not Rodotron, not Wei-Ya, not anyone I have contacted makes a tri-sync chassis. 31K only.

Makvision makes Tri-syncs. However, do they sell chassis, no clue. Their tri-syncs go for $500+ depending on size.

 

[Kid Panda]

Makvision makes Tri-syncs. However, do they sell chassis, no clue. Their tri-syncs go for $500+ depending on size.

:O oh wow, I forgot about MAK. That price scares me though.

 

[codecrank]

nieman displays in canada still make large tri-sync CRTs

http://www.niemandisplays.com/

yeah you could get some made, but the price is going to be insane.

 

[Kid Panda]

Well I certainly put my foot in my mouth in this thread!

 

[ReplicaX]

Well I certainly put my foot in my mouth in this thread!

Why I stand by my original statement.

If no one is going to pay 3k+ for one then it is in fact pointless.

Which is why the Used Candy market is preferred.

The only thing I could add is that it needs to meet or beat a Vewlix and Delta32 in features.

Both can do JAMMA, JVS, and upscale as well as play modern 720p games. Both can Tate and can be found in the 3k+ price range new and even lower used.

 

[Jonmkl]

CRT.

^This.

That is the best thing about cabs though, the fixing, restoring and knowing you have something that done its time. Other than that cabs kind of suck. You will get a better picture out of a pvm than a nanao, you have more options with sticks than mucking around with control panels and cabs a basically big cumbersom things.

But i still love them. Old ones though, not new purpose built ones.

Hmm.. I see what you're saying.. with my big red the fact that it's done it's time and it's a piece of arcade history is definitely one of the things that makes me truly love it, but I'm not sure I 100% agree with your assessment of cabs.

To me a good cab is like a dedicated, all-in-one place to enjoy arcade games in the way they were originally intended to be. It's not only visually cleaner then a PVM + Supergun set up, but it gets me more into the games. When I step up to, or sit down at, that cabinet everything goes background and I am fully immersed in what I'm doing. I don't enjoy games on my phone like I do on my DS or Gameboy because it's made for texts, email, internet, and communication, while the gameboy is made for games. That is most likely why I have always preferred console gaming to PC gaming and consequently, original hardware to emulation. In a similar way, I simply enjoy some types of game more when playing on a cab.

Actually, it's the PVM + Supergun + Arcade Stick set up that I find cumbersome and finicky, and it always feels more like a workaround than an ideal gaming experience.

Makvision makes Tri-syncs.

Anyone who has tried these know if they are any good? I know they are SUPER flat, which I suppose could be good for a table. Dang though, $500+.
Also, if Sony PVMs are superior to Nanaos, is there some way to mount those easily into a cabinet?

I suppose whoever makes these could also provide them sans monitor for people who have one they would prefer to use, and have the skills to install one.

TL;DR: My posts are too long, sorry.

 

[ebinsugewa]

if Sony PVMs are superior to Nanaos, is there some way to mount those easily into a cabinet?

The mounting part is not really hard. Finding them in sizes more than 14'' is.

 

[cdamm]

I've personally thought about this myself.

Those blast clones i had access to on my current order had new tri-syncs in them.

I've been concerned about the quality of them, but maybe I should just bring one in anyway just to check it out?

 

[ReplicaX]

Anyone who has tried these know if they are any good? I know they are SUPER flat, which I suppose could be good for a table. Dang though, $500+.

The Makvision CRTs have a Wei-ya chassis. Just an fyi.

Also, if Sony PVMs are superior to Nanaos, is there some way to mount those easily into a cabinet?

The reason they are better is because PVMs and high end Trinitrons have a higher quality tube. Most arcade machines were made with just a standard tube.

Nanao isn't the best manufacturer either. The reason why owners of Candy's prefer Nanao is due to them being commonly paired with a Toshiba tube and the fact their competition was Toei, Wei-ya, and Hitachi, who produced less than Nanao.

 

[Jonmkl]

I've personally thought about this myself.

Those blast clones i had access to on my current order had new tri-syncs in them.

I've been concerned about the quality of them, but maybe I should just bring one in anyway just to check it out?

This would be really excellent. It would be great to see someone who knows what they're talking about put one of these through their paces, it doesn't seem like there's much definitive info out there about them.

The Makvision CRTs have a Wei-ya chassis. Just an fyi.

The reason they are better is because PVMs and high end Trinitrons have a higher quality tube. Most arcade machines were made with just a standard tube.

Nanao isn't the best manufacturer either. The reason why owners of Candy's prefer Nanao is due to them being commonly paired with a Toshiba tube and the fact their competition was Toei, Wei-ya, and Hitachi, who produced less than Nanao.

Super informative, thanks! I knew that about the MAKs and I've heard they can be unreliable, but I've also heard they look great. Anyone around here have history with them?

And as far as the body of the cab, is there any affordable way to have something like that manufactured in the states? That's one reason I suggested the older metal style cabs, as plastics in the states is awful. Our manufacturing here is pretty bad nowadays just in general.

 

[leonk]

nieman displays in canada still make large tri-sync CRTs

http://www.niemandisplays.com/

yeah you could get some made, but the price is going to be insane.

Not sure anymore.. he had a super sale 9 months ago where he sold his last few. He can't find any more CRT's, so he's switching to LCD only.

 

[StaticX]

SRK seems to be full of those make-shift cabs.
That fist cab in the OP looks insanely sweet!

 

[bartre]

I've personally thought about this myself.

Those blast clones i had access to on my current order had new tri-syncs in them.

I've been concerned about the quality of them, but maybe I should just bring one in anyway just to check it out?

do it!

 

[Electric Grave]

Those Kraylix are nice for sure but not practical at all. I've been working on a design. LCD based with rotating mech and swap CPs, it's not gonna happen for a while but the design is close to the Delta 32, a design inspired on Naomi Net City cabs.

 

[pipes]

nieman displays in canada still make large tri-sync CRTs

http://www.niemandisplays.com/

yeah you could get some made, but the price is going to be insane.

Actually he doesn't, despite what it shows on his website. I was at Rick's shop a few times this year and he literally has only a couple new CRT's left in stock. He basically said there's no market for them anymore....it's all LCD shit now.