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=General About BYOAC community=
Building your own arcade is fun, building it and sharing your thoughts is even more fun! If you have questions that even the wiki cannot answer, take a look at the community. The articles in this section can give you some pointers and insight in the BYOC community.
*[[The history of BYOAC community]]
*[[BYOAC forum|What can you find in the forums]]
*[[Community projects]]


= How to build your cab =

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==The Basics==
A lot of people will look at an arcade cabinet and say  "Hey, that looks easy- it's just a screen, some wood and some buttons.", but arcade cabinets aren't quite as simple as many people think. Here's a good place to start learning about the various ins and outs of arcade machines in general.
* [[Arcade Cabinet]]
* [[Basic guide to build a cabinet]]
* [[Desktop control panel|No space for a full cab? Try a desktop control panel]]
* [[Bemani or DDR arcade|The Bemani/Dance arcade experience]]
* [[Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet|Connecting a PC to an Arcade Cabinet (an overview)]]
* [[JAMMA]]
* [[Restoration]]
* [[Vendors|Vendors/Kits/Parts/Artwork]]
* [[Glossary]]


== Examples ==
Looking for ideas? Looking for ideas to avoid? Check out the pages of all those brave enough to take the plunge and build.
* [[Examples]]
** [[Examples - Hall of fame | Hall of fame]]
** [[Examples - Upright cabinets | Upright cabinets]]
** [[Examples - Cocktail cabinets |Cocktail cabinets]]   
** [[Examples - Driving/Cockpit cabinets |Driving/Cockpit cabinets]]
** [[Examples - Desktop controls | Desktop controls]]
** [[Examples - Other arcade projects | Other arcade projects]]
** [[Examples - Jukeboxes | Jukeboxes]]
** [[Examples - Bartop/Countertop | Bartop/Countertop]]


== Design Software ==
Good construction work requires planning. This is also true for building a cabinet. With decent construction plans and button layout plans things are much easier. This section gives you a nice overview of software tools that can help you in constructing your own cabinet. 
* [[Design applications]]
** [[Technical design software]]
** [[Graphics software]]


==Building Materials==
If you're planing on building an arcade cabinet from scratch, these are some of the materials you might end up using for various elements of the cabinet. 
* [[Wood products]]
* [[Metal products]]
* [[Plastics]]
* [[Finishes]]
* [[Electronic Components]]
* [[Bondo]]


==Tools==
Building your own arcade machine is no simple task and requires the correct tools as well as the knowledge of how to use each one correctly and safely. Hopefully you already own some of these tools and are well versed in their operation. If not, here's a few things you might want to add to your shopping list.
* [[Project Arcade|Project Arcade - The Book]]

* [[Hand Tools]]
** [[Safety Equipment|Safety Equipment]]
** [[Marking Tools|Marking Tools]]
** [[Measuring Devices|Measuring Devices]]
** [[Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks|Sandpaper/Sanding Blocks]]
** [[Clamps|Clamps]]
** [[Sawhorses/Stands|Sawhorses/Stands ]]
** [[Wire Strippers/Crimpers|Wire Strippers/Crimpers]]
** [[Hammer/Screwdriver|Hammer/Screwdriver]]
** [[Fasteners|Fasteners]]
** [[Multimeter]]
** [[Soldering Iron]]
* [[Power Tools]]

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==Arcade Control Hardware==
Here's the reason most people enter this hobby; to play the games you love with actual arcade hardware, just as they were intended. There's a vast array of different controls out there... 
* [[Joysticks]]
* [[Pushbuttons]]
* [[Trackballs]]
* [[Spinners]]
* [[Light Guns]]
* [[Driving Controls]]

==Interfacing Controls==
Hooking up various arcade controls to a home PC can be a daunting task. Here are some of your options... 
* [[Keyboard Hacks]]
* [[Encoders|Encoders]]
** [[Keyboard Encoders|Keyboard Encoders]]
** [[Gamepad Encoders|Gamepad Encoders]]
** [[Rotary Encoders|Rotary Encoders]]
** [[Optical Encoders|Optical (Mouse) Encoders]]
* [[USB Game Pad Hack]]
** [[Dual Strike Hack]]

== Video ==
Various options are available to display the games you wish to play. Browse these sections to learn more about those options.
*  [[Video Overview]]
*  [[Arcade Monitors]]
*  [[PC Monitors]]
*  [[MultiSync Monitors]]
*  [[Televisions]]
*  [[ArcadeVGA|ArcadeVGA Video Card]]
*  [[Custom display modes (Windows) - Powerstrip | Custom Windows Display Modes with PowerStrip]]
*  [[uvc|UltraCade's uVC Video Converter hardware]]

==Arcade Art==
Great games became classics with a little help from their captivating branding & design. Here you'll find articles on design, printing, and techniques that will add visual interest to your cabinet. 
*[[Overview & Options to Consider]]
*[[Creating Your Own Art From Scratch]]
*[[Vector tracing]]
*[[Restoring & Recreating Artwork]]
*[[Applying CPOs]]
*[[Graphics software]]
*[[Raster versus Vector artwork]]


== Miscellaneous ==
An arcade cabinet is more than just a box with a computer in it. Spice it up with these extras!
* [[Lighting]]
** [[LED-Wiz|LED-Wiz]]
** [[Lighting Microswitch Buttons]]
** [[Lighting Leaf Switch Buttons]]
* [[Electrical Supplies]]
* [[Coin Doors | Coin Doors and Coin Counters]]

* [[Vendors|Vendors: Who do you buy your stuff from?]]
* [[Vendors#Ratings and Reviews | Ratings and Reviews for the above mentioned Vendors]]


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= Software for your cabinet =

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== General software ==
So, you've build your cabinet and hooked everything up. Now it is time to get everything configured so you can actually use your cabinet!
* [[Software Overview]]
* [[Operating System Comparison]]

== Frontend & Software ==
Once you have built a real cabinet you probably want to hide the fact that there is a regular PC powering it. In that case you will need a graphics fullscreen frontend. This way you can keep the arcade look and feel and still select your favorite game or emulator. While you are at it, you might even consider running other applications such as jukebox software!
* [[Hiding Windows]]
* [[Front-Ends]]
** [[Screens, Titles & Extras]]
** [[Wrappers|Wrappers]]
** [[Utilities]]
* [[Jukebox Software]]
** [[CD Ripping]]
* [[Multimedia Software]]

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== Systems & Emulators ==
Nostalgia comes in many different flavours. Do you wish to replay an old arcade game or recapture that classic console game feel? Take a look at this section to find out how to get your cabinet to play the games you like!
* [[Arcade Emulators]]
* [[System Emulators]]
** [[Game Consoles]]
** [[Handheld Consoles]]
** [[Home Computers]]
*** [[Computer Components]]
** [[TV Games]]
* [[Other Emulation]]

== PC Games ==
If you have a PC powering your cabinet, you might as well try a few other games to play on it.
* [[Cabfriendly games]]
** [[Arcade Games]]
** [[Classic Games]]
** [[Pinball]]
** [[Simulators]]
** [[Remakes]]