Home Theater versus Arcade Cab

[stephen]

I was wondering if GameEx, or any users here, have statistics on the percentage of people using GameEx in a Home Theater environment versus an Arcade Cabinet? I am just curious.

I recently added a projector and built out my home theater in my basement. It will be used for movies and many game systems. Based on some youtube videos, it appears some people are building out a beefy box and installing MAME, Dolphin, etc, and playing games using game controllers. Other people are totally into building a classic style arcade cabinet with a classic style control panel.

I was just wondering if there are some good statistics on this (especially given some of the home theater features built into GameEx).

Thanks.

[Draco1962]

You can find a "rough" answer to your question here. I don't think the majority of members have answered the poll and I anticipate the there are likely more that run HTPC setups now than cabs since the poll was first released a few years ago.

[hansolo77]

I voted in that already, don't remember when. I'm using it as an HTPC front end on my TV. I don't have the skills/time/money to build a cab, though I would absolutely love one. I also only use GameEx for GAMES, I don't use it for any of it's other capabilities like Videos, Photos, Music, etc, I just use Media Center and the Media Browser plugin/app for that.

[Adultery]

Mine is kind of like a hybrid of both, does that count? Lol!

[stephen]

Mine is a slight hybrid now too. It started out as purely arcade cab, but I added N64 controllers. I was even contemplating running the VGA pass through to my projector. With that I could play Dolphin (Wii / Gamecube) games on my arcade box, but in front of my projector (so they'd display in 1080p). I just don't have a good way of running the 25' VGA cable.

[Adultery]

Mine has an HDMI out on the video card. I've thought about running a cable to my tv, just never did it. I probably wouldn't use it anyhow, the xbox and ps3 are enough for my HD fix.

[Draco1962]

Mine is a slight hybrid now too. It started out as purely arcade cab, but I added N64 controllers. I was even contemplating running the VGA pass through to my projector. With that I could play Dolphin (Wii / Gamecube) games on my arcade box, but in front of my projector (so they'd display in 1080p). I just don't have a good way of running the 25' VGA cable.

You'd be better off installing a GPU that supports HDMI. Have tried VGA on a 1080P display and it just doesn't cut it.

[Krakerman]

Mine is strictly run thru a 47" Vizio HDTV and also 3 monitors (kinda looks like a NASA command center in my man cave) with one of those monitors being rotated (1050x1680) vertically for all my SHMUPS. Other monitors are used to display game info about my games (with the help of Display Fusion) and for my pinball tables I use them for the backglasses/dmd board.

I wish I had a dedicated Pinball cab and Arcade cab but I don't have that much room in my man cave. For now my current setup serves me well.

Nice thing about the Home Theatre style of setup you can play your games from the couch or your favorite chair and since the screen is so big you can sit far away and see everything.

To play the arcade games I got one of the fighting sticks from Madcats and converted the stick to four way so you can play games like pac-man the way it's suppose to be played and for the trackball I have a X-Arcade trackball controller for games like missile command/centipede. Everything else I mainly use my Razer Sabertooth gamepad controller. That's pretty much my setup.

[KRC]

I have a HTPC style setup running through a 42" LCD TV which I love, but I would love to own a cabinet, just for that pure retro arcade feel, but on the other hand the guy's in the PinballX forum's showing off their pinball cab's is making me salivate aswell

You could actually come to a compromise and build a cab and control panel but also use controller's aswell for those games that are difficult to use with an arcade stick. But do you want to stand/sit at a cab playing a role player?

[Adultery]

I don't mind... My stool is comfortable.

[Tempest]

TMI.

[Adultery]

Yikes! Did I really say that and mean it in an honorable way? Lol!

[DazzleHP]

I don't mind... My stool is comfortable.

TMI.

BWAHAHAHAHHAAA DAMN! You guys i can't stop wetting myself here! AHAHAHA ok enough of the toilet humor ahahahah...

[wahoo]

Using GameEx in HTPC type case connected to my main TV in the living room. Using Logitech wireless game pads. Use it for Games mostly and some of the multimedia features as well.