I have a project where I  will build a MAME arcade cabinet, now I would like to build a pc that is just able to run most MAME games except the CHDs (I wont use it for anything else) and I was wondering if you guys could help me put together a really cheap but good enough to run anything on mame pc :) Also im not planning on getting a case, I decided to building onto the cabinet with a bunch of pc fans to keep it cool. I'm not in a rush to build the pc just yet because I just started building the cabinet and any help will be appreciated.

ps. I might post how the project is doing on my blog if anybody would like to follow it later.

Basically im building this machine with a pc inside that runs MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator)

Predasus: what was the point in that?

Carlos: sounds cool, make sure to keep us posted. homemade arcade cabinets are awesome.

I think im more interested to see how you build it, just gonna be standard wood layout?

... i really didn't know what it was ... shoot me?

so what does that play all arcade games or something?

"so what does that play all arcade games or something?
"

"unclejohnny79 said:

"so what does that play all arcade games or something?
"

Close enough.  MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator.  Google it and you'll see how massive the community behind it is, and building custom cabinets around it.
"

Yeah I bloody love mame, all the arcade games ever :D

What kind of hardware spec. did you have in mind at this time? Because I guess that you have been thinking about it atleast?

If it doesn't have SFIIII,KOF 2003,SSV,Metal Slug 6,Progear,and Killer Instinct....Pharoah is uninterested.

"If it doesn't have SFIIII,KOF 2003,SSV,Metal Slug 6,Progear,and Killer Instinct....Pharoah is uninterested."

"PharoahCapcom said:

"If it doesn't have SFIIII,KOF 2003,SSV,Metal Slug 6,Progear,and Killer Instinct....Pharoah is uninterested."

Mame does have metal slug and killer instinct 1 and 2 (as CHDs which I actually have on my pc but they need high specs to run) :) SFIII is a cps-3 game which are currently unemulated.
"

"Carlos said:

"PharoahCapcom said:

"If it doesn't have SFIIII,KOF 2003,SSV,Metal Slug 6,Progear,and Killer Instinct....Pharoah is uninterested."

Mame does have metal slug and killer instinct 1 and 2 (as CHDs which I actually have on my pc but they need high specs to run) :) SFIII is a cps-3 game which are currently unemulated.
"

Where have you been?CPS3 has been emulated for a long ass time now..and Mame does have Metal Slug and Killer Instinct.I have MAME on my PC and I have both."

• Foxconn M7PMX-S LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 7100 / nForce 630i HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail ($59.99 Free Shiping)
• RAIDMAX APEX ATX-802BP Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 450W Power Supply - Retail ($39.99 Free Shiping)
• LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM ($22.99 Free Shiping)
• PNY VCG85512GXPB GeForce 8500 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail ($56.99 Free Shiping)
  
• Western Digital Caviar SE WD2500AAJS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM ($54.99 Free Shiping)
• Intel Pentium E2180 Allendale 2.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E2180 - Retail ($69.99 Free Shiping)

Sounds awesome Carlos, I've been thinking of doing the same thing and it seems like this post will help me alot! Hope you keep us posted with everything around this cabinet :)

you could go cheaper alternative...
get a AMD 780G plus phenom quad or triple core cpu.. ( which ever your budget allows) or an old dual core athlon
and a ATI 3450 or 3470 to run hybrid crossfire on with the 780G

Mame doesn't really need a lot of high end specs to run.  Those specs look good to me.  The only thing I'd suggest is upping your ram to 2GB.  It makes a difference in XP and an even bigger difference in Vista.

yep seems ill go with 2 gb of ram fynne

btw I got a post on my blog with pics of the arcade cabinet when i got it, will update later with more pics as i work on it.