How do I get into PCBs?

Erinu · Post by **Erinu** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:59 pm

I want to buy a CAVE game, the real deal, but have no idea where to start. Aside from, of course, purchasing it off Y!JP, which I can do using SMJ.

I'm looking at superguns, since they appear to be my only true option, but I can't find a reliable seller that hasn't died over the few years. With bemani, you have your DJ DAO, Desktop Arcade distributors - who've been doing it for years and show no sign of stopping. However, that doesn't seem t be the case for people wanting superguns.

Is there somewhere in which I could purchase a supergun from, preferably international ship-friendly that accepts paypal? I don't want to have to fork out an expensive (heh) amount for a cabinet, when I could just use something like this.

Thanks.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:43 pm

if you have acces to yahoo just buy a supergun from there.. every now and then some killer deals pop up on sigmas and whatnot.

shipping is a killer ofcourse but the quality of the guns and the generally low saleprice on yahoo make up for that imo.

but you really should get a cab, where do you live anyways?
USA westcoast and UK/germany/sweden area are absoluteley brimming with japanese sitdowns.

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:46 pm

sven666 wrote:UK area are absoluteley brimming with japanese sitdowns.

er, no...

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:58 pm

If I were buying Cave PCB's I would first check arcadeshock.com. Since the $ is weak against the UK pound. Its a good place to buy new Cave PCB's and a few other bits and pieces.

As far as superguns go, D-Lite on the neo-geo.com forums is pretty good at building superguns for around $250 and even has a website I think. His offerings are built around the neo-geo controllers though.

If you want a Japanese supergun, things get a bit complex if you want RGB type picture quality, since you probably will require a XRGB.

After all this time I find it amazing this forum has no supergun builders on it that would offer a service.

As for Sven's comment on sit down cabs, there are quite a few private owners in the UK due to the killercabs.com website. You won't be finding any in arcades, if there are any arcades left that even support arcade games.

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:02 pm

1st, you need space and $$$

If you satisfied of only playing with cheap old stuffs, you only need space.

I end up only could afford cheap old stuffs...

And later found most shmups on console are more interesting then those cheap old stuffs I got.

So if you don't have $$$ for those good old/new stuffs forget about it.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:16 pm

neorichieb1971 wrote:After all this time I find it amazing this forum has no supergun builders on it that would offer a service.

This forum has plenty of supergun builders, myself included. I think the problem is that we build guns whose quality is good enough for personal use, but at least in my case, it's not something I would sell because I'm sure the buyer would bitch about the shoddy quality. Makers like D-Lite and Sigma are so well advertised on this forum, the quality that people expect from a gun they buy is set at that level.

example:

This one cost me maybe $25 in parts and it works, it's just built like a piece of crap, and people don't expect to get crap for something they've paid some money for.

edit: It gets even funnier. I think SAM built a supergun that resembles this

Would you buy something that looked like that? No offense SAM

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 7:32 pm

I'd buy it

More money to spend on an RGB monitor, joystick, and the PCBs themselves.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:02 pm

my comment about jap sitdowns were ofcourse (as someone pointed out) in the private sector.

the only reason why i didnt recommend deans (d-lite) superguns is he specifically said he wants to play Cave games, his superguns are known not to function well with those perticular PCBs.

and arcadeshock are still expensive compared to excellent/legend and other companies dealing in USD.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:08 pm

For Erinu,

If you want a very good custom-made Supergun, get a Matt Ross produced Supergun. I've got one & it works very well with those Cave arcade Jamma PCBs. And depending on the transcoder used with such a Matt Ross Supergun, it can output in RCA Composite Video, S-Video and even Component Video. But if you want the best picture output possible, then I'd suggest picking up a cheap-ass Commodore Amiga 14" analog RGB monitor for about $30-$40 USD tops. The picture quality of analog RGB is better than that of S-Video or even Component Video...it is THAT good! ^_~

The next best alternative solution to get an Microcom produced XRGB-1, XRGB-2, XRGB-2+ or the XRGB-3 upscan convertors along with the appropiate Japanese 21-pin RGB cable interface and you're in business "big time"... ^_~

If you want the best that $$$ can buy, then by all means get yourself a Sigma...you will be pleased with one. Several fellow shmuppers swear by one... ^_~

What particular Cave shmup PCBs do you have your heart set on?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Erinu · Post by **Erinu** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:16 am

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:
What particular Cave shmup PCBs do you have your heart set on?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Galuda mostly. However, only my HDTV has S-Video. My CRT has component and composite.

Also, I'm really confused. I don't care what it looks like, I just want one. If you can point me in the right direction (link) to someone who makes them I'd most certainly buy.

Really now, I'm not fussy at all, but I don't think I'm smart enough to make one myself. I'm a little worried about how much it's going to cost in "fees" from purchasing off yjp via smj, however.

Dewclaw · Post by **Dewclaw** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:38 am

I feel your pain about the supergun availability. I tried contacting a handful of people here and on Neo-Geo.com who were known to build them and they either wouldn't do it or wouldn't reply to emails or PMs

You wouldn't think it'd be so hard to find one.

MAS and GWTrading guns seem to have a bad rep too. You should keep checking Ebay, I got a Sigma Raijin there a couple days ago.

Here's MAS System's site, but like I said some people say they're lowquality(and they wouldn't email me back anyway)

http://www.massystems.com/SuperNOVA.html

D-Lite's website(also isn't responding it seems)

www.multimods.com

Erinu · Post by **Erinu** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:49 am

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:05 am

Just get a Sigma and you'll be happy. GJP is selling a couple in his for sale thread, I think he has a Sigma Raijin for $330 brand new. That's a great deal.

Erinu · Post by **Erinu** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:29 am

EOJ wrote:Just get a Sigma and you'll be happy. GJP is selling a couple in his for sale thread, I think he has a Sigma Raijin for $330 brand new. That's a great deal.

I saw one on ebay for $207 including shipping. What's the difference between superguns?

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:33 am

You saw a Sigma Raijin on ebay for $207 shipped? Link please. The only Raijin I've seen on ebay recently sold for $500 + shipping.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:58 am

Erinu wrote:
EOJ wrote:Just get a Sigma and you'll be happy. GJP is selling a couple in his for sale thread, I think he has a Sigma Raijin for $330 brand new. That's a great deal.
I saw one on ebay for $207 including shipping. What's the difference between superguns?

The difference in superguns is about options really. Do you want a supergun which sits inside a control panel? Do you want a console type supergun where you plug joysticks into it?

The rest of it is trivial stuff like button configs, harnesses for fighters, audio and video options. For shooters though any supergun will be sufficient.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:48 pm

Check my thread on this subject

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=16905

I know its pricey, but this is one very nice gun. Its built like a tank, and uses the best sticks for shmups if you go for the Ultimarc mag stick plus. I would have considered it myself but i think my coffee table is not big enough to rest it on, ha ha. I could never get used to the idea of exposed PCB's (i got kids ya know) so when i get a regular setup im building a box to house them lined with antistatic material

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:08 pm

I have a spare gun that is housed in a Pelican stick I can sell you cheap. Of course, shipping is a beast as it is 2 sticks daisy chained for 2 player. And, it is S-Video, and of course, if your TV is big, TATE is not an option. Furthermore, the gun is shabby and not well put together, and looks ugly to boot. Other than that, it could be your's!