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To build a retro arcade cabinet, plan for a cabinet or kit, a display, a computer, controls, an input interface and wiring, audio, and power components. Before buying parts or cutting panels, settle the cabinet size, screen fit and orientation, the games and control layout you want, and whether you’ll build from scratch or assemble a kit. Those choices determine how the rest of the parts fit together.
What parts does an arcade cabinet need?
- Cabinet: A scratch-built enclosure made from panels, or a cabinet kit sized for your intended location.
- Display: A screen that fits the cabinet opening and can be mounted at a comfortable viewing angle. A modern LCD is the simpler path described in the Raspberry Pi build material.
- Computer: A computer capable of running your selected games and software. Raspberry Pi is one documented option, but verify compatibility for your exact software and game library before buying; the cited sources do not establish a current best model or guarantee performance.
- Controls: Joystick or joysticks, arcade buttons, and either a compatible interface board or GPIO wiring, depending on your computer and design.
- Audio: Speakers if you want sound from the cabinet itself.
- Power and cabling: Suitable power components and signal wiring for the computer, display, controls, and speakers. The cited build guides do not establish a universal power or speaker configuration, so choose components for the equipment you select.
- Construction supplies: Panel material, fasteners, and finishing supplies appropriate to your design, plus the tools needed to cut, join, and finish it.
Which build approach and cabinet size fit your space?
Scratch-build
Building your own panels gives you control over the cabinet’s footprint, screen opening, control deck, and finish. Raspberry Pi’s 2020 build guide uses 18 mm MDF for the body and 12 mm MDF for the front and back panels. Those are specifications for that example, not universal requirements. Adapt panel dimensions and construction to the display, desired footprint, materials, and build method you choose.
Use a compact kit
A compact kit can reduce the amount of cabinet design and panel fabrication. The cited Picade listing describes a kit with cabinet parts and components, but says the Raspberry Pi computer and power adapter must be supplied separately. Treat it as a compact cabinet option rather than as equivalent to a full-size floor-standing build. Check the current listing for what is included before ordering: Picade cabinet kit.
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Choose between a full-size floor cabinet, a bartop design, or a compact kit by measuring the available floor or desk area. Consider portability and weight as well as the overall dimensions: a larger cabinet may offer more room for the screen and controls, while a compact design is easier to place on a desk. The sources do not provide a universal cabinet dimension; the screen and your space should drive the plan.
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How should you choose the display?
Measure the actual display before drawing the cabinet opening or cutting panels. Account for its width, height, mounting points, aspect ratio, viewing angle, and intended orientation. A screen that fits the opening still needs a secure mount and enough interior clearance for its body and connections. The Raspberry Pi guide notes that its cabinet dimensions are flexible as long as the monitor fits: Raspberry Pi’s arcade cabinet build guide.
A modern LCD is the straightforward option in the documented build material. The Raspberry Pi book excerpt warns that CRT displays involve dangerous high voltage. Do not treat CRT servicing or modification as a casual DIY task; keep the project to a modern display unless you have appropriate specialist expertise and safety guidance.
Rank #2
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What controls and wiring should you plan?
Let the games you intend to play determine the control deck. Decide whether it needs one or two player stations, the joystick type, button count, button spacing, and placement before making holes in the panel. A control kit with a USB encoder may simplify connecting arcade controls to a computer, while a GPIO approach is another documented option for Raspberry Pi projects. These approaches are not interchangeable by default: confirm that the interface, wiring harnesses, and software setup work with your chosen computer.
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For example, the SparkFun assembly guide describes connecting a joystick and buttons through an interface board and USB: SparkFun’s joystick and buttons kit hookup guide. Raspberry Pi’s build guide shows a GPIO-based approach. Before purchasing controls, check the kit’s contents, encoder support, connector and harness types, and required mounting-hole sizes against your design.
Rank #3
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How do you plan the computer, audio, and power?
Check software and game compatibility first
Choose the computer only after you have identified the games and software setup you intend to use. Raspberry Pi is a documented platform for this kind of cabinet, but the cited sources do not identify a current model that is best for every library. Check the current requirements and compatibility information for your chosen software and games rather than assuming that any board will run them well.
Allow for sound and connections
If the cabinet should make sound on its own, include speakers and plan their mounting location, audio connection, and wiring route. Also reserve room for power and signal cables and make sure the computer, display, and interface can be connected without pinching wires or blocking access. The guides establish speakers and wiring as parts of a build, but do not specify one universal speaker or power setup.
Rank #4
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What should you settle before cutting panels?
- Measure the space: Record the available floor or desk area and choose a cabinet scale that fits it.
- Select and measure the display: Confirm its dimensions, orientation, aspect ratio, mounting needs, and viewing angle.
- Sketch the control deck: Set the player count, joystick positions, button count, and spacing around the games you plan to play.
- Choose the computer and interface: Verify software and game compatibility, then decide between a supported USB encoder or GPIO approach.
- Choose scratch-build or kit: Compare the kit’s stated contents and dimensions with the custom fit and fabrication work of a scratch-built cabinet.
- Plan materials, tools, and access: Select panel thickness and fastening method for your design, and leave room to mount, connect, and service the internal components.
What about games and legal use?
Building a cabinet or installing an emulator does not by itself establish that you have permission to use particular game files, ROMs, or BIOS files. The cited build sources do not establish legal permissions. Check the rights holder’s terms and the rules that apply in your jurisdiction before using game files.
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- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
