Chinese Vewlix

Arcade cabinet hardware and accessories
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trev1976
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Chinese Vewlix

Post by trev1976 »

Hi

I've been looking on alibaba at these as I find them quite interesting but that site is a mine field.

Does anyone have any experience with these cabs and sellers on the site?

What are the screens like ? Can you build your own cab and put your own screen and controls in ?

Any advise would be good as it seems like a decent way to get a brand new HD cab

Cheers
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Eddhorse
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Eddhorse »

Just order one from Mo in videotronics in the UK.

:)

http://videotronicsuk.com/arcade-machin ... china.html
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

I honestly love the Chewlix over the original Vewlix cabs. I really feel that the Chewlix is the way to go when getting an HD cab.

Pros:
- LCDs that come with Chewlix cabs do max 1080p. Most Vewlix cabs only do max of 720p unfortunately. The only one that does 1080p is the new Vewlix Diamond Black.
- Monitor does both VGA and DVI-I output with separate inputs. I can't remember, but I believe Vewlix cabs only have 1x VGA input.
- Customizable upon request. 360/ PS3 converter/ timer boards (if you are in to that sort of thing or was looking to put a console inside the setup), various Sanwa button and ball top colors, custom logos, etc.
- It's new. Unless you're getting a Vewlix directly from Taito, you're most likely getting it used from a supplier. More than likely the cab has been used and abused.
- The price. Can't be beat unless someone is just giving you a Vewlix.

Cons:
- Video converter needed for JAMMA boards. You'll need a converter to be able to display the JAMMA boards on the LCD monitor. However, this is also the case with a normal Vewlix cab as well. You can purchase a cheap one of these on eBay for about $20 - $30 USD.
- No JST connectors. The cab will be wired straight with a JAMMA harness. You could definitely have the supplier customize the wiring with JST connectors, but they will definitely try to charge a great deal more.
- Audio lines from JAMMA connector not wired directly to amplifier. The amplifier is separate and only allows a for composite audio input. You could probably request the supplier to have the manufacturer custom wire it to the amplifier. Again, they will mostly charge a great deal more.
- No marquee topper. This was a letdown for me. I really wanted a marquee topper for it, but I couldn't find anyone that could provide a repro. The area to secure the marquee is there on the cab though in case you want to purchase one and mount it.
- Amplifier is not great. It's a $5 USD amplifier, but in all honesty, I'm not blasting my audio ever. However, the amplifier seems to be able to handle high audio volumes for a constant amount of time if you're looking to put it out at a commercial location. I just listed this as some might not like a cheap amplifier inside the cab. I have never had an issue.
- Chinese power supply. Doesn't seem too cheap imo, it really seems to do the job perfectly fine for me. Just listing it in case this is a deterrent to others.
- Coin mech is a Chinese alternative. If your coin mech goes out, you'll have to get another one from China. They're pretty cheap though, like less than $10.
- Not a 100% repro. Differences will be minimal such as, no official logos, vents in the back in different places, coin entry trim might be a different color, etc.

You are really going to have to do your research with suppliers though as you don't want to get screwed over when purchasing one. I asked 101 questions, got pics on everything, had status reports delivered, etc to make sure manufacturing was going okay and mine turned out fine. However, you can't really be sure with what you are getting until you actually get it. You can get pics of one thing, but get something completely different. Getting screwed over on Alibaba or Ali Express is not unheard of. My buddy got his Chewlix after he was smitten with mine. Unfortunately, upon powering on the machine, we noticed that there was a crack in the monitor! We thought that everything would be fine since we had gotten insurance on the item. Contacted the supplier and all they said was "it wasn't like that when it left here". Gee, I hope it wasn't like that, absolutely no help. We tried taking it through the insurance as well, but no luck. The supplier said they could send him another monitor for a whopping $400 USD! Thankfully, the crack is very small and is not too noticeable so the cab is definitely still fully usable.

This is just one thing to watch out for, whatever you get from Alibaba and Ali Express is essentially yours in its final state once you receive it. Unless you're willing to send the cab back and pay for shipping, you're not getting your money back. Just do your research with each supplier and talk to them. See which one is willing to bend over backwards for you as they are most likely the more legitimate one.

Also, remember that the cost they give you is not all inclusive. You still need to find out how much shipping is. I've had ridiculous numbers thrown at me for a cab like $2500 - $3000 USD when the cab was only quoted at $400. This is just another way for them to try and scam you for more money. Try to find a reputable way of getting the cab back to you and make sure that person can inspect the cab to ensure it is what you are hoping to get from the supplier. I'm not sure how much shipping/ customs fees are in your area, but it should not cost you anywhere near $2500 - $3000 USD lol.

I probably left a couple things out, but this should be the majority of it.
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trev1976
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by trev1976 »

Wow loads of nice info there , thanks very much.

As stated I think buying one from mo would be the best option tbh as I'm sure the after support would be much better. Shame there the white ones though :problem:

I would want to either put a console or PC in ,couple of questions though.

How's the lag on yours ? Also what are the mounting plates like for the joysticks (can you mount seimitsu) are the buttons standard 30mm

Cheers
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

trev1976 wrote:Wow loads of nice info there , thanks very much.

As stated I think buying one from mo would be the best option tbh as I'm sure the after support would be much better. Shame there the white ones though :problem:

I would want to either put a console or PC in ,couple of questions though.

How's the lag on yours ? Also what are the mounting plates like for the joysticks (can you mount seimitsu) are the buttons standard 30mm

Cheers
Np on the info, glad I could help.

Here are some pics of mine when I first got it: http://imgur.com/a/PpGUe

I had a PC in mine, but soon after put one of my TX2s in there.

Old school fgc member. Mostly play fighters on it. Think it's comparable with the Diamonds (blue and white one you see with Nesica) and Fs (red and white ones that came out in the beginning) (which are the go to Vewlix models when you buy the cabs). Not to say the other cabs suck, just the refresh rate is better on the Diamond and F. I can't attest to the Diamond Black as I've never seen or played on one myself, but pretty sure it would be similar to the Chewlix.
Sabih
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Sabih »

Hellfromabove wrote:I honestly love the Chewlix over the original Vewlix cabs. I really feel that the Chewlix is the way to go when getting an HD cab.

Pros:
- LCDs that come with Chewlix cabs do max 1080p. Most Vewlix cabs only do max of 720p unfortunately. The only one that does 1080p is the new Vewlix Diamond Black.
- Monitor does both VGA and DVI-I output with separate inputs. I can't remember, but I believe Vewlix cabs only have 1x VGA input.
- Customizable upon request. 360/ PS3 converter/ timer boards (if you are in to that sort of thing or was looking to put a console inside the setup), various Sanwa button and ball top colors, custom logos, etc.
- It's new. Unless you're getting a Vewlix directly from Taito, you're most likely getting it used from a supplier. More than likely the cab has been used and abused.
- The price. Can't be beat unless someone is just giving you a Vewlix.

Cons:
- Video converter needed for JAMMA boards. You'll need a converter to be able to display the JAMMA boards on the LCD monitor. However, this is also the case with a normal Vewlix cab as well. You can purchase a cheap one of these on eBay for about $20 - $30 USD.
- No JST connectors. The cab will be wired straight with a JAMMA harness. You could definitely have the supplier customize the wiring with JST connectors, but they will definitely try to charge a great deal more.
- Audio lines from JAMMA connector not wired directly to amplifier. The amplifier is separate and only allows a for composite audio input. You could probably request the supplier to have the manufacturer custom wire it to the amplifier. Again, they will mostly charge a great deal more.
- No marquee topper. This was a letdown for me. I really wanted a marquee topper for it, but I couldn't find anyone that could provide a repro. The area to secure the marquee is there on the cab though in case you want to purchase one and mount it.
- Amplifier is not great. It's a $5 USD amplifier, but in all honesty, I'm not blasting my audio ever. However, the amplifier seems to be able to handle high audio volumes for a constant amount of time if you're looking to put it out at a commercial location. I just listed this as some might not like a cheap amplifier inside the cab. I have never had an issue.
- Chinese power supply. Doesn't seem too cheap imo, it really seems to do the job perfectly fine for me. Just listing it in case this is a deterrent to others.
- Coin mech is a Chinese alternative. If your coin mech goes out, you'll have to get another one from China. They're pretty cheap though, like less than $10.
- Not a 100% repro. Differences will be minimal such as, no official logos, vents in the back in different places, coin entry trim might be a different color, etc.

You are really going to have to do your research with suppliers though as you don't want to get screwed over when purchasing one. I asked 101 questions, got pics on everything, had status reports delivered, etc to make sure manufacturing was going okay and mine turned out fine. However, you can't really be sure with what you are getting until you actually get it. You can get pics of one thing, but get something completely different. Getting screwed over on Alibaba or Ali Express is not unheard of. My buddy got his Chewlix after he was smitten with mine. Unfortunately, upon powering on the machine, we noticed that there was a crack in the monitor! We thought that everything would be fine since we had gotten insurance on the item. Contacted the supplier and all they said was "it wasn't like that when it left here". Gee, I hope it wasn't like that, absolutely no help. We tried taking it through the insurance as well, but no luck. The supplier said they could send him another monitor for a whopping $400 USD! Thankfully, the crack is very small and is not too noticeable so the cab is definitely still fully usable.

This is just one thing to watch out for, whatever you get from Alibaba and Ali Express is essentially yours in its final state once you receive it. Unless you're willing to send the cab back and pay for shipping, you're not getting your money back. Just do your research with each supplier and talk to them. See which one is willing to bend over backwards for you as they are most likely the more legitimate one.

Also, remember that the cost they give you is not all inclusive. You still need to find out how much shipping is. I've had ridiculous numbers thrown at me for a cab like $2500 - $3000 USD when the cab was only quoted at $400. This is just another way for them to try and scam you for more money. Try to find a reputable way of getting the cab back to you and make sure that person can inspect the cab to ensure it is what you are hoping to get from the supplier. I'm not sure how much shipping/ customs fees are in your area, but it should not cost you anywhere near $2500 - $3000 USD lol.

I probably left a couple things out, but this should be the majority of it.
Great info! Can you please let us know which Alibaba supplier you ended up going with? I'm currently in the process of selecting a supplier, but I'm worried that I'll end up with a particularly cheaply made one. Any supplier recommendations would be much appreciated!
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

Sabih wrote:Great info! Can you please let us know which Alibaba supplier you ended up going with? I'm currently in the process of selecting a supplier, but I'm worried that I'll end up with a particularly cheaply made one. Any supplier recommendations would be much appreciated!
I would have provided the info in my post, however the seller I was previously going through is not around anymore. Most likely a middle man (which is what you're normally going through on Alibaba) that just stopped their services. I'm currently in the process of finding one for a friend. I'll post up about the experience and seller information once everything is settled. Might be a few months though.
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Jan
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Jan »

The only one that does 1080p is the new Vewlix Diamond Black.
The DIA Panel is also a native 1080p Panel, but you can only access 1080p via DVI due to HDCP. If you connect a PC you will also have to do some minior Hz Adjustment, depending on what OS and Drivers you are running. All supported resolutions and matching refreshrates can be found in the DIA Manual.
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by JuS7ChRiS »

Very Very Nice info. Can you tell me what supplier offers the replacement monitor for $400 DOLLARS 1080P NATIVE. Would be greatly appreciated.
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Jan
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Jan »

Not Taito that is for sure :lol:
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

JuS7ChRiS wrote:Very Very Nice info. Can you tell me what supplier offers the replacement monitor for $400 DOLLARS 1080P NATIVE. Would be greatly appreciated.
Replacement Vewlix Clone monitor?
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by GeekMan1222 »

Now this is intresting, when we are talkinga about chewlix's being cheaper how cheap is cheap for new, shipped since your states side<(disregard that i wasnt reading enough :lol: ) Hellfromabove that is one sexy imposter cab :eh: what was shipping cordination like I would imagine bulk shipping to from china to an apartment isnt easy (my case too if i were to do something like this).
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

GeekMan1222 wrote:Now this is intresting, when we are talkinga about chewlix's being cheaper how cheap is cheap for new, shipped since your states side<(disregard that i wasnt reading enough :lol: ) Hellfromabove that is one sexy imposter cab :eh: what was shipping cordination like I would imagine bulk shipping to from china to an apartment isnt easy (my case too if i were to do something like this).
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by GeekMan1222 »

Do these cabinets usually come built mostly out of plastic or is there metal work as well?
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Mantrox »

Usually metal for everything except the side colored covers which are plastic, and the speaker casings which are wood.
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by GeekMan1222 »

Speaker casings? Like internally for the mounts?
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

GeekMan1222 wrote:Speaker casings? Like internally for the mounts?
Speaker housing. It's been a while since I've taken a look at them, but I believe they're ported enclosures.
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by GeekMan1222 »

http://prntscr.com/g45bn4

So then that wood would not be on the exterior then just internally for the speaker?
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by crunchywasp »

The wooden speaker enclosures on proper Vewlixes have plastic covers with metal speaker grills. Presumably the knock-offs do too.
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Hellfromabove
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Re: Chinese Vewlix

Post by Hellfromabove »

crunchywasp wrote:The wooden speaker enclosures on proper Vewlixes have plastic covers with metal speaker grills. Presumably the knock-offs do too.
Yes, they do.
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