Chewlix vs Vewlix vs other modern Cabs

[LupinTheThird]

Greetings all. I am new to this after buying an Arcade 1UP a little over a month ago and having buyer's remorse by the 2nd day, not to mention instant carpal tunnel from the absurdly small size of it. At first I was all set on a Recroom Cabinet but then I saw that they don't even close in the back. Not sure why that bothers me but it's not really a cabinet in my mind if that's the case, it's a $1000 shelf that I still have to supply speakers, monitor, etc. I really like the look of the Vewlix cabinets but I'm also up for a Lindberg or something similar. Ideally I want to run MAME and not interested in older cabs with crts or dealing with PCBs. So a couple of questions:

1) I saw on some forum, might have been here or on reddit, that a user mentioned if you can find the correct Chinese manufacturer you are actually getting Vewlix cabinets since it is a Chinese factory that makes them for Taito; though they are not 'officially' Vewlix since they didn't come through Taito but the company sells them on the side. Does anyone know who this manufacturer is? Please feel free to PM me if necessary.

2) How is the quality of Chewlix cabs you guys have vs official Vewlix cabs? When I place my hands on the board is a chewlix going to creak and feel like cheap knock-off crap? Or do they feel solid and hold up well?

3) Joystick compatibility- The recroommasters guys were pretty adamant about needing their new emulation pro controller for proper compatibility with MAME out of the controllers they offer. I will likely use a raspberryPi or Pandora Box. Will I run into problems having to reassign controllers constantly as they implied? Or was that salesman talk? I presume a PI or Pandora will retain all settings without any issue once hooked up to something like a Chewlix/Vewlix cab, right?

4) Other Cabinets I should consider over the Chewlix/Vewlix? I would really prefer new and not interested in used stuff that might arrive flood damaged, mold-filed, etc. Are there any similar Cabinets any of you have and are really pleased with that I should consider instead?

Thanks for any input you can offer. Total Noob, I know, lol. Hopefully in a few weeks I will have a cabinet ordered and then I'll be a real arcadeOtaku (TM)!!!

[penrhos]

If you want to run a Pandora - then the standard off the shelf JAMMA Chewlix with 2L14B or 2L16B control panel will work just fine.
When you order it you need to make sure it comes with a full JAMMA loom and power supply - the Chewlix monitor is a 720P, 32" CD with DVI & VGA inputs (some come with HDMI too) so you need to confirm the spec on that as well.

I had one with a Pandora 5 in and it worked fine (some games will look odd due to upscaling of the image).
If you want to run MAME in it you'll need a PC + J-PAC and a small audio amp.
If you want to run an RPI - you'll need to check the screen has HDMI input or use a HDMI to DVI adapter for the PI and use a J-PAC for the controls.
If you want to run consoles in it checkout brook adapters and again a screen with HDMI input would be preferable.

Build wise the Chewlix's are fine, no creaking/squeaking etc. But they are not as solid as the Vewlix (metalwork, plastics and paint are all thinner, screen isn't the same spec) but for the money they're perfect for what you want to do.

Salesman is talking **** - its easy to configure the controls and once done the settings stick.

My used Vewlix was filthy and took a lot of cleaning before it was acceptable to put in the house, my Chewlix was nice and clean so if you can get a new Chewlix at a good price and you don't care its not official I would do it....

[LupinTheThird]

If you want to run a Pandora - then the standard off the shelf JAMMA Chewlix with 2L14B or 2L16B control panel will work just fine.
When you order it you need to make sure it comes with a full JAMMA loom and power supply - the Chewlix monitor is a 720P, 32" CD with DVI & VGA inputs (some come with HDMI too) so you need to confirm the spec on that as well.

I had one with a Pandora 5 in and it worked fine (some games will look odd due to upscaling of the image).
If you want to run MAME in it you'll need a PC + J-PAC and a small audio amp.
If you want to run an RPI - you'll need to check the screen has HDMI input or use a HDMI to DVI adapter for the PI and use a J-PAC for the controls.
If you want to run consoles in it checkout brook adapters and again a screen with HDMI input would be preferable.

Build wise the Chewlix's are fine, no creaking/squeaking etc. But they are not as solid as the Vewlix (metalwork, plastics and paint are all thinner, screen isn't the same spec) but for the money they're perfect for what you want to do.

Salesman is talking **** - its easy to configure the controls and once done the settings stick.

My used Vewlix was filthy and took a lot of cleaning before it was acceptable to put in the house, my Chewlix was nice and clean so if you can get a new Chewlix at a good price and you don't care its not official I would do it....

Ok I think I got all that. I think I'm going to use a Pandora 6, I kind of like the idea of just turning everything on and it seeming like an arcade cabinet rather than waiting on a hidden PC to boot up. The idea of watching a windows logo on an arcade cabinet bugs me for some reason, lol.

I was just watching some videos about them and this one by ETAPrime about modding an Arcade 1UP cab got me wondering a few things. Obviously he is doing a mod so he had to solder new cables to the on/off to the 1UP Board. The Chewlix cabinets should come prewired and I shouldn't even need to solder anything right? Also Do the Chewlix cabinets come wired in a way that I would want the Family Version of a Pandora 6 or the Arcade/Jamma version? Or would they be compatible with either? I presume the Jamma Pandora seats like a cartridge and everything is all set but I have no idea what the insides of these Chewlix cabinets look like.

Thanks for all the help.