differences between old, and new beatmania machines

[ΩOMEGAΩ]

ok, so I finally got a job that will be paying me more then minimum wage. The first thing I am going to save up for will be a beatmania machine. I was planning on buying a old beatmania machine, and upgrade it to DistorteD, which is the cheapest way to do this.

but apparently from the pictures I have seen, the older machines have a way diffenrt look, and also have a differn't monitor.

So there was also the other way... Buying a 8th Style, and upgrading it, but that would take a year to buy, over only waiting 5~6 Months, and I could buy a DDR machine within the next few months.

So what should I do?

P.S. TGA, is really making me working for my arcade plan (its such an inspiration to see how far they got, and I want to get just as far as them), thats all I want to do with my life, I have been studying arcade games at arcades I go to, and watch the games people play. I hope all the saving up, and buying will pay off for my arcade.

[rmz]

Originally Posted by ΩOMEGAΩ

ok, so I finally got a job that will be paying me more then minimum wage.

okay

Originally Posted by ΩOMEGAΩ

The first thing I am going to save up for will be a beatmania machine.

uh

Do you realize how much a IIDX machine costs? More expensive than many cars. If you just now got your first non-minimum-wage job, you have more important priorities than a IIDX machine I think.

Besides, you can get a great TV, super awesome speakers, and all of the CS styles plus two ASCs for less than 1/5 of what a machine would cost.

[ΩOMEGAΩ]

Originally Posted by rmz

okay


uh

Do you realize how much a IIDX machine costs? More expensive than many cars. If you just now got your first non-minimum-wage job, you have more important priorities than a IIDX machine I think.

Besides, you can get a great TV, super awesome speakers, and all of the CS styles plus two ASCs for less than 1/5 of what a machine would cost.

already got all of that (except for all the CS styles, I have like four), I want the machine now, and nothing you can say and will tear me apart from getting a machine. This is the final word that I will spend with money I get from my job.

The next thing I am getting is a DDR EXTREME machine, which I am getting at a steal, along with a ITG2 machine, however I plan on getting a dedicab opposed to an upgrade.

Then I think I pump machine, but I am not sure yet, possibly Pop'n Music, Guitar Freaks, or drummania, I am waiting for these though because they are not my top priority.

Also I realise how much shipping is, and I just dont give a damn, I suck at beatmania ( can only pass song levels up to nines), I play it every day, and its just nit enough. I also can't get enough of DDR/ITG (however I am good at this game).

[kimcicle]

Any machine up to, and including, 8th style run off the Twinkle hardware. You can freely change between 1st to 8th styles just as long as you have the security chip and cds / dvds.

Starting with 9th style is the PC based hardware.

I believe with 10th style they started a new style of monitor for the cabinets. The older screens were old rear projection wide screen CRTs that had noticeable color and contrast fade within a few years of usage. The newer screens are smaller that the previously used screens with a frame around the screen to fill the extra space. Both are heavy as fuck.

To get to DistorteD, your best bet for a painless upgrade is to get a 9th and upgrade from there. Most DistorteD kits I've seen flying around y!ja do not include the require hardware to run the game. Not to mention I haven't seen more than a handful of kits for the upgrade to the PC based beatmania.

Hate to dash your hopes about the arcade, but exactly how much more is "more than minimum wage"? Are you still living at home with the parents? How much of their expenses are they covering for you?

It's your money, and you do what you want to do with it, but when all is said and done you could probably buy a brand new car for the amount of money you've invested in the machine.

[PooIs]

Ah, just let the kid dream. It'll most likely take you like 2-3 years just to save up for the IIDX machine itself Omega, if you are going the upgrade route you're going to have lots of trouble setting the thing up. As sweet as it may seem to possibly own a machine, you're going to have to wait a while and you'll have to do a lot of work restoring the machine and setting it up. Do what rmz said and just save up for a good TV and some ASCs and wait for it. If you still want the machine after a couple of years then by all means get it, but don't expect to just have it within a year. Depending on where you get it from, shipping could be a grand at least.

EDIT: OMEGA just turned 16 and he's all starry eyed and innocent.

[kimcicle]

Jesus Christ I just looked at your profile and you're 16.

Your "more than minimum wage" job won't buy you a machine for at least a year. Even if you save every penny.

[ΩOMEGAΩ]

Ya, I am in high school... whats your point? This is a long trem goal however, and will take years to prepare, and I want it to happen as soon as possible, so I decided to start saving up now, and start buying the machines that will still be played often, I want bemani players to get their chance in the chicagoland/Midwest area.

It already hurts me to see people not beleiving in me, but again thats not stopping me.

Damn though... a 9th... thats not very cheap... I could get a 4th style for only like $3000 shipped too, but I may not have a choice to do this, unless I can find a 9th style for very cheap.

also beleive me I have a very nice High definition TV in my room. I got that, and a PS3 for my birthday. I DONT NEED ANYMORE OF THAT SHIT! My freinds already say I am spolied in that aprtment, especially since I own all next generation consoles now.

and also a machine does not take to long to save up for, that is if you dont spend your money on anything else, which I honestly dont plan on doing, besides for 2 video games in which are almost already payed off.

Also its not alot more then minimum wage, but its $8.50 an hour, for 4 hours every day on every week, which over the school year next year will be put to 5 hours do to me leaving school early to go to my job.

wow that was alot of typing... STOP TRYING TO RUIN MY DREAMS!

acording to my calculations, and proove me if I am wrong thats about $12376.00 a year.

(thats money an hour*hours a day*days a week*52, which is weeks in a year)

plus lets try to stay on topic, every time I post like this people always try to shoot me down, and flame me about how stupid I am, NOT THIS TIME!

[kimcicle]

Yeah, because you still live at home with your parents. Rent free living without having to worry about things like bills and utilities. What you make is chump change, and once you have to worry about rent and bills and food it will smack you in the face.

Sign #1 that you aren't ready for this: You neglect that the government is going to take a percentage of your income for taxes. You can't do a straight up calculation of your hourly wage and assume you'll get that much over the year.

I'd also like proof of you getting a 4th style machine for $3000 shipped. You gotta remember that the CRT rear projection monitors that came with those machines are pretty much all useless now, which I guess would help, but that would have the be the shittiest machine I've ever seen.

I know a guy that purchased a beatmania IIDX 8th style machine a while ago. He ended up selling it around 8 months later because he realized how much of a waste of money it is. The machine itself was only in OK shape due to the price he paid for it, and he paid more than double than that 4th style machine. It was nice to be able to swap between 8th and 7th on a whim but the machine takes up a lot of space and a lot of electricity.

My advice? Grow up a little and get some real life experience under your belt. Like going to college, moving away from your parents, and being self sufficient instead of relying on them to provide everything. Then make your decision.

[dj Outlaw]

Plus, when you think about it... the sound system on most IIDX cabinets is just alright. (at least on the ones I've played on)

Seriously, you can do much better for less. Build your own cabinet. I'm serious. Base it off a beatmania III cabinet as that wouldn't be as hard to emulate as a IIDX cabinet would be. If the PS2 IIDX Styles aren't doing it for you, set up a PC with keysounded simfiles and movies if you absolutely have to have every song to date. Get some incredible speakers. Install those along with your HD TV onto a wooden cabinet. You can even get some sound activated lighting if you're into that too.

Then get either a DASC or a DJ DAO Real Edition and mount that control panel onto the cabinet.

Best of all if something goes wrong, it won't be a total pain in the ass to fix later down the road.

Sure that may cost about 2000, but imagine how utterly ridiculous (and by that I mean awesome) that would be to watch movies on.

[ThatsGobbles]

Personally, I'd get a beatmania I/III THE FINAL cabinet, just because it's so awesome.

[typobox]

Originally Posted by agentpyro003

Personally, I'd get a beatmania I/III THE FINAL cabinet, just because it's so awesome.

And cheap. Local arcade here picked up a beatmania THE FINAL a few months ago - if I remember correctly, it was sub-$1000. It's not pretty, but it's still plenty of fun to play.

[ΩOMEGAΩ]

Originally Posted by agentpyro003

Personally, I'd get a beatmania I/III THE FINAL cabinet, just because it's so awesome.

I am getting a IIDX cabinet. If I have enough money after buying the rest of the bemani series, then maybe, but its not cheap for a final (and its a long ways from now if I were to ever get a I/III)

[PooIs]

We're not trying to ruin your dreams, we're just trying to give you a realistic view on your endeavor. You say that you'll be working every day and you assume that you'll work all 365 @4-5 hours a day@ $8.50 an hour. Unless you're getting paid under the table and you have nothing else that you are planning for (college, moving out, cell phone, other misc. expenses) in the coming years, you'll not likely see this pan out for at least two years, probably more. It will be possible with a lot, and I do emphasize a lot, of work, but your thinking is a little clouded by the fact that you are so young and have little to no life experience under your belt. Take it easy, no one here is attacking you, we're just trying to get your thoughts into the right perspective.

[Mangojoyride]

hell, i wish i had my own IIDX cabinet. real life just hits too hard too often. if you go ahead with this, down the road you just *might* regret it. (dude thats as much as some scholarships)

[PICASIO PICASIO]

Lay off him, he doesn't want a life lesson he just wants to know the difference between all the cabinets and what not. If he makes a mistake, eh, it's a mistake, it's for the better. If not, awesome. Either way it's fine.

Personally, if you're planning on opening up your own arcade, I'd say wait until you're about to open up your arcade.
Because after RED comes HS comes DD comes GOLD, and then SCARLET, the FALCOn, then whatever the hell else IIDX endnames come out. Point is a DD cabinet will be far outdated by the time you can open your own business. I dunno, going off what I have here, might sound like a total dumbass but hey

I wish I had enough money to get a cabinet period, of anything. But turntables, a new mac, finalscratch, new synths, drum machine, studio equipment...
Shit music sucks. And I think I have to quit my job too