Buying a Pop'n machine

[cApNhOwDy]

So basically my long term plan is to save up money during the next couple of summers and buy a Pop'n Music machine. I'm considering buying Pop'n 14, listed here

Pop'n Music 14 Fever! - Music-Dance Machines - Full Machines - Arcade Video Game Coinop Sales - Coinopexpress

For some reason this website has 14 priced significantly cheaper than 13 and 12. $8180.48 USD. I've got a little over 5k in the bank right now. Assuming I dont actually purchase it until after pre-health school is over I'm betting that the price will drop a bit and I'll have made some more money by then. Dont want to drop my entire life's savings on a videogame, but I can take a dip out of it. 600+ songs I hear? Pop'n is by far my favorite, I figure I can get a bit of use out of having my own cabinet. Might even donate it to the local arcade and split the profits with the owner, since the place already has a fairly large Bemani following that are regulars there. Any further suggestions?

[Brazoliange]

If you can, I'd highly consider buying a Pop'n 15 cabinet instead. It had a hardware upgrade, so to upgrade past 14 you would need to pay out the ass for it in the future and it would most likely be rare until they switch to a different hardware upgrade.

[Arbel]

Keep in mind anything you order is going to cost about 1 grand for shipping. Plus customs fees which can go up to 500 dollars. So add about 1.5 grand to it. I would highly recommend finding a Pop'n 1 cab and upgrading or something.

[cApNhOwDy]

I dont think you can upgrade Pop'n 1 to one of the newer mixes. Pretty sure there's a threshold of like 9-14 and then from 15+. Dont think that's exact, so dont quote me on it, but it's something like that. Plus, I have no idea where to buy or how to install an upgrade.

[[NesS]]

you can upgrade 1-14. it's been the same through out until 15.

[Arbel]

If you find a complete PCB, you can upgrade from any mix to any mix. I would look at the prices of some older machines. Maybe by the time you get the money, I will be selling my machine hehe.

[Zillax0rz]

Where would you buy upgrades from?

[[NesS]]

Originally Posted by Arbel

If you find a complete PCB, you can upgrade from any mix to any mix. I would look at the prices of some older machines. Maybe by the time you get the money, I will be selling my machine hehe.

the machine keeps track of your scores right?

[Arbel]

Only if you have e-amuse will it keep track of specific scores. Unfortunately there is no way to get that in the US just yet.

[Brazoliange]

Originally Posted by Zillax0rz

Where would you buy upgrades from?

Primarily Yahoo Auctions Japan

[MC Yiffalot]

Does anyone know if you could get akibado.com to order an upgrade kit directly from an amusement company or something of the sort? Because the kits on YAJ are usually one release behind, right?

[Hortence:The Muleface Mod]

Originally Posted by MC Yiffalot

Does anyone know if you could get akibado.com to order an upgrade kit directly from an amusement company or something of the sort? Because the kits on YAJ are usually one release behind, right?

It's extremely difficult to get new kits outside of Japan, since they're not allowed to sell them to outside-of-country places. If an arcade or distributor gets caught selling to outside places, Konami stops selling them kits. Pretty much simple as that.

[MC Yiffalot]

Well, the website is based in Japan, so the distributor wouldn't be selling to the other country, just Akibado...

[ITGmaster18]

how much do popn 1 cabinets run for? maybe ill get one :3 also how easy is it to change the buttons out cause i figured a popn 1 cabinet is probably pretty worn it and also out of date if they switched hardware at all, also as a side note yiffalot.... prinnies rule dood

[Yuki Ijuin]

That's extreme... Wonder what'll you do when you finally get bored of Popn or the maintainence is getting too high? >_>"