So recently there have been these different versions of PBs becoming available that are very popular with those little self-contained panels that house a two-player setup with a game board and a speaker inside the panel. These used to come with the “real” PBs that used a JAMMA connector:

But now they use these newer “Family” versions:

These Family versions should really be called “Home” versions because they have very little to do with an arcade cabinet:

• They do not use a game’s existing JAMMA harness – causing you to either buy another adaptor or rewire your cabinet
• They do not use a game’s existing power supply – so you have to wire another AC power supply into your cabinet
• They do not output the same audio levels (and usually only mono, not stereo), so you might not get the same audio experience or might have to add an external amplifier
• They do not output CGA-compatible video, just VGA and/or HDMI, so you may have to replace the monitor in your cabinet or get a downscaler to convert HDMI or VGA to CGA
• If you run “home edition” and “family edition” into a translator, you get the same output ? (actually, “home” and “family”  sometimes produce the same translation depending on the context)

It seems like these Family versions were practically invented for those little self-contained panels.  Some of them can run without a harness connected, just a TV, power brick, and some USB controllers!  Not exactly “arcade” style, huh? No, these were made for the home market, and should be left as such.

Now, depending on your view of things, some of these differences might seem like minor inconveniences, while others might see them as non-starters.  If you are the kind of person that “upgrades” cabinets and ends up with three different power cables hanging out of the cab (or maybe just two, because you left a power strip or multi-tap extension cord hanging by a nail in the cabinet) leaving it with a non-working power switch, or an LCD TV or monitor that is always on even when the game itself is off, maybe you would not mind.  (If someone is trying to convince you to go this route, but they cannot correctly articulate the differences between the two versions, do not trust them. Find a tech that knows what they are doing.)

Some others, that would want to keep things as original as possible and do not like the idea of additional work or fire hazard-type wiring, might look down on these “Family” versions.  If you absolutely have to go the PB route, the least you can do is have a little self-respect and get a real PB.  Chances are it will be cheaper, too.

Oh, and I have personally used both versions when trying to evaluate solutions for games with broken and unrepairable (or not economically repairable) boards in them.  Putting them both side my side on my test bench and portable test bench, and then reversing them, one can spot differences that others might be ignorant of. 

You wanna build a cute little tabletop multicade so your girlfriend can play 27 varieties of Ms. Pac-Man?  The Family/Home version is right up your alley.   But for a pedestal showcase cabinet with large stereo speakers and a huge CRT?  Better go with the real version.