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Author Topic: Swapping flat screen 19 inch computer monitor for burned out arcade monitor  (Read 2805 times)

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secret80sman

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Guys,
Aside from the obvious sacrilege in not using a bonafide arcade monitor do you guys see any reason why this would not work? I have a 19 inch flat screen NEC monitor and am wondering if I can decase it and mount it on the bracket for my 30 year old burned out Wells Gardner. Any advice, cautionary tales or other things I should consider please make them known.

I might be losing my job here soon and I can't afford the quid to buy a new one. I'll eventually replace it but since it's a tube monitor I didn't think I would run into the crappyish look of an LCD for the classics. If it isn't spot on I can live with it for now but again has anyone done this and are there things for me to consider. I already dove into the project and began decasing the monitor and taking off the old monitor from the metal brackets but that's as far as I am.  

It would also be good to know how to make the monitor always stay on so it comes on and off with the cabinet since I won't be able to access the on and off switch. Is this typically doable in the menu of monitors?

Thanks in advance dudes!

Thoughts?
« Last Edit: March 19, 2011, 01:00:12 pm by secret80sman »

Jack Burton

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Most CRT PC monitors have a power button on the front that will stay stay on if you leave it pushed in.  So you can push the button, and then power it on and off by plugging it in and out.  Plug your monitor and the rest of your cab's electronics into a power strip and you should be good. 

How are you going to connect the monitor to your electronics?  Nearly all CRT PC monitors will not accept the 15khz signal arcade pcb's put out.  You may need to purchase a converter. 

What kind of cab is this?

boardjunkie

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You will have no way to mount it even if it *would* work (and it won't) without any extra hardware. Just get your existing monitor repaired....it shouldn't cost much. What you want to do would turn out to be akin to using a bicycle chain and sprockets as a drivetrain in a Maserati......

If you just *must* use the computer monitor, you may as well just turn it into a MAME machine....

secret80sman

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The CRT monitor has mounting holes just like arcade monitor did so why wouldn't it work?  This is a Ms. Pac Man cabinet and I have a converter but I may also drop in a motherboard and an AB switch so I can MAME other vertical games. I don't want to do anything to compromise the restorability of the cab to its full glory so while bucks are tight I thought this might work.

They are measuring about a half inch different but that might be my poor measuring skills.

Gray_Area

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I would just MAME it for the time being and use your PC monitor.
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Jack Burton

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Are you sure it's 19" and not 20"? I had Ms. Pac cab I was going to put a PC monitor in and ran into the same issue with the mounting holes.  I suppose you could drill them out, but I would have a quick look around for a true 19" monitor first.  
« Last Edit: March 19, 2011, 10:21:36 pm by Jack Burton »

secret80sman

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I googled the brand and model number and it comes up as a 19 inch. I guess I'll give it a try and see what happens. How did you solve your dilemma?

I did notice that the chassis currently bolts into plastic holes in the monitor at a different height than the monitor. Can I use some wood to shim the monitor shelf and attach the chassis into that or will I run into grounding problems if the chassis isn't bolted directly into metal? It was bolted into plastic in the monitor so I would think it would be no different unless you guys think the wood is a potential fire hazard.  ???  Jack how did you deal with that problem if it arose during your attempted CRT install.

« Last Edit: March 20, 2011, 08:16:53 am by secret80sman »

boardjunkie

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Then what do you do with the board(s)? There won't be enough wire to mount it to the side of the cabinet, 'specially with a "laydown" monitor Midway cab. More hassle than its worth....

secret80sman

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I guess I'll attempt to fashion some sort of attachment for the chassis to the original Wells Gardner monitor bracket. I'll post pics for anyone who might be interested in doing a similar thing once I'm done.