Idea for an auto changing marquee....

[Unstupid]

I was checking out the king arcade with the 22" marquee sized LCD here: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=115898.0  and I was thinking about how this can be accomplished without a really expensive LCD screen.  I was thinking that now that they have really cheap, really small, projectors that it would be possible to project the marquee from inside the cab onto a rear projection screen where the marquee would be.  These pico projectors use LED lights so they don't really need much if any cooling at all.  Has anyone tried this before?  I don't want to jump through hoops if it has already been proven not to work.

[Drnick]

I like your thinking, Problems I see would be the distance back from screen you would have to have in order to get the right width.

Then you would have to work a way to  block out the top and bottom parts of the projection (22" across would be about 11" tall if in a widescreen resolution).  finally you would have to create all the images. 

So yeah, feasible.  Let us know how it looks if you do it



 

[SavannahLion]

It's been suggested and done. I'm too lazy to look for the thread but its around here somewhere.

[Nephasth]

Here's one: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=70598.0

[Unstupid]

Cool!  I was sure someone would have thunk it!  It doesn't look like it is ready for prime time yet though!  Guess I should start saving my pennies for one of those custom LCD screens...

[RandyT]

Cool!  I was sure someone would have thunk it!  It doesn't look like it is ready for prime time yet though!  Guess I should start saving my pennies for one of those custom LCD screens...

You're gonna need a lot of pennies .  Here's another option, with loads of good suggestions from forum members on installation variations.

[Unstupid]

yea, I think I'd rather try my luck at LCD resizing rather than have half the screen sticking out the top of the cab.

[RandyT]

yea, I think I'd rather try my luck at LCD resizing rather than have half the screen sticking out the top of the cab.

You don't have to have it sticking out of the top.  Bury it below, as someone in that thread suggested.

If you do try to re-size an LCD, be sure to post some pics.  There are a lot of folks here who would love to follow your lead if you are successful.

[Unstupid]

If you do try to re-size an LCD, be sure to post some pics.  There are a lot of folks here who would love to follow your lead if you are successful.

    That's like asking someone to videotape their own suicide!

[RandyT]

   That's like asking someone to videotape their own suicide!

LOL.  Well, if you plan to trash a several hundred dollar monitor, it would be a shame not to videotape it!

Seriously, though, it looks like you have been working on bartops.  Have you considered building one with a backward sloped face, putting in a large LCD monitor vertically, and sectioning off the top for an active marquee?  You could do the whole thing for less than one of those skinny LCD panels will cost, and I've been jonesing to see someone attempt a project like that

[NickG]

I like your thinking, Problems I see would be the distance back from screen you would have to have in order to get the right width.

Then you would have to work a way to  block out the top and bottom parts of the projection (22" across would be about 11" tall if in a widescreen resolution).  finally you would have to create all the images. 

So yeah, feasible.  Let us know how it looks if you do it



 

re: blocking/images -> You can simply use a frontend or similar to scale/fit marquees,etc to a designated frame within black background to match your viewing surface and paint or felt your interior to avoid washout.  I made the projector one mentioned before.  I did this during the first era of smaller led projectors.  Now that there even cheaper projectors, what I would/may do differently is to use two smaller projectors side by side to reduce throw ratio and brightness problems.  My first attempt uses mirrors and the beam has to cross itself in the small space, which I think is less than ideal for transmission of contrast. 

[ark_ader]

How many games is the marquee need to display?

Why not use a roller blind method and have all the marquees printed on vinyl?

I'm sure some bright spark could figure out the mechanics of it.

[Ginsu Victim]

How many games is the marquee need to display?

Why not use a roller blind method and have all the marquees printed on vinyl?

I'm sure some bright spark could figure out the mechanics of it.

This is what I came into this topic thinking.

[Gray_Area]

Sometimes I just have to laugh at how novel the 'search' function is. On that note, there's no law about cabinet design resembling classic machines.

[darthpaul]

And I just had a new Marquee printed up but now you have me thinking.