On average

[BarontheFirst]

I know this isn't exact but I was hoping to get an idea of what everyone thought was a good overhang for a control panel. For both each side and off the front. Does it depend on the display (monitor or tv size)? I might use a 19 inch monitor 18 viewable however I am leaning more toward a 25" s-video tv. Also does smoked plexi effect a pc monitor display at all? Good or bad? Too me a TV is a better choice for all emulators. PC monitors show too much detail. So some feedback on this would be welcomed as well. Thanks in advance.

[CitznFish]

www.oscarcontrols.com  has a great write up on TV vs Computer Monitor vs Arcade monitor.


Smoked Plexi seems to be the way to go. I've heard great things about how it looks and no one seems to hate it.  Again, www.oscarcontrols.com has a review about using smoked plexi.



Comparison of display types:   http://www.oscarcontrols.com/monitors.shtml

Smoked Plexi:  http://www.oscarcontrols.com/smoked/

(He needs a link to this on his homepage!)

[paigeoliver]

Ideally a cabinet with a 19" or 25" display should have a control panel the same width as the cabinet. Only newer "Deluxe" and or 4 player cabinets tended to have overhanging panels.

The same goes for the front. On most cabinets the panel didn't bump out more than a couple of inches past the front of the machine (the piece of wood with the coin door on it is what I am calling the front here).

[Sasquatch!]

Ideally a cabinet with a 19" or 25" display should have a control panel the same width as the cabinet. Only newer "Deluxe" and or 4 player cabinets tended to have overhanging panels.

I disagree with your definition of "ideally", because it's all personal taste and feel.  

My up-and-coming cabinet had a CP pretty much the width of the cabinet, but I figured it to be too narrow for two people to stand next to each other comfortably, so I now have it over hanging on the sides quite a bit.

My advice to anyone who asks these kinds of questions:
Build a full scale mock-up of your control panel (even if it's jsut using carboard and paper) and just see what FEELS comfortable to you.  See how far your hand has to extend to get to the joysticks.  See how naturally your fingers hit the buttons.  That kind of thing...

[paigeoliver]

Ideally a cabinet with a 19" or 25" display should have a control panel the same width as the cabinet. Only newer "Deluxe" and or 4 player cabinets tended to have overhanging panels.

I disagree with your definition of "ideally", because it's all personal taste and feel.  

Well, I always answer these questions based on what real arcade games have, and based on what the real arcade manufacturers did. As I always work under the assumption that people want their games to generally resemble real arcade games. I reccomended a panel the width of the cabinet, since real games with 19" displays never had overhanging panels, and very few 25" ones do.

[BarontheFirst]

Thanks for the replies however I did forget to mention that I will have pinball buttons on the side. With this in mind the control panel can't be too wide but maybe 4 to 6 inches on each side. As far as front overhang I am thinking between 2 to 4 inches. Afterall I will have the keyboard under it with a lock.