Who is using a 27" 4:3 TV or Arcade Monitor and what do you think of it?

[TGov]

For my scratch built MAME cab I was initially thinking of putting a 24"-25" TV in it but I am having a hard time finding a suitable TV that size with both a good picture and also component inputs on the cheap.  I can however find nearly a dozen 27" Sony Trinitron CRT's in the area for under $25.  So my question: Is a 27" TV too big for a classic style arcade cabinet?  By classic, I mean a modified shape based on a classic cab like Galaga, Moon Patrol, etc.  I am not building a more modern 'fighting' style cabinet.  I know the TV will fit, I just wonder if it is just a bit too big picture wise for how close I will be to it. 

Is there anybody here that has a 27" CRT in their classic shaped/style cabinet?  If so what do you think?

[RandyT]

I have a 27" RGB in a Defender cabinet.  Nice and big horizonally, and a nearly perfect 19" for vertical.  No regrets at all.

[TGov]

Right on Randy, do you happen to have any pictures of it?  I am thinking of doing a modified Moon Patrol style cab and that would be kind of similar to the Defender cab.

[TGov]

I was also wondering if the depth of the monitor is a problem.  I tried doing a layout with the screen lying down like in a Galaga cab.  I think it would look ok that way as well and wouldn't be right in your face.

[RandyT]

With the monitor lying down, the depth shouldn't be an issue.  Just make sure you have it bolted in well, as the big glass tubes are pretty weighty.

You might also want to consider going the "dark plexi" (or dark glass) route.  If you get it dark enough, you won't even get any indication that the vertical games are on a horizontal monitor.  Also no need for a bezel with this approach.

There are some photos and a couple of videos in my "Active Marquee" project thread.  Don't mind the shabby trackball attachment.  It's as much a test rig as an arcade machine

[TGov]

Ya, It will be tinted glass for sure.  I can get tempered tinted/smoked glass here locally cheaper than I can plexi   The glass bezel for my DK cabinet was $26 for tempered and smoked/tinted.

[paigeoliver]

How did you do it? I though the Defender cabinet was too narrow for a 27" tube?

I have a 27" Wells Gardner D9200 in a scratch-build cabinet and it is quite nice, although not perfect (imperfect color in one corner).

I also have a 27" monitor Frankensteined  together with a 27" TV set mated to a 25" Sharp Image chassis. Wonderful picture, but it has huge scan lines.

I have a 27" RGB in a Defender cabinet.  Nice and big horizonally, and a nearly perfect 19" for vertical.  No regrets at all.

[t3design]

I have a Nieman Displays 27″ Flat Tri-Mode CRT in my cabinet (a scratch built Tempest based design). I love it. Mine is mounted more upright and I do not feel that I am too close to the screen.

You can see how I mounted it and what it looks like in my project thread.

T3

[MonMotha]

I have a 27" (US - 29" Japanese, 68cm Europe) monitor in an MK2, and it feels a fine size, but I'm a bit used to somewhat more modern games than most people on here consider "classics".  MK2 itself is hardly a "classic" by most definitions, but it was designed for a 25" monitor, and the 27" barely fits.  You can tell it's bigger, especially if you've played the same cab on a 25" recently, but it doesn't feel out of place at all.

[arzoo]

I use a Dotronix 27" DSV Series Monitor (purchased referb'd many years ago from GGG) in a custom built cab. It's never had a perfect picture and it's low res, but for most games it looks very authentic. The low resolution does not do well for vector graphic games. The size is fantastic - horizontal games are huge and vertical games are as big as their original 19".

[thaddeussmith]

i was using a 25" arcade monitor and the screen noise and refresh rate was unbearable. i sold it and used the funds for a 23" dell display; the sacrifice in authenticity is overshadowed by my sanity.

[pinballjim]

I've got a rig going on a 27" 4:3 and it really bugs me how good it looks.  Can't bring myself to toss the TV.  If you can stomach a gigantic cabinet, go for it.

[amendonz]

One of the best things about candy cabs is the big screen with relatively small footprint. Love my 29 inches.

[Gray_Area]

One of the best things about candy cabs is the big screen with relatively small footprint. Love my 29 inches.

+1


Look round the Project Announcements sub-forum. There are tons of people who've used 27" TVs. TOK has a vert cab with one. My candy is in vert position.

[TOK]

One of the best things about candy cabs is the big screen with relatively small footprint. Love my 29 inches.

+1


Look round the Project Announcements sub-forum. There are tons of people who've used 27" TVs. TOK has a vert cab with one. My candy is in vert position.

I have cabs with 27" TV's and arcade monitors now... I have never had an issue with the size of the image, but I know some people don't like the look of the classics on a large monitor.

TV's with component are kind of finicky to set up, but you can get a great image. I used a Toshiba flat screen CRT that I just happened to have sitting around unused. I mounted monitor vertically (it was primarily for vert shooters), but when you play a horizontal game on it, its pretty close to its original size. I used a tinted bezel so the horizontal games don't look weird. This is an old pic (I built this in 2006), but I have never had an issue with this machine since setting it up.

I had to run it at a custom resolution (640x420, IIRC) to keep the edges of the image from being clipped.