BEST MONITOR SIZE

[MameMaster!]

It drives me crazy  

Some of you guys build these fantastic cabs; great controls and then put in a totally undersized monitor (see the project annoucement for some VERY recent examples).

After you've spent at least $500-$1200 (or more?); why cheap out on the monitor? Face it...these cabs suck without at least a 17" (at absolute min.) or 19" monitor. Personally I think the newer 25" monitors are almost too big to appreciate....but more power to you if you can fit one into your cab.

Take the poll...let me know what YOU think!

The MameMaster!
PS- no offense intended for those with small monitors. It's really noting to be ashamed of! Thanksfully mine's big though.

[MameMaster!]

arrrrgggg....Another BEAUTIFUL CAB AND CONTROLS.....with a teenie monitor!

[bionicbadger]

 
Wow.  Nice Cabinet.  But yeah that tiny monitor looks funny.  If you are going to use a tiny monitor, why not build a smaller sized cabinet?


People should use a TV, they are big and cheap, Look for a used one.  And no 25" or 27" isn't too big, look at the more recent arcade games, they all have bigger monitors.

[tmasman]

The guy making the GioCade Already said he'd be putting in a bigger monitor when he could afford it...

By the way...
For those of you using 9" monitors... Wanna trade for my 15" monitor?
It's 6" bigger that what you've got & I'm jonesing for a tiny monitor for a mini I have in mind...  

Anybody?
hehe...

That would be a site to see... a Lusid style cab w/ a 9" monitor centered in the middle of the screen area... hehe...

[Lilwolf]

bigger the better..  

don't use a pc monitor unless you already own it.  Go with a SVid TV or look for a true arcade monitor.  It's just too damn easy and you get MUCH better output.

but large monitors are VERY expensive.. but large TV's aren't.  

Arcade monitors really come in 19" and 25"... Some smaller for specialty cabs... but these two sizes are really the common ones.

If you bezel has more realistate as your monitor... you need something bigger.

[SNAAAKE]

27" vga !  
I used 19" before because I had no money to buy a big one.
Then again my white cabinet was lame anyway so 19" was allright for the time being.


(hey wasnt there a monitor forum where we post about monitors ?)

[Tailgunner]

Two of my cabs will use 19" arcade monitors, two will use 21" PC monitors, and one will use a 25" arcade monitor.

[Cisco Kid]

I'd like to use a 33" but can't find a darn monitor bezel for it  

[Jakobud]

yeah I know people build these great cabs and put a ridiculous 15" monitor in it.  I've never been able to figure it out.  

[dhansen]

I built mine for the classics, one vertical, one horizontal, one cocktail, all 19" monitors baby!!

Of course I'm old...  

Doug

[Lilwolf]

On rotating 19" (or two cabinets with 19") are about the same as a 25" non rotated in the wrong direction...

[Ghoward]

WG9200 27" is the only way to go!

I've just ordered another one for my next project. Even a 21" pc monitor looks kind of out of place tin a full sized cab.

Gary

[Jetto Funk]

Small monitor in huge cabinets is so annoying, why anyone would do that is beyond me

[Ghoward]

Small monitor in huge cabinets is so annoying, why anyone would do that is beyond me

I couldn't agree more spend $1500 plus on a cab and then go cheap on the monitor, it makes no sense and spoils the whole look of a cab.

Gary

[DAmnb]

25" in my cab, wouldnt settle for any less than that.
Like some of you already said if you want to go cheap get a used TV a 14" - 17" comp monitor is simply the worst thing you can ever use!

[Frostillicus]

All you guys are missing the point - some folks want a working cab first, and either run out of money or just plan on upgrading in the future.  At least it's playable.  Yeah a bigger monitor is always welcome, but you have to be financially realistic (D9200=$500!) - and that's pretty bad taste to use someone else's cab as a 'bad example'.  

[pointdablame]

Thank you frosty, i was just about to say the same exact thing.  To a lot of people, getting the cab up and running is a huge milestone. I was lucky enough to find a cab with a arcade monitor in it for my project that STILL hasn't started, but my original plan was to use an old 15" pc monitor until I could afford a better screen.  

would that have been ideal? obviously not, but at least I could be playing and enjoying my new cab. A lot of us don't have the expendable cash to drop 3k on a cab and not bat an eye. I, for example, am a college student at a college that costs close to 40k a year when all is said and done.

I don't see how you CAN'T understand the reasoning actually. What are the alternatives..... stare at your cabinet for months completely done sans monitor, having it taunt you?? lol. I mean, I don't remember anyone with a small monitor saying they are happy with it and they don't plan on upgrading.

You work with what ya got I suppose. That's my .02 anyway.

[Bonesthedog]

Someone who works in a postproduction house jut gave me a 25 inch vga........................for free..............it twill fit nicely in my lucid cab..........

[kujina]

An arcade monitor is the only way to go. I would feel as though I was cheating myself if I had a cab with a pc monitor it.

[Serpent]

I agree with that you say that the bigger the better in the sense that games become more spectacular. However, I like playing videogames being close to the screen, and I've noticed that using 27'' or bigger very close to you, like in Naomi cabinets, it has some disadvantages. For instance you centre your eyes in your character/ship/etc and you loose focus of the peripheral areas of the screen, so it's hard to be aware of the surrounding action. With a 21'' monitor/tv it's easier to control the whole action on screen when you have the monitor/tv at more or less 50 cm away from your eyes. Of course if you step away from a 27'' screen and play at 1,5 meters or so, it's also quite comfortable. Actually, some Arcade machines have big monitors but mounted completely vertical and distant from the player: light gun machines, driving machines, and also some cabinets for fighting games.

[RetroJames]

Ok, I have nothing to say about your quote below, but DANG I love your avatar/animation.  That is too dang funny.  Reminds me of that movie office space.

Hey I do have one question, what are the vert and horiz dimensions of a 19" arcade monitor?

Thank you frosty, i was just about to say the same exact thing.  To a lot of people, getting the cab up and running is a huge milestone. I was lucky enough to find a cab with a arcade monitor in it for my project that STILL hasn't started, but my original plan was to use an old 15" pc monitor until I could afford a better screen.  

would that have been ideal? obviously not, but at least I could be playing and enjoying my new cab. A lot of us don't have the expendable cash to drop 3k on a cab and not bat an eye. I, for example, am a college student at a college that costs close to 40k a year when all is said and done.

I don't see how you CAN'T understand the reasoning actually. What are the alternatives..... stare at your cabinet for months completely done sans monitor, having it taunt you?? lol. I mean, I don't remember anyone with a small monitor saying they are happy with it and they don't plan on upgrading.

You work with what ya got I suppose. That's my .02 anyway.

[Minwah]

I agree with that you say that the bigger the better in the sense that games become more spectacular. However, I like playing videogames being close to the screen, and I've noticed that using 27'' or bigger very close to you, like in Naomi cabinets, it has some disadvantages. For instance you centre your eyes in your character/ship/etc and you loose focus of the peripheral areas of the screen, so it's hard to be aware of the surrounding action.

I agree - I find some games with massive screens do my head in after 5 or 10 minutes.  I'm going for 21", which is probably as big as I could go anyway if I want to get the cab through my doorways

[RedSquirrel]

i use a 25 inch TV in my cab. I think its the perfect size!

[telengard]

Rotating 19" serves my needs perfectly.  Defender just looks wierd on a 25" monitor.  
Then again I play mostly the classic games.

If I could get a trial wg 19" to see how vector games looked I would probably switch from my PC monitor.  No settings in advancemame can come close to the look of a real arcade monitor.

[RetroJames]

Hey I do have one question, what are the vert and horiz dimensions of a 19" arcade monitor?

I have a 25" WG and I am trying to decide if I want to try and make it rotate.  Were most of the vertical, or portrait games like pacman, galaga, etc on 19" vertical?  

[Tailgunner]

Hey I do have one question, what are the vert and horiz dimensions of a 19" arcade monitor?

http://www.wellsgardner.com/wellsgardner31/supportdata/K7200%20stand.pdf

@ Telengard: Raster games would look better on a WG CGA monitor, but vector games would look quite a bit worse. The ideal setup for them would be a real XY monitor and a Zektor to interface it to the computer, assuming you can find a working XY monitor.

[Ghoward]

To a lot of people, getting the cab up and running is a huge milestone. I was lucky enough to find a cab with a arcade monitor in it for my project that STILL hasn't started, but my original plan was to use an old 15" pc monitor until I could afford a better screen.  

Point taken however I waited two months after starting my cab until I had the money to buy my 27" monitor and to be quite honest it worked out great because I spent a lot more time getting my cab right rather than rushing it so I could play on it. I know I would have if I had of had the monitor first!

If I could not have still afforded the WG9200 I would have bought a cheap/used 25/27" TV until I could because a computer monitor just looks too small in a full sized cab.

Gary

[eightbit]

Is it just me or is this board deteriating? Its depressing really. This thread is in bad taste. How many times can the guy explain that the cab is for someone else and he's using the parts provided by that person? The cab looks awesome, he plans to upgrade it when he can, just let it go already.

Some of you guys throwing stones don't even have cabs. I doubt if few of you have a cab that looks as good as the one your all picking on.

[RetroJames]

It is not just you 8bit (or should I call you byte?)  anyway, I would have to agree that folks should probably lighten up re: the monitor judgements here.   Yep, it may not make sense to some to opt for the small monitor to get the cab up and running, but at the end of the day, this IS about playing the games.  I would rather play the game on a small monitor until i could swing the bigger display than let a cab sit in the corner while I futz around on my keyboard trying to play defender!

That all said, for those who are having problems getting a monitor together, there is a great thread in the monitor section that may help.  Oscar and a few others have found a place that sells arcade monitor chassis (the PCB) for around $80.  You can then take a tv tube, no I'm serious, a tv tube and hook it up to this chassis.  Boom, arcade mon for around $80 assuming you can find an old tv.  I highly suggest you check it out.

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=5448

There is also a load of good info in this thread like How to PROPERLY discharge a monitor and How to provide power for a monitor.

Lastly, if your not up to the tube swap, the same company that provides the chassis also does there own refurbs.  Clean tubes with a new chassis.  Here are the prices:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=5448

Refurbished, like new, not burns on the    screen, new Chassis:
    25 inches monitor:  $160.00
    19 inches monitor:  $130.00
    13 inches monitor:  $120.00

That is not too shabby.

Check them out at: http://www.8liners.com/parts.htm

Hope all this helps, I know that thread really made me more comfy about that 25" WG I am currently in a staring contest with!

[Nailz]

Is it just me or is this board deteriating? Its depressing really. This thread is in bad taste. How many times can the guy explain that the cab is for someone else and he's using the parts provided by that person? The cab looks awesome, he plans to upgrade it when he can, just let it go already.

Some of you guys throwing stones don't even have cabs. I doubt if few of you have a cab that looks as good as the one your all picking on.

I don't think it's deteriorating, just because of this one post that has offended you?  Mamemaster was just pointing out something that he thought was interesting in cab building, he did say no offense was intended.

I myself built a Lusid cab, started with a 17" monitor I had, it looked pretty funny but I was able to play my games.  I then deceided to sacrifice and put in my personal 21" monitor, which was better but still looked funny.  I finally found a smokin' deal on an Eygo 27" monitor and that was that.  Had it been more than $175 though, I would still be using the 21" monitor.  The funny thing is, when people would come over, they still loved the hell out of playing on a 17" monitor.

It basically comes down to whatever works for you, and who cares if someone doesn't like the way you did your cab, you're the one who has to enjoy it.

[eightbit]

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=5448

Refurbished, like new, not burns on the    screen, new Chassis:
    25 inches monitor:  $160.00
    19 inches monitor:  $130.00
    13 inches monitor:  $120.00

That is not too shabby.

Check them out at: http://www.8liners.com/parts.htm

Hope all this helps, I know that thread really made me more comfy about that 25" WG I am currently in a staring contest with!

So are those good prices, is shipping reasonable, are those good monitors? I know nothing about arcade monitors.

[fogman]

I keep hearing that an Arcade monitor is the way to go, followed by a TV.  I am using a 21" monitor, primarily because I can't wait to play Doom 3 on my cab!  I have a 1-up style rotating CP, and the Joystick/trackball cp is going to be movement and aiming.  I am still figuring out how to mount the keyboard, but I'm sure I will figure out something.  Using a wirless keyboard makes that kind of thing easy.

Anyway, that's why I am sticking with a monitor.

[eightbit]

I keep hearing that an Arcade monitor is the way to go, followed by a TV.  I am using a 21" monitor, primarily because I can't wait to play Doom 3 on my cab!  I have a 1-up style rotating CP, and the Joystick/trackball cp is going to be movement and aiming.  I am still figuring out how to mount the keyboard, but I'm sure I will figure out something.  Using a wirless keyboard makes that kind of thing easy.

Anyway, that's why I am sticking with a monitor.

If you go wireless make sure its radio and not infrared, the infrared ones are a pain.

[armad1ll0]

I got my 27" Eygo VGA for $300 shipped.
It was a great buy.

[MameMaster!]

Is it just me or is this board deteriating? Its depressing really. This thread is in bad taste. How many times can the guy explain that the cab is for someone else and he's using the parts provided by that person? The cab looks awesome, he plans to upgrade it when he can, just let it go already.

Some of you guys throwing stones don't even have cabs. I doubt if few of you have a cab that looks as good as the one your all picking on.

I don't think it's deteriorating, just because of this one post that has offended you?  Mamemaster was just pointing out something that he thought was interesting in cab building, he did say no offense was intended.

I myself built a Lusid cab, started with a 17" monitor I had, it looked pretty funny but I was able to play my games.  I then deceided to sacrifice and put in my personal 21" monitor, which was better but still looked funny.  I finally found a smokin' deal on an Eygo 27" monitor and that was that.  Had it been more than $175 though, I would still be using the 21" monitor.  The funny thing is, when people would come over, they still loved the hell out of playing on a 17" monitor.

It basically comes down to whatever works for you, and who cares if someone doesn't like the way you did your cab, you're the one who has to enjoy it.

....thanks for that. I have to admit I was very hesistant to even bring this topic up (I know ultimately it's silly...but I really always wondered about this!).

Any way....it's obviously is a hot topic....and I think the BEST thing to have come out of this is the fact that there are now some links to refurbished (reasonable) monitors within this very thread. It's interesting that the monitor in many cases seems almost like an after thought.

Besides, I think some folks don't realize they CAN have the monitor of their dreams if they search the net as aggressively as they do for games to play on mame......

....I really believe that EVERY CAB is fantastic and a commitment their designers part to fuel their fascination with Mame and relive some memories in a true arcade fashion.

I don't think anyone in this thread is seriously knocking anyone's work. That's what make this board so much fun....the exchange of ideas....and there can be constructive criticism. Personally I was happy to have received a lot of good/negative feed back on my two cabs.....that I found extemely helpful...

This is totally all in fun.....besides most of us don't (including me) don't have any real carpentry skills.....yet these cabs always look so great!

The MameMaster!  

[jcoleman]

Hey I do have one question, what are the vert and horiz dimensions of a 19" arcade monitor?

I have a 25" WG and I am trying to decide if I want to try and make it rotate.  Were most of the vertical, or portrait games like pacman, galaga, etc on 19" vertical?  

Vertical games on a 25" horizontal monitor will be approximately the same size as if they were being displayed on a 19" vertical monitor.  

Check this link for more about that: http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

John

[hazydave]

Well, I began my project planning to use a 19" minimum monitor. Actually a television, for serveral reasons. For one, a 19" television is actually 19" on the diagonal, and they're way cheaper than computer monitors. Plus, for the purist, they're 15kHz, just like all classic arcade screens.

Ok, so I find a 19" TV, a the local flea market, in great shape for $35. No video input, so I'll have to add one -- most modern televisions will expose a CVBS signal between the tuner and display chips, so it was worth a shot.

But then, the very next week, I came across a 25" set at a yard sale. They wanted $50, I talked them down to $25... it seems the set had a problem -- it would mysteriously power on by itself. Not a problem for my setup, which will have its own power switch. And this one had the CVBS input, and has since checked out as being 100% working.

My point being, the TV sets are not too difficult to scrounge for cheap. You shouldn't settle for a tiny monitor.

[Apollo]

I started out with a gutted cab that I bought which was designed to take a 19" arcade monitor either vertically or horizontally but quickly realised I would have to go bigger. My current project has a 25" arcade monitor which totally rocks. I like the idea of dedicated 19" horizontal, vertical and cocktail though.

[neuromancer]

I can't imagine anyone who actually spend $1200 on a cab cheaping out on the monitor.

But if you read many of the examples, I think more people build cabinets with budgets of $100 to $300, using things they have on hand.

I'm in the process of building a cab around a 15" PC monitor. It will be the smallest cab I can make that suits my needs.

I'm in the planning stages of building a cab around a 21" Mac monitor too. I'm having a hard time with that one, because I need access to three sides to adjust it.

I always compare any hypothetical arcade control purchase against an equal value of Scotch.
;-)
Bob

[abrannan]

I can't imagine anyone who actually spend $1200 on a cab cheaping out on the monitor.

But if you read many of the examples, I think more people build cabinets with budgets of $100 to $300, using things they have on hand.

Right you are.  Plus it easier to justify nickle and diming yourself to death than one big huge purchase.  I can justify $300 in bits and pieces over several months to the wife a lot easier than I can justify a $200 monitor single large purchase.  

I myself am building my cab out of my personal spending money that my wife and I have bugeted out for ourselves.  After taking into account the $50/mo I use for eating lunch out, I have $50/month to buy parts for my arcade cabinet, or console games, or anything else I want to do.  This month it jsut happened to be a $21 19" Sony Trinitron monitor, a $24 VGA->BNC Cable for said monitor, and a $2 Molex power connector for my trackball hack.  Fortunately, I'm a patient person, so I can wait to find deals like these.  And even more fortunately, my wife is patient enough to let me have an empty Cab sitting around the house until I can scrounge up the right parts.  Others may not be so patient, or have such wonderful spouses.