Rotating LCD Monitor - A Simple, Space Saving Technique?

[AGarv]

The biggest downside to a rotating monitor is IMO the extra space necessary to permit rotation.  So for example even though a 27" widescreen LCD monitor is only about 25" inches wide, the cabinet interior needs to be almost 30" wide to allow it to rotate.  The end result even on master-built rotating cabs is a somewhat small-looking screen stuck in the midst of an enormous black bezel.

So, what about using a articulating, rotating VESA arm mount?

1) Mount LCD to cabinet via articulating, 90 degree rotatable arm mount.  Cabinet interior width exactly matches width of the LCD monitor.
2) Hinge monitor bezel glass to manually swing outward and expose the monitor
3) To rotate, manually pull monitor forward beyond the interior sides of the cabinet, rotate 90 degrees, and push back in.
4) Swing bezel glass back to close, and enjoy.

Has this approach been tried before?

[yotsuya]

The biggest downside to a rotating monitor is IMO the extra space necessary to permit rotation.  So for example even though a 27" widescreen LCD monitor is only about 25" inches wide, the cabinet interior needs to be almost 30" wide to allow it to rotate.  The end result even on master-built rotating cabs is a somewhat small-looking screen stuck in the midst of an enormous black bezel.

So, what about using a articulating, rotating VESA arm mount?

1) Mount LCD to cabinet via articulating, 90 degree rotatable arm mount.  Cabinet interior width exactly matches width of the LCD monitor.
2) Hinge monitor bezel glass to manually swing outward and expose the monitor
3) To rotate, manually pull monitor forward beyond the interior sides of the cabinet, rotate 90 degrees, and push back in.
4) Swing bezel glass back to close, and enjoy.

Has this approach been tried before?

Most of the ones I've seen are automated, so probably not. However, I don't think it's a bad idea for the mount. Not sure about the hinged bezel, though. I'd have to see that one. 

[BadMouth]

Not a bad idea. 

I think it would be more for someone who didn't want to figure out the mechanics and software to automatically rotate, rather than someone worried about the cab width.

I'd probably skip the hinges and just have the glass be easily lifted out....or skip the glass altogether.

The extra width required isn't bad at all with 4:3 screens.
The 16:9 screen in my cab is another story, but it also allowed me to space the controls extra comfortably for two players.

[mgb]

Sounds like a nice low tech solution to a problem.
The whole automatic rotating monitor thing is nice but sometimes the wider cabinet (or smaller monitor) just can't be justified.
  Seems like it should work fine.
It's similar to the way a monitor is rotated on the Japanese candy cabs with crts but of course with different hardware.

[Le Chuck]

I did a lift out on Darkade. That was an out the back pull, a variation on the alien bartop by DMWorking247 that was a pull from the front. Rather than use a VESA mount the bezel/monitor mount is square. Pretty easy.

I've thought about doing a rail system and using a strong LA to push the monitor out past the edges and having a  direct drive servo make the turn. Someday.

[lettuce]

Think something like this would be better.....

http://www.bracketsrus.co.uk/High-quality-adjustable-under-counter-/-cabinet-bracket-cs5-c190-p4609.html

As it only goes in and out and not on a hinge, now an ideal version would be one that rotates the display as well. You could then get a linear actuator and some programable grubbings to control the actuator to push the screen out and rotate by a push of a button!?. Here a vid that shows a wireless remote setup, but u get the idea.....

[BadMouth]

VESA mounts are rarely if ever centered with the screen.  An adapter plate aoul will need to be made to correct for that.

Sent using Board Express

[darthpaul]

This seems very doable using an actuator to push it out and a motor/actuator/servo to turn it. Automating it shouldn't  be much of a problem.

[AGarv]

Good ideas for automating this using a pull-out that's non-VESA, hadn't considered those.  LeChuck I will have to check out those cabs that use a pull-out approach already, thanks.

Another benefit for widescreen LCDs could be minimizing the vertical bezel height.  You don't need the vertical 16:9 (or 16:10) aspect ratio, so just articulate the arm down several inches to hide part of the monitor below the control panel and expose something more like a 4:3 aspect ratio (rough picture below). 

[AGarv]

LeChuck, thanks for point out DMWorking247's alien bartop - very cool technique for a front-pull rotating monitor!  Looks like he used a 4:3 set in a square bezel:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,84251.0.html

[SavannahLion]

Yeah, I had the same idea a few years ago and created blueprints for two versions. I ended up never going beyond an early blueprint stage.

One was a version where rotating the monitor involved opening the back and, using a heavy duty VESA mount I located, rotate and reposition the monitor (I discovered the same problem BadMouth mentioned). I didn't really desire front access to the monitor because I didn't want anyone else gaining access to the inside of the cab and I was really interested in doing a really nice "face" which would have precluded opening the front anyways. At the time, none of my cabs were backed against the wall so accessing it from behind wouldn't have been that big a deal anyways.

The second design dropped the entire manual process and involved a set of motors (I'm using the term motors inclusive. That means including servos and steppers for those who can't figure it out.) and actuators all driven by a custom controller. I even worked out the geometry and drew up a set of blueprints, circuit schematics, and tested the process via animation showing two different rotation paths. Never got around to writing some test software. I still have most, if not all, of the files archived away somewhere, if my house wasn't so trashed (remodel) I might actually know where they are. 

In the end, I decided that the effort of the former and the cost of the latter ultimately could not justify the "coolness" factor of that kind of rotating monitor. In short, I felt it would work if one went cheap but had to contend with those particular issues, or went for broke in which case the money could be better used towards better "features" anyways. Any option "in between" would have resulted in a "classic" configuration which is something I didn't want.

It is unquestionably "doable", DMWorking247's bartop and some of the really awesome rotating monitor cabinets attests to that. It just wasn't the cabinet for me. Here is another example of a really great rotating cabinet where instead of trying to fit a round peg into a square hole just make the hole round; Retro-Futuristic Mame cabinet.

[Le Chuck]

In the end I like Malenko's solution the best. Use a giant vertical screen and don't worry about rotating.

[yotsuya]

In the end I like Malenko's solution the best. Use a giant vertical screen and don't worry about rotating.

Amen, bro.

[AGarv]

Agreed, Malenko's approach is solid, and a nice solution for getting a large 4:3 aspect ratio out out of a modern widescreen LCD screen: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=97260.0

I would probably still have an adjustable bezel to block screen illumination on the top and bottom when used for horizontal games.  Once AMOLED TVs become mainstream (where the black pixels are actually turned off), his approach will be just about perfect without the need for a bezel.

[kahlid74]

The other thing to consider, is a showcase cab.  These cabs support larger screen by default and can make use of it quite well.  I'm using a 42" TV in my showcase cab build that rotates.  I plan to build a small box around it hiding the TV bezel.  Kind of thinking something along the lines of Short circuit when it comes to the build.

Just a thought.

[lettuce]

Good ideas for automating this using a pull-out that's non-VESA, hadn't considered those.  LeChuck I will have to check out those cabs that use a pull-out approach already, thanks.

Another benefit for widescreen LCDs could be minimizing the vertical bezel height.  You don't need the vertical 16:9 (or 16:10) aspect ratio, so just articulate the arm down several inches to hide part of the monitor below the control panel and expose something more like a 4:3 aspect ratio (rough picture below).

How about turning it 180 degress and using the unused space on the display as the marquee 

[PL1]

Good ideas for automating this using a pull-out that's non-VESA, hadn't considered those.  LeChuck I will have to check out those cabs that use a pull-out approach already, thanks.

Another benefit for widescreen LCDs could be minimizing the vertical bezel height.  You don't need the vertical 16:9 (or 16:10) aspect ratio, so just articulate the arm down several inches to hide part of the monitor below the control panel and expose something more like a 4:3 aspect ratio (rough picture below).

How about turning it 180 degress and using the unused space on the display as the marquee 

Sounds like a great variation on RandyT's LCD Marquee Project here.

 


Scott

[SegaOutrun]

I use my cab as an outdoor tv so, I have it on an arm mount and I dont think it would be ideal for rotation. It may be my brand but i always have to make small adjustment to level it. I dont think you could get it to stay at a perfect 90degree angle.   

[AGarv]

I use my cab as an outdoor tv so, I have it on an arm mount and I dont think it would be ideal for rotation. It may be my brand but i always have to make small adjustment to level it. I dont think you could get it to stay at a perfect 90degree angle.

Good point, you would probably want to screw some small wooden "guides" to the cabinet interior at the monitor corners to align/hold the display at the correct horizontal (and vertical) orientation once it's pushed back in.