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I have 2 options to take: CRT or LCD - which one?
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paigeoliver:
CRT.

The lcds are too crisp.

As for longevity. The 40 year old monitor in my Pro Tennis has never been serviced and and is only the teeniest bit off (although it takes about a minute to warm up as it is tube based). The 35 year old monitors in my Space Invaders and Clowns games both have great pictures and neither one of those every appear to have seen any service either.
shponglefan:
Personally, I'd go LCD, but that's because my goals are different than other people's goals.

For you, I would determine your goals of your own arcade machine. If you goal is to simulate the original arcade experience as accurately as possible, then an arcade monitor or failing that, a CRT computer monitor will get you closer to that.

But you will have to deal with the fact they are bigger, heavier, consume more energy, release more heat, and in the long run, more difficult to replace given their obsolescence.

OTOH, if you just want to be able to play some arcade games and are less concerned about the "look" of them with respect to scanlines and what-not, then LCD has a lot of advantages over CRT.  Also, if you are playing non-MAME games (i.e. PC games, etc) then a widescreen LCD will allow you to run widescreen games.

It's all about trade-offs.
shponglefan:

--- Quote from: opt2not on November 12, 2013, 11:49:50 am ---Once an LCD starts going, you just throw it out.
--- End quote ---

Uh, what?  LCDs can be repaired too (I've done it).  It depends on what part is failing.

Also, "broken" LCDs (i.e. ones that only require capacitor replacement) can be had for free, repaired for next to nothing, and turned into fully working LCDs.
DGP:
CRT's will yield the best looking image and are the best over-all solution for old school arcade classics but LCD's have their advantages as well (especially for a multi-cade running more that just the classics), it's all personal preference really.

Then of course there's the issue of what you want/need being obtainable for a reasonable amount (as we recently discussed in another thread). Nice 19" crt's can usually be found within a stones throw while 25" + is an entirely different situation (unless $ is of no concern).

The main variance that will be obvious is black level but you can help an LCD out by tossing some tinted/smoked glass or plexi in front of it.

Jason
Dawgz Rule:
Why simulate scan lines when you can have the real thing?  Given that you have both, bench test each one and see which one you like the best.
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