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New to shooting games..do I need aimtrak with a tube TV?
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dkersten:
I am a big fan of Big Buck HD at the bar, and those are IR LED based guns that are extremely accurate (if they are regularly calibrated).  You can be 12 inches from the screen or 7 feet back and still be dead on even to the corners.  There are 2 LED's, both above the monitor and one above the other in the marquee.  The technology is very similar to the aimtrak's from what I can see, but the calibration is more complicated and I think that is the main difference.  You start by shooting a fixed point on the marquee (top center of the screen) and then shoot targets all over the screen.  The sensor is not in the end of the gun, it is on top and about centered over the trigger area, angled up a little so even if you are up close to the screen it has a clear view of the IR LED's in the marquee.  The aimtraks have to be about 5-6 feet back and you pretty much have to be centered and at the same height in order for the aim to be even close.  Off center means forgetting about corners being close, and the calibration is 3 points on the screen, not in all 4 corners and in the center and top and bottom, so corners can't be calculated if off axis (and end up with a trapezoidal view of the screen). 

I would pay more than the already high price of the aimtraks to have something as accurate as the BBH guns based on the same technology.  But even if they were dead on perfect, as soon as you go from your 16:9 desktop to a 4:3 game, the accuracy is out the window.  I understand that BBH HD is now available on windows 8.1, and I am considering changing over to 8.1 just to try it and see if it works.  It would be worth it to have a similar version to what is at the bars at home. 
AzureKnight:

--- Quote from: RandyT on November 12, 2014, 01:03:50 pm ---
CRT displays.  Even the projection models had CRT's as the source, so they still worked on the same principle.  There is probably a newer technology in use with them now, but it's likely also more advanced and costly than what is used for consumer devices.  I'm sure it's patented as well.  With the newer tech, they can get away with a bit more in the arcade, as the screen size / resolution of the game will be fixed, as well as the position of the player.

--- End quote ---

So given that CRT was the big difference, the OP (and my build) both are using a CRT.  Are there any good options out there that can work with MAME and a CRT?
Jollywest:

--- Quote from: AzureKnight on November 13, 2014, 11:42:55 am ---
--- Quote from: RandyT on November 12, 2014, 01:03:50 pm ---
CRT displays.  Even the projection models had CRT's as the source, so they still worked on the same principle.  There is probably a newer technology in use with them now, but it's likely also more advanced and costly than what is used for consumer devices.  I'm sure it's patented as well.  With the newer tech, they can get away with a bit more in the arcade, as the screen size / resolution of the game will be fixed, as well as the position of the player.

--- End quote ---

So given that CRT was the big difference, the OP (and my build) both are using a CRT.  Are there any good options out there that can work with MAME and a CRT?

--- End quote ---

As the OP knows there is another CRT lightgun option, but it requires a fair bit of work in sourcing and setting up parts/pc and will cost more.
However, if you are keen on having a accurate lightgun setup with original arcade hardware then it may be worth it to you. If not then one of the options mentioned already will probably suffice.

Click the 'USB2Gun' link in my sig for details.

I think BYOAC member 'Purple Tophat' still has one of these available.

I'm planning on uploading some videos in the next few weeks of this setup in action, just need to finish setting everything up 'cab friendly'.
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