Arcade displays

[enigma]

What would be reccommended for an arcade display?

I was originally thinking about a wells gardner display, but now have been thinking about a panasonic ultra-flat TV (I forget the actual name, but it's something like ultra-flat). I've also read that a computer monitor would work too, but I'd rather start out with something larger.

[slicer_d]

It just depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.  The wells gardner it probably the most expensive of the lot but looks like a real arcade monitor with the scanlines and everything.  Depending on what size you want the tv might be the cheapest and then you could also watch tv on it.  If you only want a 19" computer monitor it would be real cheap you should be able to find one locally used for 50-70 bucks and it should fit into a 19" arcade cabinet with some tweaking.  Personally money is the clincher for me so I went with the monitor if I was doing full sized cutom built cab I would probably go for a big 25" tv or maybe the wells gardener I'm not really sure.

[enigma]

Thanks.

I would have gone with the Wells Gardner if it weren't sooooooo expensive. I'm prolly going to go with a TV now. My main concern with the TV is a poor picture. I've heard that TV's produce a blurry and sometimes, unreadable screen when recieving input from a computer. On top of that, I was also worried about image distortion from the curves in a TV's screen. Hopefully, I won't get too much distortion with the ultra-flat screen. And it will be easier to build a bezel for it.

[slicer_d]

I hooked up my TV (26" i think) just for  $h!ts and giggles and it looked pretty good as far as the arcade games go.  When using windows it looks pretty crappy but  most frontends and arcade games are much lower rez and look much better on the TV than windows does.  Also you dont need to worry about them being distorted by the curved tube if you look at real arcade monitors they have really curved tubes morso than TV's and pc monitors I think.  The only problem I could see is getting a tv that is to big and putting it to close to you but as long as your CP is far away enough from the TV you should be fine.

[JustMichael]

If you use a tv please make sure it has at least an s-video input.  The composite (RCA connectors) just don't do arcade games justice.  For me I had a spare 17" computer monitor so it went into the cab.  As far as picture goes between a computer monitor and tv, the tv wins out for arcade games!

[enigma]

Why, what's the problem with RCA video, and would it work if I simply used an RCA to S-Video converter? Because my vid card only has RCA

[mahuti]

I use a 19" tv. (Non-flatscreen, though it's getting harder to find them)

Works just fine, hooked up through ATI card.

Nice thing is, I can watch TV on it,  or adjust the brightness, etc with the remote control, without having to get in the cabinet.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I picked up a 21" monitor at Fry's for $130 after rebates; and it's almost too big for the way I designed my cabinet.

If you are standing up at the cabinet, it gets a little hard to see the entire screen at once.
I've found myself using a barstool to sit at my cabinet more and more because that sets me a little farther back.

My cabinet also does double duty as my graphics rig, so I opted for the computer monitor approach.
You can always dumb down the display on the monitor to more closely resemble an arcade monitor; but can't make an arcade monitor look good enough to do graphics.

[Xiaou2]

(100%) The best signal is true RGB
(90%) then Component
(80%) then svideo
(50%) then composite (rca)

(I poped percents in there as opinion based upon the performances ive seen from each of them.)

 Im sure there are a few others missing... but basically,
the difference between rca and svideo is huge.  

 You will lose a Lot of color and details if you use rca...  
 Svideo is much cleaner and detailed.  Its very close to an arcade display.  The later ATI cards have great svideo output, and output options. (i highly recomend them)  Also, some tv's have poor svideo port quality.  Try to look for higher priced brands rather than the cheapo or noname ones.  (The panasonic 27" i got looks great.  However, dosnt work with the actlabs tv gun):

 Component video is only now starting to pop up in video cards.. however... I think the output is geared more from hdtv's rather than anything else.  This may just be driver issues that havnt been perfected as well.  

 RGB is a pure signal that they pump into arcade or rgb monitors.  The signal has not been compressed, so will be 100% accurate.


Composite (rca)



Svideo on same tv

[enigma]

Is it possible to get a DVI or VGA to S-Video adapter??

If so, would it work well??

[Minwah]

Is it possible to get a DVI or VGA to S-Video adapter??

If so, would it work well??

I don't believe so (unless you get a scan converted, which would cost a lot for a good one).

You may as well just use RCA if that is all your video card has...worth getting an s-video TV tho in case you ever get an s-video card...

IMO s-video is very nearly as bad as RCA tho - perhaps I'm spoiled by RGB (everything here in UK has RGB in scart   )

[enigma]

(everything here in UK has RGB in scart   )

Lucky you...

[slicer_d]

Trust me s-video is much much better than rca my vrc only takes rca so it gets left tuned to rca and when I turn it back to S-video I can tell an immediate difference and my tv isnt even all that great.

Is it possible to get a DVI or VGA to S-Video adapter??

If so, would it work well??

I don't believe so (unless you get a scan converted, which would cost a lot for a good one).

You may as well just use RCA if that is all your video card has...worth getting an s-video TV tho in case you ever get an s-video card...

IMO s-video is very nearly as bad as RCA tho - perhaps I'm spoiled by RGB (everything here in UK has RGB in scart   )

[Sephroth57]

well another option which i think is the best option. go to an arcade auction or find a used machine online or whatever. and just use the monitor off a used machine. you can pickup a decent machine for like 100$ at a arcade auction and u get extra parts to play with plus a true arcade monitor which cannot be replicated by a PC monitor or TV

[slicer_d]

This is the way to go if you live in Cali or NY you have no excuse not to do it pesonally I would have to drive to Cali to get a decent cheap cab its so weak.

well another option which i think is the best option. go to an arcade auction or find a used machine online or whatever. and just use the monitor off a used machine. you can pickup a decent machine for like 100$ at a arcade auction and u get extra parts to play with plus a true arcade monitor which cannot be replicated by a PC monitor or TV

[enigma]

But I've heard that original arcade monitors don't have a standard interface.

How would I interface it to a PC??

[JustMichael]

ArcadeVGA is a very simple solution.

[JamesS]

I have a question about the Arcade Moniters.

If you put one in Horizontal, say 21 inches.  Would pac-man should up Horizontal or vertical?  

In other words, would it show up like the Computer Monitor does currently?

[Minwah]

I have a question about the Arcade Moniters.

If you put one in Horizontal, say 21 inches.  Would pac-man should up Horizontal or vertical?  

In other words, would it show up like the Computer Monitor does currently?

You can set it up the same, ie horizontal OR vertical...

One thing to note is that depending on a games number of lines (vertical no. pixels) and how you have your screen size setup, it may be tricky to display a vertical game horizontally & natively*, without loosing some of the picture top+bottom.  In real terms this means that if you have your screen setup to display horiz. games full-screen, then you will probably loose the top/bottom for vertical games with >~240-256 lines.  The solution is to either live with it, squash you display down a bit, or display at a higher resolution & loose authenticity (eg 640x480 hwstretch).  I go for the latter, as I prefer to have horiz. games displayed perfectly

*by 'natively' I mean as natively as possible, eg PacMan runs at 224x288 natively, the best equivalent is 352x288 on a horiz. screen.

[PedroSilva]

Hi guys,

I've been looking at the discussion   and I'd like some advice.
Have a S-video out card.
The card has a s-video - RCA cable.
Bought this adapter:

The question is:
Should I use the supplied cable or buy a s-video - s-video one ?

Note: the adapter is to connect on a SCART on the TV set.

[Minwah]

Hi guys,

I've been looking at the discussion   and I'd like some advice.
Have a S-video out card.
The card has a s-video - RCA cable.
Bought this adapter:

The question is:
Should I use the supplied cable or buy a s-video - s-video one ?

Note: the adapter is to connect on a SCART on the TV set.

If you *must* use s-video then get an s-video > s-video lead.

But since you have a Scart TV, you have to get an ArcadeVGA card - you'll be blown away by the results.  Check it out: http://mamewah.mameworld.net/arcadevga.html

[paigeoliver]

If you put one in Horizontal, say 21 inches.  Would pac-man should up Horizontal or vertical?  

No such monitor.

COMMON arcade monitor sizes in the US are.
13", 19" 25" 27" 33"

Uncommon sizes in the US include.
20" & 14" (Nanoa monitors used in early Sega games, also many Australian games).

There are also a few other sizes that exist only in Japanese import cabs (29 and 39 come to mind).

But anyway, as far as I KNOW there are not any 21" arcade monitors. If there are, then they are REALLY rare, because I have never heard of a game that used one.

[enigma]

Perhaps a stupid question, but what is SCART video? Is it where the RGB is separated into separate leads or cables??

[Minwah]

No such monitor.

COMMON arcade monitor sizes in the US are.
13", 19" 25" 27" 33"

Uncommon sizes in the US include.
20" & 14" (Nanoa monitors used in early Sega games, also many Australian games).

There are also a few other sizes that exist only in Japanese import cabs (29 and 39 come to mind).

But anyway, as far as I KNOW there are not any 21" arcade monitors. If there are, then they are REALLY rare, because I have never heard of a game that used one.

Wrong, I have a 21" arcade monitor - a Hantarex Polo, they are easily available (new).

I dunno what games use 21" screens tho - I expect they have been used in Jamma generic cabs...

[Minwah]

Perhaps a stupid question, but what is SCART video? Is it where the RGB is separated into separate leads or cables??

Scart is the name of a connector which comes on just about all (relatively modern) European TV sets, VCRs, DVD players etc...

The connector is wired for composite video, RGB video*, Audio.  All these both input and outputs, all in one connector.

*some sockets are not wired with RGB, if the manufacturer is being cheap.

Anyway, a Scart TV can be used just like an arcade monitor, as it has an RGB input the same