Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: 60 in 1 monitor options  (Read 3198 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

kaz1961

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 165
  • Last login:August 11, 2020, 09:11:22 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
60 in 1 monitor options
« on: August 31, 2019, 06:26:07 pm »
I would like to make a custom cab with a 60 in 1 jamma board. What are my options for using a modern tv or computer monitor. Do I need one with a 4:3 ratio? Any help appreciated, thanks.

smass

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 302
  • Last login:January 09, 2024, 07:46:54 pm
  • Cheapskate Arcade
Re: 60 in 1 monitor options
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2019, 09:41:09 am »
If you can find a 4:3 CRT computer monitor that's would be the way I would go.  A 20" computer monitor (which is pretty hard to find in my area) has a 19" tube, which is the same size as most of the classic games on a 60 in 1.  I am currently bringing a stripped Dig Dug cabinet back to life and I went with a 19" CRT monitor because I cannot find a 20".  19" computer monitors have a 18" tube, so its 1" smaller than the original arcade monitor would have been.  That said, I think its big enough.  I am using a 60 in 1 and I think it looks great using the VGA out from the 60 in 1 to the CRT monitor.  A CRT monitor has a sharper picture than a standard resolution arcade monitor, but it still has visible scan lines, and looks pretty darn good with the 60 in 1.

A word of caution if you plan to use an LCD. A 19" LCD is easy to find used, for $10 or under.  I have a few that I use in horizontal builds.  If you plan to go with a vertical monitor build, most LCDs have bad viewing angles, especially from the the bottom angle.  Once you turn the LCD monitor on its side for a vertical build, the bad viewing angle from one side (the bottom angle when its horizontal) is very noticeable.  There are a few LCDs with good viewing angles, they will generally be ones with IPS screens.  In particular the Dell 2001FP and 2007FP have great viewing angles.  The Dells are 20" 4:3 monitors and if you can live with an LCD, they are a great choice for a vertical build or for a cocktail table where viewing angles are very important.  Lastly, for an LCD, I would suggest purchasing a hardware based scan line generator to hook up between the 60 in 1 and the LCD.  They are around $25 and make the LCD display look a lot better with vintage games. 

I attached a picture of my work in progress Dig Dug with the 19" CRT computer monitor mounted. 
« Last Edit: September 01, 2019, 09:42:41 am by smass »

smass

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 302
  • Last login:January 09, 2024, 07:46:54 pm
  • Cheapskate Arcade
Re: 60 in 1 monitor options
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2019, 09:48:39 am »
One more point, if you must go with a 16:9 monitor, you will have plenty of blank area on the screen since the 60 in 1 output is 4:3.  You could mask off the blank areas of the monitor with a customized monitor bezel.  That way only the 4:3 image is visible.  However, if viewing angles are bad, you will still have that problem.  If you go LCD try to find a 20" Dell 2001FP or 2007FP 4:3 monitor, which is perfect for a 60 in 1 build. :)