JVC 32" D-series CRT

[heyyouguys]

Found a good deal for this on CL, and was wondering if it would work for a full size cabinet? Or is this too big for a Mame cabinet?

[Zebidee]

I think that 27", maybe 29", CRT is the biggest useful size for an arcade cabinet.

Beyond that, I think you should be moving towards multiplayer bartop or console-type arrangements (separate control panels) or maybe driving cabs.

[bobbyb13]

Found a good deal for this on CL, and was wondering if it would work for a full size cabinet? Or is this too big for a Mame cabinet?

Awesome for a MAME cabinet, especially a multi-player one.
At that size I would even say a pedestal form factor that could be split into two pieces so that you don't need a few champion wrestlers to move it around.
What inputs does it have?

[Zebidee]

Found a good deal for this on CL, and was wondering if it would work for a full size cabinet? Or is this too big for a Mame cabinet?

Awesome for a MAME cabinet, especially a multi-player one.
At that size I would even say a pedestal form factor that could be split into two pieces so that you don't need a few champion wrestlers to move it around.
What inputs does it have?

This is kinda what I meant with the above post too.

What I'd love is 2 identical large CRTs + control panels so that 2 players can wrest the challenge between themselves, without also wresting for elbow room.

Japanese arcades solved this with back-to-back astrocab designs, with 2 monitors and 2 control panels set 180 degrees apart. But, if building yourself, there is no reason why you can't connect the displays and CPs in any arrangement you prefer. I'd prefer completely separate so you can configure to your house and your heart's content.

https://segaretro.org/Versus_City

[dmckean]

32" is awfully big for a cabinet but those JVC D-Series are great TVs.

[heyyouguys]

I think that 27", maybe 29", CRT is the biggest useful size for an arcade cabinet.

Beyond that, I think you should be moving towards multiplayer bartop or console-type arrangements (separate control panels) or maybe driving cabs.

Thanks for the replies! It would most likely be just a 2 person build. I just measured my Area 51 CRT and its about 25" obviously its not angled in any way. And i see that may be quite large (or maiximum) for general 80s-early 90s 1-2 player games.

What is desired size for 80-early 90s? Is 20" too small and I imagine 24-25" is close to max?

[dmckean]

Up until about 1987 the vast majority of upright cabinets used 19" CRTs. Then slowly more 25" CRTs were used and eventually 25" screens became the norm.

I would stick with that. If you wanted a slightly oversized look, a 27" CRT in those same cabs can be cool. The candy cabs used 29" screens and those are cool too.

[Zebidee]

Some people on the forum have done builds with 32" CRTs. Nothing wrong with that, if it is what you want. There are some special consideration for larger sizes, like installation and how to support the weight.

Personally, I am loving the 19"-20"-21" size CRTs more and more as time goes on. Aside from looking "cuter", in some cases it improves the gaming experience. Like when playing fast-moving shmups, smaller screens mean less distance for the eyes to scan, thus faster response times.

Also, in my experience making and selling customs cabs to others, people can have a negative reaction to a cab that is much larger than themselves. Smaller people prefer smaller cabs.

Most of my builds have used 25"-29" CRTs, but the 20" cabs have actually been more popular. Seems that size is not everything.

I am currently doing a build with a 20", and plan to do maybe a half-dozen more after that.

[nitrogen_widget]

32" is awfully big for a cabinet but those JVC D-Series are great TVs.

I still have mine.
I had an RPI with xbmc connected via composite and the picture was really good.
before that i had PVR PC hooked up to the component with digital tuners and my satellite tv piped into it and the picture was fantastic.

it's in a corner somewhere because it won't stay on (probably bad caps) but i'm holding onto it to fix because PS 2 light gun games were great on it.

[BadMouth]

32" makes a good pedestal setup that isn't too deep.
My first setup was an X-arcade tankstick mounted in front of a 32" tube tv.
It worked well for everything.  The screen was big enough that vertical games still felt right.
Not having the screen angled also made it great for true CRT gun games.

The only thing to watch for is that some top of the line models had built in picture processing that introduce lag or screw up the timing for light guns.
I picked up a HD CRT Sony Wega that I thought was going to be the great for emulation, but the built in processing could not be turned off.

[bobbyb13]

Above comments are spot on.
27" max for a regular upright cabinet, even smaller size preferred.
32 is just too damn heavy and to big to stand that close to in an upright (at least for my aging eyesight.)

If you are married to the 32", make yourself a two player pedestal and you'll be stoked.

What games do you want your machine to play?

[heyyouguys]

Up until about 1987 the vast majority of upright cabinets used 19" CRTs. Then slowly more 25" CRTs were used and eventually 25" screens became the norm.

I would stick with that. If you wanted a slightly oversized look, a 27" CRT in those same cabs can be cool. The candy cabs used 29" screens and those are cool too.

Some people on the forum have done builds with 32" CRTs. Nothing wrong with that, if it is what you want. There are some special consideration for larger sizes, like installation and how to support the weight.

Personally, I am loving the 19"-20"-21" size CRTs more and more as time goes on. Aside from looking "cuter", in some cases it improves the gaming experience. Like when playing fast-moving shmups, smaller screens mean less distance for the eyes to scan, thus faster response times.

Also, in my experience making and selling customs cabs to others, people can have a negative reaction to a cab that is much larger than themselves. Smaller people prefer smaller cabs.

Most of my builds have used 25"-29" CRTs, but the 20" cabs have actually been more popular. Seems that size is not everything.

I am currently doing a build with a 20", and plan to do maybe a half-dozen more after that.

This is good to know. Thank you all. I can seem to find a lot of 20" tvs to use that are available on CL.

Above comments are spot on.
27" max for a regular upright cabinet, even smaller size preferred.
32 is just too damn heavy and to big to stand that close to in an upright (at least for my aging eyesight.)

If you are married to the 32", make yourself a two player pedestal and you'll be stoked.

What games do you want your machine to play?

1 to 2 player 80s-early 90s games only. I am def not married to the 32" and basically have said its a no go for what i want. And like you said, I think it would be too much to stand that close to a 32" without eyesight issues as well.

[Xiaou2]

Ive seen Ms Pacman on large sized monitors... and it actually detracts from the look.

 Things are stretched out, more pixilated.  And being too close to a larger monitor, makes it
difficult to see all of the action, without panning.

 Now... If you are maintaining the original sizes,  and using the extra display to make it good
to run either horizontal and vertical games on the same monitor... that could be a valid reason.

 From my personal comfort, I found the 25" fighting game cabinet monitors, to be as big as
I could stand.

 If its a pedestal cabinet... that puts the screen about 4 to 5 feet away... that thats a different story.
Those work decently for larger scale images.

 With Pedestals, However., ..you do lose that close quarter magic, that comes from the typical
19" classic arcade cabinets.   Those cabs with their black sides... act sort of like Blinders.. and
really make it much easier to focus, and be more immersed into the game.  The sound also tends
to be better.. because its contained within that walled-in-space... so there is less outside noise distortions.

 Another Exception to the rule.. could be the use of mounting it facing upwards, and using a half-silvered
mirror.   This is used on games like Discs of Tron, Terminator 2, Lethal Enforcers, and a bunch of others.
The mirror bounce creates additional distance... so it looks and feels like the monitor is about 3 ft away..
and looks a bit Smaller.    SO in this case... a larger sized monitor would help negate the screen seeming
smaller.. while also still making it further away from the players.

 Additionally, one could install artwork behind the semi-translucent mirror, that could be backlit, to make
a 3D display.  (like Asteroids Deluxe, Discs of Tron..etc)


 There are some other reasons for a larger monitor... such as playing certain PC games that have small
text, more detailed images, and or higher resolutions.  Graphics cards can do a pretty decent job in
scaling higher resolution video... to lower resolution displays.  I believe some of them can / do, use
interlacing methods.

 (actually, Tekken III has an Interlace mode that you can enable in the Service menu.  Not sure if it
works in mame or not.. as its been a very long while, since I last tried)

 I believe I used to use a 27" Panasonic tv, with my Consoles.  It was a good size for lightgun games,
standing several feet back from it.

[Yenome]

look up showcase cabinet. they used 32-39 in crt. your other option is to mount the tv vertically. it will be awesome screen area for vertical games and make a 24in 4:3 for horizontal games. plenty of candy cabs used 32in monitors. i seen a 32in tv mounted vertically in a Killer instinct cab. think it found post from 2010 about it. this is the build post
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,97260.0.html

[Zebidee]

i seen a 32in tv mounted vertically in a Killer instinct cab. think it found post from 2010 about it. this is the build post
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,97260.0.html

That cab certainly does look good in the photos, but there are a few issues with using vertical orientation for horizontal games. For example, the scan lines will run the wrong way. You will never be able to run a game like MK in its original video mode (I think it is 410x256@54.7hz), as there aren't enough vertical lines for the horizontal resolution. You would have to run it in an interlaced mode so would be stretched to fit and flickery. You would not be able to match original frame rate either, so would probably need something like triple buffering to avoid stuttering and/or screen tearing. Which adds performance lag.

On the other hand, it would be awesome for those pretty shmups like Raiden and Caves and Batsugun etc with good art, lots of colour and fast moving action, especially with the two-player setup options. A lot of vertical games would be great on it, with the caveat that you have greater distance to scan with your eye.

On the other hand, if you have a large LCD or other modern display, mounting it vertically for playing both horizontal and vertical games makes a lot of sense, as you wouldn't have the same issues as the 15khz CRTs.

[Yenome]

i seen a 32in tv mounted vertically in a Killer instinct cab. think it found post from 2010 about it. this is the build post
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,97260.0.html

That cab certainly does look good in the photos, but there are a few issues with using vertical orientation for horizontal games. For example, the scan lines will run the wrong way. You will never be able to run a game like MK in its original video mode (I think it is 410x256@54.7hz), as there aren't enough vertical lines for the horizontal resolution. You would have to run it in an interlaced mode so would be stretched to fit and flickery. You would not be able to match original frame rate either, so would probably need something like triple buffering to avoid stuttering and/or screen tearing. Which adds performance lag.

On the other hand, it would be awesome for those pretty shmups like Raiden and Caves and Batsugun etc with good art, lots of colour and fast moving action, especially with the two-player setup options. A lot of vertical games would be great on it, with the caveat that you have greater distance to scan with your eye.

On the other hand, if you have a large LCD or other modern display, mounting it vertically for playing both horizontal and vertical games makes a lot of sense, as you wouldn't have the same issues as the 15khz CRTs.

lcd wont be able to match the refresh rate of mk either. which can be seen running mk on a 60hz lcd monitor and the scrolling characters stutter on the sides.

[Zebidee]

lcd wont be able to match the refresh rate of mk either. which can be seen running mk on a 60hz lcd monitor and the scrolling characters stutter on the sides.

Yeah I imagine you'd want some nice-specced gaming monitor, maybe with a variable refresh rate rather than a fixed-resolution type. That, and/or a high-spec computer/GPU to do the framerate matching work with Groovymame.