24" Apex flat screen TV $149 at Sam's Club

[Hooch]

I just thought I would mention this to people who were building their own cabs.  I started mine a week ago and had a few minor problems with some of the side panels and had to make it 25 1/2" wide instead of 26.  This caused problems with most 25 and 27" tv's I was looking at.  This Apex 24" TV is nice and has a true flat screen in the front.  It's kind of tall (22.6"), but it fits really nicely in my cab.  The bonus was that it was only 149.  BTW it also has s-video, which is a must in my opinion.

What are your opinions on flat vs curved monitors?  Seems like it would make creating a bezel much much easier.

[Lilwolf]

Most people seem to prefer the non-flatscreen for cabinets...

1) because the originals wheren't

2) Because you can't get premade bezels to fit.

but you can make your own bezel (search for a great thread on it).  

And you can get a flat screen SVID TV and see if it looks good to you.

And in the end... you might have something YOU like better.  Might not be as authentic..  But to you its all good!

[Tahnok]

If it is the same one that I bought, it is not a true flat screen. Look closer, it still has a curve.

BTW, Circuit City sells it for $140.

[Hooch]

It's not the same TV.  It's more like the 20" Flat Screen Apex TV that circuit city is selling for 149.

Here's a link.

http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/viewproduct.jsp?item=834038

[crashwg]

Hooch, what happens when you unplug it while it's on and plug it back in?

I as, because it is a largely sought after feature for the tv to come back on in the same mode and if this model does it I'll probably buy one.

[Hooch]

Are you asking if it comes back to the same mode when unplugged, plugged back in and then turned on, or do you want to know if it comes straight back on when plugged back in?

If its the latter it does not come back on when plugged back in.

[DrewKaree]

He's asking because when you shut your cab down everything will shut down, including the TV.  When you fire your cab up again, if that TV doesn't go back to the same state (meaning turned on) as before you shut the cab down, then you will ALWAYS require the remote for the TV to be handy, to turn the thing back on.  Could turn into one of two things:

1.  Annoying, in case you run out of battery power and can't start your cab up because you have no screen

or

2.  Fatal, as in "I LOST THE FRIGGEN REMOTE!".  Now you gotta rip out the TV or hope "Not Me" or "I don't know" return your remote.

[RayB]

Why use a TV? What kind of video output do you use so it works on a TV? I suppose this could be the ultimate multi-purpose cab for bachelors and rec rooms. Watch movies on it when you're not playing games...

[JLR2000]

Why use a TV? What kind of video output do you use so it works on a TV? I suppose this could be the ultimate multi-purpose cab for bachelors and rec rooms. Watch movies on it when you're not playing games...

I decided to go the TV route due to cost.  A 27" TV cost me $250 at the time, with S-Video input.  I think a 27" Arcade monitor went for $500-$600 at the time.  Now, the purists won't be happy with it, but I have never noticed an issue using the TV, the picture looks great to me.  No one who has played my cab has ever even guessed it was a TV inside until I told them.  So for me (the non-purist), getting a 27" output for an affordable price was the motivation.

[DrewKaree]

Why use a TV? What kind of video output do you use so it works on a TV? I suppose this could be the ultimate multi-purpose cab for bachelors and rec rooms. Watch movies on it when you're not playing games...

Like JLR said, using a TV gives you a reasonable picture for a fraction of the cost, although some here are pretty resourceful at getting phat deals on arcade monitors.  The video output you use for a TV is S-video.  You just need to use a videocard that has S-video output, ATI or nVidia both make several versions.  You could use it for watching movies or other stuff, but that'd work better with a showcase cabinet.  Otherwise, the cost is the main reason behind using a TV.

[vputz]

I'll confirm that using a TV without S-video (still using my circa 1992 cheap Sanyo 27") looks, well, pretty blurry.  It still works, mind, but I could wish for better.

-->VPutz

[tep0583]

He's asking because when you shut your cab down everything will shut down, including the TV.  When you fire your cab up again, if that TV doesn't go back to the same state (meaning turned on) as before you shut the cab down, then you will ALWAYS require the remote for the TV to be handy, to turn the thing back on.  Could turn into one of two things:

1.  Annoying, in case you run out of battery power and can't start your cab up because you have no screen

or

2.  Fatal, as in "I LOST THE FRIGGEN REMOTE!".  Now you gotta rip out the TV or hope "Not Me" or "I don't know" return your remote.

Not nesessarily.

Mine does come on automatically, but I did also solder a couple of wires to the switch and ran them up to the top of my cab so I can turn the TV on and off without mucking around in the cab. I also don't have to keep track of a remote this way.

Its fairly easy to do and the button is an out of the way place and is not noticable to the casual observer.

[DrewKaree]

Mine does come on automatically, but I did also solder a couple of wires to the switch and ran them up to the top of my cab so I can turn the TV on and off without mucking around in the cab. I also don't have to keep track of a remote this way.

Its fairly easy to do and the button is an out of the way place and is not noticable to the casual observer.

Did you take the circuit board out of the remote to do this?  I seem to remember someone doing that somewhere, that's why I ask.