plexiglass

[sodapopinski]

I've looked at alot of projects on the web and noticed that nobody has used tinted plexiglass over their display. I converted a double dragon machine into a mame machine a couple years ago and it had a tinted piece of plexiglass. I thought it was great, no need for a bezel and only the light came trough. It was impossible to tell it was a monitor. Id like to do this for my next machine but i'm wondering how hard it is to obtain.

[cholin]

Since Im still in the design process of my cabinet (and funding) I cant quite tell you how hard it is to obtain, but I can say that Ive seen a few projects with tinted plexiglass instead of a bezel.  Alot of people also use painted glass with a black outline on it so they can rotate their monitors.  Im personaly using a 27" TV, so I think I may use tinted plexiglass as well.

To answer your question though, where do you live?

[sodapopinski]

edmonton, alberta, canada. There is certainly no lack of stores, there quite a few glass specialsts here. I just need to make a couple calls. I think price is my concern. Someone told me it would be cheaper to get tinted temperd glass, i dont know about that though.

[cholin]

I live in Canada too and Ive been looking into stuff recently.  If you get prices, could you perhaps give me an email once you do all your ordering?  [cholin at gmail dot com]  I would like to know the more cost effective way and better quality way to do this, if you dont mind.

[Wienerdog]

It's not uncommon.

[tommy]

i work with glass of all kinds  plexi glass is good but it gets faded over time unlike real glass, it also scratches easyr  all smoked glass does is allow you to lighten your monitor  but its easy to find for me atleast  id rather get smoked temp glass

[tommy]

edmonton, alberta, canada. There is certainly no lack of stores, there quite a few glass specialsts here. I just need to make a couple calls. I think price is my concern. Someone told me it would be cheaper to get tinted temperd glass, i dont know about that though.

  glass companys would charge you more for plexi and lexan then real glass but im my case i dont need any glass because theres no chance of somebody ruining my monitor in my house

[Knievel]

I went with smoked glass on my 2 projects. It was $40 for a 1/4" thick, 24"x24" piece...I'm in Winnipeg, MB.
I think the tempered was another $20 but I didn't feel it was necessary in a home environment. The 1/4" is so solid I think you'd have to hit it with a hammer to break it.

[tommy]

it costs 60 for a peice  100 by 100 but thats cost for me  i would sell glass on here but people would have to send a money order and people dont like to pay that way

[cholin]

For home use only, you should be fine without glass though right, whats going to happen to a TV?

[tommy]

yeah thats why when they put an arcade game at a location they use something to cover the monitor  plexi or glass so your monitor dosent get ruined  at home just dont ruin your monitor 

[GameOver]

yeah thats why when they put an arcade game at a location they use something to cover the monitor plexi or glass so your monitor dosent get ruined at home just dont ruin your monitor

Are you suggesting not using any type of glass or plexi over your monitor?  I spose there's nothing wrong with that, but then you won't have the 'finished' look.  It'll look more like a TV on a shelf than an arcade cabinet.  To each their own!

[FractalWalk]

I spose there's nothing wrong with that, but then you won't have the 'finished' look.

[GameOver]

I spose there's nothing wrong with that, but then you won't have the 'finished' look. 

In addition tp making it look finished, tinting makes the actual images look much better than a naked one.

I'd be careful with the 'tinted' comment.  I used a 24" RCA TV in my cabinet.  In general, the image is a bit darker overall.  This is most noticeable in 'dark' games.  I stayed away from the tinted glass since I was concerned it would make this problem worse.  I guess fiddling with brightness/contrast would help some, but then you start to lose other image qualities at some point.  Judge the tinted aspect based on your video set-up. 

For me, I felt adding tinted glass to a dark image would've made the picture worse, not better so I went w/clear glass.  Looks good IMO (click on the globe under my avatar to see pics of my cab - 2 sheets of 1/4" clear tempered glass with a bezel sandwiched inbetween).

[RayB]

"Nobody" huh? 

Other than plexi glass there's also Acrylic. Anyone know the different? I saw a sheet of smoked acrylic yesterday for about $20.

[tommy]

"Nobody" huh?

[FractalWalk]

For me, I felt adding tinted glass to a dark image would've made the picture worse, not better so I went w/clear glass.

[dabone]

I put plexi in front of my monitor, but I'm going to replace it with glass.

The reason is that I have light guns and people get carried away and
sometimes touch the plexi with the guns. (esp. when calibrating them for the next game)

So my new plexi only lasted 2 weeks before getting scratched by the end of a plastic gun.

Later,
dabone

[sodapopinski]

hands down the smoked plexi gives a more authentic look. Who wants the edge of your monitor/ tv visible anyways?

[GameOver]

Awww shooot.  It does look good!  The only thing I would point out is both these examples used monitors, not TV's.  But still, I see your point.  The tint definately makes a difference.   I guess I could hold some tint up to mine some day to check the difference.  Thanks for the links.

[RayB]

Just note that even wiping down plexi introduces fine scratches. Might be better to go for glass as mentioned earlier in this thread.

[Chris]

Just wear sunglasses while you play.  Instant tint!   

[tommy]

  good tip chris you could even tint while your outside   

[Stingray]

I used tinted plexi in mine. No contest, the picture looks far, far better than it did without the tint.

-S

[Wade]

I have games with tint and games without tint, and I don't see a point in using tinted glass EXCEPT to hide the fact that the monitor has burn, is missing a bezel or has a bad bezel.

I really don't see how blocking part of the image is going to "improve" the image quality.  And I fail to see it in practice.  In my experience, tint just makes it so you have to crank up the brightness on the monitor to get the same image.  What's the point?

I also think that Oscar's pics are not a good representative of the effect of tint.

Now, if your favorite games had tint from the factory, and you like the look better or just think it looks cool, then fine.  But I don't buy all the "improved image" claims.

Just one person's opinion, obviously.

Wade

[RayB]

Wade...
The average arcade monitor is GREY (light grey in fact). Which means your blacks aren't really black. By putting the tinted glass in front it darkens the darks down closer to the blacks they should be, and if you set your contrast/brightness correctly, you still have whites where they should be.

Does that put a different perspective on it?

~Ray B.

[FractalWalk]

I also think that Oscar's pics are not a good representative of the effect of tint.

How so? Are you saying most games have no noticeble difference?  Or are you saying his pics are bogus?

[Kremmit]

For those that are arguing for going without glass, plexi, lexan, or anything else in front of the screen, Gauntlet machines came that way from the factory.  Of course, every Gauntlet I see these days shows awful screen burn, but a home use machine that doesn't have the same attract mode playing all the time probably won't ever get any screen burn, anyway.  Hmm, Gauntlet doesn't have much black on the screen- Galaga or Pac-Man might not look so hot that way..

For those that are arguing that tinting does not improve your picture quality- I notice that all the new laptops at the store have a piece of tinted something in front of the LCD.. and that the new ones look better than the old ones.  I wouldn't be surprised if the picture was actually less accurate than it would be without the tint, but they sure do look pretty..

[RayB]

Hmm, Gauntlet doesn't have much black on the screen- Galaga or Pac-Man might not look so hot that way..

All games have some black or dark colors somewhere, and the tint doesn't affect JUST black. That was just my example. Here's a diagram to explain how/why it makes for better contrast:*

*Note that if you're using a PC monitor or other monitor which already has a DARK tube, then your benefit from tinting will be less (or none). We're talking about the very GREY looking arcade monitors and older TVs. Also the benefit is less apparent if the monitor is already in a dark environment.

[Wade]

Wade...
The average arcade monitor is GREY (light grey in fact). Which means your blacks aren't really black. By putting the tinted glass in front it darkens the darks down closer to the blacks they should be, and if you set your contrast/brightness correctly, you still have whites where they should be.

Does that put a different perspective on it?

~Ray B.

I see what you are saying.  I guess the reason this hasn't been noticable to me is because I always dim or disable all my lights when I have the games on.  Tinted or not, I find it easier to see the screen and it also avoids reflections on the glass.  So when I'm playing, the blacks really do look black.

Also, I think the older tubes are this color because they are burned out.  None of my good condition monitors are grey or light grey, they are all dark grey tubes.  My worst monitor is almost white when it is off (it also has bad patterned screen burn).  Or maybe the modern tubes are built differently from the start.  Either way... this does help explain why I have trouble seeing the benefits (aside from hiding burn).

Wade

[FractalWalk]

FWIW, I have a brand new arcade monitor and is a dark grey. Tinting on mine makes a big difference.

[Dexter]

Quick tip for anyone going with the tinted glass option. Standard tinting where I live is bronze which will discolour your screen e.g. whites will have a slight yellowish tint. Make sure to ask for grey tint (I go with 30% grey tint toughened (tempered) glass, works a treat).

Dexter

[greywolf22]

I just installed my grey tinted tempered glass in my cabinet, and all I can say is WOW