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Need tips on 25" arcade monitor, new/used/convert 25" TV?
fixumdude:
MonitorGuru,
Sorry, I know you guys get sick of going over things every time a new person shows up here, so I really did do some searching before I posted and I really appreciate your time. I found most of the stuff about the 8-liners before...but thanks for posting the links again..it helps to have them all together for those of us doing research. All of the reviews I found sounded "pretty good"...with slight pin cushion problems, etc. and the pictures looked good.
I guess my main question was if you had the choice to convert a TV tube, purchase a used monitor at an auction, etc. or buy a brand new one, which would most people around here do? I know, of course, that buying a brand new one would be the best and easiest thing to do, but my resources are limited (like most). I'm basically looking for the popular opinion on which of the three options (or another option I haven't discovered yet) is the best balance of money vs. performance for a newbie making his first attempt at an arcade monitor.
And thanks for the Video card info...I've heard of Advanemame, but hadn't see anything about using it for arcade monitors...now I can do a search.
Thanks again,
Mike
MonitorGuru:
--- Quote from: wakerlet on March 08, 2005, 10:49:29 pm ---I also just ordered a wei-ya chassis (for a 19" monitor though).
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MonitorGuru:
Fixumdude --
Sorry I didn't answer that question specifically. Personally, with my knowledge, I would find a free TV set or a cheap one at a rummage sale/thrift store that turns on and has all the colors with no burn in. Max cost should be < $15 for a 25" tube.
Then buy the replacement chassis and isolation transformer and hook it up. Picture quality will be identical to arcades (or usually a bit better as no burn in and no problems that an old monitor could have). Total cost: About $115 plus time to research and assemble it. Only caveat is to ensure the yoke attached to the tube will work with the chassis and not produce strange pincushion or bending. Most work, but you could be unlucky and need to find another tube/yoke to work with it. Also you need to figure out the best way to mount it.
But for many people, the easier thing is to find an existing used arcade monitor that works and slap it in. Problem is, it will cost about the same price..~$100 for a used 25" one. But zero work on your part. Caveat is that it probably is starting to have problems and will need a capacitor replacement kit and other stuff that while simple, is beyond most peoples abilities if they have never wored on electronics, and just as "dangerous" as putting together a monitor from a donor tube and chassis..even more so if you don't know how to solder and disassemble/reassemble correctly.
In any case, going with an arcade monitor, weather you build it, buy used or buy new, will give you the best and most authentic picture
However, you are then required to either use AdvanceMame to control it and that prevents you from using Windows and requires DOS or Linux knowledge, or you buy another $100 ArcadeVGA card and use Windows.
No matter what, don't settle for a TV with only Coax or RCA inputs. You will be very disappointed.
SVideo is better but still poor IMHO. Component may be equal or only slightly better than SVideo on most sets. All of these though are only limited as to the output quality of the converter built into your video card and restricted to ONE frequency due to the TV limitations. (Where an arcade monitor does have a small range of frequencies that help avoid large black areas on the sides if the picture is smaller than the ideal res of the monitor--it can adjust to stretch accordingly) The picture may still have "TV" issues associated with it like imperfect color, lack of details, interference, etc..
Ken Layton:
The Kortek, Nintendo Sanyo, W-G 4900 series are all high impedance vertical yokes so you could look around for some nonworking ones of those types for use with the Electrohome version of the Wei-ya chassis.
Yes I took a look at both of those sites mentioned. Could be a typo on his part about the transformer. To be certain on what a particular chassis uses I would go by the specs at the Wei-ya factory website.
wakerlet:
--- Quote from: MonitorGuru on March 09, 2005, 09:50:49 am ---
--- Quote from: wakerlet on March 08, 2005, 10:49:29 pm ---I also just ordered a wei-ya chassis (for a 19" monitor though).
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--- End quote ---