Author Topic: Mounting a PC monitor in a cabinet PICS ADDED (Read 2883 times)

USSEnterprise · « **on:** July 20, 2005, 09:50:48 pm »

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how to mount the monitor I want to use. It is a 20" VGA computer monitor and it weighs 72Lbs. I want to mount it on an angle like is usually seen in arcade machines. The side panels are made of 3/4" MDF, so its not a strengh issue. I just don't know how to mount it properly. Can anyone help?

nostrebor · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:50:13 pm »

I used steel L-brackets from lowes. Clipped the ends to clear the tube, and braced with a wood backer. Very sturdy and worked great!

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:04:29 pm »

so you took the monitor out of the plastic case?

nostrebor · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2005, 09:20:39 am »

Yes. It was a trinitron and decased perfectly. IMHO step one of monitor mounting is to decase the monitor in question and see if it will hold itself together without a case. I build a cab recently with a MAG monitor, that was a nightmare to decase. It was mounted totally different than the trinitron.

Typically, I design/build the cabinet "around" the monitor design.

Wade · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2005, 09:25:17 am »

I do it basically the same way. Decase the monitor and then mount to the 4 holes on the corners of the tube. Be sure to make the mount strong, it will need to be able to hold several times the weight of the monitor if you ever find yourself moving the cabinet.

Wade

NoOne=NBA= · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2005, 09:26:40 am »

I mounted mine to a piece of plywood that has two nice hand holes through it, than screwed that onto two 1x2's mounted to the sides of the cab.

The plywood gave me a much better gripping surface than the frame of the monitor did.

Q*Bert_OP · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2005, 09:34:00 am »

Here:

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2005, 02:15:20 pm »

The monitor I plan on using is a Cornerstone (probably an off-brand) 20" VGA monitor from 9 years ago. The CRT should have a frame which I can use to mount it?

SirPoonga · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2005, 04:07:44 pm »

I just made a shelf (follow WWW link in profile)

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2005, 05:42:50 pm »

ok, I took the plastic cover off the monitor, to find that there is an internal cover, made of what looks like aluminum. I'm assuning that this frame is probably holding the monitor together. I don't know what to do. I would consiter a shelf, but the monitor does not have a base, so I could not angle it properly.

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2005, 05:50:44 pm »

here are pics

SirPoonga · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2005, 05:52:10 pm »

yeah, that's shielding (so it isn't alluminum).

If oyu need to fine tune the angling maybe ther eis some way to shim it?

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2005, 06:28:07 pm »

If I remove the shield ing, what will happen. will it pick up interference? will it sterilize anyone who goes near it?

pointdablame · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2005, 07:01:06 pm »

Quote from: USSEnterprise on July 21, 2005, 06:28:07 pm

If I remove the shield ing, what will happen. will it pick up interference? will it sterilize anyone who goes near it?

yup... hope you don't want kids.

I mean.... No

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2005, 07:14:00 pm »

hahahaha.
but seriously, it looks like a lot of components are attached directly to the shielding. What can I do? You know, an LCD monitor is looking better and better. I just wish I had $300 to spend on one

toolaa · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2005, 12:07:02 am »

I am not so sure about using an LCD monitor. I believe that on the $300 ones, the "refresh" rate is slower and there is this strange blocky tearing effect that you can see sometimes on fast moving images. I really thought hard about going the LCD route, but in the end I am very happy with a good 24" TV.

The one nice thing about the LCD is it would be really easy to make it rotate 90deg for vertical games.

NoOne=NBA= · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2005, 03:27:17 pm »

I'd see if you can get that front plastic piece off.
That's where the mounting holes are going to be.

You should be able to cut a hole in some plywood, and do a combo shelf-mount/hang mount using the metal casing for extra support below the actual mounting point.

My 19" is only held up by the two 1x2's I lagged to the sides of the cab.
If yours is heavier than that because of the case, the addition of the shelf to hold some of the weight should make it work fine.

PacMon · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2005, 11:30:39 am »

I did this recently for my cabinet to mount my 19" monitor.

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #18 on:** July 24, 2005, 01:00:21 am »

After looking over this thread, and pulling all the plastic off the monitor, I found the CRT mounting holes. I am going to completely decase monitor, from the plastic and inner metal frame, cut a whole in some 3/4 MDF, and screw the monitor in. Then will mount some angle iron to inside of side panels and screw MDF in. thanks guys. the side panels will have tio be redesigned. Good thing I didn't cut yet

NoOne=NBA= · « **Reply #19 on:** July 24, 2005, 01:50:05 am »

The only other thing that I had to think through was how to mount the stuff that isn't directly attached to the monitor frame itself.

My solution was zip straps.

I COULD have used baling wire, as stated in my signature here.
Baling wire on high voltage electronics just seemed like a bad idea at the time, for some reason.

toolaa · « **Reply #20 on:** August 01, 2005, 12:12:34 am »

Quote from: USSEnterprise on July 24, 2005, 01:00:21 am

After looking over this thread, and pulling all the plastic off the monitor, I found the CRT mounting holes. I am going to completely decase monitor

Have you done this part yet? I am very interested in doing the same thing with an old IBM Trintron 20" monitor. I could also use some help. After you removed the plastic cover from the back, could you tell me the depth from the front of the screen to the rear as well as the height at the rear?

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #21 on:** August 01, 2005, 01:28:45 am »

It was about one inch less than if the plastic was on. When I tried to take off the shielding, the circuit boards started falling off. I can't really take off the shielding. At this point, an LCD is looking really good, especially with the possibility that with the age and usage of this monitorI'm afraid I will go through hours of work mounting the damn thing and then the tube burning out.

Level42 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 01, 2005, 02:03:26 am »

Well, the tube burning out is not very likely to ever happen. Other components are much more likely to fail before that

Personaly I think Classic Gaming on a LCD is like putting the latest set of "pimp my ride" wheels on an oldtimer....

But I already think PC CRT's don't give the right feeling, but that's all my opinion.

whatisk · « **Reply #23 on:** August 01, 2005, 09:16:39 pm »

I'm using a 21" HP monitor in my cab.
Made a metal frame out of angled bar that the monitor sits in while still fully cased.

There is a pic of it screwed to the sides of the cabinet here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=40735.0
When the monitor is on the frame, it is sitting at 20degrees.

Could take some more pics of it if you wanted.

toolaa · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2005, 09:21:44 pm »

USS,

thanks for the dims. I was thinking of going with LCD. but I have been reading assort too many users who have been generally dissatisfied with blurry images.

whatisk,

Did you Remove The plastic Case on your Install? If so, Do you have a Pic?

whatisk · « **Reply #25 on:** August 02, 2005, 01:07:27 am »

Quote from: toolaa on August 01, 2005, 09:21:44 pm

whatisk,

Did you Remove The plastic Case on your Install? If so, Do you have a Pic?

No, I didn't remove the plastic case of the monitor at all. The bracket is made so that it neatly sits on the rails (actually, it almost wedges in there). I will take more pics and post them - probably not for a few days though as the cab is at my parents place as they have the room for all the bits until it's complete. Then it comes to my place

whatisk · « **Reply #26 on:** August 04, 2005, 06:36:04 pm »

Okay, I have added some more pics of the monitor frame and how the monitor sits in it.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=40735.0


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