Laid Back?

[MYX]

Hey all,
I am in the planning stages. I have noticed that a majority of cabs are being built upright and not laid back (Ms. pac, Galaga). Is there a reason for this?

[pmc]

I did it for simplicity -- so I wouldn't have to mess with an angle-mounted TV or monitor. My monitor shelf is supported by 2x4s and sits perfectly level. The display angle is modified by the swivel-foot on my VGA monitor. My thought was that it would be simpler to make, safer, and easier to deal with. But I'm often impressed with the posts I see here showing heavy 27" TVs that are de-cased and mounted at a 45-degree angle inside a cab.

I do love that effect of "looking down" and "into" a Pacman cab.

-pmc

[MYX]

I do love that effect of "looking down" and "into" a Pacman cab.

Exactly!!! Plus the sides of the cab block out the rest of the world. Not to mention accoustically it adds boomyness.

[erictrumpet]

The immersion effect you guys are talking about seems like it would work better with one-player games. It would be kinda awkward to have a leaned-back monitor with enclosing cab sides for 2 (or 4 especially) player games. In my always-changing cab design, I am thinking I'll try to split the difference and have the screen at a medium angle, but I haven't decided for sure yet. Depends on whether or not I want my cab to be multi-purpose and also usable for watching movies, etc. I am leaning towards no but it changes every day.

Eric.

[mccoy178]

I would imagine that it has to do with preference.

[MYX]

It will be 2 player at most. I am leaning towards a reclined monitor like ms. pac but the golden Tee idea has got me thinking now. (thanks mccoy178). I would not be building a cabinet to watch TV on. If that was the case I would just go back upstairs and plop down on the couch. 

[mccoy178]

Take a look at the Gauntlet Legends cabinet.  I love the look of it.

[MYX]

Yeah,
This amy seem odd to say. But I think that I want a smaller monitor. I am thinking 19 in Vert.
But it is more brain food to munch on. Thanks

[erictrumpet]

Not odd at all, at least not to me -- I am planning on 21-inch monitor and a 2-player CP that is no wider than the cab sides. With an artworky bezel the 21 incher should not appear too small, especially if the CP is 25" width max. With a bit of lean-back, a classic Pac-style cab shape, should be pretty cool. Still in early design stages though -- no pics except what I've scrawled on scraps of notepaper while sitting on the crapper.

Eric.

[koolmoecraig]

19" Vert is a sweet way to go.

Laid back is the way to go when it comes to being easy on the eyes as well.

I tried out a ton of cabinet styles before I settled on a Q*bert. The monitor angle, control panel height and general cabinet size are damn near perfect ergonomically speaking.

[Minwah]

Exactly!!! Plus the sides of the cab block out the rest of the world.

That is exactly why I didn't use this style...for 2 player simultaneous play games it can be hard for both players to comfortably see the screen.

I do love this cab style tho, I would probably use it if I ever make a 1 player mini cabinet.

[Martoon]

Too me, the most ergonomic angle for the monitor is such that the center of the monitor is facing directly toward your eyes.  While standing in front of the cab like you would be when playing, make an imaginary line from the center of your eyes to the center of the monitor screen.  The plane of the monitor screen should be perpendicular to that line.  So the tilt of the monitor would be determined by the height of the monitor relative to the height of your eyes.  The lower the monitor is in the cab, the more it needs to be tilted back.

Of course, even with this "perpendicular eyeline" rule, you still have to decide how high you want the monitor to be relative to your eyes.  When standing over the controls to play, I think having my eyes look about 40 degrees down from straight ahead is comfortable.  This means the monitor would be tilted back 40 degrees from vertical, and at an appropriate height lower than my eyes.

[MameJunkie]

Was easier having the monitor standing up and also had more room in the bottom of the cab.

[RayB]

With some cabinet sizes, you have to tilt the monitor back, otherwise the neckboard of the monitor sticks out past the back of the cabinet...

[Kremmit]

With some cabinet sizes, you have to tilt the monitor back, otherwise the neckboard of the monitor sticks out past the back of the cabinet...

And, by extension, if you tilt the monitor back, you can build your cab less deep, so it doesn't stick out into the room so much.  Good if you've got a small place.

[mahuti]

I can't think of one cabinet with a laid back monitor that has a smaller footprint than an upright like a defender cabinet with a horizontal or vertical monitor. Maybe if you took a defender box and angled the monitor back you might be able to save an inch or two if it was in a very specific position. I don't know. I'd love to see some comparisons using a standard 19" vertical monitor.

[erictrumpet]

The more you lean back the monitor, if you have a deeper-than-original (front-to-back dimension) CP -- with lots of controls -- then that would effectively make you have to stand farther from the screen, which might be awkward if the screen is leaned back too far. It would have to have LESS lean-back angle in order to still maintain the eyeline-perpendicularicity (new word? lol) described by Martoon above -- especially if you are short like me (5'7").

Eric.

[MYX]

I'd love to see some comparisons using a standard 19" vertical monitor.

You and I both have Defender cabs and there is not a whole lot of room from the back door to the neck board. I also have a ms. pac (converted from QIX) that is laid back. You loose lower cabinet space with the laid back version. I am really leaning towards 19 in. vert, laid back, -w- computer uncased. (Wow, why did that sound like a starbucks order?)

[adrock82]

Hey, I was also considering a laid back monitor, much like the one found in newer golden tee games.  The only concern I had was with the compatibility of light guns.  Do you think that the angle would affect accuracy?

(sorry to steal your thread)

[mccoy178]

That's a good question and definitely fits here.

[Kremmit]

I can't think of one cabinet with a laid back monitor that has a smaller footprint than an upright like a defender cabinet with a horizontal or vertical monitor. Maybe if you took a defender box and angled the monitor back you might be able to save an inch or two if it was in a very specific position. I don't know. I'd love to see some comparisons using a standard 19" vertical monitor.

It would probably apply more for folks building with a larger monitor.  I can't imagine saving more than a couple of inches with a standard 19" arcade monitor- but somebody using a 25" or larger might be able to shave a few more inches.