Author Topic: LCD display for marquee, anyone ever done that? (Read 8707 times)

RandyT · « **Reply #40 on:** June 25, 2007, 10:14:08 am »

I understand that this would costs some bucks to do, but I have always wanted to use a widescreen format TV wide enough to stretch across most of the width of the cab.

The way I was thinking about doing it was to de-case the unit, cut a slot in the top of the cabinet and slide the screen into the marquee area. You would then just use the bottom portion of the screen to display your marquee images. Of course, the rest of the screen is still sticking up above the cab, so put it to use! You can display the instruction cards for the game, run arcade related animations, use it to display the name of your cab, whatever. If you do it right, it would look like a narrow LCD sign sitting on top of the cab, while the marquee would look like a marquee, but changeable!

Aside from that, I think the projector Idea is cool if the logistics can be hammered out.

RandyT

ChadTower · « **Reply #41 on:** June 25, 2007, 10:20:27 am »

Interesting concept... if you decase it, you end up having to make a custom case for just the exposed bit. You'd also have to account for the width of the ceiling of the cab being "unusable space" on the LCD.

RandyT · « **Reply #42 on:** June 25, 2007, 11:56:55 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 25, 2007, 10:20:27 am

Interesting concept... if you decase it, you end up having to make a custom case for just the exposed bit. You'd also have to account for the width of the ceiling of the cab being "unusable space" on the LCD.

That's true. De-casing would probably be required though, in order allow for closer placement to the bottom of the marquee area, etc... Perhaps the case could be cut to create the frame for the upper section? Honestly though, I would just make a new frame and save the original parts just in case I decided I needed the screen for something else down the road.

The unusable area of the screen would just be one of those things that would be necessary to complete the effect. The operation of such a thing would also require a second video source that was controllable via a front end, but that's something that will be common to all normal video methods.

RandyT

ChadTower · « **Reply #43 on:** June 25, 2007, 12:13:17 pm »

Maybe you wouldn't need a second video source... you could make your own custom content instead that took into account the gap and the two different "screen areas", one source feeding both with merged source material. Possibly more work than two individual sources, though.

If you wanted the factory case to stay on you could route out the appropriate insets in the marquee area to move it forward some. A little creative woodworking could probably get it quite close.

RandyT · « **Reply #44 on:** June 25, 2007, 12:23:44 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 25, 2007, 12:13:17 pm

Maybe you wouldn't need a second video source... you could make your own custom content instead that took into account the gap and the two different "screen areas", one source feeding both with merged source material. Possibly more work than two individual sources, though.

That's the whole idea.

I meant a second video source overall in order to drive the monitor. 2 sources required, one for the game and one for the top screen. But as I stated, it would be no different than any other method employing an actual video screen.

RandtyT

ChadTower · « **Reply #45 on:** June 25, 2007, 12:31:49 pm »

Oh, duh, I thought you were talking two sources to the LCD. That actually wouldn't work with most LCDs anyway.

Havok · « **Reply #46 on:** June 25, 2007, 12:58:25 pm »

Randy is just trying to throw us off the trail. He is secretly working on the MarqueeWiz (tm), which is a high resolution LCD screen, to the exact measurements of a standard marquee size. The only delay is getting the MarqueeWiz (tm) software to automatically display the game image you are playing at the moment.

RandyT · « **Reply #47 on:** June 25, 2007, 02:26:16 pm »

Quote from: Havok on June 25, 2007, 12:58:25 pm

Randy is just trying to throw us off the trail. He is secretly working on the MarqueeWiz (tm), which is a high resolution LCD screen, to the exact measurements of a standard marquee size. The only delay is getting the MarqueeWiz (tm) software to automatically display the game image you are playing at the moment.

Hah! I can't even imagine how much the tooling for something like that would cost. It makes my head hurt just thinking about all of the elements that would be required to pull that one off

I guess I'll need to start looking for investors

RandyT

brandon · « **Reply #48 on:** June 25, 2007, 02:42:51 pm »

you could always just use two monitors like Punch Out or Play Choice 10... and make the upper monitor display artwork when its not being used for the actually game.. I dunno... I have another idea for using Ps1 LCDs but then the marquee would have to be recessed in the same way mirror monitors are. (Lethal Enforcers, T2, X-Men)

shorthair · « **Reply #49 on:** June 25, 2007, 02:56:43 pm »

Just re-design the cabinet. Mappy had basically an extended marquee piece. And there are other, more recent games like this, too.

brandon · « **Reply #50 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:00:25 pm »

Quote from: shorthair on June 25, 2007, 02:56:43 pm

Just re-design the cabinet. Mappy had basically an extended marquee piece. And there are other, more recent games like this, too.

and of course there was Dragons Lair and the GEM of a game that was "Batman Forever"... I'm Maming one at this very moment and I feel ZERO remorse!

RandyT · « **Reply #51 on:** June 25, 2007, 11:40:13 pm »

For anyone with the excess scratch and the unquenchable desire to try it, I was just visiting the local Wal*Mart and took a look at the offerings there. It seems that the lowest price of admission to do it "right", not counting the clearance model, was a 26" HD LCD with HDMI for $448.

The actual screen was about 24" wide and about 13" tall, so a very good match for a standard size arcade cab. The marquee area on my Defender cab has an 8" vertical including molding, so a very non-imposing 5" of screen would be sitting on top of the cab, which sounds just about right for game instructions, etc...

I'd give it a shot, but that's still a little rich for my blood. Maybe when the prices drop some more.

RandyT

ChadTower · « **Reply #52 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:27:57 am »

If you wait for a reasonable sale at an online retailer you can get one like that for half the price. There are 32" HD LCDs going in that price range now.

RandyT · « **Reply #53 on:** June 26, 2007, 10:37:50 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 26, 2007, 09:27:57 am

If you wait for a reasonable sale at an online retailer you can get one like that for half the price. There are 32" HD LCDs going in that price range now.

I actually started looking for those

. If anyone finds a great deal on one throw me a heads up please.

Strangely, I noticed that last night as well. 32's were going at very close to the same price as the 26's. Probably one of those "economies of scale" pricing oddities. I chose the 26 because it seemed to have the best fit in a cab with 24" or less of interior width. It also won't be as tall, if that's a concern to anyone (as it is to me.)

RandyT

knave · « **Reply #54 on:** June 26, 2007, 05:49:17 pm »

I wonder if 4 small LCD's would fit in a Neo-Geo 4-slot marquee? y'know in place of the mini-marquee's. That way you could just set the image for the carts that are installed.

ChadTower · « **Reply #55 on:** June 27, 2007, 10:40:43 am »

Why wouldn't you just swap the cards as designed? It's not like you can hot swap carts.

ChadTower · « **Reply #56 on:** June 27, 2007, 03:35:43 pm »

Randy, go 42" plasma for that sub $500 price...

If there were a Fry's anywhere near me I'd be all over this.

RandyT · « **Reply #57 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:54:02 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 27, 2007, 03:35:43 pm

Randy, go 42" plasma for that sub $500 price...
If there were a Fry's anywhere near me I'd be all over this.

I don't know about for a marquee, but that has VisualPinball written all over it. Sadly, none around me either

RandyT

ChadTower · « **Reply #58 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:16:49 am »

Oh wow you're right it does, especially given how hard it would be to find a nonHD plasma or a plasma in that price range.

NickG · « **Reply #59 on:** August 29, 2007, 02:20:00 am »

I found this a while back whilst looking for extra wide LCD's; 'might be good for a minicab/bartop marquee or something:

32:9 aspect ratio LCD.
They are made for cars. 10.2 inches wide × ~2.8 inches tall

mccoy178 · « **Reply #60 on:** August 29, 2007, 03:05:17 am »

Nick, I can't believe you didn't mention your cabinet!

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=70598.msg723461#msg723461


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