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Rotating monitor construction *Project finished*
DaOld Man:
--- Quote from: csa3d on January 31, 2008, 07:34:07 pm ---Absolutely. Now comes the fun apart again, on figuring out how to spin it. I keep hoping for someone to create an easy, d.i.y. Vesa mount to bicycle chain sprocket setup spun using something on the cheap, like a small cordless screwdriver.. you know, parts that you can find w/o having to order from catalogs and never getting to hold in person, at the retail store. Chain and sproket, in my mind, would also allow you to keep the connecting parts minimal, and compressed enough to allow the setup to not extend very far about the back of the monitor, allowing for some pretty slim installs. :dizzy:
-csa
--- End quote ---
Since the LCD is incredibly light (compared to the CRT), I am thinking of making a "spool" out of two pieces of MDF.
I plan to sandwich the lcd between the two round pieces. Attach a lazy susan bearing to the back piece of spool.
On the front half on the spool, allow it to ride against some "smallest that I can find" casters. Much the same way as everyone else.
This is not my idea, and I got to search older posts to find who gave it to me, but I plan to fasten a 2 foot piece of #25 chain to the perimeter of the back spool. Then have the motor with a #25 sprocket attached, turn the monitor by pushing against the chain.
If you already have yours setup to turn manually, looks to me like it would be pretty simple to attach a motor to it, but not knowing exactly what you have, I could be wrong.
I have attached a paint drawing of my intentions.
I may have to use two front spool pieces to bring the monitor out flush with the monitor panel.
DaOld Man:
After playing around with the LCD this morning, I have found that I can set the monitor to display in the regular screen mode, it has bars along the sides in horizontal, and on top and bottom when turned vertical. I can fix that by extending the bezel to the edge of the visible part.
BUT.. when vertical, the screen does not have much angle view to it. Moving to the left, approx 25-30 degrees, the screen becomes very undesirable. If the screen is horizontal, the viewing angle is much greater. I guess the manufacturers dont think someone will be turning the monitor vertical.
Weisshaupt, do you have this problem with yours?
Im not sure I will be able to live with this flaw on my arcade.
So what do I do? Go back to the CRT and modify my cabinet to fit?
I can still use the spool idea on my CRT, as a matter of fact it should be better for the weight of the CRT.
Its just going to stick out the back of my cab.
weisshaupt:
--- Quote from: DaOld Man on February 06, 2008, 12:05:31 pm ---Since the LCD is incredibly light (compared to the CRT), I am thinking of making a "spool" out of two pieces of MDF.
I plan to sandwich the lcd between the two round pieces.
--- End quote ---
I think this is probably more work to implement, unless you really need the cutout around the monitor to attach a Bezel to it. Having a masking bezel in front and side bezels attached to the monitor worked really well for me, and I didn't have any need to cut a large circle with a hole in it to exacting precision. Simply attaching one cutout (possilby the plate the lazy suzan comes with) to the back of the monitor via the VESA mount and affixing lazy susan bearing to it and to the cabinet should be sufficent. I don't think you would need any casters, unless there is a lot of play in the lazy susan bearing. LCDs have the advantage of having the Vesa Mounting holes in the back and really won't need any more support than that. VESA mounts take M4 metric screws (so you don't have to go figure that out....)
I like the chain and sprocket idea- that should counteract any momentum problems, and should allow for some pretty accurate positioning as long as the sproket/chain are a good fit. (Mine ain't broke- don't fix it, mine ain't broke- don't fix it, mine ain't...)
weisshaupt:
--- Quote from: DaOld Man on February 06, 2008, 01:20:50 pm ---After playing around with the LCD this morning, I have found that I can set the monitor to display in the regular screen mode, it has bars along the sides in horizontal, and on top and bottom when turned vertical. I can fix that by extending the bezel to the edge of the visible part.
BUT.. when vertical, the screen does not have much angle view to it. Moving to the left, approx 25-30 degrees, the screen becomes very undesirable. If the screen is horizontal, the viewing angle is much greater. I guess the manufacturers dont think someone will be turning the monitor vertical.
Weisshaupt, do you have this problem with yours?
--- End quote ---
Its a problem with all LCDs to a greater or lesser extent. Probably more so with widescreens, which manufactures assume will stay in that aspect. My particular display (an 20inch 4:3 Acer) starts to fade out at around 45 degrees, becoming more unviewable the farther you go.. You could still play a game from the left position, but I wouldn't enjoy it. So the Far left position on my arcade is really useless for any vertical games. The fade out is less severe to the top of the monitor-so the Right position is till fine. I haven't done an exhausive search to see if there are any 3-4 player vertical games that my cabinet would not be good for, but I know there aren't any I play regularily. My player 1 and player 2 positions have no issues - the front CP is 25 inches wide and the edge of the CP is about 20 inches from the screen . Usually manufacturers will tell you the off-angle specs on their data sheets. My Acer is LCD 20" 8MS AL2017 ABMD - and its spec rating were:150 degrees Horizontal / 130 degress Vertical according to the Acer site.
If possible I think I would return that 19 widescreen (or press it into service elsewhere...) and get a 4:3 monitor with off-angle specs you can live with.. No need to pay for Pixels you are not going to use
I got mine for fairly cheap at Newegg.. but they don't seem to carry my exact model anymore. They do have a 19 inch Acer model AL1916 which is rated for 140 degrees horizontal and 140 degrees vertical,
There is also a Samsung 940BX that claims 170/170 degrees, but I have no way of judging what that really means.. but maybe I should get one..... (it ain't broke. don't fix it....it ain't broke...)
DaOld Man:
Thanks for the info on the monitor angles..
The monitor has an excellent picture, so I dont think I will have any problem getting my money back if I decide to put it up for sell, I cant return it because they have a 20% restocking fee, plus I would have to pay for shipping. :angry:
I build computers for people, so if nothing else Im sure I can use it on a future build. So no problem there.
Anyway, I originally designed the spool to use with my CRT, which would require some front support, I probably wouldnt need it for the LCD, mounting it like you suggested.
I would really like to use the CRT, but the size is an issue for my already made cab. Also the motor has strong magnets, and I was seeing some picture distortion on the CRT.
Plus, as I suggested earlier, the chain idea is not mine, but I do like it..
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