driving cab - monitor choices and cab design

[rockin_rick]

I'm early in the planning stages of a driving cab that will most likely will be PC based, but maybe xbox, xbox360, ps2, ps3 based.

I'm trying to figure out just what monitor to use.  I'd like to have graphics that will wow people.  IOW - as good as current driving arcade games out there, or better.  This is going to be a enclosed cab, such as a pole position, or theCoder's xcelerator.  I need to be able to fit the cab through a 30" doorway.  I can either:

A)  Make the cab one piece (like the xcelerator).  If I max out the width of the cab to 30", that makes max possible width of the monitor to be 28.5".  Ideally, the max width of the cab would be closer to 28" wide, thus limiting the monitor to 26.5" wide.

B)  Make the cab two piece (like a pole position).  I could then go wider than 30" with the cab, provided that the monitor piece of the cab is less than 30" deep (so I can turn it sideways to get through the doorway).  I still wouldn't want to go wider than necessary (due to space and aesthetic concerns).  Plus this requires that the seat section be only 30" wide, so there would be a 'step-down' section of the cab which may be weird.  Not sure if this would work out, as the step-down part would have to be part of the monitor piece, thus increasing the depth.  Most likely this option would only be for the 32" LCD.

C)  Make the cab three piece.  Don't have a step-down section, but rather have all sections be the same width (>30").  To get out of doorway, rotate all three pieces individually to get through doorway.  This may not work, or may be extra complicated as the seat will most likely have to be removed, too.  Doubtful that I'd do this.

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I'm thinking (kinda in order that seems best):

1) 27" - 33" PC presentation monitor.  Pros - high res, large screen.  Cons - hard to find

2) 27" Billabs BL27CB0P penta-sync.  Pros - large screen, 'high' res (1024 x768).  Cons - cost + shipping

3) 26" LCD HDTV.  Pros - high res, large screen.  Cons - price (although not bad)

4) 32" LCD HDTV.  Pros - large screen.  Cons - price, perhaps not enough res for viewing distance

5) 27" Betson multi-sync.  Pros - large screen, already have one without a use.  Cons - low res (800x600)

6) 27" Tube HDTV (such as samsung TXT2793H).  Pros - large screen, high res.  Cons - cost

7) 24" PC monitor.  Pros - high res.  Cons - bit small, price

8) 21" PC monitor.  Pros - high res, low cost, already have one I can use.  Cons - small

9) another choice

Opinions?


Thanks,
Rick

[divemaster127]

Hey, I went thru the same list a year ago trying to figure out how to do a driving cab, I finally went with a pc base, 5.1 surround, tube kit, w/a 32 lcd, its work sawesome, the computer is a e6750 w/8800gt video I will post some pics so you can get a idea, also much cheaper & easier than building a full cab
dm

[rberger3]

Let me know how this works out.  Once spring hits i am going to start building one myself.  I am debating between 32 lcd and 32 crt tv. 

[divemaster127]

I should be able to post pics by the weekend, i ended up swaping cpus & putting my quad core in here, since it seems dual core is better for mame, the 32 lcd I used was a olevia tunerless, for under $380.00...I have owned 2 olevia they are great for game due to the very high contrast, 1400:1
dm