Plans for slim LCD based cabinet?

[Ioargra]

Are there any plans around for building a slim LCD screen based cabinet? I'm kinda a newbie at this, but I took a brief look around and didn't see any. If someone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it, thanks!

In particular I'm thinking of something like knieval's sweet looking woody:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55789.msg549963#msg549963

[headkaze]

I've seen them, and now I have an LCD monitor in my cab I wish I had of made mine less deeper. But you could just take plans and shorten them however much you like. LCD's make the cab alot lighter too. The only thing I don't like about the LCD is the viewing angle. You can't see the attract mode from a distance, and you have to be in front to get a good view.

I found it quite difficult to find a 20" LCD which was the largest I could find. It is the same size as a 21" CRT because with CRT's they measure the glass behind the marquee. You should also be careful not to get a 20" widescreen. Make sure you get a 4:3 ratio.

Overall I do prefer the LCD over the CRT. My main reason for changing was the CRT was causing discolouration from the magnetic field in my speakers. The LCD is alot clearer and richer in color too.

[Zobeid]

Here's the thread you are looking for. . . .

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76150.msg791177

It's outstanding.

And there are non-widescreen LCDs up to 21.3" size, though they are a big pricey.  See here. . .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010190020+1301922115+131061700+1310521415&Configurator=&Subcategory=20&description=&Ntk=&srchInDesc=

[csa3d]

Here's the thread you are looking for. . . .

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76150.msg791177

It's outstanding.

And there are non-widescreen LCDs up to 21.3" size, though they are a big pricey.  See here. . .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010190020+1301922115+131061700+1310521415&Configurator=&Subcategory=20&description=&Ntk=&srchInDesc=

I myself found a 21.3 viewsonic which was refurbished for $400.  Pricey, yes.. but remember it's all about a good viewing angles with those lcds.

[Zobeid]

I figured pixel response time would be the most important statistic, for playing arcade games?

[csa3d]

this is also true.  The viewsonic had a very quick response time (I thought it was like 5ms), at any rate, it's more then adequate.
-csa

[Ioargra]

Here's the thread you are looking for. . . .

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76150.msg791177

It's outstanding.

Thanks much for a project link! nice and slim in depth.  Hmm I wonder if I could modify it to be a big bigger in width, I want to make a nice big control panel

I found it quite difficult to find a 20" LCD which was the largest I could find. It is the same size as a 21" CRT because with CRT's they measure the glass behind the marquee. You should also be careful not to get a 20" widescreen. Make sure you get a 4:3 ratio.

Hmm I hadn't thought about that. Yeah, I've noticed most LCD's are widescreen. But, aside from the blank monitor space, would it really matter if it wasn't 4:3 screen? I mean technically wouldn't it be possible to put a bezel over that part if you really wanted to?

I figured pixel response time would be the most important statistic, for playing arcade games?

It depends on how old the monitor is. Most LCD's that are within the last few years are plenty playable without ghosting (which I think is what you mean).

For instance, I play modern computer games (for example I've been playing a lot of Team Fortress 2 recently) at 1920x1080 on a LCD screen with NO ghosting at all. And I would definately notice it if it was going on.

I think many don't build with LCD because it looks differant than the old arcade monitors. I guess if you want more realism, someone would go with an actual arcade CRT screen, and something like that special arcade VGA card from ultimarc

[Zobeid]

Hmm I hadn't thought about that. Yeah, I've noticed most LCD's are widescreen. But, aside from the blank monitor space, would it really matter if it wasn't 4:3 screen? I mean technically wouldn't it be possible to put a bezel over that part if you really wanted to?

Sure. . .   It's possible to use a widescreen LCD, it's just inefficient.  You're buying screen area that you'll never use, and you may have to make the cabinet wider to accommodate it.  (But you were thinking of making the cabinet wider anyhow, so maybe it's not a problem for you.)

It depends on how old the monitor is. Most LCD's that are within the last few years are plenty playable without ghosting (which I think is what you mean).

For instance, I play modern computer games (for example I've been playing a lot of Team Fortress 2 recently) at 1920x1080 on a LCD screen with NO ghosting at all. And I would definately notice it if it was going on.

It's been several years since I've bought a LCD.  But anyhow, there might still be some 25ms ones turning up on eBay or as refurbs.  So I'd say it's still something to not overlook.  I've played a lot of games on my Cinema Display, which I think is rated 14ms.  I've seen smearing on Bushfire, which has high-speed parallax scrolling (purely cosmetic in the background, didn't effect gameplay), but very few other times has it ever been noticeable.

I think many don't build with LCD because it looks differant than the old arcade monitors. I guess if you want more realism, someone would go with an actual arcade CRT screen, and something like that special arcade VGA card from ultimarc

Yeah, but then vector games look sorry on a raster arcade CRT.  I prefer the smooth look of my LCD on all kinds of games, authentic or not.

[Ioargra]

Sure. . .   It's possible to use a widescreen LCD, it's just inefficient.  You're buying screen area that you'll never use, and you may have to make the cabinet wider to accommodate it.  (But you were thinking of making the cabinet wider anyhow, so maybe it's not a problem for you.)

True... but the widescreen LCD's might be cheaper since they seem to becoming more and more common.
For instance, on newegg, there are some 22" widescreen LCDs for a couple hundred less than the ones you pointed out, and a 26" for less, etc.
Another alternative is to just buy a normal TV LCD(rather than a "computer" LCD), you can find many sales of them going on all the time. Many of them have computer VGA/DVI and more inputs on the back, even if they are "just" a TV LCD.

Edit: I just checked bestbuy's flyer this week, they have a 32" 720p (which I belive is 1280x720 resolution) LCD tv for under $500. And I'm sure someone could find much better deals if they started keeping an eye out.

It's been several years since I've bought a LCD.  But anyhow, there might still be some 25ms ones turning up on eBay or as refurbs.  So I'd say it's still something to not overlook.  I've played a lot of games on my Cinema Display, which I think is rated 14ms.  I've seen smearing on Bushfire, which has high-speed parallax scrolling (purely cosmetic in the background, didn't effect gameplay), but very few other times has it ever been noticeable.

I agree, its not something to overlook, and could potentially be important. If someone did overlook it, they could be severely dissapointed. Plus the old LCD's had much narrower viewing angles (nowadays you can see them from almost any angle the same as if you were in front of them), and often weren't as bright (some LCD's now are VERY bright. Like easily visible in sunlight bright). So there are additional potential badness factors with older ones.
I'd probably just wait for a good sale for a new one (online or locally) and get one that way. Then I wouldn't have to worry about potential problems with old LCD's

Yeah, but then vector games look sorry on a raster arcade CRT.  I prefer the smooth look of my LCD on all kinds of games, authentic or not.

Really? Cool. Makes me feel better at planning to go LCD
I've not yet tried a vector game on MAME, I wonder what the differance would look like between an old vector monitor and a modern CRT or LCD.

Thanks again for that link to that LCD cabinet.

[Zobeid]

I've not yet tried a vector game on MAME, I wonder what the differance would look like between an old vector monitor and a modern CRT or LCD.

Just a reminder, B&W vector monitors and color vector monitors were very different beasts.

There's nothing else that can match the clean lines drawn by a B&W vector monitor.  Today's high-resolution CRTs and LCDs can approximate it with anti-aliasing in software, so they can look pretty similar at a casual glance.  If you look closer you will still see the difference.

Color vector monitors, on the other hand, were quite grainy.  They had huge dot pitch.  With MAME and a high-resolution modern display, it can look much better than the original games did.