Perfect monitor for a Pinball Cabinet?

[Namco]

Just saw this big monitor on circuitcity.com:I-Inc iF-281DPB 28" Widescreen LCD Monitor. I think it's a good size for a pinball cabinet, at least for those of us unwilling to plunk down $800 for a big 36" plasma. I know a few people have used a 22" for the playfield and a 17" for the backglass. This is probably a much better option for the size and price range.

To be honest, I played both a Multipin and an Ultrapin and the large display did them no favors. The Ultrapin was ugly and flat looking and the Multipin was low-res, slow and laggy.

[ivwshane]

The problem with LCD displays for a virtual pinball machine is that a lot of times the viewing angles aren't that great which really ruins the experience. Most LCD's that have great viewing angles are going to cost you a pretty penny.

[AlexKidd]

I own this monitor. It's not an amazing display, the black aren't very dark or consistent from one side of the display to the other. But the viewing angles are pretty much just as good as any other low end LCD monitor which aren't amazing but should be fine for a pinball cab. It's a large, high resolution display and for sub $300 you really can't go wrong. I use it as my main PC monitor and I have no complaints, although I don't do any photo work or other color critical stuff.

If you do end up getting it here is a tip. The backlight on this sucker is really bright. Eye searing really. This is all easily solved by just turning it way way down. I have the brightness turned down to 0 actually. That wasn't low enough but you can go into the color settings on the monitor and turn the the Red, Green and Blue down in equal amounts to get the brightness where you want it.

[Dazz]

You might want to ask the guys on the HyperPin forums.  Some amazing cabinets are coming out of the woodwork over on our forums.

Personally I am going with a 40" 530 Samsung LCD.  I don't think viewing angles really come into play anymore as most LCD's have good angles now and a pinball view isn't that much of an angle.  I've tested with my 40" 540 Samsung LCD and it looks wonderful.  I just can't talk the woman into letting me take our bedroom TV and turn it into a pinball cabinet.

[Blanka]

Go for a Full HD Samsung TV 32 inch or bigger. Those TV's are S-PVA panels with good blacks and decent viewing angles.
This is TN crap, and horrible in vertical position (viewing angles).

[ivwshane]

Wouldn't a plasma be better? Better black levels (better per dollar spent), better viewing angles? What about response time? I know LCD's can be pretty fast now but what about plasmas?

[wp34]

Is there an LCD computer monitor (22-28") that has good visibility from underneath (on the left when rotated)?  I've looked at many models and have yet to see one (other than on a tablet PC) that is viewable from the bottom.  This includes models by Dell and HP that are specifically marketed with rotating mounts.  Just curious if anyone else has seen something that would work rotated.

[ivwshane]

You will want to look at ips based panels for the best viewing angles.

http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/lcd-panel-types.php

[Blanka]

Is there an LCD computer monitor (22-28") that has good visibility from underneath (on the left when rotated)?

Enough options available, but they are NEVER EVER available in retail stores! It would kick the cheap-ass TN screens on display in the balls picture-wise, and would totally confuse customers with the price gap between 200 euro 24 inch TN's and 500 euro 24 inch SPVA/SIPS screens.
Search for S-PVA, S-IPS or H-IPS in webshops. If you're in the USA, you have a problem, as the best game-screen for picture quality and good money is unavailable there.

[billpa]

I have this monitor in the 26" version. It is alright. The viewing angle is not good from the bottom so that would be any one sitting left of your pin cab.  It bugged me a bit when I first got it but it's not too bad. You get what you pay for (I ended up getting a deal from TigerDirect...180 for the monitor) but I didn't have the cash to spend on a better monitor. Plus, it's a mini pin for my kid. Maybe one day I will build a proper full size pin cab.

Dell makes an E-IPS monitor that is great and affordable but they haven't released a large enough model yet (only goes to 22"). The hardest part is all of the large LCD monitors are cheap TN panels and most of the 32" LCD TVs have irregular bezels (much thicker on the bottom than the top) so you need to offset the TV and that creates more space on the sides.  Definitely check out the Samsung TVs...they have decent panels and there are a few models in the smaller sets that have thin bezels.  But you will ultimately be paying more money.

[crashwg]

Is it possible to set up any pinball simulator so you would lay the LCD down and the play field would be the whole screen?

[Dazz]

Is it possible to set up any pinball simulator so you would lay the LCD down and the play field would be the whole screen?

Future Pinball and VisualPinball 9 both have arcade mode views.  Not all tables for VisualPinball have been converted to a vertical view yet, but we have a lot of them on the HyperSpin site that our members have been converting.

[crashwg]

Oops, I meant to say "free pinball simulator."  Are those both free?

[Dazz]

Oops, I meant to say "free pinball simulator."  Are those both free?

Yes, both are free.