Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 05:44:03 pm

Title: Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 05:44:03 pm
Has anyone ever done a cab with a flat screen monitor for the monitor?  My thought is someone with limited space (Me, perfect example) could make a very narrow stand up cab that bolted to the wall with a flat screen monitor.  Any ideas? Has anyone seen this done?

NoBonus
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: patrickl on May 12, 2004, 05:49:42 pm
I'm designing/building one and there was the Tron bartop cab a few weeks ago.
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 06:08:41 pm
Is yours going to be a cab or bartop or other?
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: Tilzs on May 12, 2004, 06:12:32 pm
One thing comes to mind... GAME MANhttp://gameman.loungespot.com/ (http://gameman.loungespot.com/)

(http://gameman.loungespot.com/play/images/play3.jpg)
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 06:41:46 pm
Well, the GameMan is one of the single coolest and most bizarre projects I have ever seen.  I like his cartridge interface; adds a nice touch.
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: patrickl on May 12, 2004, 07:11:40 pm
He, he, OK I didn;t count the little cabs. I made a microcab with a 3.5" TFT too  8) (iPAQ H2210 can slide inside)
(http://arcade.laweb.nl//PocketGalaga/PocketGalaga+Odie.jpg) (http://arcade.laweb.nl/PocketGalaga/)

I'm now working on a full size cab. My maximum depth is 60 centimeters (close to 24") I put a drawing of the side in a thread about Cp heights a wwhile back. I have changed the drawings slightly since, but the basic shape is still a squashed Galaga cab (less depth than usual).

I have an 18" TFT monitor that will go in the cab. One of the cool things of an LCD monitor is that it should not be too hard to get it to rotate. In fact the one I'm using has a rotation mechanism built-in (allthough I will replace it with one that should turn more easily).

I have some speed issues with my screen (there is some ghosting when sprites move fast), but it doesn't bother me much. I have one of those new fast TFT screens too and it doesn't have this ghosting but it doesn't look much better (or worse) too me overall. I haven't seen an arcade monitor, but I did try out a CRT monitor (until I found out it would never fit in my maximum cab depth).
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: walls83 on May 12, 2004, 07:42:59 pm
If you have a Flat screen why not just build a showcase cab Control panel and mount the flat screen to the wall.  Then you could slide the CP up against the wall when your not using it.  Thats what I would do.  You could have the PC in the bottom of the Control Panel and when you pull it out just press power and your good to go.
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 07:49:16 pm
Good idea, but when the showcase controller is not hooked up you will just have a flat screen monitor on the wall... unless you housed it in a dart board case....
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: bigmoe on May 12, 2004, 08:22:45 pm
Good idea, but when the showcase controller is not hooked up you will just have a flat screen monitor on the wall... unless you housed it in a dart board case....

Or hooked it up to cableTV...
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: patrickl on May 12, 2004, 09:56:14 pm
It sounds like a good idea yes. You could save some space. Allthough, when you start moving th CP pedestal around you might have some problems with:
- making sure things don't get damaged during the moves
- keeping the CP from tipping over
- hiding alle the cables
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: NoBonus on May 12, 2004, 11:27:27 pm
True.  My thought would be having a pedestal against the wall with the monitor hanging on the wall in front of it.  The idea would be to get arcade like orientation minus the bulky cab.  You could even make the control panel flip up to conceal the arcade machine entirely and only show a wooden box against the wall.  One could add some fake ends of books and stuff and make it look like an educated person's bookshelf.   But with the pull of a level and the turn of a knob it pops open to be an arcade machine!  If it could be controlled like  a cartoon secret passage either via a loose book or a secret wall panel, all the better!
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: walls83 on May 13, 2004, 02:36:17 pm
Also if your worried about having a Monitor on the wall just load up a bunch of family photos for the screen saver and then you got a moving picture frame!
Title: Re:Flat screen monitor in cab?
Post by: Knoxximus on May 14, 2004, 10:00:12 pm
Yeah, my dream MAME setup is just that....a big ass plasma screen, wall mounted with with some showcase controls parked just in front of it....and I would NEVER move it!  Damn the <insert significant other here> ;D!  

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!