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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: toasty on February 20, 2006, 04:52:49 pm

Title: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: toasty on February 20, 2006, 04:52:49 pm
Hey folks.  Anyone have any pictures of cabinets that have used 19" computer monitors?

Obviously, bigger is better and I've often seen people harp on those who build a cab and then plug a 19" monitor in there, but I stumbled upon a cheap 19" computer monitor, so if it doesn't look terrible, it could greatly streamline my project.  I'm mostly curious what a 19" monitor looks like in a Lusid-style cab, since I plan to have a fairly large control panel that might look odd if it was on a more narrow cabinet built for a smaller monitor.

TIA
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: nostrebor on February 20, 2006, 04:56:53 pm
In a Lusid style cab it will look really small. It would look marginal in a classics cabinet.

I have build cabinets around smaller monitors, but you have to proportion them correctly or they look weird.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: Chris on February 20, 2006, 05:24:10 pm
In a Lusid style cab it will look really small. It would look marginal in a classics cabinet.

I have build cabinets around smaller monitors, but you have to proportion them correctly or they look weird.
Why marginal?  Didn't most classics use 19" monitors?

This is my cabinet when it had a MAG 19" PC monitor in it.  The cabinet was originally a Konami Super Contra (stripped and painted black before I got it), and is 23" wide:

(http://webpages.charter.net/celamantia/mamecab/images/cabinet_full_new_crop.jpg)

--Chris
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: alomar721 on February 20, 2006, 05:53:28 pm
i see your cabinet i like it do you have a pic of the control up close i understand the buttons near joystick what are the ones at the top thanks
scott
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: Chris on February 20, 2006, 06:01:13 pm
That particular control panel has been replaced, but along the top is Shift, Player 1 Start, left trackball, right trackball, player 2 start, Pause, and Exit.

--Chris
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: koolmoecraig on February 20, 2006, 06:57:58 pm
What do you mean "marginal"?  99% of all of the classics used 19" monitors. If you trying stuffing something bigger that that into a classic cabinet it looks awkward.

19" is the PERFECT size for a classic cab.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: quarterback on February 20, 2006, 07:01:51 pm
One thing to keep in mind is that a 19" CRT computer monitor and a 19" arcade monitor are not the same size.

A 21" computer monitor will have the same viewable screen as a 19" arcade monitor.  A 19" computer monitor will be smaller than a 19" arcade monitor.

What do you mean "marginal"?  99% of all of the classics used 19" monitors. If you trying stuffing something bigger that that into a classic cabinet it looks awkward.

19" is the PERFECT size for a classic cab.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: markrvp on February 20, 2006, 07:07:55 pm
Remember that most classics using 19" monitors used bezels and then had large beautiful artwork surrounding the monitor.  The art was screen-printed behind the glass. If you use a 19" monitor with a plain black bezel without attractive art it looks too small.  I know I'm not the only one who thinks that because it's been discussed here quite often.  Check the Crapmame thread for some examples.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on February 20, 2006, 07:33:59 pm
I posted pics of my monitor bezel here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=49523.0).

The farther back you put a smaller monitor, the larger it will look on the front glass.
I had a 21" set right up flush to the glass on that cab, and swapped it out for a 19" vertical monitor.
The 19" actually appears larger leaned back off the glass than the 21" did flush to it.

The front glass on that cab is 24" square.

HERE (http://home.comcast.net/~juniordog2/photos/MK1.JPG) is a pic of the same cab with the 21" monitor on it.
Notice how much more of the front glass is covered with art, vs. the 19" laid back with a bezel.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: nostrebor on February 21, 2006, 09:55:53 am
One thing to keep in mind is that a 19" CRT computer monitor and a 19" arcade monitor are not the same size.

A 21" computer monitor will have the same viewable screen as a 19" arcade monitor.  A 19" computer monitor will be smaller than a 19" arcade monitor.

What do you mean "marginal"?  99% of all of the classics used 19" monitors. If you trying stuffing something bigger that that into a classic cabinet it looks awkward.

19" is the PERFECT size for a classic cab.

This is what I mean by marginal. it takes a 21" PC monitor to get back to original arcade dimensions. Also my statement is what we call an "opinion". In laymans terms, that means it is not gospel. :P
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: Stingray on February 21, 2006, 01:03:43 pm
What do you mean "marginal"?  99% of all of the classics used 19" monitors. If you trying stuffing something bigger that that into a classic cabinet it looks awkward.

19" is the PERFECT size for a classic cab.

19" arcade monitors are bigger than 19" computer monitors. You won't believe me until you go and measure them for yourself. I'll wait.

-S
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: nostrebor on February 21, 2006, 01:45:33 pm
19 is the new 21 :)
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: MinerAl on February 21, 2006, 02:32:59 pm
"viewable image" vs. tube dimensions.

Somewhere in the early nineties monitor manufacturers stopped using how big the picture is and moved to how big the tube is.  A 1989 Apple 12" monitor is the same size as a 1993 Apple 13".

So, yeah.  There you go.  Buy a bigger computer monitor to fit the "same" size arcade monitor's space.
Title: Re: Cabs w/ 19" monitors
Post by: Chris on February 21, 2006, 02:55:29 pm
"viewable image" vs. tube dimensions.

Somewhere in the early nineties monitor manufacturers stopped using how big the picture is and moved to how big the tube is.  A 1989 Apple 12" monitor is the same size as a 1993 Apple 13".

So, yeah.  There you go.  Buy a bigger computer monitor to fit the "same" size arcade monitor's space.
I'm glad they don't seem to be able to get away with this for LCD's!