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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Vesper on March 18, 2003, 11:50:51 am

Title: Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: Vesper on March 18, 2003, 11:50:51 am
I've been thinking about getting the Act-Labs USB light gun for my cabinet.  My monitor is a Wells Gardner D9200 27" (SVGA) and is mounted in a TMNT cabinet.  So, the monitor is angled at almost exactly 45'.  Would a light gun work ok for this?  I'm worried that the monitor needs to be a lot closer to vertical for accurate shooting.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks,
Mike
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: rampy on March 18, 2003, 12:11:13 pm
I have an old taito cab with a similiar mounting (I think, anyways)...  I don't have a protractor or whatever to see if it's 45 degrees but it's mounted more horizontal than vertical...

Anyways...  I've played some games with my USB act labs gun and it's "ok"... I can't tell if the lack of accuracy is from the angle of my monitor or from the inherent accuracy of the gun (I guess i *could* go upstairs and try the gun on my regular PC... nah!) ...

I think the gun works best "direct on" so you might find yourself compensating for the monitor angle by shooting downward at the same angle as the monitor ( like cocking your wrist downward 45 degrees while holding the gun )

*shrug* so is that inconclusive of an answer for you? It'll work, but I can't tell if the angle of the monitor detracts from the accuracy/expereience...

good luck!

rampy
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: unclet on March 18, 2003, 12:37:05 pm
I would call ActLabs directly to ask.    This was my concern as well, before I pre-ordered my USB TV gun, but my TV was not as tilted as yours.
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: u_rebelscum on March 18, 2003, 07:09:59 pm
Quick test on my normal PC monitor, holding gun above and pointing down, up to ~30 degrees seemed to work as well as straight on (90 degrees being straight on).  Horizontal was great, but vertical position was harder to hit, which could have been a combo of the gun not lined up with my eyes, math fact that same pointing error is magnified at the sharper angle, and/or maybe the lightgun being less accurate.  I think it was almost all the first one and partially the second.  BTW, I calibrated the gun straight on; tested during bright day light w/ white curtain west facing window behind me @ ~4:00pm local time (ie: lots of background light).

Edit: Added testing conditions.
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: anthony691 on March 18, 2003, 07:44:45 pm
Nice post U_rebelscum :D Mind if i include some of that info on the site?

My cabs monitor is slightly tilted with no noticeable difference. I also have a 1/4 sheet of glass on there and it works fine.
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: u_rebelscum on March 18, 2003, 08:23:52 pm
Nice post U_rebelscum :D Mind if i include some of that info on the site?

My cabs monitor is slightly tilted with no noticeable difference. I also have a 1/4 sheet of glass on there and it works fine.

Er, sure, but it was a really quick test.  Anything there that you can't verify or want explained?
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: anthony691 on March 18, 2003, 11:09:58 pm
My problem is just a complete lack of normal monitors :-\ I have a few Sun monitors and a 23" vewsonic. I don't think I can properly represent aerage montors with either. The Viwsonic is just plain wierd...
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: u_rebelscum on March 19, 2003, 12:10:53 am
My problem is just a complete lack of normal monitors :-\ I have a few Sun monitors and a 23" viewsonic. I don't think I can properly represent aerage montors with either. The Viewsonic is just plain wierd...

I see.

I wish I had a 23", or even a 19", montor instead of my "average" 17". ;)
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: anthony691 on March 19, 2003, 07:24:44 am
My Dad works at a computer reseller, I get some killer deals.
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: Larry Smith on March 19, 2003, 11:12:42 am
Are the sun monitors fixed freq or is the problem something else?
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: wee beastie on March 19, 2003, 11:20:05 am
just shoot like a thug.  Rotate the gun 90 degrees in your hand, and lift it slightly above eye level and shoot at a downward angle.  IMPORTANT:  Shooting like a thug requires you to thrust your arm forward slightly after every shot (like your pushing the bullet out faster) or permanent damage can occur to the tissues in your arm  ;D ;D
Title: Re:Light gun & angle of monitor?
Post by: anthony691 on March 19, 2003, 04:23:21 pm
Are the sun monitors fixed freq or is the problem something else?

To tell the truth I don't really know. My Sun monitor is not fixed frquency however. All the lightgun would do is create the white flash thingy at the VERY top edge of that monitor.