Author Topic: TV for MAME cabinet (Read 16575 times)

dedos · « **on:** June 12, 2009, 11:18:42 am »

Hello everyone.

After 1 year living with a 25 inch TV and using RCA jacks (the only way to connect from PC to this TV) in my MAME cab (an old MK2 cabinet), I finally said ENOUGH!! Picture was distorted, blurry, and slightly tilted. Bottom line, i was fed up.

Long story short (too late) , I bought a 27 inch SHARP TV for $50 with an S-Video port. Tested it and works great and picture is ALOT clearer. Obviously the case was too big for the cabinet so I had to cut the sides with a dremel saw (I'll post pictures up when I get home). The TV is big and I was able to finally fit it in but it didnt look right.

I want to take it out of the case, put some brackets in the cabinet, mount the guts onto plywood and attach it to the brackets.

Questions:

1. Do I have to Discharge the TV to do this? (very good video on discharging: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76567.0 )

2. Does anyone have any tips on doing this type of project? (gutting a TV and putting it on a plywood slab and attaching it to the brackets)

3. Can I put the circuit boards directly on plywood or should I use some type if insulator between the circuit board and plywood?

Thanks everyone for their input.

-Dedos.

bkenobi · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2009, 02:42:18 pm »

Don't lick the plunger!

DJ_Izumi · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:17:00 pm »

I'm not upposed to using a TV in a cab, but I don't personally think that S-video is sufficent. 480i component is the way to go, it's probably as close to RGB as you can get and I don't think anyone could really percive the difference.

Lilwolf · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:31:57 pm »

btw. be ExTRA EXTRA careful!

other then yes, you can die from this... it is VERY dangerous... (other threads will take about how / what to do)

but the other is decasing a TV is a lot more delicate then an arcade monitor. It was never ment to be opened up.

Ive seen stories (here) of people doing it, and ending up smashing the back side of the tube to bits by it rolling over a few inches...

I would consider if you can use it without decasing it... if at all possible... do it...

But for 50 bucks... sounds like a decent price for a tv... But I would have looked at a 200 new arcade 19" or a 400 27" bentson... but saving 350 bucks is pretty nice...

Ummon · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2009, 11:06:59 pm »

There was a thread a couple/few weeks ago on discharging, where Andy chimed in. And, um, 480i isn't the matter; the format, NTSC, is. And there's a tremendous difference.

DJ_Izumi · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2009, 11:35:22 pm »

Quote from: Ummon on June 12, 2009, 11:06:59 pm

There was a thread a couple/few weeks ago on discharging, where Andy chimed in. And, um, 480i isn't the matter; the format, NTSC, is. And there's a tremendous difference.

I'm just saying that 480i Component going into a television nearly as good as 480i RGB. Probably beyond human perception. Take any home console and put it on a nice CRT with component input and that stuff goes to clear as day. I had roommates once with a 36" CRT television, they had NO idea what those red, green and blue jacks on the TV were for. Hooked up the Xbox 360 with the component cables and bam; suddenly you could read the text in Dead Rising, clear as day.

"Is my TV high def now?"
"No, this is just what REALLY good low def looks like."
"Damn..."

Ummon · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:37:02 am »

Oh, sure. Definitely preferred over S-vid.

dmckean · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:48:51 am »

Computer > Component can be difficult to work out.

DJ_Izumi · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2009, 03:44:29 am »

I LOT of graphics cards actually feature componant out on their TV out jacks, but often don't ship with the cable and you have to order it seperately from the OEM.

While I may be wrong here, I believe that EVERY ATi graphics card that features a 7 pin or 9 pin S-video port can take the ATi componant out cable as an alternative.

However I've never actually TESTED this, I'll admit. Them cables are hard to come buy and I'm not about to shell out like $20 plus shipping to ATi to test a theory.

Ummon · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:13:32 pm »

Well, that component out I'm pretty sure is formatted, vs sending RGB of the right mode to component in on the TV.

dmckean · « **Reply #10 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:52:51 pm »

Yeah, you need a RGB to Component transcoder to do it right and it starts getting expensive. At that point why not just buy an arcade monitor.

dedos · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2009, 09:35:26 am »

This Video Card is an ATI 9700 pro which does come with an s-video "attachment cable" (7 to 4 pin I believe) and it works. I tried a 7 pin to component cable I had laying around (nvidia) and this did not work. The RED component was only working in black and white fuzzy mode. I'm assuming that this cable is NOT a converter and the 9700 is not meant to have a component out.

TV Update: although I have the TV still in its case in the cabinet, I'm still itching to take it out and making a plywood frame to hold the screen in place on the brackets. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Dedos.

Ummon · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2009, 12:10:42 am »

A cable is not a convertor, correct. However, the cable you have there might not be the right one for that card, as 7-pin ports I think unequivocally mean component output capability. But that isn't what we're talking about, above. We're talking about from the VGA (or DVI) output on the card to component IN on the TV.

dedos · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2009, 01:56:58 pm »

Thanks for everyone's input. I finally grew a pair and went ahead and de-cased the TV and mounted it on some plywood and it looks awsome and I have no issue with positioning anymore.

PICS: (Don't laugh, I'm still working on the cab) +)

Gatsu · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:50:50 pm »

thats looking good. you planning on building a full control panel or are you gonna stay with the x-arcade?

javeryh · « **Reply #15 on:** June 22, 2009, 05:54:24 pm »

How are you planning to power the TV? Does it have a sleep mode?

dedos · « **Reply #16 on:** June 22, 2009, 06:33:34 pm »

thanks Gatsu, I'm planning to stay with the x-arcade for now through the summer. The CP project will happen in REV 4 of the cabinet.

Javeryh,

The Tv is powered by a smart strip with the PC being the primary. The TV does not have sleep mode enabled (optional) Thank Goodness.

I'll post some more pics tonight.

sharpfork · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2011, 09:58:54 am »

Quote from: DJ_Izumi on June 12, 2009, 04:17:00 pm

I'm not upposed to using a TV in a cab, but I don't personally think that S-video is sufficent. 480i component is the way to go, it's probably as close to RGB as you can get and I don't think anyone could really percive the difference.

I'm seeing 24" and 25" 480i tvs with component input and analog tuners going for ~ $30 on craigslist and want to do this same basic thing. The big question I have is if I dumb for wanting to find a newer style flat glass crt instead of the older curved style. I have an old Centipede cab that was converted to neogeo then gutted and I'm not much of a purest in making it functional again.
I can't image squeezing a 27" in there so I will likely go with the chopped side method the OP started with.

bkenobi · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2011, 11:45:57 am »

It probably won't fit, but your best bet is just to remove the case and install like the OP's 2nd picture.

sharpfork · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2011, 02:09:32 pm »

I guess I need to "grow a pair" like the OP when I finally get it instead of pussyfooting around with cutting the sides off. I'd love to know anyone's thoughts on older curved glass CRT TV compared to flag glass CRT. It seems to be easier to find flat glass with component input but I'd look for the curved glass if there was a good reason to.

Thanks!

einarsen · « **Reply #20 on:** October 04, 2016, 10:57:45 pm »

Quote from: dedos on June 22, 2009, 01:56:58 pm

Thanks for everyone's input. I finally grew a pair and went ahead and de-cased the TV and mounted it on some plywood and it looks awsome and I have no issue with positioning anymore.

PICS: (Don't laugh, I'm still working on the cab) +)

Wow, that's fantastic! Great work.

sharpfork · « **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2016, 11:19:31 pm »

Old watched topic back from the dead.

I grew a pair too and de-cased the CRT TV's I have in my 3 cabs. It it the only way to go.

ark_ader · « **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2016, 05:15:21 am »

Just use a LCD TV. They are really cheap now. Real simple to install too, and some rotate.

monkeybomb · « **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2016, 01:26:04 pm »

Quote from: ark_ader on October 05, 2016, 05:15:21 am

Just use a LCD TV. They are really cheap now. Real simple to install too, and some rotate.

This is like clicking on project announcements and telling everyone to just buy an x-arcade.

paigeoliver · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2016, 11:12:30 pm »

Quote from: sharpfork on October 04, 2016, 11:19:31 pm

Old watched topic back from the dead.

I grew a pair too and de-cased the CRT TV's I have in my 3 cabs. It it the only way to go.

Plus, later model crt tv sets tended to only have a single small board, not the mess that is inside high end 80s sets.

Automark · « **Reply #25 on:** October 06, 2016, 04:41:41 pm »

Why decasing? This is how they did it in the 80s in east germany

paigeoliver · « **Reply #26 on:** October 06, 2016, 05:44:10 pm »

Normally decasing is done so that the TV set matches up exactly with arcade bezels.

My Williams Pro Tennis also came stock with a modified TV set.

Also, that East German set is mega strange, have you ever seen another set that had the tube sticking out in front?


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