27" PC LCD Monitor for first build - advice

[idsane]

I finally got a cabinet to convert after 6 months of searching craigs! Yes! It is a TMNT 4 player and has the original monitor in it. I want to replace this with the biggest thing I can which would be a 27" LCD. My questions are:

1) The one I'm looking at says it's a TN but the stated viewing angles look pretty good. Are they just making these up?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236091
2) Does a bigger monitor help with the angles? I currently run an older 23" (just using my desk PC) and viewing angles are not great.
3)Is there a better bang for my buck somewhere? I want to stay under $300 and don't want the weight/hassle/energy use of the CRT
4) anything else I should be concerned about?

Thanks for any and all help!

[lilshawn]

flat out...

i would just go to a store and look at them personally.

then you know for sure.

i mean i can look at my monitor at extreme angles and still see an image, it looks like crap, but i can see it. maybe that's their idea of viewing angle. 

[Donkbaca]

I am running a 21.3 inch PVA, it has 176 degree viewing angles in all directions and looks great.  At 4:3, its just about as tall as your 27 inch monitor would be.  I got it off of ebay for 150 bucks.

That being said, I think viewing angles for TNs matter most if you were doing a cocktail or if you were going to mount it vertically,  in a traditional, horizontal cab, you are going to be pretty much viewing it head on anyway.

[lilshawn]

in a traditional, horizontal cab, you are going to be pretty much viewing it head on anyway.

well he did say TMNT.... the p1 and p4 have a pretty extreme view on the screen from the far left and right sides. i don't think it will be a real issue though.

but better to be safe than sorry. i'd rather check them out for myself


i also would like to UNPLUG the monitor and see it it powers back on by itself when i plug it back in again... more than a few monitors/tv's i've rejected due to this issue as well. i don't want to be crawling around the back of the machine to turn on the LCD every time.

[idsane]

Yeah I can't seem to find any PVA or the other (IPS?) screens for cheap. With the big TMNT cab, I am only setting it up as a two player, but want it to be viewable from people watching from the side. VERY good point about the powering back on by itself. I wouldn't even think of that. I won't have a plexi cover at first but probably will in the long run. I don't think they have this model at BB. Anyone have one of the same brand or even same size that can comment?

[Donkbaca]

Well, if you dig around a little, you will find that a lot of brands share the same screens, so if best buy or fry's or whatever doesn't have that exact model, you may be able to find a different model that has the same screen.

IPS and PVA screens are way more expensive, but nobody wants 4:3 screens anymore, so I got my 21.3 inch NEC for 150 bucks, and its flawless.  The screen is 17 or sinches wide by 13 or so inches tall, its plenty big for the cab I am putting it in.  Yeah, I know there is the whole thing about getting used LED screens and having them wear out,etc, etc.  But this is a 600+ dollar monitor brand new, its rate to 30,000 hours or so, and its not like I am going to be keeping my cab on 24/7 so 150 bucks is worth it to me.

what are the interior dimensions of your cab?  I would consider getting a 21.3 inch pva or Ips screen.  Most all of the 21.3 inch, 4:3 ones you will find will be PVA or IPS.

Other than that, like I said, I don't think viewing angle will be that huge of an issue with just two players, and most TN screens have good horizontal viewing angles, but not very good vertical ones, so if you are going to do a traditional horizontal mount, I don't think it will be much of an issue.

[idsane]

My cab will fit a monitor 27 wide by about 19 tall, which is why I wanted to go big. The IPS and PVA 27" monitors (which are just about the perfect size to fill the space) are a grand. Hopefully the vert angles won't be too bad on this cab, b/c it seems like the screen is heavily tilted back compared to other cabs.