19" LCD 4:3 - Undersized for average use?

[Phantasie]

Hi Everyone

Considering building my first cab. I have a 19" Dell LCD monitor that I would like to use.
I have limited space, so I'd like to build a slim cab (hence the LCD as opposed to TV, etc).

I realize this is a subjective question - but for average use: How would you feel about a 19" display - Will it feel undersized?

I would like to play some vertical games, but that isnt a deciding factor.
The cabinet will not be used alot - its going in a games room, and while it will be played, it will also be there for the coolness factor - which also makes me think 19" would be ok.

I know there are larger 4:3 LCD screens (20.5/21), but I dont want to spend money on those when I have a 19" unless necc.

(I also have access to an old 21" computer monitor - but it's depth makes me not want to use it)

Any comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

[Le Chuck]

If you're going for coolness it doesn't get any cooler than rotation, and a 19" LCD is perfect for that kind of project.  Even if you just leave it horizontal it would be big enough but imagine playing some DK without letter boxing.  Get that sucker rotating.

As a side note, it's all about design, if your cabinet width is narrow and the bezel is a few inches around at most it won't feel small.  If you have a 4 player cab with 30 inches of width then yes, your monitor will be swimming. 

[Phantasie]

If you're going for coolness it doesn't get any cooler than rotation, and a 19" LCD is perfect for that kind of project.  Even if you just leave it horizontal it would be big enough but imagine playing some DK without letter boxing.  Get that sucker rotating.

As a side note, it's all about design, if your cabinet width is narrow and the bezel is a few inches around at most it won't feel small.  If you have a 4 player cab with 30 inches of width then yes, your monitor will be swimming. 

thanks chuck - good point you mention there that i forgot - it will be a 2 player cab, and a minimalist panel - no franken panel . so i can keep the width down as well.

i like your suggestion on the rotation, but leaning against that at this point - this is my first cab, cost, complication, etc.

thanks!

[drventure]

+1 on Le Chuck's comments.

a 19" would be positively huge in a bartop, but in a 4 player monster it'd look like a postage stamp, so it really is all about proportions.

As for the rotation, I'd also agree with Le chuck, but, being a first cab build, I'd also tend to say keep it simple.

I guess my approach there would be to take the measurements and try to design in space for the rotational aspects (heck, you might go so far as to mount the screen on a rotating backplane), but just leave it fixed for now. That won't add hardly any complexity or time to your build, but, if you DO decide to make it autorotating in the future, you'll be REALLY glad to did the base work.

[Le Chuck]

Totally with DRVENTURE on this, there is no reason not to mount your monitor on a back panel vice a floor panel.  Even if you leave it fixed it's ready for a rotation kit at a later date and is a more elegant solution in my opinion anyway.

If you're concerned about getting too deep into rotation there are several different levels to delve into.  You can do a manual pull from the front rotation like on DMWorking24/7's alien bartop, a pull from the back rotation (for more occasional use) like on mine, several leaver/pulley systems are out there, and then you can go the full monty with powered and auto rotation care of DNADAN, DaOld Man and Mrotate.  What's nice is that you're not having to reinvent the wheel on any of these, there is ample documentation to take you down whatever road you want.