Large 4:3 monitors (25-27")

[simcop2387]

We've recently started to have some problems with our cabinet and were thinking of looking at a newer monitor (along with fixing ours but that'll be a different thread).  What I've tried to figure out is what the options are for a 4:3 monitor in the larger sizes.  We don't want to go down to a 19" LCD since then we'd end up having a very large bezel that would look funny in the cabinet, or go to a 16:9 that would have the same problem just in one direction only.  I'd like to go LCD because of the fact that it should (in theory) last longer than some of our crts have (that could also be because we've gone used).  I'm not perfectly concerned with making it look 100% authentic, I'd rather have a monitor that supports a larger resolution and get the look close in software since that would also allow me to put more than just arcade games on the cabinet.

What have some of you guys tried and what didn't work out so well?

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

I'm not sure that an LCD would last longer than a CRT.

The backlight in the panel is going to get dim and fade to orange and then go out all together eventually. That nice bright picture will only last so long. Not to mention you're going to have a hard time finding a 4:3 or 5:4 LCD larger than around 21".

In my opinion about the best "big" screen right now is the Makvision 29" SVGA:
http://www.xgaming.com/store/arcade-parts-and-accessories/product/weiya-29-flat-screen-crt-arcade-monitor/

You can also purchase this through the Happ-Suzo page, but it's more expensive and the shipping is really high.

This is the monitor I have in my cabinet. It runs 31kHz, up to 800x600, which is sufficient for many PC games (SFIV looks pretty nice on it). And by running by running games in mame at 2X their native resolution you get a picture which is indistinguishable from native on a 15kHz monitor.

It connects via a standard vga cable and appears to the computer as a regular monitor. It's literally plug and play for basic operation.

[amendonz]

if theres one thing i worry about in this life its the 29" (27" in the old money) in my candy cab going kaboom. *touch wood*

[lilshawn]

if theres one thing i worry about in this life its the 29" (27" in the old money) in my candy cab going kaboom. *touch wood*

such is the arcade hobby.

you have to expect things not to last forever.