On the right track? Cocktail monitor?

[sjcollier]

I am looking to buy a 19" arcade monitor for my soon to exist cocktail cabinet.

I understand my best bet is to buy the ArcadeVGA card from Ultimarc

http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

And a 19" WellsGardner arcade monitor.  Is this true?

http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/monitors_wg.htm!

When I purchase the monitor do I get everything I need to plug it in, or do I need a powersupply, etc. etc.

Thanks and sorry for the NEWBS questions

Jason

[paigeoliver]

You might need an isolation transformer, depending on which model you buy. Personally I recommend ordering one that doesn't need one. That way you won't have to deal with that part.

[dhansen]

Why not pic up one at Arcadeshop Amusements they have standard res 19" monitors for $189.  No isolation transformer needed.  See thread..

Doug

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=11999;start=msg93344#msg93344

[OSCAR]

I'm pretty sure the Arcadeshop $189 monitors are the Happ VisionPro ones that Happ normally sells for $195.  Can you confirm that Doug?  I would buy from Arcadeshop even if the prices were reversed because of the lower & prompt shipping.

I don't believe any currently manufactured arcade monitors require iso transformers, but there will be a label on the tube/chassis that will say for sure.  If you pick up an older used monitor, chances are you may need an iso transformer.

You will probably want to also pick up the vga breakout cable from Andy when you buy the ArcadeVGA to connect to the monitor.  A monitor you buy from Happ or Arcadeshop will run off 110VAC, so you don't need a separate power supply.  An AC line filter probably wouldn't hurt, though.

[paigeoliver]

I'm pretty sure the Arcadeshop $189 monitors are the Happ VisionPro ones that Happ normally sells for $195.  Can you confirm that Doug?  I would buy from Arcadeshop even if the prices were reversed because of the lower & prompt shipping.

I don't believe any currently manufactured arcade monitors require iso transformers, but there will be a label on the tube/chassis that will say for sure.  If you pick up an older used monitor, chances are you may need an iso transformer.

You will probably want to also pick up the vga breakout cable from Andy when you buy the ArcadeVGA to connect to the monitor.  A monitor you buy from Happ or Arcadeshop will run off 110VAC, so you don't need a separate power supply.  An AC line filter probably wouldn't hurt, though.

Stickers can be wrong though. I have owned two VGA arcade monitors. Both of them had stickers that said "ISOLATION TRANSFORMER REQUIRED", and neither one of them had one, or needed one. I think that can happen when a company uses the same frame for their non-iso VGA monitors and their iso standard res monitors.

If it is used, and standard res, then it will almost certainly need an isolation transformer. The standard res ones that don't need them haven't been out that terribly long, and don't tend to pop up used very often.

[OSCAR]

Stickers can be wrong though. I have owned two VGA arcade monitors. Both of them had stickers that said "ISOLATION TRANSFORMER REQUIRED", and neither one of them had one, or needed one. I think that can happen when a company uses the same frame for their non-iso VGA monitors and their iso standard res monitors.

If it is used, and standard res, then it will almost certainly need an isolation transformer. The standard res ones that don't need them haven't been out that terribly long, and don't tend to pop up used very often.

When talking about new monitors, I still don't think anything Happ sells requires an isolation transformer.  AFAIK, no currently manufactured arcade monitors require them, either.

"Used" does not necessarily mean "old".  I've picked up 2 used standard res arcade monitors that didn't require iso transformers, and both had stickers on the chassis that said so.  But as I said earlier, chances are you DO need an isolation transformer when you buy an older monitor, unless you know for sure otherwise.

[dhansen]

I'm pretty sure the Arcadeshop $189 monitors are the Happ VisionPro ones that Happ normally sells for $195.  Can you confirm that Doug?

All I'm seeing on the board is BesTech.... It seems well made, the neck and circuit boards are much heftier than 8liners chassis anyway...  Time will tell!

Doug

[nelsonej]

sjcollier,

I just did what you're planning to do 4 months ago.  You'll need (what OSCAR said) the vga breakout cable.  You could hack one yourself, but I just picked one up when I ordered the arcadeVGA card.

Also, I ordered the 19" monitor from Happ.  It came with wires for R, G, B, sync, and ground coming out of a molex connector on the monitor chasis and a power cable.  That monitor had a weird squealing noise and ended up dying.  They sent me a new one that works great but there was no power cable.

You can order the power cable separately from Happ.  I think they may have made a mistake on my first order and sent me a free power cable.

As far as the isolation transformer goes, the Happ monitors don't need one.  You can always ask a sales rep, they're good with returning emails.