Bezel on 19" PC monitor in cocktail cab?

[slicer_d]

I'm building myself a cocktail cabinet and looking for a monitor I think I have ruled out an actual arcade monitor so I was thinking about getting a 19" pc monitor of course pc monitors do the thing where even though they say they are 19" they are 18.1" viewable would this affect me using a 19" arcade monitor bezel or not?

I dont know if they even make 19" viewable pc monitors but they do make 20" would that work better or not?  

If anyone has made a cocktail with a PC monitor I would be very interested in knowing how it all turned out.

Thanks
Slicer_D

[mushmouth]

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that the 19"  measurement is from bezel inside edge to bezel inside edge on a TV. And on a TV that whole area is viewable = 19" TV. I believe the bezel is that way on a PC monitor too. Think about a PC monitor. There is always a 1/4" or so from the bevel edge to where the image actually begins on the monitor. That's where the viewable image measurement starts.

Am I correct on this? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my understanding...

[slicer_d]

I dont know about the TV part because I'm not sure what the size of my tv's are supposed to be.  But you are wrong about the monitor part.  I have a 19" ( I looked up the official stats) viewsonic monitor and from the inside of the bezel measures exactaly 18".

What I really want to know is if somebody has done a cocktail and used a happ or simmilar 19" monitor bezel does it look and work fine or shoud I get a bigger monitor like 20"(if they exist) or 21"?

Thanks
Slicer_D

[Tilzs]

I don't know the answer to your question, but if you are looking at anything bigger than a 19" pc monitor for your cocktail, you might want to make sure it'll physically fit inside. I measured up my 19" for the cocktail that I'm makeing and I don't think I could go any larger unless I made the dimensions of the cab larger.

[slicer_d]

Thats a good point Tilzs I talked to another guy via email and he said that his 19" worked perfect with the bezel.  There is a guy selling a couple 19" locally on ebay so I'm going to pick one up.  Thanks for the help guys.

[Sephroth57]

i bought a 21 inch monitor, 19 of it is viewable.... go figure

[paigeoliver]

I have over 20+ monitors in various sizes and types around. Here is the skinny on them.

PC monitors ARE NOT the same size as the equivalent arcade monitor. The only common arcade bezel to PC monitor translation that actually works right (fits the tube), is a decased 14" PC monitor matched up to a 13" arcade bezel.

If you aren't decasing your computer monitor, then forget it, no bezel is EVER going to fit it, because it ALREADY has the monitor housing where the bezel is supposed to go.

A 21" PC monitor is very close in size (slightly larger) to a 19" arcade monitor, and you MIGHT be able to modify a 19" bezel to fit. This involves carefull cutting with sharp knife.

Except for the aforementioned 14" pc monitors, arcade monitors and PC monitors are also curved differently, which is why it is VERY hard to match up the bezels, even if you can match up the tube size.

The best solution to PC monitor mounting is to do one of the following.

Decase the monitor, mount it on a wooden board that is cut to closely follow the size of the tube. Paint that board black, add smoked glass or smoked plexi. Alternately, you can do the same mount job, and then carefully cut black posterboard or rubber floormat to make a flat "bezel" (which is best hidden with smoked plexi).

Pull the front part of the monitor case off, paint it black with black engine paint or black BBQ grill paint (you don't HAVE to use that specialty stuff, but at least then you will be sure that your paint isn't going to get wet again once the monitor warms up. Put that back on the monitor, and then cut posterboard to cover the outer part of the monitor casing, then cover with smoked plexi.

In all cases, smoked plexi is the key when you want a clean look out of a PC monitor or television.

Also, you can probably get smoked plexi or glass local for as cheap as a REAL bezel would be anyway. I just ordered a piece of thick  smoked glass (tempered glass too, not the off the shelf stuff from home depot) for a cabinet and it was only $20.

[slicer_d]

Cool thanks paige I'm glad I didnt buy a bezel then.  I was thinking about decasing the monitor and hacking up the front of the case to use as a bezel.  

Also I a little confused on the smoked plexi/glass is it just to kind of hide the monitor behind it or what?  I already bought a piece of original GORF glass for my cocktail but I really dont know if its smoked or not.

And one more question.  When you take of the plastic case there should be a metal case under it protecting you from touching any dangerous voltage right?  Also are there any others problems I might face decasing a monitor?

Thanks a bunch man

[paigeoliver]

If you are wouldn't be comfortable doing repair work to a monitor, then DO NOT decase one. The really are mostly just held together by the plastic, and when you do it you will have to redo it to be held together by wood.

You can always add some smoked plexi UNDER your Gorf glass (just a square the size of the monitor cutout).

What the smoked plexi does is helps to hide everything behind it that isn't lit up.

[slicer_d]

Hmm thanks again for the info its a lot of help.  I think I will try and do the smoked plexi like you said if my glass isnt tinted at all.

One last question for now.  With what you have told me I guess I will just end up leaving the case on the monitor but I still want to paint it black I'm not ultra worried about shocking myself but if all I'm going to do is take the case off and paint it and put it back on I should need to worry about discharging the monitor or anything right?

Again thanks a ton you have been of much help.

[mushmouth]

Hey Paige,

I'm bumping this because I'm at the same point in my project. In my case, it's an upright pac cab, so a 19" arcade monitor mount. My problem is I bought a 19" PC monitor, thinking 19" was 19". SO... That being said, do you have any pictures by any chance of what you're talking about doing here? The mounting-it-on-a-wooden-board decased method...

I'm having trouble visualizing it and I want to be sure I know what you're talking about, as well as how that board then mounts to the existing monitor mount frames in the cab.

Thanks. You da man.

mushmouf

PS: So, what you're saying is that I'm probably not going to be successful using the 19" plastic bezel that came with the cab using this 19" PC monitor decased? Cabs never look pro without that plastic bezel, smoked plexi notwithstanding...

[paigeoliver]

No, your 19" Pac-bezel is going to be too large for your 19" pc monitor. A 19" PC monitor is smaller than a 19" arcade monitor (arcade monitor sizes are the REAL sizes, unlike PC monitors which are smaller).

Basically, you get a piece of wood and cut an oval shaped hole in it, and bolt the tube into that hole. You may or may not need a second piece of wood to help hold the chassis in place.

I did a Pac with 19" PC monitor before. Do it this way.

Paint the front of the case black (removing it to paint it, and then putting it back on once dry). Mount the monitor however you wish, building a box for it to sit in at the proper location and angle works well. Use smoked plexi underneath the normal pac glass.

As long as your plexi is dark enough it should look great.