What TV should I get for my Cab

[photorock]

         My control panel turned out so well that I decided to build a Cab. It will be similar to the ultimate arcade 2 cab, but with some modifications and using a control panel based on the Supercade design. I will be using plywood on the base and CP and MDF on the top.

         Here's my questions...

         1.  What TV should I get? I know I want a 25" with S-video.
         2.  What about the auto power on feature I've heard about?
         3.  Any particular brand better than another?
         4. What about Resolution?
         5. What about price? I don't want to spend too much. My TV budget is $350 can.

          I know it's alot of questions, but I'm trying to narrow it down to one TV so I can plan the Cab around it.

          Thanks and any help would be greatly appreaciated...

[simplygriff]

I'm wondering the same thing.  I have a 21 inch PC monitor but I don't think it's big enough because my control panel is very wide..  I also want to know the cheapest, easiest, quickest videocard to get to have s-video from my CPU.
-G

[sofakng]

Well, I'm not sure if this will be useful, but why not get a 27"?

If your interested, the Toshiba 27A33 is PERFECT for a cabinet.  The TV is not very wide what-so-ever (it fits a LuSiD cabinet perfectly) and it has excellent s-video picture quality (AND component inputs).  On top of that, the TV automatically turns itself back on when it loses power AND it returns to the previously selected input.  So, what that means is that you can unplug the TV from the wall (or turn off a surge protector) and when you plug it back in it will automatically turn on and back to s-video.  I'm pretty sure I paid $250 for it at Best Buy (it wasn't more than $300, that much I'm positive).

However if you are set on a 25" TV then ignore this post...  

[MiKman]

Some brands of TV's are better than others some will have a better picture quality etc.  Some have the auto power feature, some don't some stay on the s-video (aux 1) channel when you kill the power, some don't.  But here is my suggestions, take them with a grain of salt as I'm sure others have other opinions.

1) Buy any brand of TV and go cheap, but get a 27" TV. Vertical games display on a 27" TV are almost the exact same size as they are in the arcade.

2) The only reason to get a more expensive, higher resolution TV would be so that you can navigate windows better.  I got a cheap refurbished 27" RCA with svideo for $249.99 (Canadian$$) and arcade games look absolutely fine in my mind.  I even compared with some games in the wild and I can't tell the difference.  Note this TV doesn't come back on after the power is unplugged for more than 10 min BUT it does stay on the svideo channel so I can work around the power issue, but changing the channel back to svideo each time would have been a pain in the neck.

3) Test that the power will be restored to the TV after unplugging and pluggin it back in it in the store before you buy.  Also make sure it stays on the AUX1,2 or svideo channel as well.

4) Get a good video card I recommend any of the ATI radeon (get a built by ATI card) and a good thick short svideo cable and you will be happy.  Navigating windows is doable on my setup, but really only at 640X480 and in a pinch at 800X600.  Otherwise the games are great! I couldnt' be happier.

No worries, $350 is a respectable amount to find a decent TV just shop around.  I got mine at XS-Cargo (refurbished electronics wholesale place).

[bwest]

The Toshiba mentioned above is only 189.00 at my local Target in Orlando.

[photorock]

        Thanks everyone for your great help. I saw a couple of posts on this board asking the same questions, but with no response so I was worried that I would get no response to my questions. Guess I was wrong BIG TIME...

        Sofakng, I checked out a couple of local Dept stores in my area online and found a similiar Toshiba 27" TV. It's here http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=11&WLBS=fsweb8&sku_id=0665000FS10043857&catid=&newdeptid=11
It seems like the same TV and at the right price and size. If you have a minute can you have a look and see if it is like yours.

        What video card are you using with that TV?

Again everyone Thank You....

[ekans]

Photorock, I had the exact same questions. Friend of mine here said not to go with a TV since the image is too fuzzy.

Everything that I have read since finding this forum seems to indicate that it is doable with a little research.

I just can't seem to justify to myself (or her) to buy a big PC monitor or even an arcade monitor for the price of a 27" TV.

Let me know how you make out.

They are in the process of building a FutureShop here in town so hopefully they will be done before my next cab is!  

[sofakng]

photorock,  that TV looks to be just about the same as mine.  I'm not sure if it functions the same way though (auto power-on after losing power, etc)...  I'd take a drive to Target (or where-ever) and if you can access the power cable, just yank it out while the TV's on -- then plug it back in.  If anybody asks just tell them the reason you are doing it, I highly doubt they will care.

As for the 27A33 I'm pretty sure its discontinued.  SEARS.COM used to sell it but I'm not sure if they still do it anymore.  I'd check though.

EDIT:  As for my video card, I'm using an ATI Radeon 7000 (AGP).  It has s-video out and I'm very happy with it.  Eventually I plan to get a Radeon 8500 and then hack up a component adapter, but for now the s-video is very good quality.

[photorock]

           Ekans, I'm with you I can't justify $600 on an Arcade monitor plus shipping plus handeling plus exchange rate. That's well over $1000 Canadian. As for a monitor the best I can get in my area, at a decent price is a 19" and that's a bit to small for a cab. I think my best bet is to go with sofaking's advice and get a 27" TV and an ATI video card, that I can do for a little under $500 and that won't kill my budget.
            Thanks sofakng for taking the time to check out that TV for me and I will test like you said when I go shopping for it next week.
            Sometimes it just sucks living in Canada, well the weak Canadian dollar sucks, just kidding Canada.
           Thanks for your help guys... It's definately appreaciated.

[sofakng]

Good luck!

If you have any more questions feel free to send me an e-mail.  I should probably also mention that I've had minor bezel problems with that TV.  The happs 27" didn't fit perfectly (it had a little of the TV showing, but thats about the best I could do).

You might want to consider getting a 25" bezel and cutting it.  Do some research on this first though...  I went through 3 bezels (only ended up paying for one though) to make sure everything fit the best it could...

[ekans]

Well, I decided to go the lazy route and use an arcade montiro and video card from Ultimarc. Too little time and not enough hair left to worry about the problem associated with TVs. I just read through a year long thread here on the issue and lost interest after that. I may be in a unique sit though since I still have the monitor that came out of the cab that I am using.
 

[chrisinauz]

EXCELLENT! I'd MUCH MUCH rather settle for a 19" -21" Arcade monitor then a brand new 27" S-video TV, TV'S LICK for Arcade Monitors, too washed out and horrible resolution....