Author Topic: LCD monitor advice (Read 5130 times)

2slk · « **on:** February 15, 2003, 01:25:28 am »

What do you folks think about using a 15 inch LCD monitor inside a scaled-down MAME cabinet? Too small? I've never played with MAME on a 15 inch so any advice/comments would be appreciated.

Hellfromabove · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2003, 01:51:58 am »

I wouldn't suggest it man. I used to play roms on my PC w. a LCD monitor and after a while it left a ghost. **** that pissed me off. If you want to go for it I am just warning you. Thanx.

-See Ya!!!

Dave_K. · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:10:15 pm »

Quote from: Hellfromabove on February 15, 2003, 01:51:58 am

I wouldn't suggest it man. I used to play roms on my PC w. a LCD monitor and after a while it left a ghost. **** that pissed me off. If you want to go for it I am just warning you. Thanx.

Ok, what the heck are you talking about!? An LCD computer monitor cannot "burn-in" or leave a trace image like traditional phospher monitors do.

2slk · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:16:56 pm »

I was asking myself that but my brain went into a loop thinking about it. I'm actually concerned about the size. My girlfriend says it doesn't matter but I think she's just being considerate

Dave_K. · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:31:23 pm »

Quote from: 2slk on February 15, 2003, 03:16:56 pm

I was asking myself that but my brain went into a loop thinking about it. I'm actually concerned about the size. My girlfriend says it doesn't matter but I think she's just being considerate

Out of context this is just open for every lame joke in the book. I'll exhibit great restraint (and hope others will too)

.

I think a 15" lcd monitor would make for a greate tabletop mini-mame cab. I've actually been thinking about doing the same thing, but with an even smaller LCD. It would be great to design an enclosure for it that accomidates you turning it vertically for certain games. I say go for it.

2slk · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:40:46 pm »

Dave_K,

My plan is to be able to rotate it as well as change the angle to adjust for sitting/standing/different lighting situations. I want to go with an LCD because the footprint of my cab would be just way to big for my place with a CRT. My budget will only allow for a 15 inch but I'm concerned that gameplay on it would be really lame because of the size. If that's the case, I would rather put the whole project off till I have a bigger place.

Ben · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:42:31 pm »

Something similar to these projects made from notebook guts?

Ben

2slk · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:51:38 pm »

Ben,

Not exactly. I'm thinking of an upright design about 26 or so inches wide that can handle swappable control panels. My 26 inches comes from the fact that I have an original TRON panel that I want to use and it's about 23 inches wide. I would design my other panels to be the same dimensions. The 26 inches wide, I can do. The 33 or so inches deep needed for a CRT just couldn't fit. I figure with an LCD, I could cut the depth down to about the depth of an average book shelf not including the control panel.

Dave_K. · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2003, 03:57:14 pm »

Ahh, looks like Ben got the best link for examples I was thinking of.

eightbit · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2003, 04:47:15 pm »

I play mame on my laptop and its fun in the smaller size. Not bad for one player, starts getting small for 2 player.

I've got a 6" LCD that I've been thinking about making a super micro mini portable cab with. Like those old 9" tall electronic games.

1Spoon · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2003, 05:49:06 am »

Be sure you take viewing angle into consideration. It makes a huge difference on an LCD.

By the way - I have an old LCD from a scrapped Notebook laying around. (Just the screen and connectors to it)
Anybody know if it is posible to interface that to a graphics card ? Or do I need some special hardware for that?

eightbit · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2003, 08:39:51 am »

Quote from: 1Spoon on February 17, 2003, 05:49:06 am

By the way - I have an old LCD from a scrapped Notebook laying around. (Just the screen and connectors to it)
Anybody know if it is posible to interface that to a graphics card ? Or do I need some special hardware for that?

Depends on the screen but very few of them are easy to hook up. I've seen a few write ups on how to do it but they are always for a specific screen.

Dave_K. · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2003, 04:15:30 pm »

Quote from: 1Spoon on February 17, 2003, 05:49:06 am

Be sure you take viewing angle into consideration. It makes a huge difference on an LCD.

By the way - I have an old LCD from a scrapped Notebook laying around. (Just the screen and connectors to it)
Anybody know if it is posible to interface that to a graphics card ? Or do I need some special hardware for that?

You need a LCD driver board, and they are not cheap (~$199-$399 depending upon features). This is normally built into the laptop motherboard (along with the graphic chipset) and is not part of the LCD. You can find LCD driver kits at earthlcd.com.

hyiu · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2003, 06:11:20 pm »

I think most of you guys knows already...

if you keep an eye on
http://bensbargains.net
they have pretty good deals once in a while...
(on LCD and other stuffs...) but usually with rebates...
sometimes, the deals are pretty good....
for a short time... they showed you how to buy a 17 in LCD for $250 (with several rebates and price match...)

worth a try if you're not in a hurry...

or pricewatch.com has pretty good price also...

I have played with a 19 in LCD... my personal opinion is...
the pic is very sharp... I have set the same refresh rate and so on... but somehow... the screen flow somehow I feel is not as fluid.....

I'm not sure how to explain it....
maybe its just my lcd....

but if you can rotate the screen for vertical game... then my guess is 15 in should be acceptable for a 1 player cab....

good luck...

RandyT · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2003, 09:37:42 pm »

Quote from: Dave_K. on February 15, 2003, 03:10:15 pm

Quote from: Hellfromabove on February 15, 2003, 01:51:58 am
I wouldn't suggest it man. I used to play roms on my PC w. a LCD monitor and after a while it left a ghost. **** that pissed me off. If you want to go for it I am just warning you. Thanx.
Ok, what the heck are you talking about!? An LCD computer monitor cannot "burn-in" or leave a trace image like traditional phospher monitors do.

That's what I thought too.....until I saw it happen.

Now, this wasn't with a standard desktop LCD panel, rather one of those new LCD projection televisions (a 36", I believe). We got it as a loaner "eval" unit and we had a presentation running on it for a day straight. I turned on the unit the following day before turning on the computer, and I'll be darned if the image wasn't burned into it. I ran it with a pure white screen for a whole day trying to tone it down before we gave it back

.

Can't say what the deal was there, but LCDs *can* have this problem.

RandyT

Dave_K. · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2003, 09:46:04 pm »

Quote from: RandyT on February 17, 2003, 09:37:42 pm

Now, this wasn't with a standard desktop LCD panel, rather one of those new LCD projection televisions (a 36", I believe). We got it as a loaner "eval" unit and we had a presentation running on it for a day straight. I turned on the unit the following day before turning on the computer, and I'll be darned if the image wasn't burned into it. I ran it with a pure white screen for a whole day trying to tone it down before we gave it back .

Projection TVs and Plasma TVs can burn in...but computer LCD monitors can't. About the only problem I've seen with computer LCD displays is "streaking" on older monitors when there is fast motion; and "white spots" that can develop on laptop LCDs because the backing support is pressing to hard into the liquid crystals (note: don't leave manuals ontop of your laptop).

LOL, I wonder if the pure white screen for a day helped you any?

RandyT · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2003, 09:57:12 pm »

Quote from: Dave_K. on February 17, 2003, 09:46:04 pm

Projection TVs and Plasma TVs can burn in...but computer LCD monitors can't. About the only problem I've seen with computer LCD displays is "streaking" on older monitors when there is fast motion; and "white spots" that can develop on laptop LCDs because the backing support is pressing to hard into the liquid crystals (note: don't leave manuals ontop of your laptop).

LOL, I wonder if the pure white screen for a day helped you any?

I still have trouble trying to understand why it would do that on a projection unit, as the technology was still LCD (no tube)

And believe it or not, it did tone it down quite a bit

RandyT

1Spoon · « **Reply #17 on:** February 18, 2003, 12:26:19 pm »

Quote from: Dave_K. on February 17, 2003, 04:15:30 pm

Quote from: 1Spoon on February 17, 2003, 05:49:06 am
By the way - I have an old LCD from a scrapped Notebook laying around. (Just the screen and connectors to it)
Anybody know if it is posible to interface that to a graphics card ? Or do I need some special hardware for that?
You need a LCD driver board, and they are not cheap (~$199-$399 depending upon features). This is normally built into the laptop motherboard (along with the graphic chipset) and is not part of the LCD. You can find LCD driver kits at earthlcd.com.

Thanks Dave!
Thats all I needed to hear to throw it in the bin..

If I want an LCD I

rhoelsch · « **Reply #18 on:** February 18, 2003, 04:45:25 pm »

Kind of off-topic, but I originally was going to do a table-top cab, simply for its portability and lower cost. I decided it wouldn't be as cheap as I thought, as I didn't have a laptop lying around, and decided that if I was gonna spend the money, I'd just do a full-size cab. However, I have had plans lying around for about a year to put a PsOne w/ the 5" PSX Sony LCD screen inside a "mini-cab", and just play the classics via my psx. Not the same, but a neat super-small cab, and most of the major classics are found on cheap compilation disks out there (Atari, Midway, even MK). Even picked up a 6" Pro-Shock Lite for the controls, but the stick's not the best quality. Anyway, if you want a super-small LCD, maybe check into doing something with the LCD seperate...

Smittydc · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2003, 10:34:27 am »

I recently picked up one of these 10.5" LCD monitors for another project. $120:
http://www.softwareandstuff.com/h_mon_unisys105lcd.html

They come with a pci board that also provides the power. And they tear apart nicely for fitting into a custom case.

shmokes · « **Reply #20 on:** February 19, 2003, 07:41:50 pm »

One other very important or completely irrelevant consideration: Act-Labs PC Light Gun will NOT work with LCD monitors. How important are the light-gun games to you?


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