Best PC monitor for MAME?

[Jack Burton]

Hi,  are there any PC monitors out there that I could use to get an authentic picture with from MAME?  Something that can go down to 15khz and 336x240 resolution.  I know that it might be kind of obscure or old, but I would be willing to look for it if it means that I can just use my desktop monitor for my mame station as well.

[StephenH]

Yes, for 15Khz you would use a Standard Res arcade monitor and an ArcadeVGA card to output 15Khz.  There are various brands such as Nieman, Billabs, Happ Controls, Betson Imperial, etc.

Additionally, there are several monitors that take multiple frequencies, for example, Nieman makes a model that does 15Khz, but also goes up to 640x480 (31Khz).  Betson and Billabs make models that go up to 800x600 (38Khz), and 1024x768 (48Khz) respectively.   You still need an ArcadeVGA or other card to run MAME games at 15Khz respectively.

[btp2k2]

Using an arcade monitor would certainly do the trick...however, I would not recommend using it on your desktop...unless you intend on building a box for it (They come decased)....one false move trying to fetch that pencil or something that fell behind it, or a kid manages to get back there...ZAP! Not good.

[Organic Jerk]

I think what he's asking for is a PC monitor, ie: a regular desktop looking monitor with resolutions and frequencies typical of modern PC monitors(1280*1024@100hz), that can output perfect arcade graphics at their proper res and frequency, look arcade perfect, and NOT be an uncased arcade monitor..


I'm not sure if it's possible, from what I understand.  The nature of a currently selling PC monitor leads it to be "too precise" to output MAME "arcade perfect"... and to look arcade perfect, a PC monitor would literally have to be able to change it's hardware to look worse than itself. as arcade monitors are essentially new "old" hardware...

And if you bought an old CGA monitor (and an adapter to fit with new PC's... and then get it to WORK with said PC's ) that could somehow output MAME resolutions and frequencies right, your desktop experience would be complete garbage, as this monitor wouldn't be able to perform desktop functions at typical modern resolutions


Ultimately if you want arcade perfect, you're going to have to buy arcade perfect.  If you want a desktop monitor. you'll have to play with sharp and clear pixels that are obviously outputting from a PC monitor. 

I may be wrong here, as I'm ultimately a monitor newbie and am only starting to understand all of this myself, but from what I'm understanding thus far, you can't get the best of both worlds...

[Jack Burton]

I see, thanks very much for the info.

I have been looking through lots of what are called "presentation monitors".  Some of them seem to be able to go to what I need, while still possessing resolutions within reasonable desktop limits.

What do you guys think of these?

http://www.monitorworld.com/Monitors/nec/multisyncxm29xm2950.html

http://monitorworld.com/Monitors/sony/gvm2020.html

[ArtMAME]

I see, thanks very much for the info.

I have been looking through lots of what are called "presentation monitors".  Some of them seem to be able to go to what I need, while still possessing resolutions within reasonable desktop limits.

What do you guys think of these?

http://www.monitorworld.com/Monitors/nec/multisyncxm29xm2950.html

http://monitorworld.com/Monitors/sony/gvm2020.html

I have owned several of these NEC Multisync XM monitors.  They are absolutely amazing.  I think they are the best type of display solution that you can get for an All-in-one Cabinet.

You can use them for your normal computer desktop applications. You can even use them for PC gaming (Halo, Doom 3, WOW, etc...) since they will do PC resolutions.

And you can also display arcade resolutions on them if you use Powerstrip with an ATI Radeon video card, or with just an ArcadeVGA card from Ultimarc.   

The magic specs here are: H Freq 15-50 Khz. 

15KHz H-Frequency is CGA for oldschool arcade resolutions.
25KHz H-Frequency is EGA for newer arcade stuff like some of the Crusin' games.
31KHz H-Frequency is VGA which is 640x480 computer resolution
31-50KHz H-Frequency you are going up 800x600, 1024x768, and anywhere in between...

Me and Huib1 have experimented with these monitors using Powerstrip with a Radeon 9250 video card.  He has one in his cab running the correct arcade resolutions for each game.  I have build another cab for a friend and put an NEC monitor in it, but running normal PC resolutions in MAME.  He is very happy with the results.

The dot pitch on the screen in not quite as coarse as the regular arcade monitors... but is not as fine as the normal PC monitors.  It is somewhere in between, which is why both desktop applications and arcade res application look so good on it. 

The biggest downside to these monitors is that they are usually large, heavy, and cube-shaped.  They will not fit in most standard cabinets.  I had to build a Midway-style cab and make it 4.5 inches deeper than normal for the monitor to fit in there.  Huib1 has a Lusid-style cab, and it just barely fits in there.  I strongly discourage trying to decase these... they are very heavy, and have several PCBs inside, very scary...

Also, they can be rather expensive. 

[Jack Burton]

wow, that's great.

I'm not planning on mounting this monitor into a cabinet.  I'm probably going to have it setting in my livingroom beside my tv with a computer hooked up to it and use it as a MAME station.  I'm only concerned with the image being correct, not with it fitting into a cabinet.

Where can I get one of the NEC XM monitors? and how much do they usually go for?  There seems to be plenty of info about the specs of monitors like these but no sites that actually sell them.

[shorthair]

I haven't been able to find any anywhere online.  I think they don't make them anymore at least partly cos LCDs are cheap enough for companies to buy a few of 'em.

[ArtMAME]

Sometimes you can find presentation monitors on Craigslist.  Ebay will also have them available from various sellers.

I get my NEC monitors in used condition on Ebay from this seller:

http://stores.ebay.com/AVFORSALE

I have paid anywhere between $65 to $200 each, just depends who is bidding, and how badly they want them.

This seller is in Atlanta, GA and I drive about 40 miles each way to go and pick them up myself.  They will ship them to you, but I am sure it will be expensive.  These things weigh well over 100 Lbs by themselves...  sometimes they will sell them in a road case, so you are talking 200+ Lbs.

Also, make sure the description specifies PC resolutions (1024x768 or 1280x1024 max resolution), and/or the H-Frequency capability (15-50KHz Horizontally for NECs or 15-82kHz horizontally for Mitsubishi monitors)

These NECs or Mitsubushis should do what you are talking about.  There are some presentation monitors like Princeton Arcadia or Gateway Destination that are large and will do PC resolutions and look good, but may not do the arcade resolutions.  Just make sure you read the specs on each monitor. 

[Silver]

Me and Huib1 have experimented with these monitors using Powerstrip with a Radeon 9250 video card.  He has one in his cab running the correct arcade resolutions for each game.  I have build another cab for a friend and put an NEC monitor in it, but running normal PC resolutions in MAME.  He is very happy with the results.

Hi, slightly offtopic but would be interested in some more info on the exact powerstrip setup. I have one of the NEC Xm29's. I'm well accustomed to creating such resolutions with powerstrip but hit some powerstrip issues. Any chance you could source a copy of the powerstrip.ini used here? (It has all the info I'd be after).

Thanks!

[Organic Jerk]

These NECs or Mitsubushis should do what you are talking about.  There are some presentation monitors like Princeton Arcadia or Gateway Destination that are large and will do PC resolutions and look good, but may not do the arcade resolutions.  Just make sure you read the specs on each monitor. 

That's awesome.  I will definitely be looking into this!

Thanks for the good info..

[Silver]

One thing worth noting is that 15Khz support is not always equal.

I have used an old 28" monitor that would display up to 800x600, and supported down to 15Khz. However, the 15Khz was simply internally line-doubled to 31Khz.

Nothing wrong with this, except of course it defeats the purpose of getting a 15Khz monitor for mame - the display will not be an authentic 15Khz display, its roughly the same as buying an external sync converter.

(Worth checking on monitors that claim 15,31-50 Khz instead of 15-50Khz)