How many hours can an arcade monitor last?

[urbecrisch]

I'm just curious how long before a monitor goes bad.  Is there a number of hours or times it has been turned on/off before it starts to have problems.  I'm just curious to see how long some of you have had your monitors before problems have started.

[grantspain]

it depends on the make and model,i have monitors that are 15 years old with good pics and very little burn in

[SavannahLion]

I have a monitor that's probably about 20+ years now, I think I got it sometime around 1985 or so. I haven't used it in the last five years since I don't use any compatible computer it can be used with. I guess that puts it on par to the 15 year old monitor mentioned above. Last I checked, it has a slight intermittent wavering problem. Probably the caps failing, I'll have to dig it out and ask around here.

I have two other monitors in use for ten and six years now. The six year old monitor has an intermittent degaussing(?) problem. The screen crazes as if it's starting to degauss. I'll have to figure out how to fix that. The six year old monitor probably has the most up hours out of all of them, 24/7/365. The longest downtime is in the last four months while I'm repairing the PC it's attached to. Not counting power outages, leap years and current repair time , the monitor probably has over 61,000 hours of up time under its belt. No noticeable burn in because the PC defaults to a black screen saver. I'm not sure but I think the monitor goes to sleep if it loses the green signal so that probably extends its useful life.

[urbecrisch]

I noticed my subject line didn't include the word ARCADE before the monitor.  Are you talking about arcade monitors or CRT/PC monitors?  I will edit the subject so everyone is clear.  Cheers!

[SavannahLion]

I noticed my subject line didn't include the word ARCADE before the monitor.  Are you talking about arcade monitors or CRT/PC monitors?

Sorry, I had assumed generic CRT monitors, I was writing about my PC monitors. Technically speaking though, I believe a CRT monitor really doesn't denote whether it's a monitor used in an arcade machine or for a PC. CRT just defines the type of tube involved.

[grantspain]

all my monitors are arcade type,nanao seem to be the best for burn in problems.the worst are sanwa and any type of rear projector type

[Kevin Mullins]

CRT just defines the type of tube involved.

True..... Cathode Ray Tube

PC, Arcade, Television, whatever....all the same if it has a glass tube.
The electronic chassis is what makes them different.

I have 20 year old arcade monitors that still work fine. And back in their hayday they were on for many hours straight, seven days a week.
Actually I've seen much worse results lately with newer monitors.

[urbecrisch]

Thanks for the clarification.  I just picked up a CAB at an auction with a WG 25K7193 that I'm going to Mame and I was just curious how long arcade monitors lasted.  The monitor looks great with no burns or flickering but I know it's at least 16 years old so it would suck if it decided to crap out on me any time soon.  Cheers!

[Kevin Mullins]

Generally when I first get a monitor of that age, even the 20 year old ones that still work fine, I can already assume that they will be due for a capacitor kit and some resoldering of certain components.

But depending on your skill level or desire to immediately learn about monitor repairs..... leave it alone until it's needed to be repaired. 

[urbecrisch]

Kevin, I'm nowhere near being able to install a cap kit for my monitor.  This is my first arcade monitor and I'm even afraid to take it out of the CAB right now to do some CAB repairs after reading how many volts a monitor holds!   

Any suggestions how to take it out safely for transport and CAB repairs without killing myself? LOL.  I just need some positive reinforcement.

Cheers!   

[FrizzleFried]

Kevin, I'm nowhere near being able to install a cap kit for my monitor.  This is my first arcade monitor and I'm even afraid to take it out of the CAB right now to do some CAB repairs after reading how many volts a monitor holds!   

Any suggestions how to take it out safely for transport and CAB repairs without killing myself? LOL.  I just need some positive reinforcement.

Cheers!   

You will be A-OK if it is (A) unplugged and (B) you don't mess around with the anode (the "suction cup" looking thing that attaches to the back of the tube) or the wire that comes off of it.  Back in September I hadn't soldered anything short of a car speaker wires.  If you read up on how to PROPERLY discharge the tube...and then re-read on how to PROPERLY discharge the tube,  and you learn how to use solder wick... you can bust out a cap kit.  It's actually quite simple once you get the hang of it.  My first Electrohome G07 chassis took me over 2 hours to complete.  The second about half that time.  I think I could probably do another in 45 minutes or less now.

No need to discharge the tube if you are just removing the monitor though...just don't go messing around with the anode or the wire coming from it and you will be fine.

It's sort of funny...it took me over 30 minutes to gather enough balls to discharge my first monitor...I was actually SWEATING...had my wife on stand by to call the paramedics,  was standing on a roll of carpet,  wearing leather gloves,  rubber soled shoes,  left hand in my pocket...and all I got was a "dink"...not even a good snap!  Now I will discharge a monitor in seconds (I still go through my checklist of how to do it right and I still put my left hand in my pocket).

[urbecrisch]

FrizzleFried, thanks for the vote of confidence.  I will muster up the BALLS to take the monitor out but I'm still gonna wait to replace the cap kit.  Again, the picture on my monitor looks great so hopefully it won't be needing any work for awhile now.  I just need to get the monitor out so it lightens up the CAB.  It's a 4 player Simpsons and it's heavier than a son of a B****.

Then I can do whatever work I want (sanding,painting,etc.) without worrying about damaging the monitor.  Thanks again for the "pep talk".   I'm feeling better already! 

One more question:
Is it OK to leave the chassis in and only remove the monitor?  Or is the chassis connected to the monitor and I have no choice to remove them separately?  Just want to remove only what's necessary.  Thanks again.

[Kevin Mullins]

One more question:
Is it OK to leave the chassis in and only remove the monitor?  Or is the chassis connected to the monitor and I have no choice to remove them separately?  Just want to remove only what's necessary.  Thanks again.

If the chassis is mounted directly to the frame of the monitor then it a piece of cake.
Unplug the power cord, unplug the video signal connector, un-bolt and remove the whole nine yards. (metal frame, chassis, tube, etc, all in one neat package)

If the chassis is mounted to a wooden shelf of some sorts, then it can be a bit trickier. Still possible to remove all the guts along with the tube, but I would recommend some help from a friend to handle all the loose dangling pieces. (the chassis board mainly)
NOT RECOMMENDED TO DO IT THIS WAY

But the main point to note is that you can NOT remove the tube by itself without discharging the high voltage anode. It is a direct link between the tube and the chassis. So in order to remove either one seperately, you will HAVE to discharge the monitor.

[urbecrisch]

    

Got the monitor out today!  Now I can get to work sanding, bonding, priming, painting, etc.  Maybe I should have left the monitor in after all.    J/K

Thanks for the "pep talk" people.  Really removing the monitor was a breeze!  4 bolts and it came out easily.  Not to mention it wasn't that heavy either.  Now I hope when all is said and done it will still work when I plug it in.  I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Cheers!