tips on de-casing a TV?

[krazy_kenny1]

I just got a 27" TV, but it's about 1/2" too wide to fit in the cabinet, so I will need to remove the casing.  Does anyone who has done this have any tips for me?  Do I need to have it discharged?  I've heard it's important to make sure a TV with a 2-prong plug doesn't touch a ground wire inside the cab.  I don't wanna kill myself   Thanks.

[Zebidee]

I reckon many people will answer this, but let me say first that leaving it off for a couple of days is a really good start.

[krazy_kenny1]

I reckon many people will answer this, but let me say first that leaving it off for a couple of days is a really good start.

I've read up on how to discharge it myself using a screwdriver and some alligator clips and it sounds super simple, but I guess the whole possible death thing is what still has me a little nervous.  I'm not just looking for tips on avoiding electrocution (although they are quite welcome ).  Any tips at all on things like handling the exposed TV, mounting it in a cab, etc would be very helpful.

[ArtMAME]

You can get away with not decasing the TV... sort of...

Check it out:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54556.msg534947#msg534947

I did decase, but did not really have to manipulate the tube part at all, I just left it on the floor while I modded the rear plastic case.  Then I put the modded case back together and slid the whole TV into the cabinet.  Now I did have to mod the cab a little bit, I cut some of the back off to gain access to that area.

[krazy_kenny1]

You can get away with not decasing the TV... sort of...

Check it out:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54556.msg534947#msg534947

I did decase, but did not really have to manipulate the tube part at all, I just left it on the floor while I modded the rear plastic case.  Then I put the modded case back together and slid the whole TV into the cabinet.  Now I did have to mod the cab a little bit, I cut some of the back off to gain access to that area.

This is intriguing.  How hard was it to "slide" the tv in after the modifications?  also, how hard would it be to remove it from the cabinet?  I do live in a second floor apartment, so it would be nice to be able to lighten the cab when moving day eventually comes.  I may try something similar to this...

[Jeff AMN]

I was preparing to de-case my TV, but I ended up being able to avoid it. Best Buy said that the TV was 25 1/2" wide, but it actually was just a shade under 25". When I went to put the set in, I found that I had about 1/16" clearance on each side. It was perfect.

Once you de-case the TV, I'd wear some heavy rubber gloves while you move it around. You probably won't get shocked if you're careful, but the gloves add grip and some insulation.

[krazy_kenny1]

I was preparing to de-case my TV, but I ended up being able to avoid it. Best Buy said that the TV was 25 1/2" wide, but it actually was just a shade under 25". When I went to put the set in, I found that I had about 1/16" clearance on each side. It was perfect.

Once you de-case the TV, I'd wear some heavy rubber gloves while you move it around. You probably won't get shocked if you're careful, but the gloves add grip and some insulation.

Well, I actually measured mine last night to come up with the 1/2" discrepancy, so I will either have to de-case or  "modify" the case as described above.  If I do decide to leave the case off, I'll just discharge it before trying to handle it.  The hardest part I think will be actually maneuvering it into the cab since only the bottom half of the back comes off.  I may end up cutting out part of the upper half of the back just to get it in there.

[ArtMAME]

You can get away with not decasing the TV... sort of...

Check it out:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54556.msg534947#msg534947

I did decase, but did not really have to manipulate the tube part at all, I just left it on the floor while I modded the rear plastic case.  Then I put the modded case back together and slid the whole TV into the cabinet.  Now I did have to mod the cab a little bit, I cut some of the back off to gain access to that area.

This is intriguing.  How hard was it to "slide" the tv in after the modifications?  also, how hard would it be to remove it from the cabinet?  I do live in a second floor apartment, so it would be nice to be able to lighten the cab when moving day eventually comes.  I may try something similar to this...

It was not difficult to slide it in at all.  It is a little tight in there.  I have not tried to remove it but I think it will come out again with a little effort.  Right now it is sort of resting on a couple of 2x4 crossbeams. 

What you can do is try to slide the TV in as it is, and maybe the plastic case will flex enough to go in.  If not, you may need some relief cuts on the case to get it in.  Make sure you use some cross beams or some support in case the TV decides to drop when you are trying to slide it in.

[Pac-Fan]

If you're not removing the anode (red wire with grey suction cup) from the tube, then there is no need to discharge anything.

A properly working set will have already discharged itself over a few minutes to an hour after being shut off, and leaving the wire/cup attached ensures nothing will leak out through normal handling.

In fact, removing the cup will expose the anode and the tube can regain a small static charge just by sitting in dry air.

Only if you can't work with everything attached safely (use a friend) then you might have to separate all the parts and mount the tube separately first, then secure and reattach the electronics, which then requires a discharge.

Yes, wear gripper gloves (latex dipped leather) to ensure a safe transport of the heavy glass tube, use a friend, lay the tube on a clean towel and don't move to prevent scratching while you remove the nuts from the posts inside the front plastic part.

[tba]

and be very careful of the neck and neck board on the picture tube... if you break it it is a BIT*H to fix!  

i ended up having to take the picture tube and chassis apart, discharging is VERY important... these thing hold as much juice as some stun guns at a heck of a lot more current! 

never assume the tube is discharged, ALWAYS discharge before working on it, then wait 10-15 and discharge it again!

beyond that it isn't too hard. if you have a digital cam take LOTS of pics so you get all the plugs back where they are supposed to be.

and remember safety first, if you are unsure if it is safe, make you girlfriend/wife or any young child you are not that attached to, touch it first. 

anyways i attached a pic of what mine ended up looking like... as always i take no responsibility for any info contained in this post if you attempt this and die i will laugh... i am kind of a pri*k that way! 

[Zebidee]

Seriously, leaving it off for several days is the best way to be sure of not killing yourself.   Any residual charge should dissipate.  One of the riskiest things you'll ever do with your monitor is discharging it (if not done right), so it shouldn't be something you rush to do. 

You can discharge a tube w/ screwdriver, but not drain all the charge, and still get shocked.  And yes, they can build up a charge once exposed to air so caution and constant vigilance is the only way to be certain.

Did anyone mention that your shouldn't touch any capacitors because they can hold a charge too?  Again, leave it off for a couple of days first. 

I've decased and mounted a few TVs now without having to discharge them - or expose myself to unnecessary risk.  I just waited and took all possible precautions.

DISCLAIMER: Please don't come crying to me that you are dead after reading this though.  All care, no responsibility ....

[krazy_kenny1]

Seriously, leaving it off for several days is the best way to be sure of not killing yourself.   Any residual charge should dissipate.  One of the riskiest things you'll ever do with your monitor is discharging it (if not done right), so it shouldn't be something you rush to do. 

You can discharge a tube w/ screwdriver, but not drain all the charge, and still get shocked.  And yes, they can build up a charge once exposed to air so caution and constant vigilance is the only way to be certain.

Did anyone mention that your shouldn't touch any capacitors because they can hold a charge too?  Again, leave it off for a couple of days first. 

I've decased and mounted a few TVs now without having to discharge them - or expose myself to unnecessary risk.  I just waited and took all possible precautions.

DISCLAIMER: Please don't come crying to me that you are dead after reading this though.  All care, no responsibility ....

So does anyone else recommend not discharging it before handling it with the case removed?  I've read countless how-tos on discharging and it sounds incredibly straightforward (attach one end of insulated wire to metal frame of the display, attach the other end to the middle of a long flathead screwdriver, put one hand in your pocket, carefully slide screwdriver under anode until you hear it discharge, repeat a couple more times with a few minutes between each try...rubber soled shoes and rubber gloves are a plus).  Wouldn't discharging it in such a way greatly reduce the risk of injury to anyone handling the monitor during the mounting process, especially if the discharging is done after leaving it off for a few days?

[TOK]

I think the fear of monitors is a bit overstated. Its not that bad. If you've jumped a capacitor, you can do this.
I was going to decase a 27" Toshiba for my vert cabinet, and was disappointed to find that it had a super flimsy looking neck (way thinner than typical arcade monitor) with a huge board on the end, and the circuit boards were molded into the base. Since it was a vert mount, I was looking to save space top to bottom, so the speakers didn't affect me. I ended up putting it in there with the case on.
Hopefully, your monitor has a little more sturdy looking neck and more wiggle room for the boards.

[krazy_kenny1]

Maybe I'll try just removing the back of the case first and see if the front bezel part is flexible enough to give me the 1/2" I need.  Then I wouldn't have to worry about cutting  slits in the case or removing the boards and stuff.  I'll leave it off and unplugged for a few days before attempting this.  The widest part of the case if where the front bezel meets the back part, so this may have a shot at working.  Does that sound like a good idea?

[Zebidee]

KK, your situation sounds similar to one of mine.

For the first TV I mounted, the main screw-pegs behind the body of the TV's face sat perfectly on top of the old wooden monitor bracket, so I left the front of  the TV on.  Similar to yours, the TV barely squeezed into the cab.  In fact, I had to use a tile nibbling tool and a box-cutter knife to shave as much as possible off the sides of the TV to slip it in.

The 'plastic' was actually incredibly tough material, like Samsonite but even thicker, with cross-sections to add greater stability and support.

Here is an old photo I took after taking the case off, before I took to it with the nibbler.  At the left, you can see three large 'pegs' to receive screws for the back.  There are another three on the right, and the entire weight of the TV can rest on these pegs (because everything is attached to the screen and the front part anyway).  In my nibbling at the plastic I was very careful not to damage the 'structural integrity' of the plastic front, so that it would continue to support the weight.

Like someone earlier said, and my favouite arcade tech has said to me --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type--, if you are not touching/removing the red anode (going to the suction cap), or removing the chassis, the may be no need.  You may actually be safer not discharging it if you don't need to.  But then, if you discharge it and remove the chassis it may be easier for you to handle.  Either way, may be a good idea to have someone nearby to call the ambulance if you need it   

[krazy_kenny1]

Well, I tried to remove the back part of the case last night and was not very successful.  The board at the bottom with all of the inputs on it is attached quite well to the back part of the case, but also had several connections to the front of the TV.  I decided not to bother with trying to disconnect all of the attachments at the time.  I did measure the distance between the mounting points on the corners of the tube and I still think I'd have difficulty fitting it in with the case removed entirely.  So, I guess now I'm going to return it to wally-world and try to find a 25" TV that I can simply stick in there without any trouble.  I Think the original arcade monitor was a 25" as well.  My only concern is that I may have to settle for using s-video instead of component since I haven't found any 25" TVs with both component inputs AND a curved screen (which I want).  Nobody would happen to know of one would they?

[tba]

i wouldn't get too hung up on component vs svhs these games are such low resolution it doesn't really matter... my TV has both and i really can't see that much of a difference between the two.

and i still maintain that discharging the monitor is the best idea. i work with high voltages every day and as a policy i dint handle ANYTHING that is holding onto thousands of volts! if you just brush the wrong component it can get painful/deadly! anodes have a tendency to pop off when moving CRTs... parts get dropped. and i am not even getting into the transformers on the chassis. i would also never EVER trust that "leaving it off for a couple of days" will discharge ANYTHING, capacitors can hold onto a charge for a long time. like i said if you haven't discharged it personally treat it as LIVE!!!!!!

good luck on your quest for the perfect display, i know how important that can be... it is the one par of the cab that everyone is going to be looking at all the time!

[TOK]

i wouldn't get too hung up on component vs svhs these games are such low resolution it doesn't really matter... my TV has both and i really can't see that much of a difference between the two.

Made a huge difference on my Toshiba. Resolution had nothing to do with it, component is just a much more solid image with more vibrant colors. S-Video had some faint "beat" type interference which seemed tolerable until you saw component without it. No going back from there.

[Jeff AMN]

i wouldn't get too hung up on component vs svhs these games are such low resolution it doesn't really matter... my TV has both and i really can't see that much of a difference between the two.

Made a huge difference on my Toshiba. Resolution had nothing to do with it, component is just a much more solid image with more vibrant colors. S-Video had some faint "beat" type interference which seemed tolerable until you saw component without it. No going back from there.

Agreed. It's not resolution that you're trying to achieve, it's proper color separation, proper sharpness, and eliminating things like color bleeding, noise, and distortion. Component is a pretty big leap over s-video. Just yesterday I had a buddy over for the first time (he's from out of town), and he was shocked to find out that I had a TV in the cabinet and not an actual arcade monitor. It was quite the compliment.

[ArtMAME]

I second that... I tried both.   Component (RGB) inputs are way better.  It would be worth trying to find one. 

The curved tube... I don't know if you should get too hung up on... Some new arcade monitors come in flat tube style nowadays...

[ArtMAME]

Let me also say that for newer games that originally had a 25" monitor (SF, MK, Simpsons, etc...)  it is harder to differentiate between S-Video and Component.  At least for me, I can barely tell the difference. 

Now for classic games, the difference really is night and day... 

I guess it would depend on which games you favor (80s vs 90s)...

[krazy_kenny1]

I guess I might be willing to sacrifice the curved screen in favor of higher image quality...sigh.  I guess I'll start checking out 25" and 26" flat screens with component...bringing my tape measure with me this time

[Zebidee]

Just wanted to say that I'd discharge to if I thought there was any reason to play around with the chassis.  I guess it is pretty easy.

KK, also wondering whether you can't do something useful with your original component TV - sometimes you need to sit and stare at these things for a while if you know what I mean.  And as for the corner mounts, you would probably have to do a little carpentry to get them right.  Or is it literally that the screen just won't fit in?  I've managed to fit a very large 27" in a cab that originally has a 25".  I had to cut part of the wooden mounting bracket out at the bottom, and use metal "extension" brackets to secure the top to the wooden bracket.  I confess it was a tight squeeze, but it is solid.  Where's my camera?

[krazy_kenny1]

Well, I found a 24" curved screen RCA TV at walmart with component input that fits into the cabinet like a glove, case and all.  I found several 25" screens that would have fit as well, but none with component.  I decided I'd rather have improved visual quality in older games than one more inch of screen area.  Only downside is it doesn't power on automatically after power-loss, but a $15 IR cable and WinLIRC will fix that   It does return to the previous input.

[ahofle]

Do you have a link?  I've never seen a 24" curved CRT TV with component inputs.
The only 24" RCA at walmart.com is this one:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5633690
but it's neither curved, nor does it have component inputs.

[krazy_kenny1]

Do you have a link?  I've never seen a 24" curved CRT TV with component inputs.
The only 24" RCA at walmart.com is this one:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5633690
but it's neither curved, nor does it have component inputs.

That's the one actually...the screen is NOT flat and it DOES have component inputs.  Walmart's website just sucks   I'll try to post you up a pic later tonight if I remember.

[ahofle]

Cool, thx.  A friend of mine is after a good sized TV for his MAME cab and this sounds promising.

EDIT: Wow, you're right -- Walmart is retarded.  This looks very interesting and the speakers are on the bottom!
RCA spec sheet

Please post a review when you get it hooked up.

[krazy_kenny1]

Cool, thx.  A friend of mine is after a good sized TV for his MAME cab and this sounds promising.

Just take a tape measure with you to the store...don't make the mistake I made

[krazy_kenny1]

here's a pic that kinda shows the curve:

[Jack Burton]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I have a question.

Is there any downside to putting a television into a cabinet with the case on?  I though I read somewhere that this could cause the television to get too hot and shorten its lifespan considerably.  Could I just install a ventilation fan in the rear of the cabinet to remedy this?

[ahofle]

I had a fully cased TV in my cab for years with no problem.  No special fan configuration either.

[heffe2001]

Sorry to thread-jack, but I got my 32" TV measured my showcase cab, and the darn TV is right at 3/4-1" bigger than the opening in the cab.  Already replaced the TV with a flat panel, so buying another one is out of the question.  I'm wondering if I can get away with shaving half an inch off either side of the case, and stick it in there like that (with the chopped case re-attached)?

I Pulled the back off earlier, and it looks like I could get at least half an inch, maybe 3/4 off each side, so I may take a hacksaw to my TV case tomorrow.  I guess I could decase the TV, but I'd have to fabricate mounting brackets (the supplied ones I guess I could hack but it still wouldn't fit like I'd want it to.  Guess I'd rather chop the case than completely decase it.  If the chop method doesn't cut it, I can always completely decase it, and go from there .

When decasing one, do you guys make any brackets for the back, like an arcade monitor to hold the logic boards, or just mount them ot the cabinet?

[notaburger]

i have my 31" monitor in my cab with hacked off sides
sadly, i made it for a 27" tv so it hangs out a little in the back
i may have to end up removing the case and mounting it if i choose to have a back without a little hole for my monitor
seems like a pain, but that's what i get for upgrading

btw, i see everyone on here complaining about tv resolution
why don't you just get an old office monitor (my 31" gateway monitor does up to 800x600 so it's good for arcade gaming)
then you get a really nice picture
but hey
to each their own

[heffe2001]

Well, last night I got brave and chopped the sides off, put it in, and then needed to trim the back (of the cabinet) to let the monitor slide back, took 3 tries to get it to fit, and that dang 32" TV was sure heavy .  Fits pretty well now (although the sides where I cut sure look like hell, it fits, and is even on both sides).  Should have waited till today when I could grab a couple cut-off wheels for my dremel,  would have definitely been easier.  I'll take a couple pictures in a bit, I have the plexi cover on, but need to pick up some picture-matting from Hobby-Lobby to make a new surround (the monitor sits about 2" or so higher than the arcade monitor would have, but it's fine with me).  I've tested it with a cable box (just to make sure the TV still worked), and it looks great in the cab.  The wife even said she'd watch TV on it when doing laundry in the basement, lol.

[notaburger]

don't worry about the dremel
i tried using mine and the plastic would just melt all over the place and make a mess
unless you are incredibly patient, i'm sure you did it a fine way
i used a hacksaw
it got the job done
it doesn't really matter how it looks, since it's inside your cabinet

[gbeef]

yeah i bought a 50.00 used proscan tv... and cut the sides off it barely fits it was  a 27"... it just takes time i have a grinder ran by a compressor and yes it did melt the casing.. I use a table for the bottom though.. hahahaha... So it is possble to fit a 27" with casing in a 25" width space... and it looks awsome.