29" inch Dotronix Multi-Sync Color Display Monitor DOT-X 2938

[n88n]

Hi Guys,

I have a lead on a big monitor

29" inch Dotronix Multi-Sync Color Display Monitor DOT-X 2938

would this work for a MAME cab?  I have not started making my cab yet, but I know the monitor can be an expensive part of the cab.  The price on this working monitor is ridiculous.

Is this too big?  Is there anything about this monitor that might make it hard to work with?

thanks!

Nate

[ahofle]

That's a nice monitor.  But IMO it would be too big for anything but a showcase style cabinet.  I have a 27" and even that is pushing it.  Also I believe that monitor is VGA/SVGA only, so you won't be able to get native CGA arcade resolutions on it.  Not a huge deal though -- you could just force everything to 640x480.

[n88n]

thanks for our response.  It is in fact a vga only unit.  Sorry for my ignorance but if I eventually plan on putting this in a MAME machine wouldn't I need VGA to connect to my PC?

So this monitor would not work well for MAME arcade games?

If this helps the dude wants $40 bucks for it. 

[ahofle]

By VGA in this context I mean 640x480 resolution only.  SVGA is 800x600.  This is different from the "VGA input" it has to on the back to connect to your computer.  Most arcade games have much lower resolutions and this monitor won't be able to display them natively.  But it should still look very good if you scale them up to 640x480.  I'd say $40 is a steal if it's in good working order.  I hope you're making a showcase cabinet or you are in for a headache with that monstrosity a couple feet from your face. 

[Lilwolf]

If you don't want it for 40 bucks, let me know and I do

Some of those presentation TV's handle the weird resolution.  You might get lucky with and get it to work at 15Hz or possibly 25.    But even then... it will work just fine (but maybe not look as good as possible). but b-grade vga monitors are still a large step above SVGA monitors.

[tetsu96]

Heh, I think I see the same CL ad you're looking at.  Don't worry, I'm too far to compete.

This is what the guy posted that I thought was important:

Multiscan / VESA Standard Formats
HORIZONTAL • Scanning frequency, 31 kHz - 38 kHz
VERTICAL • Scanning frequency, 50 Hz - 120 Hz VIDEO

I don't know if VESA standards are just the 640x480 and 800x600, or if there's a bit more play in there but oddball resolutions even in the proper scan range may not be supported.  The 15KHz modes (standard arcade resolution) you won't be able to get without prescaling to something larger, but 640x480 is a multiple of 320x240 so that's a good chunk of games right there.

But that only makes a difference if you intend to really tweak things out to the max.  If you're happy settling at 800x600 running a combination of filters / scaling options, then this should be at least a step or two above a standard 15-21" SVGA PC monitor.