LCD Flatscreens?

[rikitheshadow]

Alright, clearly confused at this moment because everyone never reaches this topic question (that or I'm tired of looking). Specifically joined this forum to get some questions asked that would help me on my first time building a MAME cab, planning on a cocktail version. Anyway I'm going to get to the point! I don't know what is better a Wells Gardener, which for some reason has lost their revered quality, or to cut it short, would a it be smarter to use an authentic arcade monitor or a LCD flat screen monitor(for PCs)? Seriously seeing how a lot of tedious work and care has to go into keeping something like that working (CRT monitor). Why not substitute a LCD monitor for arcade cab, cost wise you might save more money seeing how ridiculous a 19"(inch) CRT monitor costs to probably only have it break down considerably faster than some of the technology we have today! Not to mention the free space from some stupid old --I'm attempting to get by the auto-censor and should be beaten after I re-read the rules-- tubes that would have more of a chance of screwing your MAME cabs internal components (such as the PC), and a LCD would probably be more energy efficient considering it does not draw in a lot of power just to turn on. (Yes i know, CRTs have capacitors that help it turn on, but it still draws a lot of juice). All I'm really trying to ask is if a LCD computer monitor produce a moderately efficient video quality for a Mame cab?

So far I have not tried any CRT monitors on my MAME PC. BUT! I have tried flat screens, 24" inch LCD Westinghouse High Definition compatible up to 1080p, although I was using the typical VGA port. And actually the quality was very nice. Though I'm only aiming for a 21 to 22" to go into my MAME cab.

Please be gentle! I'm only stating my opinion based on what I've read so far about CRTs.

Ahhhh crud. Sorry, as you can see above I should re-read teh forum rules! Sorry folks...and auto-censor!

[rikitheshadow]

Oh, ok, well i did find some threads on these forums talking about the so called CRT vs. LCD. Anyway though I would sort of love that natural arcade feel, still debating if it is worth spending at least 400+ dollars on. CRTs are expensive for such outdated technology........No offense. Anyway, my question still stands. I would rather see current responses than past responses to previous threads speaking of a CRT vs. LCD.

hehe, just got my account upgraded today for posting.......so....if thats an excuse for bringing this topic up again...

[SavannahLion]

It's an eternal debate that'll go on as long as CRT's are still available, and most likely will continue long after CRT's are not available.

In a nut shell, it all boils down to what your preference is. If you feel that you can gain enough of an arcade experience by using an LCD, then by all means, use one.

If you asked for my personal preference (Note that I'm avoiding the use of the word, "opinion," here), I would go with CRT whenever feasible. The reasoning behind it is some of the developers specifically created visuals for a very specific type of monitor. Some games were designed around, or leveraged, some of the inherent deficiencies of CRTs. Things like bleed, flicker or glow, to name a few, were sometimes designed into the very game itself. (In an even narrower example, some games can only be fully experienced on Vector monitors. The game can be played in some form on standard CRTs or LCDs, but you miss out on a quite a bit.)

Some people argue that the game developers simply "threw" the game image into specific addresses without regard to the monitor being used. That sort of comment is such a broad blanket statement that I have to wonder if that person ever developed any sort of game under the tight hardware requirements and limitations of the time.

Edit: Fixed some annoying misspellings.

[Ummon]

Oh, ok, well i did find some threads on these forums talking about the so called CRT vs. LCD. Anyway though I would sort of love that natural arcade feel, still debating if it is worth spending at least 400+ dollars on. CRTs are expensive for such outdated technology........No offense. Anyway, my question still stands. I would rather see current responses than past responses to previous threads speaking of a CRT vs. LCD.

hehe, just got my account upgraded today for posting.......so....if thats an excuse for bringing this topic up again...

There's plenty of  posts. In any case, you really have to try out what you can afford. Grab a CRT TV with S-video...or, even better, component. Check it out. Try out a CRT computer monitor. You won't really know till you do this stuff. If you're just wanting to play games, build it and throw in an LCD and be done with it.

[rikitheshadow]

Ya, I had one CRT TV that has a S-Video, its not bad, thought the TV was made in 1990. Graphics are decent, but windows resolution just plain stinks. And after trying a few games i noticed that it was pushing some items off the screen. Played games like Metal Slug and well, the coin messages and etc. or anything in the right bottom corner were not on the screen. I checked the TV for settings to adjust position if at all possible, but no go. Just color, tint, brightness, and etc. All the typical TV controls. Um the TV was a 20" JVC with S-Video, typical AV ports, coaxial, and speaker ports(Though it has built in ones). Thought i might describe it considering you need to post with details in these forums. 

Btw are widescreen monitors or flat screens something you want to avoid when making a cocktail cabinet?

oh yes, my PC's video card is a XFX GeForce 8600GT with 512mb and 540MHz core (Nvidia)

[rikitheshadow]

OH I wanted to ask a few if I went with the flat screen for a cocktail MAME cabinet, would these few LCDs be good?

Vision Pro Dual Resolution 19" LCD
http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/49260310.htm


or a

MakVision Dual Resolution 19" LCD
http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/49277330.htm

I just want an honest opinion on em, their stats seem pretty equivalent, not to mention their prices.

[SavannahLion]

Btw are widescreen monitors or flat screens something you want to avoid when making a cocktail cabinet?

A vast majority of the arcade games leverage a 4:3 screen aspect ratio. Changes occur when the designer elects to rotate the screen 90 degrees in a vertical position, it is still a 4:3 (or 3:4 I guess) ratio. I may be wrong, I'm not aware of any wide screen games in the emulated MAME collection (though some games do leverage multiple screens).

When you use a wide screen, you would either have stretching on certain games or you would have wasted screen real estate. If you decide to waste the real estate, you can compensate by using a custom bezel to hide the wasted areas and/or use a tinted top glass to help hide lost space (a tinted top glass also helps the LCD give truer blacks).

[Zobeid]

Just to toss in my own two cents. . .

A couple of days ago I got my Happ 19-inch arcade LCD monitor.  This will be going into a rotating-monitor cabinet.  I only tested it briefly, but my first impression is that it's outstanding.  It's way easier to make a rotating design using a LCD.  The aspect ratio is correct, and for most of the older games the size is correct.

I was worried about viewing angles, but it doesn't look like that's going to be a problem at all.  Some complain about the black level of LCDs, but they've improved a lot.  I'm planning to put a tinted bezel in front of this one, but I think it would be acceptable (to me) without one.

The advantage of the arcade LCD is that it's designed for easy mounting in a panel.  There are mounting flanges that attach to the sides with screws, and you can put them on either the sides or the top and bottom edges, and you can adjust the mounting depth.  The monitor comes with a power supply and a VGA cable, and it automatically comes on when power is applied.  It also has a nifty little control panel hanging out on the end of a cord, so you can make adjustments.  (My first impression: It doesn't need any adjustments, it's beautiful.)  The panel has a magnetic back so you can stick it to some metal surface, and it also has a couple of holes for screw-mounting onto a piece of wood.

When I told some of my friends I was going to use this monitor, they sort of looked at me funny.  "Why are you going to use that?  Don't you know you can get a desktop LCD monitor off NewEgg for half that much money?"

I know. . .  I know they are giving away monitors in boxes of breakfast cereal these days.  I could have got cheaper joysticks than my U360s too.  But I got what I wanted.  Furthermore, this might possibly be the least expensive computer monitor I've ever bought in my life.  (In inflation-adjusted dollars, I'm sure it's easily the least expensive.)  It's not going to break my budget.

[rikitheshadow]

Ya, I would have to say even though they are a little expensive they certainly were designed for the arcade usage. They support a correct aspect ratio, a nice wide 170 degree viewing angle, that nice auto power on feature which most substitutes are missing, and well those other features sound very nice too. I think i'll for go the cost just for that LCD monitor because its capabilities. 19" isn't too bad either