viability of <19" 4:3 LCD monitors.

[SavannahLion]

Given the prominence of non-4:3 monitors larger than 19" and the growing difficulty of finding 19" or smaller 4:3 monitors. I still see 4:3 LCD monitors 19" or smaller, but it's not especially common. In a store, I'll spot maybe, perhaps, 1 or 2 4:3 monitors in an array of non-4:3 monitors. I suspect this is more to do with the cluster ---smurfing--- consumers are doing with WS aspect ratios. Seriously, looking at a WS 19" monitor is a joke.

Personal opinions aside, Tiger Direct lists 18 4:3 monitors ranging in size from 15" to 19". Best Buy lists none (that I could find). Didn't bother checking any other sites.

What is the sensibility in designing and constructing a new cabinet around a specific 4:3 monitor? Especially after the expected mean time failure?

I think I know the answer, I just want your thoughts on this.

[Jack Burton]

I see nothing wrong with a 19" monitor, and for some games I even prefer that size. 

Now, provided the 4:3 LCD in question does not have noticable ghosting or input delay I see no problem with it as a possible display solution for a cab.  It's not my personal cup of tea, but I can see a few advantages.

1) Cost.  It's less than a new arcade monitor.

2) Ease of use.  It's easier to hook up to a MAME pc and supports regular windows resolutions.

3) Ease of installation.  Usually it's pretty trivial to get a flat panel into a cab.

of course there are a couple downsides

1) Cost.  It's more than a 19" TV or pc monitor

2) Authenticity.  No matter how you put it, it's not OEM

3) Quality.  Arguably and inferior display device on a pure aesthetic basis.  But let's not go any further than that.


If someone were just getting into this hobby and wanted to build a simple and effective cab and they already had one of these I would tell them to go ahead and use it and not worry too much about the other stuff. 

As far the coming extinction of 4:3 display devices, I wouldn't worry about it.  Enough stuff will exist as NOS that finding replacements won't be an issue for some time now. 

I guarantee that you could call your local computer parts dealer and they have a whole storage room full of 17-19" 4:3 LCD's that they really want to get rid of.

[SavannahLion]

I agree on your points.

I'm sketching up an arcade cab and the full depth CRT's just don't give me the room inside the cab for the look I want outside of the cab. Since I want to build this cab for someone else, I have no doubt in my mind that the finer points between the CRT vs LCD will be easily lost on him. 

If he really wanted the CRT's, he only need ask about my own cabs... er cab.

I'm just worried about the long term viability. If I design and build the cab for an LCD, that's what it's going to get. No CRT will fit without hefty changes.

Thank you. 

[Blanka]

This is a pretty complete scheme of all LCD displays made/available:

If you look at it you will see that there are no 4:3 displays between 15 and 20 inch. 17 and 19 inch screens are either 5:4 or widescreen.
Second problem is that most <20 inch is TN, so absolutely not fitted for vertical mounting.
The best 4:3 screens are the 20 and 21.3 inch SIPS/SPVA panels. Some notebookscreens like the 12 inch 1400x1050 pixel types are pretty cool too.
Off course, there's a whole bunch of cheap 17 and 19 inch TN panels out there for almost nothing. But they are no 4:3, but 5:4. Not a big problem though.

[whammoed]

This is a pretty complete scheme of all LCD displays made/available:
If you look at it you will see that there are no 4:3 displays between 15 and 20 inch. 17 and 19 inch screens are either 5:4 or widescreen.
Second problem is that most <20 inch is TN, so absolutely not fitted for vertical mounting.
The best 4:3 screens are the 20 and 21.3 inch SIPS/SPVA panels. Some notebookscreens like the 12 inch 1400x1050 pixel types are pretty cool too.
Off course, there's a whole bunch of cheap 17 and 19 inch TN panels out there for almost nothing. But they are no 4:3, but 5:4. Not a big problem though.

Wait, aren't most 17" displays 1024*768 which is 4*3?  Physically the one I have is 5*4 ratio...does that mean the pixels aren't square?

[Blanka]

Wait, aren't most 17" displays 1024*768 which is 4*3?  Physically the one I have is 5*4 ratio...does that mean the pixels aren't square?

Many people RUN 17 inch screens at 1024x768 (blurry!), that does not mean they are not having real square pixels at 1280x1024 resolution!
17 inch is always 1280x1024. Free beer if you find a 1024x768 one for me.

[whammoed]

No, you are right of course.  It is natively 1280*1024.  Its just been a while since I've actually had one in use so I remembered wrong.  I believe it was my old laptop that was 1024*768.