27 inch TV too big for a cabinet?

[sofakng]

Does anybody think that a 27" TV is too big a cabinet?

I'm building a cabinet from scratch, so I can use any size television that I want but it seems like 27" is too big.  24" - 25" seems just about right.

However, all the tv's I have been pricing are priced CHEAPER at 27" than they are at 24".

I'm really confused, but are 27" monitor/TV's common in cabinets?

If 27" is common, maybe the TV just looks too big because its not inside the cabinet yet.

[SNAAAKE]

Does anybody think that a 27" TV is too big a cabinet?

I'm building a cabinet from scratch, so I can use any size television that I want but it seems like 27" is too big.  24" - 25" seems just about right.

However, all the tv's I have been pricing are priced CHEAPER at 27" than they are at 24".

I'm really confused, but are 27" monitor/TV's common in cabinets?

If 27" is common, maybe the TV just looks too big because its not inside the cabinet yet.

No its not too big.
the width of a 27" tv is around 25.5".
I suggest you look for a 25" but if you cant find then 27" should work.
I just measured my 27" panasonic(living room) and the width is only 25.5" exact !  

[sofakng]

What is the standard size for arcade monitors? (fighting games)

I'm very tempted to get a 27" but it just seems a little big.  25" seems right but it costs way MORE than the 27".

Is component video important?  I can easily get s-video, but a few 24" and 25"'s have  component but the 27"'s dont...

Please help me decide

[AlanS17]

Have you checked the TV's down al Walmart? They carry less expensive (borderline generic) brands. Alot of them are considerably cheaper.

[sofakng]

Yeah, WalMart had the same thing.  No 24" or 25" TV's except for ones w/o S-Video.

Here are my choices so far:

24" KLH w/S-Video-- $159  (this one doesnt stay on svideo when you turn the tv off, isnt a big deal but it matters just a little)
25" Philips w/S-Video and Component --- $219
27" Sansui w/S-Video -- $169

From a price perspective, the 27" is by far the cheapest, but it just seems big.  Maybe I'll get used to it?  Is 27" standard for fighting-type of games?

[Bill_S]

I went into my cab project planning for a 25" as well thinking the 27 was going to be too big.
I ended up getting a good deal and getting a 27" JVC.

I can honestly say not a single person that's played on my cab has ever said the monitor is too big!

[AlanS17]

I'm not sure there is such a thing as "too big". Otherwise the Showcase cabinet never would have been built!

[sofakng]

So given my options, what would you guys buy?  The 27 inch?

Is component that important or is s-video going to be the same quality?

The sansui seems really generic, but I figure MAME isnt that high quality graphics anyways, but I'm thinking about putting a dreamcast in there (maybe my gamecube too?)

What would you guys buy if you were me?

EDIT:  I actually forgot that there is an Open Box (used) Toshiba 24" TV, Flat screen, S-Video and Component inputs for $219.  (thats one more choice for me unless it gets sold soon)

[lightspeed]

IMHO, 27" is on the larger side.  Larger monitors exist for showcase cabs, but you have to bear in mind that you stand a bit further back on a showcase.


Most fighting games are sold w/ 25".  I have a 25" in my TV, and still find it a little too large. But, betweem a 19" and a 25", I'd rather have a 25."

[bionicbadger]

I have a 27" in my cabinet and thought it would be too big, but it isn't.  It's great.  Get the 27", you won't be sorry.

[AlanS17]

Actually, showcases use 33" monitors. Some 4-player games have used 27" monitors. I believe TMNT and Simpsons both use 27" monitors. Fighting games usually use 25" monitors. Classics usually use 19" monitors.

Nothing wrong with using a 25" monitor. No such thing as too big. (IMO)

[Howard_Casto]

Actually, showcases use 33" monitors. Some 4-player games have used 27" monitors. I believe TMNT and Simpsons both use 27" monitors. Fighting games usually use 25" monitors. Classics usually use 19" monitors.

Nothing wrong with using a 25" monitor. No such thing as too big. (IMO)

95% of all cabs have 19 inch monitors.....  

4 player games actually only had 25 inch monitors.  I don't know of any arcade game that had a 27 inch in it.  Most capcom fighters were in generic cabinets and thus had 19 inch monitors.  Now midway games (mk nba jam ect...) had 25 inch monitors.  And after they set the trend tekken and other newer fighters (if you can call that rubbish fighters) started to use the 25 inch monitors.  


So to get back to the question... Were there many games with 27 inch monitors in them?.... No.  But will a 27 inch tv be too big? Not at all, for the simple reason that you will want to play both vertical and hoizontal games on your cab.  19 inches is enough if you rotate the monitor to accomidate the game.  If you don't have that option, then the bigger the better.    I have a 27 inch in my cab right now, it's great because I have lots of extra space if I decide to display the bezels and stuff.  

[sofakng]

I have a 27 inch in my cab right now, it's great because I have lots of extra space if I decide to display the bezels and stuff.

Does MAME display the bezels while rendering the game?  or do you have a physical bezel around the TV?

If MAME could display bezels while playing the game, please let me know how you do it!

[AlanS17]

I went to Best Buy tonight and I saw that Sansui while I was there. It was noticeably crappier than the others.

However, we aren't gonna be watching DVD's, right? Plus we don't need any fancy video inputs if the image is gonna be crappy anyways. So if it has S-video i'm sure that's plenty. Component would be a waste of time for the image quality of the screen.

(I keep saying "we" here... I'm not buying one...   )

[AlanS17]

I always assumed the Simpsons was a 27" game cuz the cabinet is slightly wider than the Midway fighting games that use 25" monitors... That's what I get for "assuming".

[sofakng]

I went to Best Buy tonight and I saw that Sansui while I was there. It was noticeably crappier than the others.

However, we aren't gonna be watching DVD's, right? Plus we don't need any fancy video inputs if the image is gonna be crappy anyways. So if it has S-video i'm sure that's plenty. Component would be a waste of time for the image quality of the screen.

(I keep saying "we" here... I'm not buying one...   )

So then you think it was good enough?  The Toshiba 27" that had component inputs kept catching my eye, but it was $80 more ($250).  I'm fairly happy with the Sansui but the colors look a bit washed out.  I'm not sure if the Toshiba would be any better quality though for s-video.

[AlanS17]

The Sansui would do well in a cabinet cuz it has a VERY small frame and the speakers are at the bottom. The color on the one here seemed a bit washed out, too. S-video is better quality than that. The dificiency is in the screen, not the s-video. Chances are that they weren't using s-video in the store, though. They were probably using coax (antenna in). That would be pretty bad. Can't tell until you get it plugged in.  

I think it all starts boiling down to personal preference. For instance, would you rather have a prettier picture or a trackball? They would both probably end up costing about $80. It's all about trade-offs. (Unless you don't have a budget. Then screw it all and buy the nicer one.)

[madk]

I have that 27" Sansui w/S-Video from BB in my cab right now.  The svid quality is great.  You'll be very happy with your purchase.  The price is right.

[giantgonzolez]

I'm looking at the March issue of Consumer Reports, they tested 49 conventional analog tvs in the 27", 32", and 36" sizes, and ONLY 5 of those 49 tvs were judged to have EXCELLENT picture quality throught the S-video input, and 4 out of those 5 tvs were Toshiba Flatscreens.
There are 5 different ratings for each category they can give in Consumer Reports(poor, fair, good, very good,  and excellent).
Some of the lower priced tvs got only a fair rating in the S-video picture quality test.
I'd probably go for the Open Box Flatscreen Toshiba, but ONLY if they give you the same Warranty they give with a new tv if I were you.

So given my options, what would you guys buy?  The 27 inch?

Is component that important or is s-video going to be the same quality?

The sansui seems really generic, but I figure MAME isnt that high quality graphics anyways, but I'm thinking about putting a dreamcast in there (maybe my gamecube too?)

What would you guys buy if you were me?

EDIT:  I actually forgot that there is an Open Box (used) Toshiba 24" TV, Flat screen, S-Video and Component inputs for $219.  (thats one more choice for me unless it gets sold soon)

[Ghoward]

Sofakng to answer your questons

1: Does MAME display the bezels while rendering the game?
 
Yes

2: If MAME could display bezels while playing the game, please let me know how you do it!

Download artwork files from http://www.mame.net/downart.html and put them into your artwoek folder in Mame.

[Howard_Casto]

I'm looking at the March issue of Consumer Reports, they tested 49 conventional analog tvs in the 27", 32", and 36" sizes, and ONLY 5 of those 49 tvs were judged to have EXCELLENT picture quality throught the S-video input, and 4 out of those 5 tvs were Toshiba Flatscreens.
There are 5 different ratings for each category they can give in Consumer Reports(poor, fair, good, very good,  and excellent).
Some of the lower priced tvs got only a fair rating in the S-video picture quality test.
I'd probably go for the Open Box Flatscreen Toshiba, but ONLY if they give you the same Warranty they give with a new tv if I were you.

They are of excellent quality, but not authentic quality.  Flatscreen toshibas are:

a. Flat, arcade monitors are rounded.... it does make a difference in the display.  

b. Have a much finer dot pitch ratio than an arcade monitor.  This could cause the mame image to appear more jagged.  

Remember, this is retrogaming.  We don't want new and state-of-the-art, we want old and crappy. These prescious arcade controls that we all drool over are an antiquated pieces of 30 year old technology.  

Now a traditional screened toshiba would be a good choice, but one with flat tube technology might give very unauthentic results.  

[AlanS17]

I have that 27" Sansui w/S-Video from BB in my cab right now.  The svid quality is great.  You'll be very happy with your purchase.  The price is right.

That would be all I need to hear if I were in the market for a TV...

[sofakng]

Download artwork files from http://www.mame.net/downart.html and put them into your artwoek folder in Mame.

Hmm, I've downloaded btime.zip (the bezel supposedly), and I've put it into C:\MAME\Artwork

But, when I run "mame btime" it doesn't display.  In the documentation it says that artwork/bezels are turned ON by default.  Am I doing something wrong?


EDIT:  Nevermind, I figured it out.  They must be in folders or zipped just like the ROMs.

[TalkingOctopus]

I have a 27" sharp it is 25.75 inches wide.  It fits perfectly into my cab.  I originally bought a generic 27" but I ended up taking it back because I was unimpressed with the picture quality.  Fortunately, there was an open item sharp display model that I got for really cheap.