MAME Monitor Choice

[Hovoc]

What type of monitor did you guys use on your cabs? Arcade monitor? pc? tv?

I was thinking of going TV, due to the fact that id like to be able to use 2 light gun's and I read that you cant do that with pc monitors yet.

I wanna go around 25" which leaves out pc monitors due to cost.

[Flack]

PC Monitor -- Easiest, but least "realistic" looking.

Arcade Monitor -- Most work, but most realistic.

Television -- Easy and pretty realistic.

If you're going 25" you can rule out PC monitor. If you already have a 25" arcade monitor you can buy a Jpac and then start playing with configurations. If you don't. I (personally, me, Flack) would buy a 25" TV and stick it in there. There are lots of cheap video cards with s-video and composite out which will plug right into the back of your TV, making hooking it up a cinch.

[Stingray]

I used a PC monitor, because it was easy and it looks alright to me behind a sheet of tinted plexi.

-S

[Hovoc]

tv's are a s tough choice tho, i need to find some availible taht have id prefer flat and not have the speakers on the sides, and most importantly cheap enough

[Kejoriv]

Im going thru this same problem. Im tying to find a nice, big but cheap tv. I have been on the lookup for used tv in the classifieds, but nothing yet. The reason I want to use a tv is for the light gun games. But, the bigger the tv is, obviously the bigger the cab has to be. Would it be possible to buy a gutted out cab then sort of take it apart, but the bigger tv in it and put it back together again? I havent closely inspected an arcade cab to see if this was possible.

[Hovoc]

Im going thru this same problem. Im tying to find a nice, big but cheap tv. I have been on the lookup for used tv in the classifieds, but nothing yet. The reason I want to use a tv is for the light gun games. But, the bigger the tv is, obviously the bigger the cab has to be. Would it be possible to buy a gutted out cab then sort of take it apart, but the bigger tv in it and put it back together again? I havent closely inspected an arcade cab to see if this was possible.


this is actualyl what i plan on doing


i have a main event cab that i plan on removing the guts and making it wider to fit a larger monitor and to be able to fit 4 people across it.

i think this is my best choice for now, since i dont have the money and time to go all out and build one from scratch.

bascially youll need to widen the top, bottom, monitor shelf, control panel, marquee, the back panel and door, the front panel and i may be missing a part or two. s single sheet of MDF or whatever wood you choose should be suffice. id also pick up either brackets or a smaller piece fo wood, 2x2x8 or so, to support the stuff inside, since whatever is in there (wood brackets in my case) will have already been screwed through.

[AlanD]

I used a Wells Gardner U9200 which is a 27" arcade game monitor that will do standard, medium and VGA res. Plugged the output of my arcadeVGA card to it, set it up for 800x600 and off you go. If I can do it, it can't be hard.

Nice thing about a 27" is that when you put vertical games on it it comes out looking like a 19" monitor. Really sweet.

The downside is that they are expensive. Shipped I think it was $580 from Wells-Gardner.

At one time there was a PC light gun from Act Labs that would work for it but everywhere I see them they sell for upwards of $100. Sucks since they were $30 originally but I wasn't building a machine then. Would love to have lightguns for MAME and some emulators - if they work on NES/SNES emulators that is.

[Kejoriv]

I used a Wells Gardner U9200 which is a 27" arcade game monitor that will do standard, medium and VGA res. Plugged the output of my arcadeVGA card to it, set it up for 800x600 and off you go. If I can do it, it can't be hard.

Nice thing about a 27" is that when you put vertical games on it it comes out looking like a 19" monitor. Really sweet.

The downside is that they are expensive. Shipped I think it was $580 from Wells-Gardner.

At one time there was a PC light gun from Act Labs that would work for it but everywhere I see them they sell for upwards of $100. Sucks since they were $30 originally but I wasn't building a machine then. Would love to have lightguns for MAME and some emulators - if they work on NES/SNES emulators that is.

I am going to have to look for one of these monitors. I never heard of them. Do they ever appear on Ebay?

[leonk]

I think an arcade monitor is the cheapest choice, especially if you are electronically inclined.

You can always purchase a new chasis from eBay and translant it into a good free tube that you can get from any TV repair guy (they love to give them away for free, because otherwise they have to pay for the disposal fee!)

As far as PC monitor goes. It doesn't look authentic enough for me.

[Kejoriv]

Hovoc - When you do that process, please take tons and tons of pictures. I wanna see how you do this. Especially, the front panel I am trying to figure out how to do that and keep the coin panel in the middle.

[Hovoc]

Especially, the front panel I am trying to figure out how to do that and keep the coin panel in the middle.


its called measuring :D

[AlanD]

I am going to have to look for one of these monitors. I never heard of them. Do they ever appear on Ebay?

Haven't checked ebay for them. I know Happ has them tho I don't buy from them since they sell Ultracade stuff (ultra-crooked owner) I bought mine directly from Wells Gardner. I know they occasionally have them refurbished for less but last time I checked they were out of stock so no price was listed. I would check around www.byoac.com in the forums there to find other people's reviews of the monitor. Most responses have been good which is what drove me to spend way more than I planned :)
Alan

[FooFighter]

I use a computer monitor right now. I have an extra WG 25" that i took out of a Neo-Geo 4 slot that i parted out and was thinking about trying that but I have heard conflicting things about using an arcade monitor so I have held back.

[stargate]

What's the problem with PC monitors? Why don't they look authentic?