cheapest way to convert a 25" monitor to an lcd ?

monster kong

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cheapest way to convert a 25" monitor to an lcd ?

i have a cruisn exotica, that is actually a kit in an original cruisn usa cabinet. it has a 25 inch med res monitor in it. the tube is shot and im ready to throw in an lcd in it.

what is the cheapest way to do this? i have heard some people take an actual lcd tv and tear it apart and use the insides, instead of buying an open frame arcade game lcd version?

what size lcd is best to use and whats the cheapest way to do this?

thx so much.
 
Whoa! Slow down there! First you need to figure out how you are going to display a med-res picture on an LCD (which is not med-res). Find an adapter that will do the conversion you need.

And how is the "tube shot"? Unless it's physically busted, monitor chassis can be repaired...
 
yeah, this is silly talk here.

I'm sure you've probably seen it here a 1,000 times now, so allow me to be # 1,001:

LCDs look horrible in video games.

unless it's one of those newfangled Raw Thrills things that actually output in HD and can benefit from the higher resolution.

I assure you that if your tube is physically intact, you have great chances of being able to rejuvenate it. otherwise, you have to be a little more specific about your problem. if it's a chassis thing, it can be fixed. and if it can't, I'm sure I have something in my arsenal of the U5000 or K7500 variety that you can use. or if it's a Neotec, there's gobs of those floating around too.

all hope is not lost. now do it right. ;)
 
CompUSA (aka tigerdirect) used to sell a 4:3 25" LCD that could scan down to medium res. I dont know if they still sell it or not though and have no idea who made it or its model number. I've never installed one in a game but I've seen them in Cruisin's so I know they work.

Outside of that your better off fixing the CRT monitor you have or trying to stuff a 27" CRT in there or buying the LCD kit that Happ and Betson sells.

BTW, I agree that LCD's dont look all that good in older games. When they have to scan down to a really low res the image just doesnt look right. When they are used in an app that runs them at their native res they look great. Ever see am H2 Overdrive?

Matt
 
Cheapest way to convert to an LCD? Don't. :D

Fix the CRT monitor. If the tube is weak, you might be able to rejuvinate it. If the tube really is shot, you can actually replace it with a standard resolution tube from a television. It might not look as sharp as a medium res tube, but it'll probably look better than an LCD...

-Ian
 
tube lost green a while back and now the neck is gone, pins got pulled out of the neck when previous chassis was removed as some weirdo glued the chassis neck board to the tube neck:(
...its an old u5000.
just tired of dealing with it.

tube monitors are too expensive and too expensive to ship.

id rather throw in an lcd and be done with it. i dont care if the picture isnt perfect. its its playable and doesnt look horrible, im ok with that.
if i use the med res to vga adapter, it should be fine, correct?

i understand the conversion kits are avialable from happ, but they also are too expensive.

this is why i was posting to see if anyone has created their own masterpiece:)
 
tube monitors are too expensive and too expensive to ship.
Hate to say it, but you'll spend a lot more putting an LCD in there. The converter alone is like a hundred bucks.

id rather throw in an lcd and be done with it. i dont care if the picture isnt perfect. its its playable and doesnt look horrible, im ok with that.
if i use the med res to vga adapter, it should be fine, correct?

If you can find a monitor that fits physically. Most computer LCD's aren't that big, and most TV's these days are that stupid 16:9 aspect ratio, and similarly won't fit.

i understand the conversion kits are avialable from happ, but they also are too expensive.

If cost is your primary issue, then replacing the picture tube in the monitor with one from a junked TV set is by far the cheapest.

-Ian
 
if u take an lcd tv apart and use just the insides and mount it to a plexi of sort, you can make it fit as u can drill out the holes to mount it anywhere in the plexi. look at it as if u r mounting the lcd parts directly to a plastic bezel...

someone did this similar with an arctic thunder. they bought an lcd tv from walmart (26 inch i beleive) and did the above. took the tv apart and used the parts from inside.
since the lcd tv didnt have a "hard" on off switch, they used some type of relay that after power was applied to the machine, it tripped this relay and turned on the lcd tv.

i wish i could find the notes!!
 
Why don't you post a WTB and your location? Someone may be within driving distance and can sell you a 25" monitor.
 
im in the boonies and pretty much no one into games is near me.
many operators and other collectors are in the same boat in needing these monitors so people usually hoard them or simply do not have them.. med res 25 inch and 27 inch monitors are hard to come by and they fail quite often in driving games.

if they were standard 25 inch they could be had cheaper and easier.
 
look for Wells U5000... I got a nicer one and another one that looks due for a flyback and/or rejuve, but they're great otherwise. easy to work on at least. they can be had for relatively cheap too... I bought one for $150 last year.

just a thought.
 
med res 25 inch and 27 inch monitors are hard to come by ....... if they were standard 25 inch they could be had cheaper and easier.
FYI, if the tubes are why they fail they can be replaced by scrapping 25" and 27" tv sets.

Medium res monitors are also the same tube as most standard res monitors.
The difference is in the yoke and chassis.
(hence why an older TV tube would work as gamefixer mentioned)
 
Medium res monitors are also the same tube as most standard res monitors.
The difference is in the yoke and chassis.
(hence why an older TV tube would work)

Eh... technically they do have a finer dot pitch. But, other than that, standard tubes are electrically and mechanically compatible, and will work just fine. Might be a tad less sharp, but they'll work fine. And a far sight cheaper than replacing the whole monitor. Which is why I suggested it on post #5 :D

-Ian
 
so far, monies invested:

converter board- $45
relay to turn lcd tv on- $42.00
26 inch lcd tv- $200

will post exact cost results when complete and installed.
 
Eh... technically they do have a finer dot pitch. But, other than that, standard tubes are electrically and mechanically compatible, and will work just fine. Might be a tad less sharp, but they'll work fine. And a far sight cheaper than replacing the whole monitor. Which is why I suggested it on post #5 :D

-Ian

Medium res and CGA monitors in recent games use the same tube (1992 to current). As a matter of fact the tri mode monitors (CGA, EGA and VGA) like the D92/9400 use .89 dot pitch tubes which are also the same as a std CGA res tube.

Older games do in fact use tubes with a finer dot pitch.

Matt
 
so far, monies invested:

converter board- $45
relay to turn lcd tv on- $42.00
26 inch lcd tv- $200

will post exact cost results when complete and installed.

Ouch. That would've picked up a minty 25" replacement CRT, and you'd be done by now. In fact, I bet you'll get close to having been able to buy a replacement and a spare! :)
 
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