Does zero, or no screen burn make a game worth more?

toolguy

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Does zero, or no screen burn make a game worth more?

Does it?

Does it to you?

If the game is perfect in every other way, but the monitor has some burn, is it still worth less?
 
Does it?

Does it to you?

If the game is perfect in every other way, but the monitor has some burn, is it still worth less?

Does the burn affect how the game looks when played? Obviously if you are playing a game that isnt Pac-Man and are looking at a burned in Pac-Man maze, its gonna take value away IMO. If not, no biggie.
 
Screen burn doesn't bother me unless it gets in the way of seeing things on the screen. I consider it this hobby's "patina". :cool:
 
Screen burn bugs me. I pay less for games with noticeable burn. And I ask more for games that have really clean looking monitors.
 
The only time screen burn bothers me is if it's from a different game. Otherwise as long as I don't notice it I'm ok with it. But I would pay a little more for a game with no screen burn.
 
The only time screen burn bothers me is if it's from a different game.

This bothers me, too. Although I'd be fine with Inferno burn-in on a Bubbles or something similar, just as a means of a conversation piece. :D
 
The only time screen burn bothers me is if it's from a different game.

Funny....my Ms Pac has Ring King burn-in and the WG I temporarily put in the Pac project I'm working on has 10 yard fight burn-in...How's that for variety? It is barely noticeable with the games on, but it still bothers me :)

One of these days I'll learn how to perform tube swaps so I don't continue using these old burned in monitors in some of my games.

To answer the OP's question...Monitor burn definitely is a consideration in price I'm willing to pay for a game for sure...
A nice monitor is like investing in a kitchen remodel before selling your house...generally a huge return on investment especially if the kitchen has a nice 70s "bow chicka bow wow" feel to it. A burned in monitor is like a pea green or orange counter top IMO :D
 
Of course.

Say you see 2 exact games used the same amount of time by the same players.

But for some weird reason one has burn and one doesn't.

And the are both for sale at the same price.

Which one are you buying?

What if the non-burn one was only $1 more? What about 2, or 5, or 10, or $20 more? Would you pay it? Most would. I would. Even more so if I want the monitor for another game.
 
One of these days I'll learn how to perform tube swaps so I don't continue using these old burned in monitors in some of my games.

Save your money for a new monitor. You will LOVE it. It looks sooo good!

Trust me, if you can, buy a new monitor.

The monitor is the MAIN THING you use on a arcade game.
 
Save your money for a new monitor. You will LOVE it. It looks sooo good!

Trust me, if you can, buy a new monitor.

The monitor is the MAIN THING you use on a arcade game.

I hear you...I just have a hard time spending 250-300+ on a new monitor when I could buy another game for the same amount. CRTs are the new "RARE RARE RARE!!! GET IT NOW" item....prices keep rising. It's either deal with the burn-in until it's intolerable or drop $1200 to replace them in the four games I have that could use them :/
 
I hear you...I just have a hard time spending 250-300+ on a new monitor when I could buy another game for the same amount. CRTs are the new "RARE RARE RARE!!! GET IT NOW" item....prices keep rising. It's either deal with the burn-in until it's intolerable or drop $1200 to replace them in the four games I have that could use them :/
As you well know, they will only keep getting higher. I say enjoy the games you have and put in a new monitor if the game is a keeper. You won't regret it.

And you will have a spare or sell it for some cash back...
 
I do think it makes a game worth a little more.... I mean, a monitor with minimal burn is typically going to be brighter and look better. A really cooked tube is going to be dim, fuzzy, etc. Moderate burn is pretty much the norm, where it isn't that noticeable when the game is on, but you can still read stuff when it's off.

But, then again, you always get weird ones. The monitor in my Galaga has HORRIBLE burn - it was clearly on Free Play for a very long time, and the tube is very burnt. That, combined with the usual attract mode burn make for a very obviously burned tube you can read from across the room. It's a 4900, and I've recapped it and adjusted it, and it actually looks fantastic. You don't notice the burn when you're playing it, and the colors are very bright and clear.

So, yeah, I'd say a game with a really pristine monitor would command a bit of a premium... but it's not worth replacing just to sell the game - it wouldn't increase the price *that much*

philt80 said:
A nice monitor is like investing in a kitchen remodel before selling your house...generally a huge return on investment especially if the kitchen has a nice 70s "bow chicka bow wow" feel to it. A burned in monitor is like a pea green or orange counter top IMO

Yeah, I don't see it. Lets say you could buy a new monitor for $150 (which you can't). That's NOT going to increase the value of the game by that much.

Similarly, I don't understand why people would remodel right before selling a house. Makes zero sense to me. If you're just fixing it "for the other people", then you aren't going to know what *they* want, you'll just do it inexpensively and quickly. Then the next people are stuck with something that might not be what they wanted. Much better to leave it alone unless horribly broken, and let the new owner put in whatever they want.

And, I'm speaking as someone who is currently looking at houses... I'd much rather see old, worn and dated stuff, then some cheap and nasty carpet put down real quick, or that ugly laminate flooring. I was at one house that was "recently refreshed" - laminate flooring in every room. Already starting to buckle and warp. Or one place with "new carpet" - yeah, the cheapest crap you can buy at Home Depot, installed poorly, peeling up at the edges. Open the closet to find that they didn't carpet all the way into the closet, just half way in, and exposed worn hardwood below. Ick.

Of course, I actually *like* the 50's, 60's and 70's style kitchen. I'd rather have a kitchen from the 70's with a green counter top than one that's all done up with new crap. The new stuff is ugly and boring, IMHO.

-Ian
 
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