I am working on a 60 in 1 and am thinking of using a computer monitor, what do I do?

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I am working on a 60 in 1 and am thinking of using a computer monitor, what do I do?

Is there a thread out there?

Is this a difficult proposition?

The cab I have has a sweet k4600 and I want to keep it for myself, lol.

Is there a specific type of computer monitor I need?

thanks guys
 
Your biggest challenge will be monting and securing the monitor if you are not de-casing the PC monitor. I do this all the time:

http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/01/monitor-mounting-in-pacman-style.html

Or you can decase and mount the monitor in a stadard arcade monitor frame, which is still challenging, but it will bolt right into the cabinet if you do it properly:

http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/08/computer-monitor-to-arcade-monitor.html

Hope this helps, PM me if you have questions.
 
Your biggest challenge will be monting and securing the monitor if you are not de-casing the PC monitor. I do this all the time:

http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/01/monitor-mounting-in-pacman-style.html

Or you can decase and mount the monitor in a stadard arcade monitor frame, which is still challenging, but it will bolt right into the cabinet if you do it properly:

http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/08/computer-monitor-to-arcade-monitor.html

Hope this helps, PM me if you have questions.

Hey thanks to both of you guys for responding.
Great visual walk-through here. thanks
typically I think it looks like crap, but I will sell the game anyway, and if I can keep a burn free monitor, why not!

OH, and I can get any $30 19-22" monitor off of craigslist huh?
 
Hey thanks to both of you guys for responding.
Great visual walk-through here. thanks
typically I think it looks like crap, but I will sell the game anyway, and if I can keep a burn free monitor, why not!

OH, and I can get any $30 19-22" monitor off of craigslist huh?

You can probably pay much less than $30. VGA monitor.
 
I usually get something like this:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/sys/1946521004.html

You will want something with a VGA connector for sure like this:
http://west.wwu.edu/atus/classrooms/images/g_rgb15pin.gif

DVI connector will NOT work, neither will HDMI connectors...

Good old fashioned CRT PC monitors are cheaper and have the correct aspect ratio (4:3) for classic video games anyway. There is really no need to get LCD monitors unless you really want to, or just have space restrictions in the cabinet.
 
I'd just use a 19" 4:3 CRT, something like this for $15:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/sys/1963130166.html

I see people giving them away for free around here all the time.

A 4:3 (non-widescreen) 19" LCD would be easier to mount in the cabinet since they're much thinner and lighter, but it'll be more expensive and won't look as 'authentic' image-quality wise.
 
Yes, mounting PC monitors in arcade cabinets is always a challenge, so it takes some creative engineering. Some cabinets are better suited for this I have found.

DK and DKJr cabinets are the easiest to mount PC monitors into with out any modifications to the monitor itself.

Pacman/Galaga/Ms Pac cabinets are next easiest. See my tuturial:
http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/01/monitor-mounting-in-pacman-style.html

Horizontal Williams cabinets are great for Horizontal MAMEs. There is a shelf that the monitor can sit on, then you can just block it in with lumber.

Atari cabinets are a terrific pain in the arse... unless you first transfer the PC monitor tube and chassis to a standard arcade monitor frame. See my tuturial:
http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/08/computer-monitor-to-arcade-monitor.html

Phoenix cabinets are fine...

Frogger cabinets suck...
 
Do ya'll have sources for a regular supply of 21" computer CRT's?

I've been looking on craigslist and they are getting pretty rare.

There has to be a surplus computer company out there looking to
get rid of these things.

Malice95
 
What 60 in 1 multicade board do you use? I've bought
a couple generic boards and wasnt to impressed.

What have you found to be reliable and feature packed?
high score save, etc..

Malice95
 
What 60 in 1 multicade board do you use? I've bought
a couple generic boards and wasnt to impressed.

What have you found to be reliable and feature packed?
high score save, etc..

Malice95

There's really only one 60-in-1. The boards are often slightly different, but the software is usually exactly the same. The games all save high scores like normal as long as the cab is on. Once you turn it off only your top high score is remembered (without your initials).

There are different quality levels of boards. "A" and "B" quality. A lot of times the A quality has slightly better components and connectors for 2 trackballs.

I personally have bought two 60-in-1s that were of the B quality, and they have both worked great. In fact, I have the 60-in-1 in my gameroom, and really like it. Some of the games have overdriven sound, but I just keep my volume down.

If you're doing this to sell them, then the standard iCade 60-in-1 is what people use. They may not be perfect, but they sell.

There is another classic multiboard normally known as the arcadeshop board. It runs between $200-$400 depending on the vendor. These are the best, but because of the price most people don't put these in cabs to sell. Unless you can get $1000+ for the cab. I sold my last iCade for $625. Depending on your location you may be able to get more.

Anyway, hope this helps.
 
with generic 60-in-1 cabs that I build, I like using any $40 or $50 LCD computer monitor off CL. They are lightweight and IMO easier to place in any cabinet using the strips of drilled sheet metal.

I also mounted and hung a 19" CRT computer monitor that I had laying around for my MAME Star Wars cab. My method was a bit lower-class than what others have shown. I simply cut triangular strips of plywood and drilled holes in them for each of the four corners of my tube. So, once my monitor was decased, I put bolts thru the corner monitor brackets thru the holes I drilled in the Plywood. Then I simply drilled into the existing wooden inner frame of the cabinet's monitor area with some heavy duty wood screws. Very ghetto, yes. But it's in there nice and tight.

My 48-in-1 Space Invaders cabinet experiment was much more difficult to mount. I had to flip the yoke to mirror the image for the inner glass image, then had to custom mount the decased monitor into the inside of the cabinet. Coin box had to be modified in order to fit it.

...moral of the story.... LCD is much, much easier if you ask me.
 
ok well I picked up the monitor this morning.

This is one BIG and HEAVY mother efffer.
Do you guys chuck the plastic casing, or mount it just the way it is?
 
Yes, mounting PC monitors in arcade cabinets is always a challenge, so it takes some creative engineering. Some cabinets are better suited for this I have found.

DK and DKJr cabinets are the easiest to mount PC monitors into with out any modifications to the monitor itself.

Pacman/Galaga/Ms Pac cabinets are next easiest. See my tuturial:
http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/01/monitor-mounting-in-pacman-style.html

Horizontal Williams cabinets are great for Horizontal MAMEs. There is a shelf that the monitor can sit on, then you can just block it in with lumber.

Atari cabinets are a terrific pain in the arse... unless you first transfer the PC monitor tube and chassis to a standard arcade monitor frame. See my tuturial:
http://arturosarcadelab.blogspot.com/2010/08/computer-monitor-to-arcade-monitor.html

Phoenix cabinets are fine...

Frogger cabinets suck...


Read this.
 
Interested in doing this....

Great idea and I am interested in trying this.....so a few questions:

I have a 19" dell flat monitor that is no longer used....could I convert this for a Baby Pac?

How would I modify the video inputs to work with the pcb outputs?

Would I just plug the monitor in to a regular socket?

Another project: what would be a good replacement for a 25" monitor that I am about to give up on trying to fix?

Thanks,
Chris
 
ok well I picked up the monitor this morning.

This is one BIG and HEAVY mother efffer.
Do you guys chuck the plastic casing, or mount it just the way it is?

When I was working on a old mame, I had the whole metal chassis/bracket off of a arcade monitor and i took the pc monitor out of its case and mounted to the metal chassis/bracket and it worked fine, im looking for a picture right now, the pc monitor was slighty smaller but it worked
 
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