I know we asked a similar question but here's a new twist on it. If you want to use the original monitor you will need a video converter. Don and I have tested a few and don't like any of them on the market. We are planning on making our own specialty converter just for this purpose but want to know how many people would be interested in it. Here are your options:

LCD - no converter required. You need a special mounting kit
Est cost: ~250
Pros: Picture quality, resolution, better 3d effect, color quality, longer life, less weight.
Cons: Price.

19" computer CRT - no converter required
Est cost: free to really cheap (no one makes them anymore and people are giving them away.)
Pros: Picture quality, resolution, price.
Cons: Swapping crts is a little tricky.

19" original - converter required
Est cost: 100-150
Pros: simple installation
Cons: Price, resolution, quality of older crt, if the crt dies it might be cheaper to use an LCD and you wouldn't need the converter.

Please vote.

Optionally tell us what you think.

LCD for me please!

I would want the LCD. Why not spend the extra coin to make the game alot better than what we all have now.

John

I've got a good monitor and would want to keep it.

There's no evidence that an LCD will last longer and they may well not last as long. Plus, I'd like to keep the game as original as possible and don't really want to mess up the head trying to mount an LCD.

Maybe if I was at expo my opinion would be different but generally originality wins.

Chuck,

You guys still working with Rick on the drop-in LCD solution? (and yeah, LCD for me pls!)

Doug

Menace wrote:Chuck,

You guys still working with Rick on the drop-in LCD solution? (and yeah, LCD for me pls!)

Doug

I talked to him. Never did any direct work with him though. I don't know if he ever released anything. It would be nice to know if he did.

Hmmm... I'll inquire and let you know. (I think he came up with a mounting solution for a guy I know that has a RFM on route) Rick is a good guy to deal with, and would be a great all-in-one solution for us.

D

I would take the LCD with the special mounting kit ready to install.

Why not choose a motherboard that has a video card that will sync down to CGA frequencies? Either that or buy video cards that can be added that have this capability. Here are a couple of cons you missed.

1) LCD con -- Absolutely horrible black level on most LCD's. This ruins the hologram effect in RFM. What happens instead of seeing individual hologram targets, you have a big square image that pretty much shows the player he is looking at a reflected monitor instead of a 'floating hologram'. For star wars it isn't a real big deal since most of the game is designed with backgrounds. RFM has plenty of images with black backgrounds.

2) Computer monitor con --- While I am sure you can jockey one in there, the tube doesn't have the same shape or style as an arcade monitor.

3) Scan converter con --- Cost/Quality. While you can build or buy cheap converters, you will most like find that any cheap solution will look bad.


Another option would be to use a VGA arcade monitor. That would have the higher res, direct hook up, correct tube style and proper mounting. This is probably not a cost effect solution though

The truth is, you really need to solve this problem in the computer (either via software settings or by using the proper video card hardware, otherwise your will absolutely kill your sales. You need to make your product so that it will plug into a pin2000 game. The only people that are going to like your current solutions are people that are hacking their cabinets up. You need to make your emulation solution able to be slid into a game and plugged into the original harness. Anything other than that and in the long run, you will most likely regret it.

Sorry to be so blunt,
mickey

Chuck wrote:I know we asked a similar question but here's a new twist on it. If you want to use the original monitor you will need a video converter. Don and I have tested a few and don't like any of them on the market. We are planning on making our own specialty converter just for this purpose but want to know how many people would be interested in it. Here are your options:

LCD - no converter required. You need a special mounting kit
Est cost: ~250
Pros: Picture quality, resolution, better 3d effect, color quality, longer life, less weight.
Cons: Price.

19" computer CRT - no converter required
Est cost: free to really cheap (no one makes them anymore and people are giving them away.)
Pros: Picture quality, resolution, price.
Cons: Swapping crts is a little tricky.

19" original - converter required
Est cost: 100-150
Pros: simple installation
Cons: Price, resolution, quality of older crt, if the crt dies it might be cheaper to use an LCD and you wouldn't need the converter.

Please vote.

Optionally tell us what you think.

LCD.

Less weight,heat and power consumption. Cost wise just browsing on Newegg the prices for a 22" are about the same or less than a 19" replacement tube. I just picked up a RFM with the Duckscan monitor and it's working fine now but I would replace it with a LCD panel in a heart beat if the hardware is reasonably priced. I would like to actually see a LCD in operation or a good video for camparison.

As was mentioned earlier, why not use a card that can sync down to CGA, this one for example is designed to drive arcade monitors in machines running MAME>

http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

It would seem to me that since it is based on a radeon chipset that finding a linux driver would be an easy matter, the cost is reasonable and it works with LCD and regular VGA.


Of the available options, I would probably install a 19in PC monitor as I have a half dozen in fine shape. And the RFM monitor would be put into spare stock for my video games. No real loss.

LCD raises a few concerns. The black level comes up but I always tend to listen to actual experience over what should happen. I am sure it looks great, but what about the new LCDs being in wide screen format, doesn't that stretch and distort the image?

I voted for LCD, because I think for the long term that is the viable solution.

However, I would probably keep the current monitor in there until it died, so I would probably buy a converter for it as well, if one were available.

I have concerns about the LCD, as mentioned in other posts, that the black level is not as black as on the CRTs. The newer models are better, and perhaps it will be fine, but with a reflected image, it is nice to have real black.

Ross

mickster wrote:1) LCD con -- Absolutely horrible black level on most LCD's. This ruins the hologram effect in RFM. What happens instead of seeing individual hologram targets, you have a big square image that pretty much shows the player he is looking at a reflected monitor instead of a 'floating hologram'. For star wars it isn't a real big deal since most of the game is designed with backgrounds. RFM has plenty of images with black backgrounds.

I'm not sure if you've seen the NuCore game in person (assuming not), but I was fortunate enough to see it / play it @ Expo this year, and even with the LCD installed I saw nothing of what you described as being an issue. The P2K glass is only slightly mirrored at the top anyway, and I would think that would interfere with the black level more than anything, so a moot point?

As for the wide screen "stretch" issue mentioned, I'm sure Chuck will chime in to explain (can't remember what it's called exactly - pixel shift?), but they have taken this into account and it's not an issue. (again, played it first hand @ Expo and all the images line up correctly with targets etc on the PF)

Doug

vote for LCD.

Subarubrat wrote:As was mentioned earlier, why not use a card that can sync down to CGA, this one for example is designed to drive arcade monitors in machines running MAME>

http://www.ultimarc.com/avgainf.html

It would seem to me that since it is based on a radeon chipset that finding a linux driver would be an easy matter, the cost is reasonable and it works with LCD and regular VGA.

Wow - never knew such an animal existed.

Chuck, I have to say that I would prefer to go this route initially if it can be arranged. The card is $87 (1pc, joe-blow but maybe you can arrange something with them) and would be nice. (EDIT- adapter not required) If it can be made to work, it could be the best of both worlds... especially if the chosen motherboard has on-board video. This card could be used now for those that want it and direct to motherboard/LCD down the road when the monitor needs replacing.

Personally, I don't want to have to modify my cabinet at least initially. Down the road, when I have to replace my display, then that answer would be different.

I'd be interested in hearing what you think!
Keith