Buying a LCD monitor

[H4CK3R]

I am going with the wife to buy a 42 or 46 LCD monitor for my Cab.. What i need to know is what kinda responce time is needed to play pinbal games, without lag or trails.

I am doing all the research today and buying tonight. When my wife offers to pull out the credit cards, I have to move fast before she changes her mind =p

So any sudjestions? Maybe Plasma? 42, 46, what size would look best?

[brian_hoffman]

Id also ask the question on FuturePinball forums, Alot of guys make dedicated pinball machines using these types of TV's . Refresh rate I know is very important.. You dont want to see screen flickering

[The Loafer]

I can't fully answer that question, I'm not completely in the "know", however I can add a few comments that I hope can be useful.

1 - Question: Is this for a dedicated pinball cabinet? I thought you were working on a mame cab but a widescreen LCD would be good for pinball mainly if it’s in a vertical orientation. Mame also is wasted on a widescreen set (my opinion, I’m sure many would disagree).

2 - Plasma vs LCD: Every cab maker that has made a dedicated pinball cabinet has picked a high quality LCD. Aside from refresh rate, the issue is also one of heat. This is probably pertinent only if you’re monitor is inside an enclosed area (like a dedicated pinball cab is).

3 - On the issue of refresh rate, I understand less than 5ms is preferred. I’ll tell you, my monitor is 4ms and it’s still not perfect for pinball BUT that’s a subjective thing: Is it good enough for you? For most, probably it is.

4 - Another factor is quality of a monitor. Refresh rates are important but I betcha a high quality monitor with a 5ms refresh rate probably beats a crap quality monitor with a 4ms refresh rate. IE: you get what you pay for.

[H4CK3R]

I am mounting this screen onto the wall... I can make it so that I can rotate it 90 degrees based on the game I am playing...

hehe... Make a program hooked to a hydrolic controller to roate the TV based on the game....

That would be sick...

Now the size of the TV makes a differnce? Bigger better?

[The Loafer]

Don't know, bigger isn't always better, probably depends how far from the wall you will be gaming. Hmmm, rotating that widescreen monitor sure would make Pacman look pretty cool eheh. BTW, if you are thinking of running visual pinball on the rotated monitor, it is possible but note that I "think" only version 6.1 kind of supported the rotated screen, and then you would probably need to mess around with the viewing angles and a lot of the newer tables potentially may not work, as they were set up with VP 8.+. With FuturePinball, I assume it would work pretty good.

You better be posting pics of this setup when you're done! :)

[billpa]

I have heard motion blur is less on Plasmas but dont really have any hard evidence on that. Either way I would still definitely go LCD. Not only is it lighter, cooler...they also have gotten way better in viewing angles and you dont have to worry about screen burn in.

Contrast ratio should be high if you want blacks to look true. Not sure if they spec LCD TVs with #/ms. I know there are newer TVs out that refresh at 120 Hz. Perhaps that would minimize motion blur?

[H4CK3R]

Well I am Very upset atm....

Went to RC Willies... bought a Plasma that they claimed was 3D ready.. got it home hooked it up... And it's NOT 3d Ready....

Spent 2,400 bucks for it, and they are closed on Sunday.... Wanted a 3D Plasma because it looks bad arse, but found out after the fact that the only 3d ready plasma's are 720p blahhhh

So I either get over the whole 3D thing or buy a fast LCD.

Will gaming look good at 720p? This Cab i am building will also be playing Call of Duty 4, ect ect...

To top it all off, I got the 3D software and the Glasses ( only 200 bucks and shipping ) Decided to hook it up to my 61 inch DLP downstairs w/ 3d in it... Plugged up the PC and Pooof. fried the PSU and maybe Mother board... won't know till I replace it.

Bad day all around.

So options are...

Keep the 50 inch Plasma 1080P w/ no 3D... No 3D

Return it, and get a LCD 50 inch or Bigger 1080P No 3D

Get a 50 inch Plasma with 3D but only 720p

Get a 70 Inch DLP 8MS response 1080P with 3D

God this was looking like such a good day... Need to get online and kill someone... LOL

[BadBoyBill]

You should metion in more detail what your experience with the 3D was so people can give you better advice. I am curious to see this myself.

[The Loafer]

I'm not the home theatre geek I thought I was, because I'd never even heard of "3d ready" until 20 seconds ago!

[H4CK3R]

Beowolf... IMax... Where ya Place the 3D Glasses on your head and Stuff pops outfrom your TV.

This aint your Blue on Red stuff. Depth perception, Spanning, Just all around OMG.

Only bad part is having to wear the glases... but sure makesgames like Luara Croft tome Raider wish you where drawn in the game, and might make your frineds get Finger prints all over your Monitor..

LOL

[H4CK3R]

OK... Finnally got the Monitor... Drum Roll Please.....

( Dramatic Pause )

Samsung 50 inch Plasma 3D ready... 720p shhhhh......

Anywho... heres a Pic of it hung up... sorry the room is dirty.. will clean it all up. CPU will be in on Friday, and the Controller will be here Monday.

Already have the 3D Glasses.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/eqdruid/IMGP0450.jpg

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/eqdruid/IMGP0452.jpg

[Captain Flint]

Man... you got a silly ass command center..:stupid:

are you married?

[BadBoyBill]

When theyre about to launch the space shuttle they call him just before liftoff to verify all conditions are OK.

[The Loafer]

So you're the reason for that power shortage!!!

[scrapple]

very cool pc setup..
very matrixish.. i dig it..

[Captain Flint]

My wife would kill me if I came up to her and asked... could I buy a new lcd computer monitor? How about 6?

[brian_hoffman]

So who are the guys getting busted on the background pics?

[tk375]

it's the Skynet Command Center. I see 7 monitors there! that's what I call a computer room.

[mattdyer07]

a good website im buying all of my material from to building my cabinet is Geeks.com they have really good deals on tvs, desktops, and such I suggest you check them out, keep in mind there usually refurbished good. But hey an xbox 360 elite for $319 doesn't sound bad to me and it works like it was new no problems at all