Donkey Kong Monitor Question

[Trebeck]

Hey all,

I'm starting a DK cab from scratch using Jakobud's exact DK measurements and I am well on my way but I have 1 issue. You see when I went to the NW Pinball show a month ago I saw a restored Kicker cab with the most amazingly gorgeous vertical monitor. I want it! I figure Kicker and DK monitors must be damn close in size but where do I find one? I found this over at Happ:

http://na.suzohapp.com/monitors/49523900.htm

And I almost crapped my drawers on the price. Any other alternatives I can go for? Thanks guys

[SubaruBrat]

Wrong monitor, good news, the right one is cheaper. Bad news, most of the CRT ones are out of production, so almost all the new ones are LCD. In my opinion, LCD looks like shit but to each their own.

New 19" LCD $328

This adapter $40 plus ANY 19" VGA monitor, LCD or CRT, so you get free or dirt cheap VGA CRT and use this board, looks OK.

Most authentic is a 19" standard res arcade monitor of which there are many many models. Buy a clean working one.

Since you have a repro cab, a CRT VGA decased and bolted into place with the adapter would be good enough.

_Also, you can "dirty" up a VGA CRT with adjustments to make it look a bit more accurate. A lightly smoked glass also helps.

[SubaruBrat]

Not sure if you plan on using MAME, 60-in-1 board, or original PCBs, that will also impact your choice.

If MAME, use a VGA CRT and a arcade VGA card.

If 60-in-1 use a VGA CRT plugged straight into the board.

If you are using original DK and Kicker PCBs use this with this and buy or make a DK to Jamma and Kicker to Jamma adapter with the monitor options I listed above.

[Trebeck]

I totally forgot to mention it will be running a PC with MAME so I was figuring I would need something like this:

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

And what was the size of a DK monitor? 17?

Oh man, LCD or CRT........

[SubaruBrat]

That is the card. Use that with a authentic arcade monitor. If you want to use a VGA PC monitor you don't need that card. You just take a regular 19" PC monitor and convert it for arcade use. What you have to do is remove the screws on the plastic case, then slide it off. The useful parts like the controls to adjust the monitor will be on little PCBs that you can arrange and zip tie as needed. My advice is not to use a LCD, it is flat, too clean, and not natural. If you go CRT you can make it look much more authentic.

[Todd1780]

My advice is not to use a LCD, it is flat, too clean, and not natural. If you go CRT you can make it look much more authentic.

I've been reading this thread with great interest. And I dont wish to derail this thread in any way, but I feel that SubaruBrat's advice against using an LCD screen is something you should consider very carefully.
When these games were designed, the pixel artists used the natural flaws of the CRT in thier design considerations. By flaws, I'm refering to the way that a CRT will slightly blur the edges of the pixels it displays on the screen (back then this wasn't a flaw, its just the way things were). They used this to blend the pixels together to form the images that we all know and love. If you decide to use an LCD sceen, each pixel will have razor sharp edges...thus undoing alot of the work of the original programmers. This is what he was refering to when he says the image would be too clean and not natural. it may not be apparent to someone who hasnt grown up playing these games. But if you want authenticity...banish the letters L, C and D from your mind.
There other reasons why a CRT is far superior to an LCD screen in displaying classic arcade graphics, but the one I mentioned is the most important in my opinion. And my "quick" response has gone on for much too long.
Good luck with your project!

[SubaruBrat]

Todd1780 for president!

[Trebeck]

Oh I hear you oh wise ones, I hear you.
The only thing an LCD has over a CRT in my mind is the ease of install. I have a 21" CRT computer monitor in my shop taking up space right now but I wasn't sure if it would look right or not. Plus, removing the housing and mounting it will be a brain buster coupled with a dangerous hassle. Not only that but I would have to rewire something so that it turns on with the PC and bypassing the on/off switch on the front. Bitch bitch bitch I know....

OK one step at a time. LCD is out.
I'm thinking I'll turn this thread into my step by step progress of my DK cab.

And thanks so much for the input. HUGE help.

[miner2049er]

In my MAME Cab I have a power unit designed for PCs which is an AC adaptor with 3 sockets on it, 1 master and 2 slaves.

When the master device is turned on (PC) it also powers on the 2 slave devices (monitor and speakers).

[tcv]

Plus, removing the housing and mounting it will be a brain buster coupled with a dangerous hassle.

Are you talking about the electrocution risk? I've never opened up a CRT. When I got my A+ certificate, I remember reading about how to protect oneself but I've never had the courage to open one up and put a screwdriver under the cap...!