Televisions
Televisions can be used in place of an arcade monitor. While not as authentic, they offer reasonable video performance at a definite cost savings to the user. While TVs do not appear as authentic as actual arcade monitors, they may appear more authentic than the output from a computer monitor in many instances, while smaller Windows text boxes can still be read unlike the output from an arcade monitor.
Connection types
When using a TV, make sure to match the outputs of your video card to the inputs of your television. Several types of video are available when using a TV, each with varying strengths and weaknesses. The more common formats are:
The type of connection you can use may depend on the connections your videocard can offer and the connections your television accepts.
Things to consider when choosing a TV
Some things to consider when choosing a TV for your cabinet:
- How big is the case? Do you want to leave the TV in its case or strip the case off to fit a bigger tube in your cabinet? Is the TV case too deep to fit while your cabinet still has its back panel on?
- Where are the video inputs? Is the video-in port/jack on the TV in an inconvenient place? If it is on the front of the case? Will there be room between the front of the TV and the bezel?
- Does the TV return to the last channel/input when power is cut? If you unplug the TV and then plug it back in (or turn off and on its power strip), does it return to the channel/input it was on last, or does it default to a different channel?
- Will you use it for other media? Will you watch TV on your cab? Will you need to use the TV's remote?
- The most important question... will the TV automaticallly power itself back on after a "power failure." If you turn the cabinet's power off, you want the TV to turn itself back on automatically when you later power the cabinet back on.
TV hacks
Be sure that you know what you are doing before attempting to work on any CRT display (like a TV or Arcade monitor) as various components in them can carry lethal electrical charges even when unplugged!
- Desolder IR tab from TV board, splice length of wire from board to IR tab, move IR tab into marquee or bezel area so it can receive remote signals better
- TVs generally fit into arcade monitor brackets. Remove TV from case, and bolt into old arcade monitor brackets for a solid installation
- (When mounting a TV onto arcade monitor backets) If you don't feel like putting screws into your TV's circuit board, use a rotary tool to cut the TV's circuit board plastic mounting slots out of the TV case. You can then screw, bolt, or twist-tie the mounting slots into your cabinet and place the circuit board back into the mounting slots.
- To get better antenna reception, run a 10' wire from the antenna input on your tv, out of the back of your cabinet along the complete height of the cabinet. You can staple or glue the wire flat to the cabinet. You can the paint the antenna wire if you choose.
- Use the TVs audio out to drive your cabinet's speakers. Run audio from your computer to your TV's audio in. You can cut the TV's audio wires to the puny TV speakers and then run the wires to the cabinet's mono or stereo speakers. The quality is low, but the quality on most original arcade cabinets was pretty low as anyway.
