Rotating Monitors

[MrPopo]

^^If you're going that far just build a rotating CRT cradle.

Which I've actually been thinking of building... put a giant vault wheel on the side to rotate that shit. Look at it spin!

It's not even a rotating CRT cradle; it's a rotating LCD/Plasma cradle. I don't even what to think of what kinds of things you'd have to do to get a rotating harness for your CRT.

[wip3outguy7]

Right, that's what I said. :O

[Weekend_Warrior]

This is a good thread going here!

Here's a question that I have. I would like to have a nice flat widescreen television or monitor to put on the middle of my bookshelf here in my computer room, just for gaming. But I'm wondering what would probably be the better purchase - an HD television or an HD monitor? Thanks

[Hatta]

So, what about aspect ratio? A lot of vertical shmups have a 3:4 aspect ratio, but the pixels aren't square. If you use a 4:3 monitor rotated, you'll have squashed art. If you use a 16:9 monitor rotated, you'll have to do scaling. What's the best way to handle that?

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I use a TATE'd CRT, which given the way CRT's operate means I'll get a picture that is 100% accurate as CRT's can focus their electron gun to create multiple native resolutions and pixel sizes.

[Ivo]

I use a TATE'd CRT, which given the way CRT's operate means I'll get a picture that is 100% accurate as CRT's can focus their electron gun to create multiple native resolutions and pixel sizes.

I'm not sure you are supposed to rotate CRTs - I think most of them are designed to only be operated horizontally.

Ivo.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I use a TATE'd CRT, which given the way CRT's operate means I'll get a picture that is 100% accurate as CRT's can focus their electron gun to create multiple native resolutions and pixel sizes.

I'm not sure you are supposed to rotate CRTs - I think most of them are designed to only be operated horizontally.

Ivo.

CRT's are perfectly safe to rotate (vent holes on all four sides and no moving parts) and only require you to degauss them as soon as they've been TATED to realign the screen's polarity.

TATED CRT's is how all TATE SHMUPS are programmed and how a lot of general graphic design work is done as well.

[laneyj]

I get Dell Ultrasharps

Mine rotates clockwise and doesn't work for most DC games which rotate the other way. Mame is just fine!

I Have the same problem. I was wondering if there was anyway I could fix this (any stands that rotate counter clockwise that i could buy or something). I would really like to play ikaruga, radirgy and other shumps on Dreamcast the right way instead of upside down.

[Ivo]

CRT's are perfectly safe to rotate (vent holes on all four sides and no moving parts) and only require you to degauss them as soon as they've been TATED to realign the screen's polarity.

TATED CRT's is how all TATE SHMUPS are programmed and how a lot of general graphic design work is done as well.

I had the impression that rotating CRTs wasn't trivial before checking wikipedia, so regardless of the magnetic distortion which you can fix by degaussing I think most of them are not engineered to operate vertically. I'm not talking about CRTs that are built to be used vertically (like those used in arcade cabinets), but the regular ones that are built for horizontal use - most of those things are so clunky. Quoting from wikipedia:

Very few CRT monitors made today are designed to permit rotation into portrait mode. It is not wise to turn a standard CRT monitor or television on its side due to a number of technical issues:

* The cooling vents are normally designed for natural air convection flow from bottom to top; turning the case sideways can lead to unintended heat buildup and component failure.
* The typical CRT monitor plastic case is not designed to sit stably when turned sideways without a custom-made supporting stand.
* The weight of a large CRT is typically meant to bear on the base frame. A plastic case may flex or crack if the CRT weight is supported only by the thin plastic surround.

Ivo.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

CRT's are perfectly safe to rotate (vent holes on all four sides and no moving parts) and only require you to degauss them as soon as they've been TATED to realign the screen's polarity.

TATED CRT's is how all TATE SHMUPS are programmed and how a lot of general graphic design work is done as well.

I had the impression that rotating CRTs wasn't trivial before checking wikipedia, so regardless of the magnetic distortion which you can fix by degaussing I think most of them are not engineered to operate vertically. I'm not talking about CRTs that are built to be used vertically (like those used in arcade cabinets), but the regular ones that are built for horizontal use - most of those things are so clunky. Quoting from wikipedia:

Very few CRT monitors made today are designed to permit rotation into portrait mode. It is not wise to turn a standard CRT monitor or television on its side due to a number of technical issues:

* The cooling vents are normally designed for natural air convection flow from bottom to top; turning the case sideways can lead to unintended heat buildup and component failure.
* The typical CRT monitor plastic case is not designed to sit stably when turned sideways without a custom-made supporting stand.
* The weight of a large CRT is typically meant to bear on the base frame. A plastic case may flex or crack if the CRT weight is supported only by the thin plastic surround.

Ivo.

Solution:

Is your CRT's case flat on all sides/corners?
Is your CRT's case covered in holes on all sides?
Why the hell are you trusting Wikipedia over a much better source which could be easily available through a few more minutes of Google searching?

TATE-ing your CRT is perfectly fine, the only instances when it's not and why you see all of this crap like * The typical CRT monitor plastic case is not designed to sit stably when turned sideways without a custom-made supporting stand. is bull written by some kid who tried to TATE his crappy Dell monitor with a funky "Artistic" shape designed to attract customers.

Other crap like * The weight of a large CRT is typically meant to bear on the base frame. A plastic case may flex or crack if the CRT weight is supported only by the thin plastic surround. just pisses me off. If your monitor's tube begins to crush its case when rotated the you own a shit monitor, trust me when I say that you'll be fine. The amount of the case's surface placed on the table/desk/whatever should disperse the weight of the tube evenly and prevent any such occurrence unless the plastic is of extremely low knock off quality.

If your CRT is covered in holes on all of it's sides and is flat sided (boxy shaped) then you'll be perfectly fine. But if your monitor is a twenty dollar no name unbranded monitor then you should be more preoccupied about the CRT exploding in your face regardless of if it's TATED or not.

Don't take what "I'm saying the wrong way it's just that I'm tired of trying to tell you that it's alright to TATE your CRT. So, unless it's a 24 in.+ monitor with no name on it and a penchant to scare you when it's turned on then you'll be perfectly fine.

My CRT has been TATED for months and I'm quite pleased with it's performance, and no I haven't experienced a single problem with overheating, balancing it or the weight of the screen on the case.

CRT's are built to certain safety standards so quit worrying and just enjoy your games arcade monitor are the same type of CRT as a regular home TV LITERALLY just turned on it's side with no differences. Unless you count the fact that a home TV has a plastic case on it to keep yourself from sticking your hands into the internals and shocking yourself.