Arcade screen reflection

[Asura]

Bit of a random question, but I'm sure someone here will know the answer.

In modern arcade machines (even those that use CRT monitors), games have monitors that just face the player.

However, back in the 90s, many arcade machines instead had their screen mounted horizontally in the cab, and had a mirror reflect the screen so players could see it.

Why did they do this?

[Solar]

Space saving.
CRT's stick out at the back, so they lay them flat and used a mirror instead of having them poke out at the back.

[Asura]

Space saving.
CRT's stick out at the back, so they lay them flat and used a mirror instead of having them poke out at the back.

The weird thing is that I thought this too, but surely it doesn't work like that?

I mean CRT's are largely cubic. They're as deep as they are tall. If you lie one on its back, it'll still be as deep as if you just look at it face-on.

Was it worry over having the screens too close to people's eyes?

[Solar]

I mean CRT's are largely cubic. They're as deep as they are tall. If you lie one on its back, it'll still be as deep as if you just look at it face-on.

Well yes, but they would have to sit the tube back a foot or so, otherwise fitting it in the cab snug would mean it's pressed against your face.
This is how I have always thought it to be, the pro's over at jamma+ will be able to give you a definite answer.

[Asura]

Well yes, but they would have to sit the tube back a foot or so, otherwise fitting it in the cab snug would mean it's pressed against your face.

This is how modern Japanese machines are.

I might have to go and speak to someone to get an answer, as you suggest.

[Solar]

Just tried a bit of searching and didn't come up with much other than phrase "projected image", which made me think that possibly they used cheaper small monitors and the mirror was used to project the video up to a 19" or 20".
One thing I did find out though, mirror cabs were used waaaaaaay back in the 70s

[EvilBoris]

I think there will be a couple of reasons

Here is one , in the case of a lightgun game, you want to be physically distanced from the screen to increase the difficulty and as a 2 player game you need to have a large screen to accommodate the gameplay.
You can see just how deep the cabinet would need to be without using the a mirror to fold the distance




There will be other situations where again, you to keep the footprint of the machine to a minimum (an important factor for whether or not you machine is sold to an arcade) but you want to have a big screen and you want the screen to be angled to the user, using a mirror solves this



Also, creating games where the screen is very close to the users eyes actually will limit the number of people who can play it, or play it comfortably, so also increased the distance a little with the mirror also increases the range of people who can play and makes prolonged play more comfortable.

[gunrock]

Hah. I thought this was a thread where someone was about to ask if anybody knew if there's a filter for Mame that instead of adding scanlines, added simulated reflections of watchers of your games like you used to get around the Star Wars or Space Harrier cabs back in the day!

[Asura]

Hah. I thought this was a thread where someone was about to ask if anybody knew if there's a filter for Mame that instead of adding scanlines, added simulated reflections of watchers of your games like you used to get around the Star Wars or Space Harrier cabs back in the day!

Maybe we should make one that reproduces the stench from those utterly pointless ashtray things that UK arcade machines used to have.

[randombs]

Hah. I thought this was a thread where someone was about to ask if anybody knew if there's a filter for Mame that instead of adding scanlines, added simulated reflections of watchers of your games like you used to get around the Star Wars or Space Harrier cabs back in the day!

That sounds wicked!