Arcooda Launches 21.3-Inch 4:3 LCD Designed to Replace CRT Arcade Monitors

Arcooda releases a 21.3-inch 1600x1200 4:3 LCD monitor with 1ms latency and 240p-to-UXGA signal support, built as a drop-in replacement for CRT arcade tubes.

Retro hardware specialist Arcooda has introduced a new 21.3-inch 4:3 LCD aimed directly at arcade restoration and classic-gaming setups that need the proportions and signal compatibility of an old CRT without depending on increasingly scarce tube displays. The panel runs at a native resolution of 1600 by 1200 and is Arcooda's first model in this family to include integrated speakers. More importantly for retro hardware, the display accepts signals from 240p all the way to its native resolution and provides HDMI, VGA, DVI and DisplayPort connections. Arcooda says all four inputs support the relevant resolutions rather than reserving low-resolution compatibility for analogue VGA. The display uses sharp scaling and is reported to begin drawing the image with roughly one millisecond of additional latency. At approximately $800 it is obviously far more expensive than an ordinary office LCD, but comparing it with a cheap modern monitor misses its intended role. Arcooda originally developed these displays as drop-in replacements for CRT arcade monitors. With an appropriate $15 harness and mounting bracket, the unit can be fitted into compatible cabinets without constructing the collection of scalers, control adapters and custom wiring that many generic LCD conversions require. The 4:3 aspect ratio also matters because most modern monitors are widescreen. A 16:9 screen installed inside an arcade cabinet either stretches the image incorrectly or leaves large unused areas at the sides, neither of which looks particularly convincing. The 1600 by 1200 resolution gives retro processors and external scalers enough room to reproduce integer-scaled 240p and 480p content cleanly. Arcooda specifically notes compatibility with low-latency output from devices such as MiSTer and OSSC, making the monitor interesting outside arcade restoration as well. CRT enthusiasts will reasonably argue that an LCD cannot reproduce the scanning characteristics, phosphor response, black levels and motion behaviour of a genuine tube. That remains true. The practical problem is that CRTs are no longer being manufactured at scale, surviving units are ageing and shipping large glass displays is expensive and risky. Purpose-built 4:3 LCDs offer a preservation compromise: retain correct geometry and broad signal support while replacing the component most likely to become impossible to source. Arcooda's new model is expensive, but it addresses a real problem that will only become more significant as arcade cabinets continue ageing.