The virtual environment simulates the depth of the playfield in the back - and you can adjust that to a degree, so technically you don't need that gap. Mine runs flush with the angle of the cabinet (so it is 1" from the top of the cab from front to back) and I think that works best. The flat ones (depending on the TV) will be too deep at the back end and probably have some discoloration or blooming from the angle you are looking at it. You would probably be better off to ask over at vpforums though on opinions though.

How tall are you? If you are a tall person, you can sit the TV flat in the cabinet and mimic a deep DMD type cab and still be able to see "the ball" when it is at the back of the play field. Since this is 2D, if you are a short person, the "flat"set up will make it difficult to the see "the ball" at the black.

Rather, if you are not tall, you should consider have the TV screen on the same angle as the play field glass, and maybe even set steeper than the glass. Since it is 2D you want to be as high over the play field and glass as you can be.

People do all kinds of tricked out things to their VP pins. Translation: They get buried financially. Go as cheap as possible when starting out. If you like it-----then jump in with both feet.

I built a VP mini-cab. Then I got a pinball machine. I have not turned on the mini-cab in 3 years. I'm not knocking it. I had lots of fun with it. But the real deal is better, to me.