Tube TV recommendation?

[jasonbar]

Howdy-

 

I'm looking to pick up a used tube TV, probably 21" in size (not too small but not too heavy to lug upstairs & put in a small bedroom). It needs to have an S-video input, as pretty much all of my consoles are modded for S-video. Stereo inputs & speakers are also required.

 

Is there any recommendation or standard for a good gaming TV to fit my needs? (For 2600, A8, INTV, TG Duo, NES, SNES, N64, SMS, Gen, Saturn, DC, 3DO, PS1, & PS2).

 

Thanks,

-Jason

 

PS--I'm in Los Angeles, in case anybody local has one for sale/trade.

[twoquickcapri]

Sony FD Trinitron or a later Toshiba like a 20AF42.

 

http://losangeles.cr...3471924292.html

 

http://losangeles.cr...3504122072.html

Edited December 31, 2012 by twoquickcapri

[+wood_jl]

Sony FD Trinitron or a later Toshiba like a 20AF42.

 

I agree!

 

I've seen nice Toshibas, but there are so many models of Toshiba, it may be difficult to sort through them all and find the one you're looking for, and the seller may not want to nitpick with "fussy" customers over their $20 TV.

 

But if you get a silver Sony Trinitron with the flat tube, you have some excellence there, and it's really easy to find one of those.

 

I also really like the older Sony Trinitrons - before the "WEGA" series (the silver flatscreens) and I think they're great. They're not completely flat; they're vertically-flat. I think it would be easiest to just get the silver flatscreen Trinitron, as there's little question as to what you're buying. It's a buyer's market for CRT televisions - as people can't wait for someone to haul those heavy things away - so might as well go for the best.

[shadow460]

If the size is not a deal breaker, go for the Commodore 1701 monitor (it's about a 15 inch screen). I game almost exclusively on one. Its S video connection comes in the form of luma and chroma jacks on the back so you'll need to build a simple adapter for that. Even considering that a good CRT can be had for $5, I still recommend the C=1701.

[Austin]

Sony Wega/Trinitrons, at a bare minimum. Excellent television sets with super-nice prictures, and S-Video (for the newer models, at least). Mine is a 25" and has lasted me over 10 years now. It has S-Video, and also has two audio-out jacks in case you want to export the sound to an external sound system. Has plenty of brightness, contrast, sharpness settings to configure your screen output depending on the age of the system as well. All in all, an excellent set that you can probably get for next to nothing today on craigslist.

 

Keep in mind that if you like to rotate your sets (for, say, vertically-oriented shmup play), these are the sets to have. They are the best of both worlds (for standard and vertical play). The picture won't distort and you won't damage the TV by rotating them.

[jasonbar]

Howdy again-

 

Thanks for all of the helpful input. I picked up this 20" Sony PVM-20N2U yesterday for $40: http://losangeles.cr...3486377467.html

 

For sound, I'm going to use a pair of powered PC stereo speakers & attach them to the sides of the case (assuming the tube's case is shielded well enough that the speakers don't distort the picture--if so, I'll move them farther away).

 

 

 

I am finding one small issue, however.

 

I've tried my S-Video modded 2600 & S-Video modded SMS & 2 different S-Video cables & both of the Y/C (S-Video) inputs & they look swell except for one issue that persists always. I believe that it's called "ghosting." When there are very light pixels to the left of dark (but not black) pixels, then the white pixels cast a bit of a shadow towards the right. Attached pics show 2600 Pitfall.

 

Any ideas on how to fix this issue?

 

 

I just ordered some RCA female-to BNC male gold-plated adapters & will try composite & RGB next. (My SMS has both composite & S-Video out, for an easy back-to-back comparison).

 

 

Thanks,

-Jason

[twoquickcapri]

Dude that a RGB Monitor, you should forget s-video and go RGB on the systems that will do it, but this wouldn't help with your 2600 problem.

[jmetal88]

I agree!

 

I've seen nice Toshibas, but there are so many models of Toshiba, it may be difficult to sort through them all and find the one you're looking for, and the seller may not want to nitpick with "fussy" customers over their $20 TV.

 

But if you get a silver Sony Trinitron with the flat tube, you have some excellence there, and it's really easy to find one of those.

 

I also really like the older Sony Trinitrons - before the "WEGA" series (the silver flatscreens) and I think they're great. They're not completely flat; they're vertically-flat. I think it would be easiest to just get the silver flatscreen Trinitron, as there's little question as to what you're buying. It's a buyer's market for CRT televisions - as people can't wait for someone to haul those heavy things away - so might as well go for the best.

 

I'd go for the Toshiba, and specifically a model without a flat CRT. I bought one of the flat Trinitrons, and while the picture is great, the flat CRT is extremely heavy compared to a Toshiba with a curved CRT of the same size from the same time period. The back of the cabinet also extends out significantly farther with the Sony than with the Toshiba, making it harder to get a grip on the set (although the built-in recesses on the bottom of the cabinet help). The Toshiba I have now is not quite as sharp in the corners, but has slightly more even geometry (still not perfect, but pretty good for a large CRT) and is honestly not as harsh on my eyes at high brightness as is the Sony.

 

Although I guess that's a bit late, considering the OP has already gone for a PVM, haha. I'd really like one of those Sony PVMs as well, so I could use straight RGB without transcoding it to component, but I've had trouble locating one at a reasonable price within driving distance. I've noticed the university I attend has several out in the tech center, but I don't know if they'd be interested in selling any (and I'm not sure who I would ask, either).

Edited January 5, 2013 by jmetal88

[+wood_jl]

I bought one of the flat Trinitrons, and while the picture is great, the flat CRT is extremely heavy compared to a Toshiba with a curved CRT of the same size from the same time period. The back of the cabinet also extends out significantly farther with the Sony than with the Toshiba, making it harder to get a grip on the set (although the built-in recesses on the bottom of the cabinet help).

 

Yeah, you are right about that. I had forgotten, but that is the one disadvantage to **ANY** Sony CRT television; they are big, heavy bastards. They are MUCH heavier than a comparably-sized set of any other brand. I have a 27" Sony Trinitron - the older style that looks like this....

 

 

......as well as some other 27" cheapies (RCA, Sylvania (really an Emerson aka Funai) and there is a shocking difference in the weight, and you're right about how big they are in the back. Seriously - what is it that is so much heavier? I don't move them around very much, so it's generally not a problem.

 

I also have a 35" (larger old version of the 27" pictured above) and a 32" WEGA (silver) and they are incredibly, unbelievably heavy. The 32" I can barely (and I do mean it's dangerous!) move by myself, and only a very short distance at a time. The 35" is dangerous for even 2 people to move, without some straps and coordination. It's funny to think that - despite the fact these 2 big bastards are MINT (not a scratch) and work perfectly, you couldn't give them away. You'd have to pay big bucks for a team to come and take them to E-waste...HA HA. These are the ones I like to play light gun games on.

 

 

Although I guess that's a bit late, considering the OP has already gone for a PVM, haha. I'd really like one of those Sony PVMs as well, so I could use straight RGB without transcoding it to component, but I've had trouble locating one at a reasonable price within driving distance.

 

Yeah, the original poster did extremely-well getting a monitor! That is an *excellent* thing. You can use it with the 16-bit Atari (ST) and Commodore (Amiga) computers, too - I think.

[jmetal88]

I also have a 35" (larger old version of the 27" pictured above) and a 32" WEGA (silver) and they are incredibly, unbelievably heavy. The 32" I can barely (and I do mean it's dangerous!) move by myself, and only a very short distance at a time. The 35" is dangerous for even 2 people to move, without some straps and coordination. It's funny to think that - despite the fact these 2 big bastards are MINT (not a scratch) and work perfectly, you couldn't give them away. You'd have to pay big bucks for a team to come and take them to E-waste...HA HA. These are the ones I like to play light gun games on.

 

I actually am giving my Sony away. I don't have room for both TVs in my apartment, and I'd rather have the Toshiba up there, since it's so much easier to move around. Mine are both 32" sets, and I honestly have great difficulty even moving the Toshiba around by myself. I can pick up the Sony if I try really hard, but I can't actually carry it anywhere once I have a grip (the best I've been able to do is to move it from a table to the floor). I paid $40 for the Sony off Craigslist, and $30 for the Toshiba off Craigslist, but considering I had to do some self-adjustment inside the back of the Sony to get things working right after I received it, I honestly wouldn't feel right about charging anyone for it. I'm giving it to a friend who has seen the TV and its issues, and says that the issues I'm seeing, and the fact that I took out some of the permalloy convergence correction strips in an attempt to get better corner geometry, don't bother him.

[kid_vidiot]

I'm in LA and searching for a good CRT for gaming too. I used to have a trinitron but it was so freaking heavy and big.

 

I saw this one pop up today: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/ele/3500355221.html

 

Then as far as PVM's, there are these:

 

http://losangeles.cr...3526232767.html

 

http://losangeles.cr...3523272994.html

 

I don't know a lot about pvm monitors or how I'd hook the systems up to them though.

Edited January 6, 2013 by kid_vidiot

[jasonbar]

The fellow with the PVM 20 has a few more for sale in his storage unit.

 

I was able to decrease the shadow effect somewhat by upping the brightness. Then, I adjusted the contrast a little to get it to where I liked it. After I test it with composite & RGB, I'll have a better idea of how awesomeful the monitor is.

 

Thanks,

-Jason

[kid_vidiot]

I contacted him and left a message...hopefully I'll get a response.

 

Also is there a popular opinion on the cut-off point for systems looking significantly better on CRT vs. LCD/LED? I was planning on using all 16-bit and earlier systems with CRT, but are Jaguar, Saturn, through PS2-era systems going to look significantly better on CRT? I have s-video for my jag, component for ps2, etc.

[+wood_jl]

You're likely to run into some highly-opinionated people, on the whole CRT vs. LCD thing.

 

I draw the line at whether or not the console "puts out HD" or "has HDMI" port. In the earliest days of the Xbox 360, these were separate concerns, but now it's pretty much one in the same. Anything pre-HD - I think - looks better on CRT, for sure. The exception would be the Wii, which I think looks really good on both (component on LCD).

 

Many of the older consoles, however, don't seem to scale (graphically) correctly on LCD, and I can tell (in some games) there's a damn delay when hooked up through composite (etc) on newer LCD TV that is not there when new console through HDMI is hooked up. So to not have the improper scaling looks "significantly better" to me, and to not have the delay makes it play significantly better. So for my own simplicity, HDMI console(s) (only have one at the moment) get LCD and non-HDMI consoles get CRT. I'm sure plenty of people will disagree.

Edited January 7, 2013 by wood_jl

[Atariboy]

The Wii isn't doing anything special as far as resolution goes that the Xbox, GameCube, or Playstation 2 didn't already do. All are outputting 480i or 480p (With the occasional exception such as Sonic Mega Collection on the GCN outputting the games at their original native resolution, Ico on the PS2 running at 240p, the handful of HD Xbox 1 games, etc) via component. So if you get pleasing results with your Wii on your LCD, you should get similar results with these console's.

 

Since my HDTV has a sucky scaling chip, only my Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 are connected to it. It just does an average job with a 480p image and when asked to deinterlace 480i, it all but ruins the picture quality.

 

My Trinitron handles most of my game consoles.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Atariboy

[snstay]

I have an rca and it works great. With plenty of jacks for everything and one s-video that i hook a switcher up to for my games.

I didnt see in any posts to tell him he should get one with a bowed front for light gun games.

[Atariboy]

Screen curvature isn't necessary for light gun support. I've played things like Duck Hunt just fine on several flat screens over the year's including my current late model Trinitron.

[HatefulGravey]

I also use a flat screen tv. I have had a Sony Wega 27inch for awhile now and love it. Light guns work fine on it, everything from Duck Hunt to PS2 stuff. I have never had a problem with it now that I think about it.

[Hatta]

The flat Wegas sometimes have some minor geometry problems. Hard to notice until you play a smooth side scroller like Super Mario Bros. Not a deal breaker at all, just a minor imperfection to be aware of.

[jmetal88]

Screen curvature isn't necessary for light gun support. I've played things like Duck Hunt just fine on several flat screens over the year's including my current late model Trinitron.

 

For me, the aiming is a little off on my FD Trinitron in the horizontal, at least on my Master System. But for all I know, it could be a problem with my light gun, considering I only have the one.

[kid_vidiot]

Picked up the PVM today. Not as nice as jasonbar's, but I'll get it cleaned up and ready to go. Now to figure out how to hook my consoles up to it...

[Austin]

Also is there a popular opinion on the cut-off point for systems looking significantly better on CRT vs. LCD/LED? I was planning on using all 16-bit and earlier systems with CRT, but are Jaguar, Saturn, through PS2-era systems going to look significantly better on CRT? I have s-video for my jag, component for ps2, etc.

 

Anything non-HD looks better on traditional CRT sets, period.

[kid_vidiot]

Ahh this thing is awesome!

 

[jmetal88]

Ahh this thing is awesome!

 

 

Looks nice! I actually may have just found one on eBay that's both within driving distance and cheap, but it's only a 14" model. Still, I guess that's a lot better than the 8" and 4" models I see popping up all the time.

[+Mitch]

Yeah, those are awesome monitors. I have a 25 inch Sony PVM, it weighs over a hundred pounds but the picture is great. Having the option for RGB is also great for the consoles that support it.

 

I also have a bunch of old Commodore and Atari monitors that are nice but the picture size doesn't get any bigger than 13 inches.

 

Mitch