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CRT TV vs Modern TV for retro games


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So if you're one of the lucky people who found a late model 480i CRT with Component video, you've lucked out, and have the best possible CRT you can play PS2 and earlier games on without modifying the console.

 

However you cannot pull 480p, an HD CRT works out a better compromise. My SD and HD consoles display just fine on the Sony HD CRT, no upscale "blur pixel" issue that plague LCD and LED screens.

 

It just seems like a we're beating a dead horse, over and over again. Obviously, a system designed for an old CRT will look better on a CRT. Obviously, a system designed for HD will look better on a modern display. What's the mystery?

 

Agree with your earlier statement use what works. Yes CRTs tend to be more forgiving for non HD signals, but the end result is what is satisfactory to the owner. A compromise to meet if only one large TV in the room to combine consoles and TV viewing. It is why I prefer my 4:3 HD CRT which for me gives the best option of retro consoles, modern consoles and Bluray from 480i to 1080i. Wide screen movies do have black bands even when anamorphic DVDs reduce the border, but in a dim lighted room no issue.

 

One advantage that a quality CRT will have over any HDTV is the built in surround sound third woofer of WEGAs for example. The flat screens simply do not have the capability of a decent built in speaker housing. Adding a sound bar speaker set underneath blasts all the vocals from the front, use your stereo to get a much better audio experience. I own various CRTs including a very unique last generation SD Trinitron with built in HD digital tuner, reviewed in the second link.

 

Adding Amplified Speakers to the HDTV - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=731713#p731713

 

Television Mods - Audio Out - HD Digital TV - HD Antenna - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1005514#p1005514

 

Edited by CRTGAMER
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It just seems like a we're beating a dead horse, over and over again. Obviously, a system designed for an old CRT will look better on a CRT. Obviously, a system designed for HD will look better on a modern display. What's the mystery?

No mystery, but not everyone is as knowledgeable about every topic on gaming. I do consider CRTs and LCDs a big part of gaming, and as such, open for debate and discussion.

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certainly no technical opinion on my part, but just personal anecdote-

 

I have my TI 99 4A on an el cheapo $99 flat panel tv in our bedroom, and my SNES swaps between it and our 'big' tv in the living room. :) I consider it a pretty good compromise of form and function; the picture is fine enough for me :)

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  • 1 year later...

Just snagged another 480i CRT with component ins a few weeks ago. A this point, the "shelf" is full, and I am now returning lesser (perfectly good) CRTs to the dump in favor of ones that are legs up (i.e. have component). I only take the smalls....19" and less, a great size for desk top gaming. So that's 3 I have now. For some reason. In addition to the 24" Wega. and the 32" Wega.

 

If I saw another 32" WEGA...my back, and lack of room, and gain in common sense, would probably make me pass.

 

For me, if this ever got hard (or cost me any money), I'd likely give up. But CRTs are still common sights at my dump, and the dump hates them as they have to pay for disposal.

 

 

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On 10/24/2017 at 10:20 PM, djour said:

I have a 36" Trinitron and we love it for retro gaming. It only cost me $10 and a hernia to get it into place. If you have room for one, go for it.

 

As far as a comparison, here is my shameless plug for a video we made on the subject:

 

 

My cousin is going to give me his Trinitron... I think it's only 32" but it's going to kill the crap out of the 32" RCA TV I have now.

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CRTs are much better than HDTVs, IMO. It's mostly for the 'feeling' of playing retro videogames, but when you're playing Duck Hunt, you'll NEED it.

Also, I think 32" is way to big. I thought my 19" Magnavox was big...

Edited by bluejay
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Ehh depends how you want to play duck hunt.  If you use the NES LCD Mod hack patches for the NES zapper games, dump it on a flash cart, and go buy a cheapo few bucks Tomee Zap Gun, you can play the games on a modern TV just fine. The crappy Tomee gun has a LED within the barrel and it can pick up with the hack where you need to shoot on screen.  I know it's a bit of a work around with the cost of a flash kit, but it's an option to have a nice crisp sharp HD image and play the old classics.

 

http://neslcdmod.com/

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15 hours ago, 0078265317 said:

There are settings for the refresh rate.

I know, I tried everything, but the guns themselves seem to have been manufactured with very low quality parts (shocking!), particularly the photo diode.  One of the YouTubers out there replaced the diode and it worked after that.  Not something I'd be interested in doing.

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I'm currently rocking a 27" Sony Trinitron and it's great.  I actually stopped using my 20" PVM because the Trinitron with Component cables (and a scart converter) is so close it didn't matter.

 

to get that real retro feeling you need a 14-20" TV with RF though. How did we ever survive? ?

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I have a 14" PVM hooked up on a rack in my office that I used primarily for older computers (Apple IIc, Atari 800XL, ZX Spectrum, C64, Atari ST, and a MIST FPGA for Amiga emulation).

 

I initially bought the PVM for use with game consoles, but now that there are so many great options out there to connect consoles to modern flat screens, I do most of my console gaming on the living room TV. I've got an AVS, Super NT, and Mega SG hooked up permanently to my living room TV, and a Framemeister if I want to hook up a console that doesn't have any kind of dedicated FPGA recreation available.

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20 hours ago, Tempest said:

I'm currently rocking a 27" Sony Trinitron and it's great.  I actually stopped using my 20" PVM because the Trinitron with Component cables (and a scart converter) is so close it didn't matter.

 

to get that real retro feeling you need a 14-20" TV with RF though. How did we ever survive? ?

I don't have a lot of RF systems any more but my Coleco is and when it gets fuzzy I just kind of smile. I could jiggle the cable and sharpen it up but memories....

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All the shit arrived today.  And it works great.  My tomee zapper and etsy duckhunt reprogrammed for LED works great.  Finally a solution.  Distance is notso good.  But went 2 inches from the like I used to cheat as a kid just to verify it works and it does.  And it does because my original grey and orage zapper dont work.  Only the tomee works.  But it does.

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