Skippy B. Coyote Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) About 5 years ago I got lucky enough to stumble on a new old stock 20" Sony Trinitron TV from 1995. It was the best looking gaming TV I've ever used, with bright vibrant colors and cleanly defined pixels without any color bleeding or blurriness at all. I couldn't have been happier with it until a few months ago when it started developing a horizontal line through the middle of the picture, then the coaxial input stopped working. Since then I've been scouring Craigslist for another 20" Trinitron to replace it, and at this point I've managed to get my hands on three of them; the latest being one of the highly lauded KV-20FS120 WEGA models from 2006. To make a long story short, none of them had a picture that looked even half as good as my old NOS Trinitron from 1995, and the latest WEGA model has a picture that is such a blurry mess that it's nearly impossible to read any small in-game text on it without turning the brightness down so low that it's pointless. Now I don't know a whole lot about how CRT TVs work, but the impression I'm getting is that the picture quality must degrade with use. Since my old NOS CRT from 1995 looked great up until it died and every used CRT I've gotten since then, including one of Sony's best models made in 2006, look like rubbish in comparison. So what I'm wondering is if there are any companies still producing new 20" to 22" CRT TVs out there? I have considered going the modern LED/LCD TV + Framemeister route, but one of my favorite game genres is light gun games so I'm stuck using CRTs if I want to be able to play them (which I definitely do). Any ideas? Edited November 2, 2016 by Jin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Go the Framemeister route, and use a crappy looking set for the one lightgun game you want to play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy B. Coyote Posted November 2, 2016 Author Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) Go the Framemeister route, and use a crappy looking set for the one lightgun game you want to play. It's actually more like 40 or so light gun games across 5 different systems that I don't want to lose the ability to play (again, light gun games are a favorite genre of mine that I collect and play extensively) and I'm not particularly keen on spending $1,000+ to buy a Framemeister and have more than half a dozen systems modded to output RGB or SCART so that the Framemeister would actually make a difference in their visual quality on a HDTV. I'm totally fine with the standard composite or coaxial ouput on my various systems, and from what I've read the Framemeister doesn't do much for composite signals (and it doesn't even have coaxial input) so I'd much rather just spend a couple hundred dollars on a new condition CRT TV if they're still available anywhere. The Framemeister is a great option for people who don't care about light gun games and already have their systems modded to output high end video formats or have a lot of money to burn, but I don't fall into any of those categories so I don't think the Framemeister would be a viable option for me personally. Edited November 2, 2016 by Jin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I think you're several years too late ...CRTs are bulky to ship and store so many places won't even take them for free anymore. Used is your best bet, and depending where you live, that window might be closing, too. A quick web search reveals many other people asking the same question, years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Perhaps old CRTs can be refurbished, with whatever components (capacitors mainly?) that degrade. I mean if you're willing to spend what likely would be top dollar to buy a niche market, brand new CRT TV, you might as well want to spend that on a professional TV repair guy who knows what they're doing. Whether a such guy (or gal) exists in your area is another question. I have recently seen that electronics warehouses in my neighbourhood are starting to offer the service to adjust and tune the settings on your flat screen TV, for those who don't know which settings are optimal regarding lightness, saturation and everything else you can tune on a modern TV. They'll do it either in the store or ideally in your home. While those people are not wielding soldering irons to help their customers, I'm thinking there ought to be a niche market for tuning and refurbishing CRTs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoofu Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Doubt CRT TV's are even produced in the developing world 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Carlsson has a good idea -- fix your old one even if it's expensive (and it probably will be). My parents keep shoveling money into the big wooden Zenith they bought over thirty years ago ...the repair shop must love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Do you think a NEW CRT would help? << NOS 20" Trinitron Tube >> The coil on your TV that was perfect may be the one you want to use. Just out of curiosity, how good is the flyback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 It reminds me that back in college, I used to fiddle with the internal focus screws on old 20" Sun monitors. Once I got a "kiss" so strong that I nearly tripped over. I know it is associated with lethal danger to prod around inside a TV, in particular if it is turned on, but I imagine that a trained technician may have solutions, like insulating himself, using tools that are electricity safe etc. Perhaps the WEGA from 2006 just needs an alignment. The Sun monitor though was past its best before date, and no matter how I adjusted it, it wouldn't get any sharper so that was eventually one for the junk yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 If you want the best quality CRT, you might want to track down an RGB display. Sony PVM/BVM series pop up on gaming sites pretty frequently and occasionally you can find those or larger displays from NEC or Mitsubishi on craigslist. Better display quality than a TV and light guns work fine. I love my NEC XM2950. Composite, s-video, RGB, VGA. Every 15kHz and 480p system looks amazing. Supports NTSC/PAL/SECAM too. And, the rectangular housing can stand on its side for vertical arcade games. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 If you want the best quality CRT, you might want to track down an RGB display. Sony PVM/BVM series pop up on gaming sites pretty frequently and occasionally you can find those or larger displays from NEC or Mitsubishi on craigslist. Better display quality than a TV and light guns work fine. I love my NEC XM2950. Composite, s-video, RGB, VGA. Every 15kHz and 480p system looks amazing. Supports NTSC/PAL/SECAM too. And, the rectangular housing can stand on its side for vertical arcade games. Pretty much this. Good luck finding a NOS consumer TV.. an old PVM or BVM will still look lightyears ahead of a consumer CRT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I always used the, "one hand in the back pocket technique". Since he has multiple sets, I'd swap yokes first before I broke the wax seal and started adjusting them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Dangerous Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) There are so many good used sets for sale out there, why bother tracking down a new one? My monster 39" Phillips at home: Edited November 2, 2016 by travistouchdown 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) Weren't the last CRT factories closed some years ago? There are plenty of CRT sets in the wild still in decent shape, There is no reason to buy a new one, when on average they last 10 years (and probably more, tho quality decreased for sets made in the 2000's). I'm member of a retrogaming club and we are forced to REFUSE CRT TV donation because we have accumulated (by donations only) about 40 36cm sets, 25 43/56cm sets, a dozen 70cm TV (half of them Sony Trinitron) and we once had a monstro 90cm CRT given. Sadly when carrying it around we dropped it and the shell was shattered (the TV still works but it's unsafe to use as you can see inside). If you want a CRT, ask around you, go to the recycle center and see if people carry some around or try to sneak one. Edited November 2, 2016 by CatPix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Gull Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 IMG_20160929_241925553.jpgThere are so many good used sets for sale out there, why bother tracking down a new one? My monster 39" Phillips at home: That picture looks like the TV will crush the systems below it. Scary and awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamchevy Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 If you live in Utah try Ksl.com for good crt deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy B. Coyote Posted November 2, 2016 Author Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) Do you think a NEW CRT would help? << NOS 20" Trinitron Tube >> The coil on your TV that was perfect may be the one you want to use. Just out of curiosity, how good is the flyback? I always used the, "one hand in the back pocket technique". Since he has multiple sets, I'd swap yokes first before I broke the wax seal and started adjusting them. I sure appreciate the link and the suggestion, but I have no idea what a "coil", "yoke", or "flyback" is so I'd probably be more likely to end up electrocuting myself than fixing the TV if I tried working on it myself. What I'm gathering from all the responses so far is that all the factories that used to make CRT TVs ceased production around 2007, so there aren't any new ones being made anymore, but there should be plenty of lightly used ones that still have a good picture out in the wild. Apparently I've just had bad luck in my search and all 3 of the Trinitron / WEGAs I've found locally over the last month or so must have been heavily used, which would account for why the picture on them is so bad. I've already tried resetting the picture calibration settings to the factory defaults with the remote, then adjusting the brightness, sharpness, color, etc. to see if I can improve the picture but they still look pretty rubbish regardless of what I try. So I guess the options at this point are either try finding someone who repairs and refurbishes CRTs locally or continue searching for one that has been lightly used and doesn't have a degraded picture quality. Edited November 2, 2016 by Jin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) Go the Framemeister route, and use a crappy looking set for the one lightgun game you want to play. Instead of the upscale route of an expensive Framemeister to a fixed screen 1080p LED, best to use a good quality CRT such as the Sony Trinitron WEGA series. Go with a flat tube SD CRT, it will work with lightguns. Even better if the lightgun is not a priority, get an HD CRT which displays ALL resoluitions 480i-720p-1080i bright crystal clear with no upscale issues! Hit the Thrift stores, Swap Meets and sadly on Garbage day abandened CRTs. Edited November 2, 2016 by CRTGAMER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+madman Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 The thrift shops here don't seem to be taking them anymore. Craigslist or even freecycle can be good options, or post something on social media. I've seen a handful of friends announcing free CRT TVs, a want ad might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I grab every decent looking Sony I see on a curb or at the dump...I test them out and if they're bad they just go back to the dump. Besides a 13 inch normal Sony, a 20 inch Trinitron, and a 23 inch Wega, I've even got a 32 inch back up Wega for my main 32 inch Wega set up now. All free. Granted, my workshop is a little crowded.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Don't know of anything brand new being sold off hand but a friend of mine hooked me up with a nice 27" Sony Wega for free today. Most people just give them away nowadays, that's your best bet IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Instead of the upscale route of an expensive Framemeister to a fixed screen 1080p LED, best to use a good quality CRT such as the Sony Trinitron WEGA series. Go with a flat tube SD CRT, it will work with lightguns. Even better if the lightgun is not a priority, get an HD CRT which displays ALL resoluitions 480i-720p-1080i bright crystal clear with no upscale issues! Hit the Thrift stores, Swap Meets and sadly on Garbage day abandened CRTs. Except that he has already done this and is clearly unhappy with the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepdreamin Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 There's no advantage to having an HD crt. Light guns won't work, retro consoles won't look right. and as others have said, no one's had new crts for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Cade Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 As mentioned by others... Pick them up when you see them, test them, pass the bad ones on to the dump. Keep the good ones... They will work for a few years and become blurry also- they just wear out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 (edited) I am amazed by some of the negativity on CRTs. Well, I do have a preference to CRTs based on my Avatar name, having owned my Sony WEGAs for decades. My preference is my HD WEGA, as mentioned earlier ALL resolutions crystal clear and no upscale issues! You can't beat the brightness of a tube TV even when viewed at an extreme angle. The LED TV is better ONLY if the signal is in HD; anything SD (such as retro game consoles) look like crap when upscaled on the fixed resolution of a 1080p flat screen. Some info on my HD WEGA KV-32HS500 in my repair guide. Repair your rare WEGA for under twenty dollars http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=458437#p458437 Here is my unusual WEGA, the SD TV has a 1080i Tube! Sony Wega Mods - KD-27FS170 Sony Wega Trinitron Flat Tube TV http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1005514#p1005514 Edited November 3, 2016 by CRTGAMER 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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