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Best CRT TV for old school systems...?

Well... I just purchased an original NES, complete with 2 original controllers, the orange zapper, with box, manuals and everything... I'm planning to invest on my new NES some money. NES games are pretty cheap... you can get games like Super Mario Bros. 3 for less than $10 easily at a lot of online stores.

Anyway... I already have a decent HDTV for my newer systems (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox era and forward)...

But I want to get a CRT, non-HDTV, 4:3 TV... not very big. My gaming room is not very big, so I guess a 21" should be big enough, right?

Anyway... any recommendations, TV-GAF? Should I go to a local electronic store and just pick any old TV?
 
samsung has some really nice HD tubes... friend is giving me his moms old one

but for a non hd one, look for a flat tube. there were some cheapie brands that look pretty good

Very few stores carry tubes, took for tv repair guys some times they have sets lying around and thrift shops. But it is Garage Sale season, could get lucky.
 
Fernando Rocker said:
Well... I just purchased an original NES, complete with 2 original controllers, the orange zapper, with box, manuals and everything... I'm planning to invest on my new NES some money. NES games are pretty cheap... you can get games like Super Mario Bros. 3 for less than $10 easily at a lot of online stores.

Anyway... I already have a decent HDTV for my newer systems (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox era and forward)...

But I want to get a CRT, non-HDTV, 4:3 TV... not very big. My gaming room is not very big, so I guess a 21" should be big enough, right?

Anyway... any recommendations, TV-GAF? Should I go to a local electronic store and just pick any old TV?


You could probably find a way cheap or free 21 or 24 inch Sony Wega on Craigslist. Pretty much perfect for SD gaming. Low res mode gaming is GORGEOUS. 240 lines never looked so beautiful.

24 is probably the max size before weight becomes damn ridiculous.
 

linkboy

Member
Fernando Rocker said:
But I think systems like the N64, SNES or NES looks better on native 480i TV's... or am I wrong?

If I recall correctly, CRT HD TV's did a great job with both, its the fixed panels (LCD, Plasma, etc) that suck.

The only problem is that they're heavy as shit.
 
Fernando Rocker said:
But I think systems like the N64, SNES or NES looks better on native 480i TV's... or am I wrong?
I think that really depends on the tv. I'm hoping Snes and Saturn look great on it. Since its a tube I should get the scan lines i want and the HD should give me clarity.
 
blizzardjesus said:
I think that really depends on the tv. I'm hoping Snes and Saturn look great on it. Since its a tube I should get the scan lines i want and the HD should give me clarity.

No, the HD wont matter, except making the television MUCH heavier. You want these monitors in 240 mode anyways, which won't make any difference between an HD or SD monitor.
 
StopMakingSense said:
No, the HD wont matter, except making the television MUCH heavier. You want these monitors in 240 mode anyways, which won't make any difference between an HD or SD monitor.
I know its gonna be heavy, the thing is a monster..
 

Beatbox

alien from planet Highscore
Check the Toshiba flat screen lines - I think mine is a 20AF41 and I think they made a 20AF42 as well. Should be super cheap if you can find one used. They made 24" models too.
 
Beatbox said:
Check the Toshiba flat screen lines - I think mine is a 20AF41 and I think they made a 20AF42 as well. Should be super cheap if you can find one used. They made 24" models too.

Oh, thanks... I'm gonna check those too.

By the way, guys... should I get a flat screen or a curved screen?
 
If i remember correctly the butt ends of the tube are longer on a flat and shorter on a curved. I've always liked the Flat, if you have space for it.
 

Beatbox

alien from planet Highscore
Fernando Rocker said:
Oh, thanks... I'm gonna check those too.

By the way, guys... should I get a flat screen or a curved screen?

No problem. They have vertical stereo speakers on the sides, front RCA jacks and component inputs if you ever want to use it elsewhere with a DVD player or something.
 

Grayman

Member
Fernando Rocker said:
Oh, thanks... I'm gonna check those too.

By the way, guys... should I get a flat screen or a curved screen?
I may be wrong here but after going from a flat tube TV and a flat CRT I found a curved CRT (with higher res's, refresh rates, better all around monitor) terrible to use. My problem was most evident with text though, so if someone says the opposite I would believe them for old school gaming.
 
So there are HD CRTs after all? Can someone link me to a model or two? I did a search for them a while ago but couldn't find any. That said, a friend of mine owns a widescreen CRT (which isn't all that rare in Europe, apparently) with pretty damn amazing image quality but I don't think it's HD.
 
magicalsoundshower said:
So there are HD CRTs after all? Can someone link me to a model or two? I did a search for them a while ago but couldn't find any. That said, a friend of mine owns a widescreen CRT (which isn't all that rare in Europe, apparently) with pretty damn amazing image quality but I don't think it's HD.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/samsung-tx-r2678wh-26-inch-hdtv-review.htm

Can also search amazon for hdtv crt and a manufacturer you like.
 

thatbox

Banned
magicalsoundshower said:
So there are HD CRTs after all? Can someone link me to a model or two? I did a search for them a while ago but couldn't find any. That said, a friend of mine owns a widescreen CRT (which isn't all that rare in Europe, apparently) with pretty damn amazing image quality but I don't think it's HD.
The Sony XBR960 is generally accepted to be the best HD CRT ever made.
 

Drkirby

Corporate Apologist
I never really cared for Scan Lines, so my CRT Monitor with some emulators is more then enough for me for most things, and I have a Composite to VGA adapter box for that can't be emulated well (Like N64 Accessories)
 
Drkirby said:
I never really cared for Scan Lines, so my CRT Monitor with some emulators is more then enough for me for most things, and I have a Composite to VGA adapter box for that can't be emulated well (Like N64 Accessories)

The point of playing with a CRT is that we want to play on the original hardware and have the best picture possible from a tube tv. Emulation is a non factor in this discusion.
 

Mikey Jr.

Member
kvex34.jpg


Everyone in my house switched to LCD/Plasma, but I'm still holding onto this one. Still the best for SD tv and my PS2.

Got offered 150 for it too, but fuck that.
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Mikey Jr. said:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/tmwong/kvex34.jpg

Everyone in my house switched to LCD/Plasma, but I'm still holding onto this one. Still the best for SD tv and my PS2.

Got offered 150 for it too, but fuck that.

Holy shit..I have this exact same model (though Japanese). It's still hooked up to the PS2s and ready to go.
 

Anth0ny

Member
Mikey Jr. said:
kvex34.jpg


Everyone in my house switched to LCD/Plasma, but I'm still holding onto this one. Still the best for SD tv and my PS2.

Got offered 150 for it too, but fuck that.

I have that exact model. Love it, and play every console but 360 and PS3 on it.
 
I recently got a hold of a hardly used SONY WEGA 32". Wii VC (NES, N64, SNES etc) look GREAT via component, but I am trying to figure out the best calibration. It seems you need different settings for both 2D and 3D model based games. Spent hours calibrating and attempting to research. Any help?
 

Qaz Kwaz

Banned
magicalsoundshower said:
So there are HD CRTs after all? Can someone link me to a model or two? I did a search for them a while ago but couldn't find any. That said, a friend of mine owns a widescreen CRT (which isn't all that rare in Europe, apparently) with pretty damn amazing image quality but I don't think it's HD.

I had a Sony Wega XBR960, which is considered to be the best HD CRT ever. I sold it a few months back because it's just so damn huge and heavy. The PQ was nutty, though.
 

Souther

Banned
I picked up a 32" Sony FD Trinitron Wega HD CRT for 110$ with matching Stand!

Sony-KV-32FS320-32-Inch-FD-Trinitron-WEGA-Flat-Screen-TV-0.jpg


Tv is awesome. It has 2 component, 3 svideo/composite, RF and 1 DVI and a memory stick duo slot.

TV does 1080i, 720p, 480p/i

Old school games look awesome on this tv. I have a RGB scart to Component adapter and i have RGB scart cables for all my systems(snes,genesis,saturn,dreamcast) and have my Ps2 is hooked via component.

Not sure how many people play the Super Robot Wars games but SRW Z looks amazing on this tv because of the high resolution sprite work...

Havent tried the HD out on it yet cause i just keep my PS3 hooked up to my LCD.
 

DCharlie

And even i am moderately surprised
the old Sony Wega tanks are the best multi purpose Tv's easily available it seems. 720p looks insane on it, yet it can handle your retro and , although it has AVMulti input, you can get a 21 pin -> AV cable if you look. We couldn't get it up to the 3rd floor gaming room in our new house due to the 37 inches 130kg weight and it's impossible-to-carry design so we sold it on :(

If you are a scanline fan though the HD cabable Wega's tend to aggregate them out.

I'm personally using a Sony Profeel 27 inch monitor and it's absolutely gorgeous. This is so heavy it has it's own gravity - though it does have handles to make going tate very easy. The RGB input on the thing is amazing.
 
got one of these samsung 26 inch hd crt's for 25 bucks, pictures great on 360 and the wii with component, and also has dvi, and 3 rca inputs as well, love it :D
251253System.jpg
 

Souther

Banned
DCharlie said:
the old Sony Wega tanks are the best multi purpose Tv's easily available it seems. 720p looks insane on it, yet it can handle your retro and , although it has AVMulti input, you can get a 21 pin -> AV cable if you look. We couldn't get it up to the 3rd floor gaming room in our new house due to the 37 inches 130kg weight and it's impossible-to-carry design so we sold it on :(

If you are a scanline fan though the HD cabable Wega's tend to aggregate them out.

I'm personally using a Sony Profeel 27 inch monitor and it's absolutely gorgeous. This is so heavy it has it's own gravity - though it does have handles to make going tate very easy. The RGB input on the thing is amazing.


I think i seen a video on youtube of a guy that has the same model. He was demoing shumps, doing tate mode with it.
 

Sagitario

Member
I just got this one:

KV-29FA210.jpg


Sony Wega KV-29FA210 (KV-27FS210 would be the American model name). Awesome to play GameCube/Wii/PS2 :D
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
Qaz Kwaz said:
I had a Sony Wega XBR960, which is considered to be the best HD CRT ever. I sold it a few months back because it's just so damn huge and heavy. The PQ was nutty, though.

I had this bad boy too. I finally traded it and my XBR SXRD for a nice gigantic Panny Plasma. i think I sold the CRT for 150 bucks. :-/

If you can find one of the Sony Super Fine Pitch HD Tubes (34XS955, 34XBR960 36XBR960 --- I think...) you will be a happy camper.

The wide screen 34" weigh about 250 pounds, the 4:3 36" weighs 250 pounds. I think all resolved around 900 vertical lines, which was KILLER for an HD CRT.

My Saturn, Turbo Duo and SNES looked awesome on it though.
 

consoul

Member
I was using a ProFeel for my 8-bit and 16-bit systems until it smoked and died last week. That thing pumped out an excellent picture for 28 years. Respect.

I have replaced it with a 90's Trinitron.
 

Qaz Kwaz

Banned
jstevenson said:
I had this bad boy too. I finally traded it and my XBR SXRD for a nice gigantic Panny Plasma. i think I sold the CRT for 150 bucks. :-/

I bought a 50" Panasonic G20 and am very happy with the decision. The XBR had a good run, but it was time to move on to 1080P, something I could mount, and something that wasn't a bitch to move and sucked up 1/4 of my living room.
 

Magnus

Member
I think I've got some kind of cognitive dissonance thing going on with this issue compared to most gaffers. Is the difference that amazing between older-tech CRTs and modern plasmas/LCDs to actually warrant a second TV just for older systems?

I mean, I had what many people argue was one of the kings of the crop for CRTs (a 36" 1080/720p capable 4:3 Sony/Trinitron WEGA), and she was a beast, and sure, stuff looked great, but it really wasn't much of a step down to this plasma for older content. Hell, most stuff looks better to me. And for current gen stuff, obviously it looks way better on my newer Panny Plasma.
 

Tain

Member
I'd suggest against an HD CRT. Every one I've seen still upscales, which is clearly what you want to avoid.
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Tain said:
I'd suggest against an HD CRT. Every one I've seen still upscales, which is clearly what you want to avoid.
The CRT's shouldn't. They don't use a scaler, they just shoot the lines of the image out as far as I know.
 

Zoc

Member
All the TVs mentioned in this thread are too big and bulky for me, and have bad nineties industrial design. Besides that, in their day they were high-end TVs made for home theatre nuts.

What I'd love would be a 60s-retro styled tube TV, no more than 15", that looks like it would have belonged in a kid's bedroom. Something like that would be so great to wheel out with a NES for guests of the right age.
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Trojita said:
The CRT's shouldn't. They don't use a scaler, they just shoot the lines of the image out as far as I know.
It still de-interlaces the image. I have a hi-scan Sony CRT for my retro needs (KV-27HS420), but I wish I had a lower resolution model as well. Older consoles DO look quite good on it, but it still isn't completely accurate. I would grab one of the Sonys on Craiglist, but I just don't want to deal with switching out those large displays.

I am impressed by how decent SNES, Genesis, and other old systems look on my Pioneer plasma, though. It processes the image a bit much when moving quickly (making the image appear smoother than it should), but it still looks very nice. The LCD we have in the living room, though? Looks pretty awful for these older systems.

If you REALLY want the best, though, you could do as a buddy of mine has done and actually buy an arcade monitor. He imported a bunch of SCART cables from Europe and purchased a device that allows you to plug a SCART cable directly into a box which interfaces with the monitor. You end up with true RGB video which looks just as sharp as what you would see at an arcade. Definitely the best way to go.

If you want to get halfway there, you could also get a SCART to component transcoder and at least take advantage of the clean RGB signal most of those older consoles can deliver. This device coupled with a high-end SDTV can produce results very close to a real arcade monitor.

What I'd love would be a 60s-retro styled tube TV, no more than 15", that looks like it would have belonged in a kid's bedroom. Something like that would be so great to wheel out with a NES for guests of the right age.
You're going to get shit picture quality with something like that. CRTs are not all created equal and the difference between an early 90s CRT and the last of the CRTs manufactured in 2005 is enormous.

If you really want something small without any design elements, get a smallish arcade monitor. Or, even better, get an old Commodore 64 monitor. With the right hardware you can get RGB to that thing and it looks killer.

monitor_1081_01.jpg
 

timmy01

Neo Member
FWIW we have a Sony 4:3 32" HD Wega that handles old consoles perfectly. They are flawless on it. It turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. We bought it in 2003 before there was a ton of HD content out there and most of what we watched was 4:3. Now everything is letterboxed and the TV is a hassle, especially when the HD content itself is pillarboxed inside of the letterboxing.. ugghh..

BUT, the TV is still in great shape and when I get around to putting together an entertainment room will certainly be a showcase for pre-HDGen systems. Will more than likely keep the Wii on there also.
 

AwRy108

Member
Souther said:
I picked up a 32" Sony FD Trinitron Wega HD CRT for 110$ with matching Stand!

Sony-KV-32FS320-32-Inch-FD-Trinitron-WEGA-Flat-Screen-TV-0.jpg


Tv is awesome. It has 2 component, 3 svideo/composite, RF and 1 DVI and a memory stick duo slot.

TV does 1080i, 720p, 480p/i

Old school games look awesome on this tv. I have a RGB scart to Component adapter and i have RGB scart cables for all my systems(snes,genesis,saturn,dreamcast) and have my Ps2 is hooked via component.

Not sure how many people play the Super Robot Wars games but SRW Z looks amazing on this tv because of the high resolution sprite work...

Havent tried the HD out on it yet cause i just keep my PS3 hooked up to my LCD.

I had this set and loved it; but after having to move to new residences with it a few times, I couldn't stand dealing with it anymore--it's so friggin' heavy! I sold it to a guy, and he almost died trying to move it. LOL.
 

Souther

Banned
AwRy108 said:
I had this set and loved it; but after having to move to new residences with it a few times, I couldn't stand dealing with it anymore--it's so friggin' heavy! I sold it to a guy, and he almost died trying to move it. LOL.

Haha yea your right. It was heavy. I had my brother with me to help move it. Now its in my bedroom at the end of my bed in a corner where it will stay for a really good amount of time now.
 
I prefer the older Trinitrons to the FD/Wega for games, the geometry is often better, horizontal scrolling games on flat screen CRT can look a bit wonky but they are great TVs anyway.
 
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