Games played: Contra III (0:05), Sunset Riders (0:16), Ghosts 'n Goblins (via Capcom Generation 2) (0:33), Comix Zone (0:50), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (1:30), Rayman (2:50), Mercs (6:39)
I ended up moving into my MiL's home, and she left behind a 40 inch Trinitron. When it was time to get rid of it, I could just barely pick it up, and there was no way I could get down the stairs with it. My wife put an ad on Craigslist for a free TV, and it was gone after a few hours and a few people trying to lift it off the porch. I found the manual, and it said it weighed about 300 lbs.
likely the 40XBR700/800, I had the 700 variant, it's an HD CRT set that had great sound, but not so great for retro games due to the digital processing and improper scaling of resolutions, not natively supporting 240p/480i.
That's what's keeping me from seriously looking for a CRT, they're just too heavy to be bothered when the games look serviceable on the tv's we have now.
My family had one too. Unfortunately we used it until it died. Great TV for its time, altho expensive. $4000 Canadian iirc. stand extra. it supported up to 1080i. altho at that res all contents were in 16:9 so the image was smaller. We mostly just used it to watch standard def Tv. yes 300 lb. we didnt even get rid of it after it died. it sat there like a corpse in the living room next to a working lcd tv. eventually we moved and got the movers to take it away. 3 strong guys to take it down stairs. I just hope they managed to repair it. Lots of great memories. I still have the remote 😂
I recently picked up a second CRT. I'm in the midst of building a waiting area for my high school athletes (I'm in sports medicine). I gave one kid a sneak peak, and he played Castlevania Bloodlines for a few minutes on an original Genesis. His response: this is fire. It made me feel good. Sort of your, get on my lawn speel.
now that I'm old, I wonder if the CRT noise would still be audible. there's nothing like the high pitched ringing and smell of electrostatic dust to get that nostalgia flowing.
My Panasonic and Sony Wega are pretty quiet to be honest. My Toshiba af43 on the other hand, it's definitely a little too loud. I'm lazily looking for its replacement lol.
I am now 37 and I can still hear the whine just fine but I noticed the whine is worse on smaller sets than the bigger ones. Though I am gluing the coils in place and that helps a lot
I'm only 25 and haven't been able to hear it for years, so happy my hearing is just bad enough to not hear it but not be detrimental. The smell coming from one that hasn't been turned on in years is glorious though.
I'm almost 39, and have some hearing loss, the noise doesn't bother me unless I'm really close to the speakers, but even having a CRT on in my room seems to cause interference in my audio equipment...
Last summer I was at a garage sale, and I saw a small 13” CRT from a brand I wasn’t familiar with (Haier). I knew the missus didn’t want too much more gaming related hardware for space, so the small TV was what I wanted. It has been great! I missed playing duck hunt, and now my 3 year old loves playing it too! Thanks, CRT!
Here in Brazil The 29"s were very popular and you still can find them quite cheap. I proudly keep my 29 Philco that works very well with my SNES, Mega Drive and Dynavision 4 (NES clone).
Verdade. Minha Sony Trinitron é 29". Espetaculo de TV. Paguei barato na epoca. Tenho 2 switchers pra ligar os videogames. SNES, Nintendo 64 e DVD no S-Video e Master System, Mega Drive e Video Cassete no composto. Tudo ligado ao mesmo tempo sem precisar desconectar nada. Único que eu ainda quero comprar é o NES. Dai fico satisfeito.
32" Sharp CRT from 2002. All the inputs and very nostalgic as it was our family TV back in the day. Heavy as sin but I somehow manage to still carry it myself.
In the past year I’ve picked up nearly a dozen CRTS to find which ones I liked most. I’ve kept four, with the largest of the bunch being my daily driver: a black 1997 32” Trinitron with s-video. I also have a 2003 27” Samsung with component which I picked up for free from a family’s vacation ski lodge. It was only ever used to watch the odd dvd, and is in phenomenal shape. Beyond that, I have a 1994 13” Magnasonic (rf only) which comes out for parties, and a white 1997 9” RadioShack TV which I love for getting cozy with on the couch with my SNES - this one is my second-most used of the bunch.
Got a 32” Sony Trinitron on Marketplace for $20. Called my brother to help me move it and it just barely fit in my little Elantra with the seat down. It has 2 component inputs so it’s worth the space! Great video!
I was walking my dog around my neighborhood and saw a great condition KV-36XBR200 4:3 480i analog Trinitron flat screen sitting outside for a bulk pickup. It is 230lbs (about the weight of a refrigerator). I also have a Panasonic 13 pro CRT-monitor (has b&c hookups) and its a featherweight in comparison to the 36". My wife was soo pissed when i brought it home 😅
That's because the cadence of his voice makes me fall asleep everytime, so I can't make it to the like and subscribe advice at the end. He's the Bob Ross of retro gaming.
I have a 14” RCA TruFlat CRT from 2005 with Composite & Component inputs and the picture is absolutely incredible especially when using component cables. 80’s, 90’s & many early-mid 2000s consoles using composite cables look pretty good on almost any 13”-20” CRTs, even cheaper brands. So, if you’re gaming on a “classic” console get a CRT, it’s what they’re meant to be played on and you’ll love it
Same here I picked up a rca 20f514td for free at the post office they were headed for the trash. They also had a sony wega kv-27fs320! I grabbed them both 😎
Our SONY Trinitron 32 inch went south one year so my wife bought me a SONY BVM 20F1U for Christmas one year and now I don't miss the Trinitron so much. BVM is half the weight too.
Try a 20" consumer set. Even lighter, even better. Make sure it is a "premium" model from 1990-1995, with dual RGB SCART, Stereo, Teletekst, S-video. These are the epitome of display quality and sound in a stylish looking package. These also fetch the most money second hand and often go up to 100 bucks, where larger and smaller consumer sets are cheaper. They still do 1/5th the PVM price. Some of the later 20" ones (1995-2000) are more budget segment with mono audio, single scart or composite only. Those still have a better picture than that 20F1U though, and are even lighter as the heavy speakers are gone.
We have 3 CRT tvs. One very close to the first one you showed, a big ole floor model from the 70's and we basically have our Atari hooked up to it and that's it. We also have a 37 inch JVC and a 32 inch Toshiba. The great thing about the Toshiba is that it has HDMI. Basically a CRT for every era
I have 2 later model flatscreen CRTs that have s-video, composite, and component. They are both 27” size (which is about the largest I can move by myself). These are definitely my favorite way to play retro games.
I said it before, and I will say it again. By far the best b-roll in the business! I don't think I've ever seen anyone bench press their Sony Trinitron! Bravo! I have a cheap 20" CRT so if I come across a nice Sony, I will snatch it up. Great topic!!
It's the one in my basement ! :-) It's 27" and my neighbor helped me bring it downstairs ... Then he moved a 4 hour flight away to Edmonton, but I doubt that's related.
I have a LG Flatron CRT TV in storage, it was in use daily by my grandparents 3-4 years ago, it's got SCART and composite. I took it into the basement while renovating and it's still there. I plan on keeping it, but it's not a thing that can stay in the flat anymore. On the other hand I have a CRT monitor on my desk that serves the retro gaming duty for emulation and DOS/Windows games.
We had a 50" zenith as a kid (nes), then played most of my games on a Magnavox 20" (SNES) and a Panasonic 32" (N64) as a teenager .. I still had one of em up until like a few year ago
One console I prefer to use with composite is the Sega Saturn. The otherwise “mesh transparencies” turn into actual transparencies from the dithering effect on 3D games. Otherwise I’d go with component. A product Ive come to appreciate, is the shinybow scart to composite converter. Any Scart capable console will benefit from RGB with this configuration.
Back in college my friend “gave” me his 46” Mexican Mitsubishi CRT that was manufactured in Mexico circa 1996 or something, and it was a great TV for the time (2005ish) but by 06 or so we were moving out of our rent house, and I had to get it out of the house. It took me and 3 other dudes to get it into the bed of my f150, and we tried to set it down by the dumpster gently, but it fell off the tailgate screen/tube first and I’ll never forget the MUSHROOM CLOUD of TOXIC METAL that erupted at the scene 🤣
I won’t bother with them these days but they are definitely the definitive way to play pre HDMI games. I had a 27 inch Toshiba if I recall in high school and loved it.
I got a free Trinitron 44” with original TV stand that took 3 grown men to lift and move into my basement! Then the first thing that my 2-year-old son did when he saw it was smack the screen with a hammer and take a chunk out of the glass 😂
This sounds a bit like "pub talk". PIODH. As you can't post pics here, at least give the full type number from the sticker on the back. Otherwise we won't believe. The 44" Trinitron is a one-of-a-kind super rare product.
Can we take a moment to remember all those broken and smashed PVMs used in wrestling back in the day! Also I personally perfer my consumer CRT's over pvms. I got rid of my PVM just because I didn't like the overall image of it compared to my trinitron. Awesome topic and video Retro Bird
This made me think of mick foley being thrown into the announcers table in the infamous hell in a cell match between mankind and undertaker. "As God as my witness, Mick Foley has been broken in half" -JIm Ross
+1 for consumer sets. I don't like the scanline look of PVM's. There has to be some omnidirectional blur, and the tridot/aperture pitch has to be inline with the pixel size. On PVM's you often see like 3 complete RGB aperture patterns per horizontal pixel, so 9 "slits": way too sharp.
Thanks for all the laughs tonight! I have to be honest, this topic isn’t one that particularly interests me that much, but you made it very easy to watch, entertaining, and comical. Good job 👏
Moved the rest of my Trinitrons out of the storage unit last night. I pared down to seven when I moved across the country two years ago and now I've finally got them back in the house! Listen, my wide screen models weigh about 240 lbs and my big 36" weighs a whopping 280! Get help to move these things!
I went back and grabbed the CRT (Toshiba 20A42, I believe) I used to use as a teenager, as my mum didn't want it taking up space. Talk about a win-win situation: she saved like 8 cubic feet of space, and I got to rediscover how good those old games used to look! A typical consumer CRT like this smooths out the pixels, often making things look like a higher resolution than they are. It's hard to believe that Donkey Kong Country is only 256x224, when it's so clear and smooth! When I was a kid, we had a 19" RCA with a fancy-shmancy keypad and LED window for inputting and displaying channel numbers. I forget the model, though.
I love my CRT! I have a JVC I believe 27” I grew up with RF cables with my Genesis and Saturn. Now that I’m collecting I at least upgraded to composite cables and have an 8 way switcher to go between consoles so no plans on upgrading cables for me. By the way, that’s an impressive work out with your tv! I know how heavy that must have bean
For a decent-sized room where you can sit 8’ or so away, I think 27” is the sweet spot. I grew up with a 19” in the living room and scored a used 27” in my teens to stick in its place - the difference was huge! 25” exists too but wasn’t super popular. Sharp is an underrated brand from the time period if you’re shopping, they were even the official Nintendo TV partner for a while.
Got my 27” trinitron xbr for free off a local buy and sell. The older gentleman was glad to be rid of it and I was more than happy to take it. Only issue was that I greatly underestimated the size of that sucker. Had to slide the passenger seat back as far as it would go and still barely got it in the front seat of my car. I seatbelted it in and off I went. But Then I had to haul it down to my basement by myself when I got it home. Not fun.
Folks underestimate how heavy a CRT can be. Sure, the image quality is *chef’s kiss* but is it worth the calories and danger (no shit, you WILL break your foot if you drop a 27” on it)?
Just a few days ago, an old CRT has been sitting in the garage with the guys I live with. I was told I can have it for free... pulled it from the other stuff, and realized it is a 32" Trinitron XBR! Not a bad snag at all.
I happen to own 2 CRT’s a Toshiba 13 in. Not the highest quality but perfect for the space and at the best price, free! I also have this 5.5 inch magnavox CRT which is wonderful to have sitting on a desk just a wonderful TV all around.
I have a 27-inch Sylvania that I got back in 2002 that I still use for PS2, Wii, and SNES games. My first high-definition television was a 28-inch Sanyo widescreen set that I bought back in 2006. That set weighted 100 pounds, and my friend and I would have to carry that thing down the stairs at my college dorm when the fall semester started, and back up the stairs when the spring semester ended. I ended up selling it before the spring semester of 2008 ended to another person who lived on my floor just so I wouldn't have to carry it up the stairs again. That, and the widescreen mode would cut off a portion of the picture on the left and right sides; games would say "heckpoint" instead of "Checkpoint."
I use a 14" Toshiba AF series CRT on all my videos with an RGB SCART to Component adapter for retro games and the picture looks amazing especially in person. I find PVMs a bit overrated. There's more affordable options out there if one wants to use RGB on North American CRTs.
I have a Memorex 27” CRT with the Saturn, N64, Dreamcast, and OG Xbox connected via composite AV splitter, and the PS2 connected via component. It has a broken DVD player in it, and I know it’s one of those brands that’s kind of iffy, but I’m happy with it and got it for free so I can’t argue.
Another great video, I went that rabbit hole route and bought scart RGB cables for all my pre 7th gen consoles just to find out that the waterfall in Sonic 1 looks the best with RF. Whatever makes you happy then.
Who remembers grey plastic and wood grain CRT tvs from the 80s and 90s.... I have one and what a tank. Just about all of what one person is willing to carry. I love it for the throw back to the original TVs we would have played them on.
That was very American. In Europe TV's were white in the seventies, and black in the eighties. Then somewhere in the 90's silver painted plastic came a la mode, the worst make-over that could happen to any product.
I FINALLY got a proper retro crt today! Got a 27” Sansui brand. It’s everything I want because it has component, composite and s-viddy. The price was free and it got delivered to my home, which is basically unheard of. Life is good!
I got lucky when a friend let me take an old Toshiba 32” for free almost 10 years ago. It supports S-video, and I just use AV switchers to hook up all my retro consoles. Wegas are great TVs, but MY GOD are they heavy. I was working at Best Buy during the height of their popularity and unloading those monsters was always a challenge. I saw several employees get overconfident and nearly get crushed by them.
I found a 27inch Sharp TV on the side of the road of a rich neighborhood and brought it home in 2009. It STILL works perfectly for my Genny, SNES,PS2, and PS3. Sometimes even my PSP 2000. I don't even own a flat screen due to the fact that I mainly watch shows on my chromebook, cellphone, or my Kindle Fire. I've just Never felt the Need to watch Big screens unless it's a movie in theaters.🤷♂️
I actually have a Daewoo 27 inch TV that I actually found outside that I still use to this day. It literally had a sign that said "Works good, Just old" on it
Hey Bird, I think I have the same Trinitron as you, FS-100. Love it. Picked it up a couple months ago and my back is still recovering, but totally worth it.
20" RCA TruFlat; Component and Composite inputs. built in DVD player and digital tv tuner so I could still pick up tv channels if I hooked up an antenna. I've heard the flat screens can be trouble with light gun games, but I've never had an issue with it
Hey based on what seems to be your preference, I got my hands on a 2003 20” Sony Trinitron Wega CRT and WOW that aperture grille makes NES and SNES games look gorgeous, especially with that contrast turned up just a little bit higher. I am so glad I found this set!!
Love your videos man. I just got the same Sony Trinitron that you have. I love it. It looks awesome and really takes me back. Keep up the awesome content!
I rock my Toshiba 14AF45 14" CRT Television with Colorstream (Component) love it! Amazing picture quality and it fits perfectly in my shelving solution. I had a 32 inch Sony Vega in the past thing was a tank!
I've been through a few crts, right now I've landed on a 27" Sony as a backup and a 36" Mitsubishi console set as my daily driver. A word to anyone getting into the hobby: don't believe the hype behind pvm/bvm/trinitrons. A good crt is a good crt, just test it before you take it home. Lookout for screen scratches, bad geometry, or a dark picture with color issues.
Pretty solid info! A few things I would like to add: -WEGAs are great because they are quite common, but they have 2 significant weaknesses. The first is that they will often have awful geometry. This can make things look warped and distorted. This is especially noticeable on 2d games. The curved screen trinitrons will usually have better geometry. The second is something called "Red Push." Red push will shift the color of the image to make the color quite red. You can reduce (but not eliminate) the prominence of red push on some models of sets, but some you can't at all. -Trinitrons look great, but they aren't "The Best" like many think they are. The whole experience of CRTs is extremely subjective, and many shadow mask tubes can even look better, depending on who you ask! Keep an eye out for many other brands like JVC, Panasonic, and Toshiba. They all made phenomenal sets that are just as good as their Sony counterparts. If anyone tells you [model number] is the best CRT... ignore them because they have no idea what they are talking about. (and if they say the FV310 is the best CRT ever made, they DEFINITELY don't know what they are talking about) -I have done quite a bit of digging into HD sets, and some of my favorite sets are HD CRTs. But for retro gaming, I really, really recommend beginners avoid HD CRTs unless you are in deep and know exactly what you are doing. Almost every HD CRT in existence will be an awful experience for 240p and 480i games without going down a rabbit hole of extra hardware. For 480p/1080i content, some have no lag at all, but others (including almost every HD Sony ever made) can have several frames of lag! Some can have lag for 1080i disabled through service menu settings. Its a rabbit hole, and even the same brand can be inconsistent from model to model. For 5th gen and before, not a good option at all. For 6th and 7th, they can be, but it depends on the model, and you will need to do a lot of research first. -PVMs and BVMs are completely overrated. I have several of them, because I'm a huge nerd for the hobby. I spend far more time using my consumer sets than any of my PVMs/BVMs. They look great, but the difference between one and a good consumer set is not as big as you think. PVMs were hyped up back when they were super cheap and video mods/converters weren't as much of a thing. But times have changed, and a great consumer set can look better than all but the highest end PVM/BVM. PVMs and BVMs are needy, and not the best option for a first CRT. Don't buy into the hype, you will probably be happier with a consumer set than a PVM!
My favorite TV ever was a 1992 Rear Projection Pioneer - rear projection sets get a bad rep because like 99% of them were garbage, but this one was the exception! The colors were beautiful and the image was so crisp, it was a super high-end set. Oddly enough, it had a 16:10 aspect ratio, which in practice meant that you'd usually get to see the overscan on the sides as well as thin black borders, though with widescreen content it meant the letterboxing was thinner so it was really great for both 4:3 and 16:9. I'm actually using the same Trinitron that you were swinging around in this video now and I'd trade it to fix my Pioneer in a heartbeat! Sadly it passed away in fall 2021 and after like 9 months of struggle I've all but given up on repairing it, so it's now the stand for our 4k OLED. I'll likely be gutting it and converting it into a cool shelf case sometime down the road.
A shelf case sounds cool. After trying to repair a small CRT and letting it sit in a corner disassembled for about 5 years, I reluctantly gave up, but I learned my lesson anyway not to try before my large CRT failed.
@@mr.jamster8414Sorry for the late response! It says "SD-P5071-K" on the front and was actually from 1993. It was considered a very high end set back in the day so it was an outlier for rear projectors.
I have several CRTs: a 25" Samsung with Composite that I use for travel; a 27" Panasonic that has up to Component that is my current primary; a 14" PC monitor that I intend to use for retro computers and Dreamcast; a massive 36" beast with Component that is current waiting at my parent's house; and a 13" model I don't remember at the moment that I use for occasional LAN sessions as the opportunity calls for it. Wouldn't mind having a fleet of the small ones for LAN sessions.
I have two CRT TVs I have a really small guy 9in with a built-in DVD player that I had a friend of mine pick up for me for 10 bucks (sansui for those wondering) and a much bigger one for my son who's 3 that I just recently picked up symphonic with the DVD and VHS player so he can play Mario on the NES that I picked up for $40
I can definitely stand up for smaller CRT's. Before the one I had went kaput, it was pretty dang useful. I could carry it around to different places that made it much easier to set up. Plus the picture looked so nice and crisp. The only problem was that it only had RF input, and that's mainly because I mostly focus on composite video for my game systems. Though I was able to get plenty of NES and SNES playtime on that thing, and even my Saturn. I beat Mike Tyson's Punch Out for the first time on that thing, I got to finally play Duck Hunt in my own home, and I still remember the last playthrough of Donkey Kong Country I did on it before it died. Before I found that CRT in the attic, and still to this day, I've had a big HD CRT that I know for a fact that I'll never be able to move. I'm certainly still happy with playing a good amount of games on it. It definitely looks better to me than plugging composite cables into a flatscreen, but given the lack of scanlines and slightly higher input latency that makes it impossible to play light gun games on the thing, I'm definitely on the search for a new regular CRT. One that's 12 to 14 inches and has composite input. Maybe even in stereo if I'm lucky, but if I have to I could just get something to combine the signals from the two audio cables into one. Hopefully I'll be able to get onto that sometime since it'd be great to have all of the advantages of a plain old consumer CRT again.
So I converted a huge portion of my basement into two gaming/media centres, an HD area and an SD area with a 32" Sony Trinitron HD CRT. Playing games using component connections looks utterly beautiful, then there are the systems that can output 480p and then you're really floored. I have two more CRTs in reserve, both JVC I'Art sets, both with component. One's a 27" and the other is a 36.
I started out with a 32’’ Trinitron that’s flat front, all hookups from Component down, but come to find out it was the first HD set in their line so no light gun compatibility. Still looked good so I kept it because it had low usage hours. Then I got a 90’s curved front 27’’ Trinitron with S Video input which worked well and supported light guns, but the color was not the most impressive. Recently I found a 27’’ Panasonic Tau that while flat front, had all the inputs from Component to RF, yet was still an SD set so it was compatible with light guns. And the color on the Tau smokes my two Trinitrons, it seriously looks as close to PVM/BVM that I’ve ever seen from a consumer CRT. So it ended up being the best of both worlds. I think you are so right about the TV size. I am still hunting for a 13 or 14 inch, especially if I could find one in the PVM/BVM flavor. My 32’’ weighs 270lbs due to the subwoofer in the back, and is honestly too much for even two people to lift. My 27’’ tv’s are still even borderline too heavy. The great thing about CRT’s is that composite still looks great on most sets/consoles. Admittedly I am a cable snob, but you really can’t go wrong with a CRT and what ever you already have cable wise. My top loader NES looked pretty good despite only having RF.
I used to own a 20-inch Sony Wega for retro gaming, but gave it away years ago. I'm kind of kicking myself about it as it was a solid choice for classic consoles. I lived in the city years ago and there was like a wave of time where everyone was putting their old CRT on the curb to be hauled away free of charge. CRTs can be quite cumbersome and difficult to move, so it definitely helps to have a second person to assist! I'm still on the fence about trying to locate another CRT for some of my older non-HD systems. For now, I'm happy playing classic games on modern hardware using a monitor or HD-TV. CRT TVs seem to be getting rarer to find on the curb now as it seems almost everyone has moved over to Smart TVs. Do they even sell CRTs anywhere anymore? I'm really curious since it is such a niche thing that mostly seems to apply to retro gamers like us.
Try second hand stores and websites, there are still plenty, but act quickly, every year going by makes them rarer and more expensive. And no, they don't manufacture/sell them anymore, Sony for example ceased production in 2008.
Mine's a 27" Samsung Slim-Fit CRT - it is 1/3 smaller (less deep) than a standard CRT of the same screen size - takes up a lot less room. Got mine in 2006.
I tell people to go after a 27" early 2000's CRT that's a quality Japanese name (Sony/JVC/Toshiba/Panasonic). Most have all the inputs that are desired and their comb filters will clean up composite very nicely. My Sony WEGA isn't my favorite tv because it's a flat screen, which has geometry and light gun issues. Nonetheless, I have composite only and RF tubes that look pretty sick, too. There out there!
Fantastic video as always. I watched it end to end and thought you explained everything very well and touched on all the notable points. Nice Wega too. While some are objectively better than others, I think any CRT is great for gaming
I struggle with the size I prefer for a CRT as 20" is pefect for a single player but rather cramped if you play along with a friend. I really prefer a 20" for myself as I can sit closer to it and have the TV take up less space. However, sitting farther back from that 20" when you have a friend over and still see bullets in a 2 player shmup is rough. Making my prefered size for multiplayer 27".
@@catsaregovernmentspies I wish there was a way to just make that CRT larger or smaller without having to keep two of them around. Ha! Not to mention the 2nd 20" I have on its side for arcade shmups.
I just found your channel last night because I picked up a CRT last night, and I just want to say you’re videos are awesome and informative, but what I love most is your on camera jokes. You’ve got a really great comedic style and I’m glad I found you channel!
I ended up following the rabbit hole of CRTs pretty far, but a word of advice, some conaoles like the N64 look a lot better on a consumer TV vs a PVM and vice versa for others. The only true strategy is to own a ridiculous number of CRTs 😂
If you’re into GameCube/PS2/Wii era games, you may well want an EDTV in order to play 480p. Also in Europe, your CRT will ideally support 480i @ 60Hz as well as the default 576i @ 50Hz, and like I said maybe even 480p or 576p.
I have a 13 inch Toshiba VCR combo one. It's good to play non hd games on there. Only problem with this one it doesn't have stereo sound. My other CRT tv is a Samsung 27 inch. I like that one a lot better because the pic quality is a lot better, Stereo sound. It supports Composite, Component & S Video. I am just wondering the PVM, is the pic that much clearer?
There was one CRT I was going to pick up off a Facebook Marketplace. $25 for a 32" Sony. I get to the woman's house and she tells me to follow her...she proceeds to open a door and I see stairs going down...and very narrow stairs...she takes me to her basement. Ugh. Her husband couldn't even help because he hurt his back earlier. I friggin rolled the TV end over end up the stairs lol. Thank God neighbor came over and helped me carry it to my car. It was too big to get a good grip myself. After all that there was a blue spot in the corner once I got home. Not sure if me rolling it up a flight of stairs did that or if it was always like that. I didn't test it out before taking it.
One thing to look out for: flat screen models tend to have worse horizontal Linearity. This cannot be adjusted over the service manual (or otherwise, for that matter) and is super annoying when playing retro side scrollers. It's a complex combination of the s capacitor, linearity coil, Yoke and other factors.
Flat CRTs were strange hybrids made in the end of CRT era, often marred with digital circuitry tainting the analog signal, they are just not right for retrogaming.
Games played: Contra III (0:05), Sunset Riders (0:16), Ghosts 'n Goblins (via Capcom Generation 2) (0:33), Comix Zone (0:50), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (1:30), Rayman (2:50), Mercs (6:39)
U da champ, boss 🎉
All great games played as per usual Retro Bird enjoy the week
I have an RCA 20F501TDV 20" Silver TruFlat TV w/ DVD & VHS Combo from 2005, and it is AMAZING!!!
It weighs at least 100 pounds though!
It also has surround sound!
I ended up moving into my MiL's home, and she left behind a 40 inch Trinitron. When it was time to get rid of it, I could just barely pick it up, and there was no way I could get down the stairs with it. My wife put an ad on Craigslist for a free TV, and it was gone after a few hours and a few people trying to lift it off the porch. I found the manual, and it said it weighed about 300 lbs.
likely the 40XBR700/800, I had the 700 variant, it's an HD CRT set that had great sound, but not so great for retro games due to the digital processing and improper scaling of resolutions, not natively supporting 240p/480i.
That's what's keeping me from seriously looking for a CRT, they're just too heavy to be bothered when the games look serviceable on the tv's we have now.
Yeah, the weight of these suckers starts to get really gnarly when you get up to those sizes.
My family had one too. Unfortunately we used it until it died. Great TV for its time, altho expensive. $4000 Canadian iirc. stand extra.
it supported up to 1080i. altho at that res all contents were in 16:9 so the image was smaller. We mostly just used it to watch standard def Tv.
yes 300 lb. we didnt even get rid of it after it died. it sat there like a corpse in the living room next to a working lcd tv. eventually we moved and got the movers to take it away. 3 strong guys to take it down stairs. I just hope they managed to repair it.
Lots of great memories. I still have the remote 😂
@@dapperfan44 The smaller sizes are easy enough to lift alone, and are often cheap/free in my experience. Maybe a good place to start? :)
I recently picked up a second CRT. I'm in the midst of building a waiting area for my high school athletes (I'm in sports medicine). I gave one kid a sneak peak, and he played Castlevania Bloodlines for a few minutes on an original Genesis. His response: this is fire. It made me feel good. Sort of your, get on my lawn speel.
That is most excellent, my dude.
Cool given he's probably a kid from the 2000s it makes sense because he hasn't seen one before nice though that he's enjoying it😁
@@meric12131415 Kid was born in 2006 at the earliest, so yeah there's a chance he's never seen a CRT in person.
@@kevinrosario2729 yeah I can definitely imagine I've seen one that's for sure most of us have I imagine
No hd tvs are better for gaming 1080p Tvs are way better than crts for The sega Genesis Nintendo entertainment system And super nintendo
These gaming channels relax my soul
same, the bloggers of these channels are so calm and chilled.
Good to hear!
Same. Reminds me of the feeling of looking at old gaming magazines and posters.
What are "these" gaming channels? Just any gaming channel?
now that I'm old, I wonder if the CRT noise would still be audible.
there's nothing like the high pitched ringing and smell of electrostatic dust to get that nostalgia flowing.
My Panasonic and Sony Wega are pretty quiet to be honest. My Toshiba af43 on the other hand, it's definitely a little too loud. I'm lazily looking for its replacement lol.
I am now 37 and I can still hear the whine just fine but I noticed the whine is worse on smaller sets than the bigger ones. Though I am gluing the coils in place and that helps a lot
I'm only 25 and haven't been able to hear it for years, so happy my hearing is just bad enough to not hear it but not be detrimental. The smell coming from one that hasn't been turned on in years is glorious though.
I'm almost 39, and have some hearing loss, the noise doesn't bother me unless I'm really close to the speakers, but even having a CRT on in my room seems to cause interference in my audio equipment...
@@scramblesthedeathdealer Could be that you need higher quality cables. Also most modern audio speakers and equipment are no longer shielded.
Last summer I was at a garage sale, and I saw a small 13” CRT from a brand I wasn’t familiar with (Haier). I knew the missus didn’t want too much more gaming related hardware for space, so the small TV was what I wanted. It has been great! I missed playing duck hunt, and now my 3 year old loves playing it too! Thanks, CRT!
Here in Brazil The 29"s were very popular and you still can find them quite cheap. I proudly keep my 29 Philco that works very well with my SNES, Mega Drive and Dynavision 4 (NES clone).
Verdade. Minha Sony Trinitron é 29". Espetaculo de TV. Paguei barato na epoca. Tenho 2 switchers pra ligar os videogames. SNES, Nintendo 64 e DVD no S-Video e Master System, Mega Drive e Video Cassete no composto. Tudo ligado ao mesmo tempo sem precisar desconectar nada. Único que eu ainda quero comprar é o NES. Dai fico satisfeito.
32" Sharp CRT from 2002. All the inputs and very nostalgic as it was our family TV back in the day. Heavy as sin but I somehow manage to still carry it myself.
I also have a 32 inch set and what the heck, are you Hercules? I've never been able to move this thing was less than two people before.
In the past year I’ve picked up nearly a dozen CRTS to find which ones I liked most.
I’ve kept four, with the largest of the bunch being my daily driver: a black 1997 32” Trinitron with s-video.
I also have a 2003 27” Samsung with component which I picked up for free from a family’s vacation ski lodge. It was only ever used to watch the odd dvd, and is in phenomenal shape.
Beyond that, I have a 1994 13” Magnasonic (rf only) which comes out for parties, and a white 1997 9” RadioShack TV which I love for getting cozy with on the couch with my SNES - this one is my second-most used of the bunch.
I wasn't going to subscribe, but then I heard that Retro Bird theme at the end. Now I'm a subscriber for life. You'll never get rid of me!
Welcome to the channel!
You picking up that wega with no struggle at all let’s us know you got that old man strength 😂 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
he's only like 40
Got a 32” Sony Trinitron on Marketplace for $20. Called my brother to help me move it and it just barely fit in my little Elantra with the seat down. It has 2 component inputs so it’s worth the space! Great video!
The heavier, the cheaper. You'll pay in spine pain....
I was walking my dog around my neighborhood and saw a great condition KV-36XBR200 4:3 480i analog Trinitron flat screen sitting outside for a bulk pickup. It is 230lbs (about the weight of a refrigerator). I also have a Panasonic 13 pro CRT-monitor (has b&c hookups) and its a featherweight in comparison to the 36". My wife was soo pissed when i brought it home 😅
I find a lot of tech youtubers to have really cheesy jokes, but you actually made me laugh quite a bit. Great info too. Thanks!
Happy to hear it!
This guy is criminally under subscribed.
First time watching him, and I got those Mark from CGR vibes. Anyone or is it just me? Anyway I subbed.
That's because the cadence of his voice makes me fall asleep everytime, so I can't make it to the like and subscribe advice at the end. He's the Bob Ross of retro gaming.
I have a 14” RCA TruFlat CRT from 2005 with Composite & Component inputs and the picture is absolutely incredible especially when using component cables. 80’s, 90’s & many early-mid 2000s consoles using composite cables look pretty good on almost any 13”-20” CRTs, even cheaper brands. So, if you’re gaming on a “classic” console get a CRT, it’s what they’re meant to be played on and you’ll love it
I have the same model myself! Games look great and it's just the right amount of heavy.
Same here I picked up a rca 20f514td for free at the post office they were headed for the trash. They also had a sony wega kv-27fs320! I grabbed them both 😎
Our SONY Trinitron 32 inch went south one year so my wife bought me a SONY BVM 20F1U for Christmas one year and now I don't miss the Trinitron so much. BVM is half the weight too.
Try a 20" consumer set. Even lighter, even better. Make sure it is a "premium" model from 1990-1995, with dual RGB SCART, Stereo, Teletekst, S-video. These are the epitome of display quality and sound in a stylish looking package. These also fetch the most money second hand and often go up to 100 bucks, where larger and smaller consumer sets are cheaper. They still do 1/5th the PVM price. Some of the later 20" ones (1995-2000) are more budget segment with mono audio, single scart or composite only. Those still have a better picture than that 20F1U though, and are even lighter as the heavy speakers are gone.
We have 3 CRT tvs. One very close to the first one you showed, a big ole floor model from the 70's and we basically have our Atari hooked up to it and that's it. We also have a 37 inch JVC and a 32 inch Toshiba. The great thing about the Toshiba is that it has HDMI. Basically a CRT for every era
I have 2 later model flatscreen CRTs that have s-video, composite, and component. They are both 27” size (which is about the largest I can move by myself). These are definitely my favorite way to play retro games.
I said it before, and I will say it again. By far the best b-roll in the business! I don't think I've ever seen anyone bench press their Sony Trinitron! Bravo! I have a cheap 20" CRT so if I come across a nice Sony, I will snatch it up. Great topic!!
It's the one in my basement ! :-)
It's 27" and my neighbor helped me bring it downstairs ... Then he moved a 4 hour flight away to Edmonton, but I doubt that's related.
He'll need to fly back if you ever to decide to move it again ;)
I have a LG Flatron CRT TV in storage, it was in use daily by my grandparents 3-4 years ago, it's got SCART and composite. I took it into the basement while renovating and it's still there. I plan on keeping it, but it's not a thing that can stay in the flat anymore. On the other hand I have a CRT monitor on my desk that serves the retro gaming duty for emulation and DOS/Windows games.
We had a 50" zenith as a kid (nes), then played most of my games on a Magnavox 20" (SNES) and a Panasonic 32" (N64) as a teenager .. I still had one of em up until like a few year ago
Oh man I had a Zenith console TV as a kid which I was given as a teen. It only had RF in the back, but I loved it.
I had a Magnoavox 20 Inch CRT as a Kid too!
One console I prefer to use with composite is the Sega Saturn. The otherwise “mesh transparencies” turn into actual transparencies from the dithering effect on 3D games. Otherwise I’d go with component. A product Ive come to appreciate, is the shinybow scart to composite converter. Any Scart capable console will benefit from RGB with this configuration.
Back in college my friend “gave” me his 46” Mexican Mitsubishi CRT that was manufactured in Mexico circa 1996 or something, and it was a great TV for the time (2005ish) but by 06 or so we were moving out of our rent house, and I had to get it out of the house. It took me and 3 other dudes to get it into the bed of my f150, and we tried to set it down by the dumpster gently, but it fell off the tailgate screen/tube first and I’ll never forget the MUSHROOM CLOUD of TOXIC METAL that erupted at the scene 🤣
I won’t bother with them these days but they are definitely the definitive way to play pre HDMI games. I had a 27 inch Toshiba if I recall in high school and loved it.
I got a free Trinitron 44” with original TV stand that took 3 grown men to lift and move into my basement! Then the first thing that my 2-year-old son did when he saw it was smack the screen with a hammer and take a chunk out of the glass 😂
This sounds a bit like "pub talk". PIODH. As you can't post pics here, at least give the full type number from the sticker on the back. Otherwise we won't believe. The 44" Trinitron is a one-of-a-kind super rare product.
The Panasonic Tau CRTs are great too. My grandfather had a 27" Tau with S-Video and Component that I took when he passed away.
Can we take a moment to remember all those broken and smashed PVMs used in wrestling back in the day!
Also I personally perfer my consumer CRT's over pvms. I got rid of my PVM just because I didn't like the overall image of it compared to my trinitron. Awesome topic and video Retro Bird
This made me think of mick foley being thrown into the announcers table in the infamous hell in a cell match between mankind and undertaker. "As God as my witness, Mick Foley has been broken in half" -JIm Ross
+1 for consumer sets. I don't like the scanline look of PVM's. There has to be some omnidirectional blur, and the tridot/aperture pitch has to be inline with the pixel size. On PVM's you often see like 3 complete RGB aperture patterns per horizontal pixel, so 9 "slits": way too sharp.
I have a 20" Sony Pvm. And a 13" Consumer AV Toshiba.
Thanks for all the laughs tonight! I have to be honest, this topic isn’t one that particularly interests me that much, but you made it very easy to watch, entertaining, and comical. Good job 👏
I've always been a panasonic supporter. I have some bloody cracking good panasonic crt's
I have a 36 inch Sony trinitron I got for free and I love it
Moved the rest of my Trinitrons out of the storage unit last night. I pared down to seven when I moved across the country two years ago and now I've finally got them back in the house! Listen, my wide screen models weigh about 240 lbs and my big 36" weighs a whopping 280! Get help to move these things!
I went back and grabbed the CRT (Toshiba 20A42, I believe) I used to use as a teenager, as my mum didn't want it taking up space. Talk about a win-win situation: she saved like 8 cubic feet of space, and I got to rediscover how good those old games used to look! A typical consumer CRT like this smooths out the pixels, often making things look like a higher resolution than they are. It's hard to believe that Donkey Kong Country is only 256x224, when it's so clear and smooth!
When I was a kid, we had a 19" RCA with a fancy-shmancy keypad and LED window for inputting and displaying channel numbers. I forget the model, though.
I love my CRT! I have a JVC I believe 27”
I grew up with RF cables with my Genesis and Saturn. Now that I’m collecting I at least upgraded to composite cables and have an 8 way switcher to go between consoles so no plans on upgrading cables for me. By the way, that’s an impressive work out with your tv! I know how heavy that must have bean
For a decent-sized room where you can sit 8’ or so away, I think 27” is the sweet spot. I grew up with a 19” in the living room and scored a used 27” in my teens to stick in its place - the difference was huge! 25” exists too but wasn’t super popular. Sharp is an underrated brand from the time period if you’re shopping, they were even the official Nintendo TV partner for a while.
Got my 27” trinitron xbr for free off a local buy and sell. The older gentleman was glad to be rid of it and I was more than happy to take it.
Only issue was that I greatly underestimated the size of that sucker. Had to slide the passenger seat back as far as it would go and still barely got it in the front seat of my car. I seatbelted it in and off I went. But Then I had to haul it down to my basement by myself when I got it home. Not fun.
Folks underestimate how heavy a CRT can be. Sure, the image quality is *chef’s kiss* but is it worth the calories and danger (no shit, you WILL break your foot if you drop a 27” on it)?
Probably my favorite and most relatable Retro Bird video so far! Keep up the good work.
Glad you liked it!
14" Panasonic. Works fine for my NES and Retrocade. Has the yellow and white plugs in the front. Found it in my dad's garage.
I have the 32 inch version of Retro Bird's Trinitron. I combined it with component HD RetroVision cables from CastleMania games. Absolutely love it!
I worked at a TV station that retired all their PVMs when we went HD. Must have been 20 sitting in the storage room. Still regret not snagging those.
Just a few days ago, an old CRT has been sitting in the garage with the guys I live with. I was told I can have it for free... pulled it from the other stuff, and realized it is a 32" Trinitron XBR! Not a bad snag at all.
Was the remote with it?
@@catsaregovernmentspies couldn't find that bad boy. Had to order one online from Ebay ironically.
Been Waiting all week for this😏
I happen to own 2 CRT’s a Toshiba 13 in. Not the highest quality but perfect for the space and at the best price, free! I also have this 5.5 inch magnavox CRT which is wonderful to have sitting on a desk just a wonderful TV all around.
I have a 31 inch LG CRT with component here in Australia & i say it does the job pretty well
I have a 27-inch Sylvania that I got back in 2002 that I still use for PS2, Wii, and SNES games. My first high-definition television was a 28-inch Sanyo widescreen set that I bought back in 2006. That set weighted 100 pounds, and my friend and I would have to carry that thing down the stairs at my college dorm when the fall semester started, and back up the stairs when the spring semester ended. I ended up selling it before the spring semester of 2008 ended to another person who lived on my floor just so I wouldn't have to carry it up the stairs again. That, and the widescreen mode would cut off a portion of the picture on the left and right sides; games would say "heckpoint" instead of "Checkpoint."
I absolutely think you're the funniest and the best. Good God I love watching your videos. Have many people told you you sound like Bart Simpson?
I use a 14" Toshiba AF series CRT on all my videos with an RGB SCART to Component adapter for retro games and the picture looks amazing especially in person. I find PVMs a bit overrated. There's more affordable options out there if one wants to use RGB on North American CRTs.
I have a Memorex 27” CRT with the Saturn, N64, Dreamcast, and OG Xbox connected via composite AV splitter, and the PS2 connected via component. It has a broken DVD player in it, and I know it’s one of those brands that’s kind of iffy, but I’m happy with it and got it for free so I can’t argue.
The same Memorex that made those cool looking cassettes we all recorded the radio onto in the 80s? Sweet
Another informative (and hilarious) video. Thanks for all the great content, R. Bird! 🙌
Another great video, I went that rabbit hole route and bought scart RGB cables for all my pre 7th gen consoles just to find out that the waterfall in Sonic 1 looks the best with RF. Whatever makes you happy then.
Who remembers grey plastic and wood grain CRT tvs from the 80s and 90s.... I have one and what a tank. Just about all of what one person is willing to carry. I love it for the throw back to the original TVs we would have played them on.
Yeah, would be awesome to have a woodgrain tv/Atari, intellivision, coleco setup
@@jmac79ers I do Atari, NES and SNES. I have no other way to play light gun games.
That was very American. In Europe TV's were white in the seventies, and black in the eighties. Then somewhere in the 90's silver painted plastic came a la mode, the worst make-over that could happen to any product.
My 20" with built-in VCR really does the trick, Sparky😀
Love your crt videos. So great for noobs. Super informative and the perfect balance of nerd humor.
I FINALLY got a proper retro crt today! Got a 27” Sansui brand. It’s everything I want because it has component, composite and s-viddy. The price was free and it got delivered to my home, which is basically unheard of. Life is good!
I got lucky when a friend let me take an old Toshiba 32” for free almost 10 years ago. It supports S-video, and I just use AV switchers to hook up all my retro consoles.
Wegas are great TVs, but MY GOD are they heavy. I was working at Best Buy during the height of their popularity and unloading those monsters was always a challenge. I saw several employees get overconfident and nearly get crushed by them.
Damn
Your humor is awesome! Loved the dancing with the 27 inch! haha
I think you forgot to mention the flat vs bubble tube shape. That adds a lot to the overall look I think.
That's definitely a noteworthy factor. I've mentioned it in some of my other CRT videos, but forgot it in this one. Oops!
Also flat CRTs tend to work worse with light gun games compared to traditional curved CRT screens
I scored a 27 inch CRT from my neighbors curb. I love it!!!
I found a 27inch Sharp TV on the side of the road of a rich neighborhood and brought it home in 2009. It STILL works perfectly for my Genny, SNES,PS2, and PS3. Sometimes even my PSP 2000. I don't even own a flat screen due to the fact that I mainly watch shows on my chromebook, cellphone, or my Kindle Fire. I've just Never felt the Need to watch Big screens unless it's a movie in theaters.🤷♂️
I actually have a Daewoo 27 inch TV that I actually found outside that I still use to this day. It literally had a sign that said "Works good, Just old" on it
Hey Bird, I think I have the same Trinitron as you, FS-100. Love it. Picked it up a couple months ago and my back is still recovering, but totally worth it.
Yep! That's the one.
20" RCA TruFlat; Component and Composite inputs. built in DVD player and digital tv tuner so I could still pick up tv channels if I hooked up an antenna.
I've heard the flat screens can be trouble with light gun games, but I've never had an issue with it
If you can find s-video. If you got that then you’re in the race. Also composite looks fine and dandy at 20 inches.
Hey based on what seems to be your preference, I got my hands on a 2003 20” Sony Trinitron Wega CRT and WOW that aperture grille makes NES and SNES games look gorgeous, especially with that contrast turned up just a little bit higher. I am so glad I found this set!!
Love your videos man. I just got the same Sony Trinitron that you have. I love it. It looks awesome and really takes me back. Keep up the awesome content!
I rock my Toshiba 14AF45 14" CRT Television with Colorstream (Component) love it! Amazing picture quality and it fits perfectly in my shelving solution. I had a 32 inch Sony Vega in the past thing was a tank!
I've been through a few crts, right now I've landed on a 27" Sony as a backup and a 36" Mitsubishi console set as my daily driver. A word to anyone getting into the hobby: don't believe the hype behind pvm/bvm/trinitrons. A good crt is a good crt, just test it before you take it home. Lookout for screen scratches, bad geometry, or a dark picture with color issues.
Welp, mine's geometry is fucked, and it doesn't have Svideo or Component, but it's bright and saturated as heaven.
Pretty solid info! A few things I would like to add:
-WEGAs are great because they are quite common, but they have 2 significant weaknesses. The first is that they will often have awful geometry. This can make things look warped and distorted. This is especially noticeable on 2d games. The curved screen trinitrons will usually have better geometry. The second is something called "Red Push." Red push will shift the color of the image to make the color quite red. You can reduce (but not eliminate) the prominence of red push on some models of sets, but some you can't at all.
-Trinitrons look great, but they aren't "The Best" like many think they are. The whole experience of CRTs is extremely subjective, and many shadow mask tubes can even look better, depending on who you ask! Keep an eye out for many other brands like JVC, Panasonic, and Toshiba. They all made phenomenal sets that are just as good as their Sony counterparts. If anyone tells you [model number] is the best CRT... ignore them because they have no idea what they are talking about. (and if they say the FV310 is the best CRT ever made, they DEFINITELY don't know what they are talking about)
-I have done quite a bit of digging into HD sets, and some of my favorite sets are HD CRTs. But for retro gaming, I really, really recommend beginners avoid HD CRTs unless you are in deep and know exactly what you are doing. Almost every HD CRT in existence will be an awful experience for 240p and 480i games without going down a rabbit hole of extra hardware. For 480p/1080i content, some have no lag at all, but others (including almost every HD Sony ever made) can have several frames of lag! Some can have lag for 1080i disabled through service menu settings. Its a rabbit hole, and even the same brand can be inconsistent from model to model. For 5th gen and before, not a good option at all. For 6th and 7th, they can be, but it depends on the model, and you will need to do a lot of research first.
-PVMs and BVMs are completely overrated. I have several of them, because I'm a huge nerd for the hobby. I spend far more time using my consumer sets than any of my PVMs/BVMs. They look great, but the difference between one and a good consumer set is not as big as you think. PVMs were hyped up back when they were super cheap and video mods/converters weren't as much of a thing. But times have changed, and a great consumer set can look better than all but the highest end PVM/BVM. PVMs and BVMs are needy, and not the best option for a first CRT. Don't buy into the hype, you will probably be happier with a consumer set than a PVM!
P.S. Gave this video a like the instant I heard you pronounce WEGA correctly
Ha ha ha, I've waited all week for thos video🤟
Love your videos! I have a CRT Philips 32 wide, nice picture, but I can't dance with 😢.
My favorite TV ever was a 1992 Rear Projection Pioneer - rear projection sets get a bad rep because like 99% of them were garbage, but this one was the exception! The colors were beautiful and the image was so crisp, it was a super high-end set. Oddly enough, it had a 16:10 aspect ratio, which in practice meant that you'd usually get to see the overscan on the sides as well as thin black borders, though with widescreen content it meant the letterboxing was thinner so it was really great for both 4:3 and 16:9. I'm actually using the same Trinitron that you were swinging around in this video now and I'd trade it to fix my Pioneer in a heartbeat! Sadly it passed away in fall 2021 and after like 9 months of struggle I've all but given up on repairing it, so it's now the stand for our 4k OLED. I'll likely be gutting it and converting it into a cool shelf case sometime down the road.
which one was it, then?
A shelf case sounds cool. After trying to repair a small CRT and letting it sit in a corner disassembled for about 5 years, I reluctantly gave up, but I learned my lesson anyway not to try before my large CRT failed.
I have a 58" Pioneer Elite RP CRT TV from 1998, same 16:10 aspect ratio due to movies and whatnot
@@mr.jamster8414Sorry for the late response! It says "SD-P5071-K" on the front and was actually from 1993. It was considered a very high end set back in the day so it was an outlier for rear projectors.
I have several CRTs: a 25" Samsung with Composite that I use for travel; a 27" Panasonic that has up to Component that is my current primary; a 14" PC monitor that I intend to use for retro computers and Dreamcast; a massive 36" beast with Component that is current waiting at my parent's house; and a 13" model I don't remember at the moment that I use for occasional LAN sessions as the opportunity calls for it. Wouldn't mind having a fleet of the small ones for LAN sessions.
I have two CRT TVs I have a really small guy 9in with a built-in DVD player that I had a friend of mine pick up for me for 10 bucks (sansui for those wondering) and a much bigger one for my son who's 3 that I just recently picked up symphonic with the DVD and VHS player so he can play Mario on the NES that I picked up for $40
Be careful with CRTs around young kids. They can be a hazard.
All right! I hope your son enjoys Mario!
@@RetroBirdGaming oh he loves Mario and duck hunt! Isn't very good at it but it loves them all the same just picked up Mario 3 for him as well
I have the Sony KS-27FS100L and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I play all my 240p and 480i games on it. They look amazing
That PVM in the bed. Love it! 😂👌
Love, love, love you channel. Your CRT videos crack me up and I'm in love with my Trinitron too. Thanks for what you do
Glad to hear!
I can definitely stand up for smaller CRT's. Before the one I had went kaput, it was pretty dang useful. I could carry it around to different places that made it much easier to set up. Plus the picture looked so nice and crisp. The only problem was that it only had RF input, and that's mainly because I mostly focus on composite video for my game systems. Though I was able to get plenty of NES and SNES playtime on that thing, and even my Saturn. I beat Mike Tyson's Punch Out for the first time on that thing, I got to finally play Duck Hunt in my own home, and I still remember the last playthrough of Donkey Kong Country I did on it before it died.
Before I found that CRT in the attic, and still to this day, I've had a big HD CRT that I know for a fact that I'll never be able to move. I'm certainly still happy with playing a good amount of games on it. It definitely looks better to me than plugging composite cables into a flatscreen, but given the lack of scanlines and slightly higher input latency that makes it impossible to play light gun games on the thing, I'm definitely on the search for a new regular CRT. One that's 12 to 14 inches and has composite input. Maybe even in stereo if I'm lucky, but if I have to I could just get something to combine the signals from the two audio cables into one. Hopefully I'll be able to get onto that sometime since it'd be great to have all of the advantages of a plain old consumer CRT again.
Why buy that instead of using hd tvs it better for older consoles then crt
@@WARNING-1gv7ej2j No, it's not.
@@jimbotron70 yes it is Why would you want to buy a 480p tv
1080p tvs are way better for gaming
@@WARNING-1gv7ej2j Unless you played on low-res CRT as kid and you knew the feeling of the authentic experience.
So I converted a huge portion of my basement into two gaming/media centres, an HD area and an SD area with a 32" Sony Trinitron HD CRT. Playing games using component connections looks utterly beautiful, then there are the systems that can output 480p and then you're really floored.
I have two more CRTs in reserve, both JVC I'Art sets, both with component. One's a 27" and the other is a 36.
I bought HD converters for all my retro systems and although the OG Xbox looks really good the rest I prefer to just play on my CRT
I started out with a 32’’ Trinitron that’s flat front, all hookups from Component down, but come to find out it was the first HD set in their line so no light gun compatibility. Still looked good so I kept it because it had low usage hours.
Then I got a 90’s curved front 27’’ Trinitron with S Video input which worked well and supported light guns, but the color was not the most impressive.
Recently I found a 27’’ Panasonic Tau that while flat front, had all the inputs from Component to RF, yet was still an SD set so it was compatible with light guns. And the color on the Tau smokes my two Trinitrons, it seriously looks as close to PVM/BVM that I’ve ever seen from a consumer CRT. So it ended up being the best of both worlds.
I think you are so right about the TV size. I am still hunting for a 13 or 14 inch, especially if I could find one in the PVM/BVM flavor. My 32’’ weighs 270lbs due to the subwoofer in the back, and is honestly too much for even two people to lift. My 27’’ tv’s are still even borderline too heavy.
The great thing about CRT’s is that composite still looks great on most sets/consoles. Admittedly I am a cable snob, but you really can’t go wrong with a CRT and what ever you already have cable wise. My top loader NES looked pretty good despite only having RF.
I used to own a 20-inch Sony Wega for retro gaming, but gave it away years ago. I'm kind of kicking myself about it as it was a solid choice for classic consoles. I lived in the city years ago and there was like a wave of time where everyone was putting their old CRT on the curb to be hauled away free of charge.
CRTs can be quite cumbersome and difficult to move, so it definitely helps to have a second person to assist!
I'm still on the fence about trying to locate another CRT for some of my older non-HD systems. For now, I'm happy playing classic games on modern hardware using a monitor or HD-TV. CRT TVs seem to be getting rarer to find on the curb now as it seems almost everyone has moved over to Smart TVs. Do they even sell CRTs anywhere anymore? I'm really curious since it is such a niche thing that mostly seems to apply to retro gamers like us.
Try second hand stores and websites, there are still plenty, but act quickly, every year going by makes them rarer and more expensive. And no, they don't manufacture/sell them anymore, Sony for example ceased production in 2008.
Mine's a 27" Samsung Slim-Fit CRT - it is 1/3 smaller (less deep) than a standard CRT of the same screen size - takes up a lot less room. Got mine in 2006.
I tell people to go after a 27" early 2000's CRT that's a quality Japanese name (Sony/JVC/Toshiba/Panasonic). Most have all the inputs that are desired and their comb filters will clean up composite very nicely. My Sony WEGA isn't my favorite tv because it's a flat screen, which has geometry and light gun issues. Nonetheless, I have composite only and RF tubes that look pretty sick, too. There out there!
I LOVE gaming on a CRT! My consoles looks so good on it in S-Video and Component video. Love those cables from HD Retrovision!
Fantastic video as always. I watched it end to end and thought you explained everything very well and touched on all the notable points. Nice Wega too. While some are objectively better than others, I think any CRT is great for gaming
Thank you!
I like small CRT TVs like the Sony Trinitron KV-9PT50 (9 inch).
Nice CRT TVs, I have a Sony Trinitron XBR 25” inch CRT.
i have a PVM-9L2 and PVM-14N2U! got them for a steal before they really started to shoot up in price. love em both!
I struggle with the size I prefer for a CRT as 20" is pefect for a single player but rather cramped if you play along with a friend. I really prefer a 20" for myself as I can sit closer to it and have the TV take up less space. However, sitting farther back from that 20" when you have a friend over and still see bullets in a 2 player shmup is rough. Making my prefered size for multiplayer 27".
I literally feel the same way about the same sizes. I actually have a 20" and a 27".
@@catsaregovernmentspies I wish there was a way to just make that CRT larger or smaller without having to keep two of them around. Ha! Not to mention the 2nd 20" I have on its side for arcade shmups.
I just found your channel last night because I picked up a CRT last night, and I just want to say you’re videos are awesome and informative, but what I love most is your on camera jokes. You’ve got a really great comedic style and I’m glad I found you channel!
Thanks! I'm glad you found the channel too!
I ended up following the rabbit hole of CRTs pretty far, but a word of advice, some conaoles like the N64 look a lot better on a consumer TV vs a PVM and vice versa for others.
The only true strategy is to own a ridiculous number of CRTs 😂
I don't like the way my N64 looks on my PVM either. At least from what I remember. I'll have to give it another try.
You can try to go smaller TV because they have better pixel density.
No bananas were mentioned in this video 😮. Loved watching ❤
If you’re into GameCube/PS2/Wii era games, you may well want an EDTV in order to play 480p.
Also in Europe, your CRT will ideally support 480i @ 60Hz as well as the default 576i @ 50Hz, and like I said maybe even 480p or 576p.
I love his humor in the video. It really makes it worth the while.
I have a 13 inch Toshiba VCR combo one. It's good to play non hd games on there. Only problem with this one it doesn't have stereo sound. My other CRT tv is a Samsung 27 inch. I like that one a lot better because the pic quality is a lot better, Stereo sound. It supports Composite, Component & S Video.
I am just wondering the PVM, is the pic that much clearer?
Not enough to be worth it. If you got S-Video and Component, you're already 80% there anyway
@@slamshift6927 agreed
I don't think it's a huge difference in clarity, but there are those who would disagree.
There was one CRT I was going to pick up off a Facebook Marketplace. $25 for a 32" Sony. I get to the woman's house and she tells me to follow her...she proceeds to open a door and I see stairs going down...and very narrow stairs...she takes me to her basement. Ugh. Her husband couldn't even help because he hurt his back earlier. I friggin rolled the TV end over end up the stairs lol. Thank God neighbor came over and helped me carry it to my car. It was too big to get a good grip myself. After all that there was a blue spot in the corner once I got home. Not sure if me rolling it up a flight of stairs did that or if it was always like that. I didn't test it out before taking it.
One thing to look out for: flat screen models tend to have worse horizontal Linearity. This cannot be adjusted over the service manual (or otherwise, for that matter) and is super annoying when playing retro side scrollers. It's a complex combination of the s capacitor, linearity coil, Yoke and other factors.
Flat CRTs were strange hybrids made in the end of CRT era, often marred with digital circuitry tainting the analog signal, they are just not right for retrogaming.
Yeah, how can you fix that issue?
@@mr.jamster8414 It's unfixable.
@@jimbotron70 **really**?
@@mr.jamster8414 Yes, it's intrinsic to its architecture.
I agree, the 27" Sony Trinitron is the one. Perfect size, picture quality, sound, weight, input selection, and scanline look. Yummy!