Are CRT rear projection TV's obsolete?

[ruffilb]

They're not obsolete because they're cheap, and the average user is not a hard-core videophile.

Until LCDs can be as cheap as CRTs for about the same product, CRTs won't be obsolete.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy

Originally posted by: MathMan

I think some people here are confusing direct-view CRTs with CRT rear-projection.

In terms of image quality, absolutely nothing beats a direct-view CRT.

CRT rear-projections are, for the most part, just a very cheap way to get a very large viewing area, but what you gain in viewing area you lose in image quality. Not to mention they are quite large and heavy.

If your priorities are large viewing area first, then price, and image quality a distant third, then CRT rear-projection is your TV.

If your priorities are image quality first, then price, and viewing area last, then a direct-view CRT is your TV.

If your priorities are image quality first, then viewing area, and price last, then a plasma is your TV.

If you value image quality, price, and viewing area equally then a good DLP RPTV might be your best choice.

this is incorect the HIGH end Crt RPs still beat DLP when calibrated profesionaly, but that more work than most consumers want to do to get a good setup, thats why DLP and LCD has taken over that market

Still a valid point though. I think most people were confusing the RP with the direct view.

Personally, I have the 34" Wega direct view (XBR970), and I've yet to see a dlp/lcd/plasma that can match it.

 

[MaxDepth]

I am still waiting for the Sony 34" WEGA® Flat Screen HDTV (KD34XBR970) to go down in price.

34" will capture the same height as my current 4:3 TV and the extra inches on the sides are HDTV bonus. Anything less and I cut into the height that I am comfortable in viewing. I mean regular TV shows and not Widescreen movies on DVD.

For me, LCD and Plasma are too "sparkly" for my tastes. Maybe I am not viewing it correctly but I see pixels on those types of TVs. The CRTs soften the edges as I view it.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: MaxDepth
I am still waiting for the Sony 34" WEGA® Flat Screen HDTV (KD34XBR970) to go down in price.

34" will capture the same height as my current 4:3 TV and the extra inches on the sides are HDTV bonus. Anything less and I cut into the height that I am comfortable in viewing. I mean regular TV shows and not Widescreen movies on DVD.

For me, LCD and Plasma are too "sparkly" for my tastes. Maybe I am not viewing it correctly but I see pixels on those types of TVs. The CRTs soften the edges as I view it.

I believe the KD34XBR970 is actually inferior to the previous KD34XBR960, in that it doesn't have the Super Fine Pitch tube, which is really the major standout feature of the 960. My mom has a 960 and it's a beautiful set, but honestly the thing is so bulky and heavy (220 lbs!) that I think most people with the physical space for it would be better off with a bigger RPTV.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: MaxDepth
I am still waiting for the Sony 34" WEGA® Flat Screen HDTV (KD34XBR970) to go down in price.

34" will capture the same height as my current 4:3 TV and the extra inches on the sides are HDTV bonus. Anything less and I cut into the height that I am comfortable in viewing. I mean regular TV shows and not Widescreen movies on DVD.

For me, LCD and Plasma are too "sparkly" for my tastes. Maybe I am not viewing it correctly but I see pixels on those types of TVs. The CRTs soften the edges as I view it.

That's my TV. However, I heard some rumors on AVS that they were swapping out the tubes with some crappy non super-fine-pitch tube. I havn't kept up with it though, so maybe it's just a rumor. You can still pick up this set for ~1200 or less, and that's a good price in my book.

 

[spacelord]

I like my Widescreen CRT Rear Projection. It feels like its full of bricks..but the only way its going back out of my basement is in pieces.

 

[pmoa]

Originally posted by: aswedc
I just bought one. Same picture, why would I want to spend twice as much for a LCD?

sucker

 

[Poulsonator]

I've had mine for almost 3 years now and it's still going strong. Toshiba Theaterwide 51H83, paid $1,600 for it new. HD programming looks amazing on it (along with everything else).

Best electronic "investment" I've ever made.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage

That's my TV. However, I heard some rumors on AVS that they were swapping out the tubes with some crappy non super-fine-pitch tube. I havn't kept up with it though, so maybe it's just a rumor. You can still pick up this set for ~1200 or less, and that's a good price in my book.

I think all KD34XBR970s have the non-Super Fine Pitch tube, which I guess is why the set is so much cheaper than the 960 was (my mom paid $2200 for hers last summer, but at some point they dropped it to $1900; as far as I know it never went lower).

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage

That's my TV. However, I heard some rumors on AVS that they were swapping out the tubes with some crappy non super-fine-pitch tube. I havn't kept up with it though, so maybe it's just a rumor. You can still pick up this set for ~1200 or less, and that's a good price in my book.

I think all KD34XBR970s have the non-Super Fine Pitch tube, which I guess is why the set is so much cheaper than the 960 was (my mom paid $2200 for hers last summer, but at some point they dropped it to $1900; as far as I know it never went lower).

Yea, I must be mistaken. I know that either way I got the one with the SFP tube and that's all I was worried about. I paid $1600 in january (which was right on the tail end of the supply for the older set). I got it at Abt Electronics during their customer appreciation sale (everything basically comes down to wholesale price). They shut down the SFP tube factory after that I guess, so the 960 is the way to go if you can still get your hands on one.

 

[aswedc]

Originally posted by: pmoa

Originally posted by: aswedc
I just bought one. Same picture, why would I want to spend twice as much for a LCD?

sucker

:roll:

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Amused
CRTs still offer the best black levels for low light theater style viewing.

I've yet to find a DLP, LCD or plasma that looks as good as my professionally calibrated CRT RP in a dark room.

Granted, for high light TV viewing, DLPs are better. But if you're into movies in a darkened room, CRTs will walk circles around a DLP.

This is why the best high end FP units are still CRT.

bingo

 

[BurnItDwn]

I have a 61inch rear projection CRT. It's a toshiba with three guns on the inside. I calibrate it about once every two or three months as things can vibrate or shift due to noise, etc. The thing is huge. It's not high definition. My couch is about 7-8 feet from it. When I'm watching DVD's the image quality is perfect. The blacks do indeed look very black. The whites do indeed look very white. I have a 27inch HDTV LCD as well. While the 27inch has a much higher resolution, the image quality for movies and such is far inferior.

I fully agree with those who are saying RP CRT is NOT obselete.
Just because it's big and bulky doesn't mean it's obselete. IMO the Plusses Outweigh the Minuses.
Now if only I could find a 1080P 60+ inch RP CRT with duel link DVI input .... WoW would be great on a 61inch at that kind of resolution

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I'm waiting for SEDs to hit the market.

Indeed. SED will make everything else in this debate a moot point.

You mean irrelevant?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
I have a 61inch rear projection CRT. It's a toshiba with three guns on the inside. I calibrate it about once every two or three months as things can vibrate or shift due to noise, etc. The thing is huge. It's not high definition. My couch is about 7-8 feet from it. When I'm watching DVD's the image quality is perfect. The blacks do indeed look very black. The whites do indeed look very white. I have a 27inch HDTV LCD as well. While the 27inch has a much higher resolution, the image quality for movies and such is far inferior.

I fully agree with those who are saying RP CRT is NOT obselete.
Just because it's big and bulky doesn't mean it's obselete. IMO the Plusses Outweigh the Minuses.
Now if only I could find a 1080P 60+ inch RP CRT with duel link DVI input .... WoW would be great on a 61inch at that kind of resolution

You sit 7-8 feet from a 61-inch TV? Holy moly!

 

[spidey07]

No.

Given it's the best display technology from a quality perspective, AND it's less expensive I wouldn't call that obsolete.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
I have a 61inch rear projection CRT. It's a toshiba with three guns on the inside. I calibrate it about once every two or three months as things can vibrate or shift due to noise, etc. The thing is huge. It's not high definition. My couch is about 7-8 feet from it. When I'm watching DVD's the image quality is perfect. The blacks do indeed look very black. The whites do indeed look very white. I have a 27inch HDTV LCD as well. While the 27inch has a much higher resolution, the image quality for movies and such is far inferior.

I fully agree with those who are saying RP CRT is NOT obselete.
Just because it's big and bulky doesn't mean it's obselete. IMO the Plusses Outweigh the Minuses.
Now if only I could find a 1080P 60+ inch RP CRT with duel link DVI input .... WoW would be great on a 61inch at that kind of resolution

You sit 7-8 feet from a 61-inch TV? Holy moly!

Why Holy Moly?
Are you saying that's too far???
I know that 6.3 feet is the optimal viewing distance (36% FOV for full immersion), however, being at a slightly lowwer resolution, I find between 7 and 8 feet to be the perfect distance. It's quite immersive, and everything is very sharp from that distance.

I prefer to keep my distance to the TV within the recommended THX Viewing angle.
When I go to a movie theatre, I like to sit in the middle.
With my home setup, it's just like as if I was sitting in the middle of a movie theatre.
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

 

[The Batt?sai]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
?

yes

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: spidey07
No.

Given it's the best display technology from a quality perspective, AND it's less expensive I wouldn't call that obsolete.

Are you referring to CRT direct-view or CRT rear-projection?

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: MathMan

Originally posted by: spidey07
No.

Given it's the best display technology from a quality perspective, AND it's less expensive I wouldn't call that obsolete.

Are you referring to CRT direct-view or CRT rear-projection?

I would assume he's talking about CRT RP since that's what the OP is talking about.

 

[spidey07]

I was referring to rear projection, but could be applied to front projection.

I was under the impression that direct view suffer from limited resolution when trying to display HD due to the raster. I've seen it when I put HD resolution test patterns on them.

 

[robisc]

With the exceptions of weight and case depth, i fell CRTs are still just as good as plasma or LCD tvs.

agreed!

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I was referring to rear projection, but could be applied to front projection.

I was under the impression that direct view suffer from limited resolution when trying to display HD due to the raster. I've seen it when I put HD resolution test patterns on them.

He asked whether you were talking about direct view or RP. Not FP.

As I said before I believe CRT RP is obsolete. But obvious Direct view CRT is still the best in terms of PQ, just not in terms of practicality.

 

[alfa147x]

A simple:

NO...

 

[0roo0roo]

specs are cheated with most tvs. crts included. scanning 1080 rate doesn't mean the tv can physically resolve the full resolution, but it can claim to be a hdtv anyways.

# Current Rear Projection CRT: Standard definition (SD) rear projection CRTs, while relatively inexpensive deliver poor image performance. However, the cost for an RPTV dramatically increases when going from a standard definition (SD) 7" diagonal CRT to the 9" CRT needed to approach full HD projection. A 7" enhanced definition (ED) CRT can only display less than half of the full HD standard and has limited viewing angle, life and image burn-in problems. It is used today primarily because of its very favorable cost, compared to all competing technologies. By comparison, an OEM could substitute a 7" Quantaphor hybrid light engine at roughly the same cost as a SD CRT light engine; and produce a set with fully viewable two million pixels, life-like colors and contrast, and long life.
http://www.quantumvision.com/challenge.html