Are there any other die hard CRT fans here?

[rogue1979]

I have a 15" LCD screen on my laptop. For spending hours online it's great, less eyestrain and looks good.

For my desktop rig I absolutely prefer a CRT. I still play some older games that run at max 1024 x 768. I cannot stand a black border around my screen, or the weird way a non-native resolution looks on a LCD.

If you wanna watch a movie, it can look good on an LCD. But get several people watching at once and everybody is crowding toward the center jockeying for a good viewing angle. Get a group of 5 or 6 and forget it.

My beloved 19" Diamondtron took a dump after about 8 years of good service. I spent a week looking for a replacement, almost getting desperate enough to consider an LCD monitor.
The best I could come up with was a 19" Hitachi (invar shadow mask not aperature grill), but it does look pretty good. It was still sealed in the original box, never used.

That was a lucky find, but what about next time?

What happened to the thin CRT technology that was being released a couple of years ago???

 

[Insomniator]

LCD's have surpassed CRT's in every way to everyone but the stubborn few.

Also, I had to install two 19 ws lcds at work and the people each had Sony G500's (21 inch crts)... weighed like 80 pounds and probably made the cubicles 10 degrees hotter.

Get a decent LCD and viewing angles aren't a problem!

 

[HOOfan 1]

Well there was already a nasty thread about this.

I don't think everyone says that LCDs have past CRTs in every way. Response time and the fact that there is no native resolution on a CRT are still points in their favor.
However, most everyone has stated that LCDs are good enough in those areas that the downsides to a CRT make them not worth it anymore.

 

[shangshang]

CRTs are a dead-end as far as consumer electronics go. CRTs cost a lot to produce, to properly dispose, to store, and to ship. In general, the costs of selling CRTs for manufacturers... and buying for consumers... are much higher than for LCDs. I always get a giggle when I see a person who insists that CRT is still the way to go... and the reason he gives is always like "I'm a photo editor, so I need absolute color perfection.." blah blah... yet he goes looking for a budget CRT... that is not economical to produce in this age. Always get a giggle out of that.

When MAC users, who are predominatly graphics anc video users, have no problem with CRTs, then there is no reason left on earth for any PC users to still demand CRT.

Your Diammondtron may have served you 8 years, but I'll get that the color has been in a fade for the last 3 years. I have a Sony 21" Sony Trinitron Multiscan CPD-G500 with top-notched aperture grille technology, 5-BNC connectors... sitting in my room unused right now. It was manufactured in 1999, so it's now 9 years old, but it has been unused for almost the last 3 years. The color today has definitely faded a little compared to 1999, but the picture and text display are not fuzzy (like many old CRTs will have). I'm having a very difficult time giving it away for free for the last year. There just isn't no taker! Tell you what, if you wanna pay for shipping, you can take it!

There is no way in hell will I put another CRT on my desk!

If I were you, I would get a professional LCD with a non-TN panel, and you'll be happy. Most professional LCDs these day in age have an 8ms response time, which is very adequate for gaming and movie. If you don't like the wide aspect ratio of LCDs (which most do have), then get a 4:3 aspect professional LCD from Dell, like the one I'm using is a Dell 20" with regular aspect ratio.

You also said you can have up to 5-6 people crowding to watch a movie on a 19" monitor?? Man, that's ghetto.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: shangshang

When MAC users, who are predominatly graphics anc video users, have no problem with CRTs, then there is no reason left on earth for any PC users to still demand CRT.

Nah Mac users like LCDs because they are more elegant than CRTs.

We all know Apple users like form over function.

 

[shangshang]

Originally posted by: HOOfan 1

Originally posted by: shangshang

When MAC users, who are predominatly graphics anc video users, have no problem with CRTs, then there is no reason left on earth for any PC users to still demand CRT.

Nah Mac users like LCDs because they are more elegant than CRTs.

We all know Apple users like form over function.

LOL I don't wanna start another mac/pc war, but that is true too to a great extent!

But at least Mac peeps have given up on CRTs. I remember even 3 years ago, you go to any Mac forum and ask about monitors, and the resounding recommendation would be CRT (usually a Sony monitor with aperture grill)... and if you were to disagree... Lord help you!

 

[Deadtrees]

The only selling point of thin CRT technology was it being thin. It had terrible distortion/geometry...etc.
What good is it when LCD monitors are thinner while having no distortion/geometry issues?

I, too, used to be a CRT fan because they offered very good DR and gradation while providing pretty accurate out-of-the-box color.
Since some years ago, that just isn't the case anymore. Nowadays, I can't stand CRT monitors. In fact, I even prefer TN based LCD monitors over CRT ones.
Prefering CRT over LCD is like amish guys saying how horses are better than cars.

Just go for 26" or 30" IPS pannel monitors. they will blow you away. I do not know what type of a guy you are but if you're a religious person, you will start to worship that LCD monitor. If you're a sexual person, you will start jerking off every time when you look at that monitor.

 

[tno]

I'm not a fanboy. But I love my CRTs. Both were cheap finds off craigslist, and I couldn't be happier with the results. My 21" Mitsu Diamond pro is without a doubt a great display, giving me a huge space to view at res's as high as 2048x1536 and with a 72hz refresh at that res means that I rarely experience eye strain even after long play. The colors are perfect nearly a decade after production and while I know that some day it will fail and I will be without, I at least can take comfort in the fact that my compromises have to do with heat output not image quality.

Now let me rave about my 34HS410, a Sony tube HD that is just awesome. Sure, my TV has some distortion and needs a bit of calibrating but lets be real. I make $32k and cannot responsibly afford to spend money on a ~34" LCD with the same image quality.

Now, if I had my druthers and a million dollars, I would have a 30" Dell display for my computer and a 52" Kuro plasma TV. But I don't, and for the budget minded among us there are some amazing deals.

So, to rogue, CRT fan right here!

to Hoofan 1, go Hoos!

to Shangshang, where are you? I'll come pick it up.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Black levels are still better on CRT. That being said, its almost stupid to buy a CRT at this day and age unless you can get one of those Sony 24" GDM-FW900s. Best CRT ever made. If you did go CRT you can make them HDCP compliant by getting one of these doohicky's: HDFURY!

 

[rogue1979]

double post dang it!

 

[rogue1979]

Originally posted by: Insomniator
LCD's have surpassed CRT's in every way to everyone but the stubborn few.

Also, I had to install two 19 ws lcds at work and the people each had Sony G500's (21 inch crts)... weighed like 80 pounds and probably made the cubicles 10 degrees hotter.

Get a decent LCD and viewing angles aren't a problem!

I have to disagree with you on the viewing angles.

Just go down to the local Compusa or Best Buy and look at the LCD monitors.
Most of them will have a wall with shelves dedicated to LCD displays.

Just go to one end and look down the rows. While some are much better than others,
you can plainly see that all suffer from degradation when viewed at an angle.
Like I said, some are horrible and some do much better, but if you are critical about it
even the best LCD viewed slightly off center suffers from this. Same goes for verticle
angles.

I respect anyones opinion that likes LCD's more, but they do have some shortcomings,
just like CRT's do.

Though you failed to address the issue of running something in a non-native resolution.

 

[rogue1979]

Originally posted by: shangshang


You also said you can have up to 5-6 people crowding to watch a movie on a 19" monitor?? Man, that's ghetto.

I have a large screen TV with surround sound.

Sometimes my kids have friends over and they bring a DVD. The want to watch their own movie or show, I don't get what's "ghetto" about that. Point is with a CRT everybody could pull up a chair within a few feet and still be more than close enough. Granted, some of them would be at an angle. But you know, with a CRT that's not a problem....

 

[yusux]

used to be, until I found out they can cause myopia which ruined my eyes..

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: HOOfan 1
When MAC users, who are predominatly graphics anc video users, have no problem with CRTs, then there is no reason left on earth for any PC users to still demand CRT.

They're just into networking, regardless of platform

 

[sandorski]

I wouldn't buy one these days, but am still using my Diamontron after 8+ years and it's still awesome.

 

[sourthings]

I loved my old 21" NEC Diamondtron, beautiful monitor, no LCD can replicate it's quality of image. I thought about picking up one of those Sony 24" CRT Widescreens, but as they're all used, didn't want to chance getting one that was not up to snuff. Not to mention couldn't find one locally and the shipping on a 120 pound monitor is crazy.... more than the price of the monitor

Hopefully LCDs will at some point catch up to a quality CRT's image. I use a nice 24" LCD now, the picture is nice, but not as nice as my old diamondtron.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: sourthings
I loved my old 21" NEC Diamondtron, beautiful monitor, no LCD can replicate it's quality of image. I thought about picking up one of those Sony 24" CRT Widescreens, but as they're all used, didn't want to chance getting one that was not up to snuff. Not to mention couldn't find one locally and the shipping on a 120 pound monitor is crazy.... more than the price of the monitor

Hopefully LCDs will at some point catch up to a quality CRT's image. I use a nice 24" LCD now, the picture is nice, but not as nice as my old diamondtron.

A friend got a Dell Laptop with some kind of Enhanced LCD Monitor. I gotta say it llooks great, almost as good as my Diamondtron, maybe better. The LCD he got for his Desktop doesn't compare at all though. No Black, just Dark Grey.

 

[natty1]

Originally posted by: Insomniator
LCD's have surpassed CRT's in every way to everyone but the stubborn few.

apparently this guy has never heard about refresh rate

 

[shangshang]

Originally posted by: tno

to Shangshang, where are you? I'll come pick it up.

I'm in southern CA (Orange County). If you can pick it up, it's yours!! PM me if you wanna take it.

 

[BFG10K]

Originally posted by: Insomniator

LCD's have surpassed CRT's in every way to everyone but the stubborn few.

LMAO. Check any article that measures ghosting and/or input lag and you?ll see irrefutable proof this is quantifiably false.

 

[Wreckage]

I still have a 21" Viewsonic in use. Nice monitor in it's day although I sure hate moving it.

 

[tno]

Originally posted by: Deadtrees
Prefering CRT over LCD is like amish guys saying how horses are better than cars.

Just go for 26" or 30" IPS pannel monitors. they will blow you away. I do not know what type of a guy you are but if you're a religious person, you will start to worship that LCD monitor. If you're a sexual person, you will start jerking off every time when you look at that monitor.

Well, first, no it's not like Amish guys saying how horses are etc. Amish people make a religious choice, it's got nothing to do with a preference.

Second, the whole point about owning a CRT is that a great one can be had for very little money because people that have abandoned them for large high quality LCDs are trying to unload them (these people can thus afford to buy a 30" LCD). Meanwhile, the rest of us who don't have a few grand to drop on a monitor settle on some of the best image quality ever seen on a screen of any type.

Settle some curiosity though, what screen do you display?

 

[tno]

Originally posted by: yusux
used to be, until I found out they can cause myopia which ruined my eyes..

Nearwork induced myopia has more to do with the closeness of the object and the duration of exposure than whether the screen was a CRT or LCD. Certainly no one will argue that CRTs wtih a low refresh rate are harder to look at for extended periods of time than even some cheaper CRTs, but proper use should prevent any changes in vision except for those most likely to be genetically predisposed to permanent strain of the ciliary muscle.

 

[taltamir]

LCDs are vastly superior. I wouldn't go back to CRT's if you paid me to.

 

[cessation]

Hmm, I find it odd most people here are saying LCDs are just better than CRTs. I had to buy a new monitor not that long ago because my CRT died. So I bought a s-pva LCD monitor. It's alright but there's certain things my old CRT did better...

1. My old CRT displayed blacks better.
2. Banding... I hardly ever notice it but I could see banding on every monitor I found at frys even on the s-ips panels. I believe there's even a review here that anandtech.com did a good while back of some of the top panels, you can see the color isn't smooth like it is on a CRT.
3. The color isn't the same everywhere on the monitor (viewing angles). Of course this is worse on TN panels but even on the one I own (s-pva) the center spot I'm looking at isn't the "exact" color of the rest of the monitor. I noticed other monitors with the same type of panel also do this.
4. Dead pixels, luckily I don't have any on my monitor but the first LCD I tried (bought and returned) did. This seems to be a typical thing and most companies don't have a zero dead pixel policy. Even if they do and you get a dead pixel later on (past their policy time range) you're stuck with it.

Those are just the things at the top of my head right now...