Dismantled my CRT today...

[EliteRetard]

It's finally gotten to the point I couldn't adjust it any more with the monitor buttons...had to open it up and put the screws to it to adjust it.

Probably took a couple hours to get it adjusted and I'm still kinda tweaking it trying to get it just right, but it's 98% there.

Apparently I've had this monitor for about 12 years. Used to be I only needed/wanted to tweak a little something once a year. As time moved on it needed little tweaks more often, and in the last year or so it's needed a lot of attention (every week) to keep it looking pristine. I actually don't mind this at all, a little bit of fiddling and then I'm good for years/months/weeks. Vs LCD's that I constantly tweak all day trying to look right and still make my eyes vomit.

Hopefully this hardware adjustment will keep me good for a longer span of time. LCD tech is now close enough to call acceptable, but I'm still not quite ready to buy. Maybe in the next year they'll have just the right combination for me. Solid dark blacks with no glow/leakage, decent color accuracy/uniformity, "high" PPI (130-140), variable and "high maximum" refresh rate (30-80+Hz), preferably under 30".

 

[cyclohexane]

Lol. There is zero reason in 2015 to be using a CRT monitor. Just give it up man. Even professional photographers and video editors don't use CRTs anymore.

 

[lxskllr]

A+ for for keeping old hardware going. F for avoiding LCDs. That leaves you with a solid C. Not bad...

 

[EliteRetard]

Zero reason other than excellent color and uniformity, excellent black and contrast levels, high refresh rates, low/no input lag, variable resolutions and high PPI...all at the same time.

If I could buy a bigger better CRT brand new today I would. I'll accept defeat on 4:3 and take a widescreen. I'm willing to spend stupid amounts of money on a good monitor. Perhaps a nice 27" CRT with a max 16:9 4k at 80Hz and say a "standard" of 3k at 100Hz.

I got nothing against progress, but in the last decade we have only barely gotten back to where we were. If there were a flat panel tech that could meet or beat a CRT in every category at the same time I'd be throwing my money at it. OLED has been the hottest new thing that will be "out next year" for the last decade as well. I don't think I've even heard of a decent prototype OLED monitor yet.

 

[XavierMace]

Perhaps a nice 27" CRT with a max 16:9 4k at 80Hz and say a "standard" of 3k at 100Hz.

And what magical type of inputs is this going to have?

 

[EliteRetard]

And what magical type of inputs is this going to have?

Super MHL would work. Even DP 1.2 probably would do. This monitor with DVI can do 2k resolution at 80Hz.

 

[EliteRetard]

I managed to upload a pair of photos for the heck of it:

 

[Red Squirrel]

I still have my first crt, but its not in use. . It used to make a loud whine sound that my parents could not hear so it went to them, then my sister and then recently she wanted to get rid of it so I took it. Might use the parts inside for something fun like a Tesla coil.

 

[destrekor]

In many ways, for the same reasons you mention, I miss CRTs.

But I do not miss many things about CRTs: they are a pain in the ass for transporting/moving, and the type of light is worse on the eyes than LCD.

But yes, believe it or not, some photo and video pros still utilize old CRTs. Otherwise you need to pay out the ass for a high-quality LCD that has exceptional quality and accuracy.


Hell, I'd gladly buy a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) computer monitor. I've got a PDP TV, love it, very sad to see manufacturers abandon it, but it does make sense - due to certain perceived weaknesses, they were outsold by a massive margin and couldn't justify the costs any longer.

OLED will be the next winner, but it will take some time for the process to mature.

I really wish they made something of the SED (or even FED) display tech, but tech ownership changed hands a few times I think, and R&D was killed in favor of pursuing new advancements in LCD tech, as well as OLED.

Which is a same - OLED can match everything about CRT, but there will be uneven pixel wear. SED was basically everything CRT but miniaturized at the pixel level, so it wouldn't have the resolution flexibility, at least I don't believe it did, but it would be everything else and more, and pure awesome.

I'll forever miss the beauty of CRT, but as of now, for a computer monitor it isn't at all worthwhile IMHO. I'm very happy with my 50" PDP and think that is a perfect CRT replacement in almost every way, and plan to hang on to it until OLED is affordable at display sizes over 70". If I upgrade I might as well do it right, right?

Speaking of large displays, I'd love to see some new projector technology come out, something that could actually produce some impressive blacks and shadow detail. My long term plan involves a nice home theater, and if nothing else changes by the time I can achieve that vision, I'll likely settle on a CRT projection system.

 

[EliteRetard]

I still have my first crt, but its not in use. . It used to make a loud whine sound that my parents could not hear so it went to them, then my sister and then recently she wanted to get rid of it so I took it. Might use the parts inside for something fun like a Tesla coil.

This is the first CRT I've ever purchased, massive upgrade and it cost like $1k or something new. I had one before this that I inherited from my dad (NEC brand is all I recall). Before that was my dad's Kaypro 10 with it's green screen.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Lol. There is zero reason in 2015 to be using a CRT monitor. Just give it up man. Even professional photographers and video editors don't use CRTs anymore.

That all depends on the CRT monitor. For instance, Viewsonic's Professional series was hands down the best CRT consumers could buy for Photography post production. I still don't believe a digital consumer monitor product can come close to it.

Maybe when they make some responsive OLED units ...

 

[Jeff7]

I also still miss my CRT sometimes.
Good colors, and excellent response time.

Moving gradients still result in weird effects. Or if I scroll up and down with a slanted line on the screen, like the angled text of a large capital A or W, the diagonals change in width when they're moving due to the sluggish response of the screen.

I guess if I put down a thousand for a high-end professional-grade screen, I could finally get back the performance of a Trinitron tube from 15 years ago.

Zero reason other than excellent color and uniformity, excellent black and contrast levels, high refresh rates, low/no input lag, variable resolutions and high PPI...all at the same time.
...

Exactly.

In many ways, for the same reasons you mention, I miss CRTs.

But I do not miss many things about CRTs: they are a pain in the ass for transporting/moving, and the type of light is worse on the eyes than LCD.

The only eye-related issue I had with CRTs was low refresh rates. My beloved 21" Trinitron-tube Nokia monitor was running at 120Hz. Most of the eyestrain issues in the CRT days were likely because of running at the horrid default of 60Hz.

But yes, believe it or not, some photo and video pros still utilize old CRTs. Otherwise you need to pay out the ass for a high-quality LCD that has exceptional quality and accuracy.
...

++

 

[CZroe]

Even if they've been unplugged for weeks CRTs can kill you if you touch the wrong place inside. They should normally only be taken apart by professionals/repair depots who know what they are doing. Though that probably wouldn't stop me either, nothing in your posts indicate that you took any special precautions.

I know you are frugal, but don't risk your life.

 

[lupi]

I have 2 crts and an old low rez lcd I keep around in case I ever decide to put together a win95 machine for some late DOS era gaming.

 

[Hi-Fi Man]

Recently picked up a 16" Gateway (Toshiba) CRT to replace one that had broke long ago. The thing didn't have any software controls for color so to get it to D65 I opened it and adjusted the pots on the video neck board. It's a midrange model from 98 but once calibrated it looks great. The black level is mind blowing as is the nearly ghost free image. I still use a Sony w600 TV as my monitor but OLED is the only true replacement for CRTs.

 

[stahlhart]

It's finally gotten to the point I couldn't adjust it any more with the monitor buttons...had to open it up and put the screws to it to adjust it.

Probably took a couple hours to get it adjusted and I'm still kinda tweaking it trying to get it just right, but it's 98% there.

Apparently I've had this monitor for about 12 years. Used to be I only needed/wanted to tweak a little something once a year. As time moved on it needed little tweaks more often, and in the last year or so it's needed a lot of attention (every week) to keep it looking pristine. I actually don't mind this at all, a little bit of fiddling and then I'm good for years/months/weeks. Vs LCD's that I constantly tweak all day trying to look right and still make my eyes vomit.

Hopefully this hardware adjustment will keep me good for a longer span of time. LCD tech is now close enough to call acceptable, but I'm still not quite ready to buy. Maybe in the next year they'll have just the right combination for me. Solid dark blacks with no glow/leakage, decent color accuracy/uniformity, "high" PPI (130-140), variable and "high maximum" refresh rate (30-80+Hz), preferably under 30".

Are you planning on electrolytic capacitor replacement?

 

[moonbogg]

I wouldn't mind trying a CRT again. The thing I miss the most is the variable resolution, not to mention the perfect motion clarity. Sigh, the good old days. I would love a 4K capable, 32" wide screen CRT at 120hz. If they sell it, I'm buying it.

 

[Childs]

One job I had during college was servicing office equipment. We were on site and the senior tech was showing me how to fix a CRT (some kind of terminal, I dont remember). He touched something and got lit up pretty bad. He filed for workers comp and eventually quit. But the look on his face...lol

 

[EliteRetard]

Even if they've been unplugged for weeks CRTs can kill you if you touch the wrong place inside. They should normally only be taken apart by professionals/repair depots who know what they are doing. Though that probably wouldn't stop me either, nothing in your posts indicate that you took any special precautions.

I know you are frugal, but don't risk your life.

I am/was well aware of the hazards of CRT's.

Besides grounding the thing (and insulating myself) not much you can do...other than not touch the nasty bits :awe:

I could probably get a picture of a ghetto rigged grounding wire dangling from a screwdriver if you wish.

 

[EliteRetard]

Are you planning on electrolytic capacitor replacement?

No, if it really fails I finally will replace it. Mostly I was having a color issue where there was to much green brightness. I'm still able to get enough red and blue, but green was cranked to 0 with the controls and was still to much. I now have it tweaked back to a decent color, but eventually I'm just not going to get enough out of the red and blue.

Surprisingly the convergence/geometry has been really good all this time and rarely needs tweaking. Since I was in there I did fiddle a bit with all that and the image is incredibly sharp.

 

[EliteRetard]

One job I had during college was servicing office equipment. We were on site and the senior tech was showing me how to fix a CRT (some kind of terminal, I dont remember). He touched something and got lit up pretty bad. He filed for workers comp and eventually quit. But the look on his face...lol

I've been zapped a few times by various things. Worst was probably a 220 volt 20 amp line for a heater. I don't even own a multi-meter, just the bare minimum basic tools. Anyway, I was 100% certain I had it safely shut off...that quickly went to 0% I flipped off the main breaker to the whole house after that, and very gingerly poked at it with a stick before I tried messing with it again.

 

[Altus7]

Lol. There is zero reason in 2015 to be using a CRT monitor. Just give it up man. Even professional photographers and video editors don't use CRTs anymore.

:| I guess you're just not a gamer.

 

[Mondozei]

I would love a 4K capable, 32" wide screen OLED at 120hz. If they sell it, I'm buying it.

Fixed it for you.

High quality LCDs are today more than capable of replacing a CRT.
That being said, I do remember my old CRT fondly. What I don't fondly reminisce about was the massive eye strain I got from it.

This kind of tech dies for a reason, and CRTs had to die. Plasma should have been embraced more widely as a bridgegap on the road to OLED, though, and that was one mistake the industry made.

 

[CZroe]

Fixed it for you.

High quality LCDs are today more than capable of replacing a CRT.
That being said, I do remember my old CRT fondly. What I don't fondly reminisce about was the massive eye strain I got from it.

This kind of tech dies for a reason, and CRTs had to die. Plasma should have been embraced more widely as a bridgegap on the road to OLED, though, and that was one mistake the industry made.

I've been playing classic NES games back and forth on a CRT and on a $5,000 LCD and I can tell you that the CRT beats the LCD hands down in every way imaginable. There are artifacts and latency and fuzziness galore even when disabling image enhancements and using game mode. It's less noticeable on SNES games due to extra colors and detail that hide the artifacts but even that is still much better on a CRT.

LCDs have a fixed resolution and require scaling for non-native resolutions. This is an inescapable disadvantage for content at lower resolutions. This has not changed no matter how high quality the LCD.

 

[Puffnstuff]

If there were a flat panel tech that could meet or beat a CRT in every category at the same time I'd be throwing my money at it. OLED has been the hottest new thing that will be "out next year" for the last decade as well. I don't think I've even heard of a decent prototype OLED monitor yet.

Before moving to lcd I ran a Sony g400 Trinitron crt and my current Dell 2709w is way better than it was and it's over 5 years old. I don't have any wire shadows and it has excellent colors with no light bleed. Time to stop living in the past.