Buying a CRT TV, Need Opinions :)

[charles__99]

I'm looking into buying a Sony, model kv-32XBR400

Questions I have for anyone who can answer :)

Is this TV a good model for playing n64, snes, nes and sega? I have a Toshiba HDCRT right now and it isn't doing me justice for N64, just hoping someone could give me any information on the sony.

Is $40 a fair price to pay for this model?

You guys are awesome,

Thanks in advance

[Sinizar]

Not sure what you mean by it is not doing the N64 justice. I don't think a TV exists that can make the N64 look good. If you run an HD TV CRT there is not a lot of difference between the Philips, Toshiba, or Sony in this size. All have flat glass CRT Tubes, they all reproduce nice blacks with vivid colors. If you are looking for a TV that will make the old consoles look the best you should really look at TVs prior to HD since they are the TVs the consoles were made for.

I recommend the Sony Trinitrons non hdtv for Nes, Master, Atari, Turbo, SNES, Genesis, PS1, Saturn, and N64. Anything newer looks fine on HDTV since you can buy component cables for them.

Also, the price is fair. Most people will give them to you just to get them out of the house. They have to pay a recycler to take them. I paid $25 for a Philips HDTV 36" non wide screen that displays 480p/i720p/i1080i. They were so happy they sold it they loaded it up for me. :)

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

The Sony Trinitron is pretty much the pinnacle of CRT televisions. I bought mine way back in the late 90s after my Sharp piece of shit conked out, and after nearly fifteen years of use - including two cross-country moves - it still works perfectly. One of the built-in speakers gave out a couple years ago, but one set of external speakers later and I'm back in business.

About my only regret is that I didn't buy the larger model with more A/V and S-Video ins - 2 A/Vs and a single S-Video means I have to get a little bit silly with Y-splitters and A/B switches. @_@

[theclaw]

Question is whether it accepts 240p component, the NES zapper, and has a wide sync tolerance range for things like Neo Geo or PAL consoles.

[charles__99]

http://kitchener.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-electronics-32-Older-Sony-Trinitron-XBR-W0QQAdIdZ358264372

Any opinions on this TV for playing NES, SNES and N64 on?

EDIT: Thanks for all the replies so far, it means a lot to me :), such a supportive community

Also if you see anything in that area on Kijiji for CRT tv's that look great let me know your opinions/recommendation :)

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

Question is whether it accepts 240p component, the NES zapper, and has a wide sync tolerance range for things like Neo Geo or PAL consoles.

I believe the "higher-end" Trinitron does feature YUV component input - one component, three RCA, and two S-Video are the inputs I remember from memory, but it's been a while since I've seen one, so I reserve the right to be wrong about that.

Any functional CRT TV will work with the NES Zapper or other lightguns, so that's not really much of a question.

Not entirely sure what it is you mean by "sync tolerance" - sync adjust is not something that can easily be handled with analog signals, and is more a concern with digital TVs with display lag.

I don't think you're going to find a consumer-level CRT TV that handles both NTSC and PAL, that's more a professional requirement - the best you can reasonably expect to do is throw in a converter box at some point in the signal chain.

[charles__99]

Going to buy the XBR15 tonight, as long as its in decent condition I think it'll give me the picture I'm looking for, for my snes and nes and hopefully my n64,

Thanks again :)

[kedawa]

Any functional CRT TV will work with the NES Zapper or other lightguns, so that's not really much of a question.
That's only true for SD CRTs.
Many, if not most, HD CRTs have some sort of scaler for lower resolutions, which completely messes up the timing for the light gun.

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

That's only true for SD CRTs.
Many, if not most, HD CRTs have some sort of scaler for lower resolutions, which completely messes up the timing for the light gun.

Thanks, I didn't really consider this - I hear "CRT" and "videogaming" and I automatically assume we're talking SD (HD CRT is all of the bulk of a CRT with all of the compatibility issues of HD), but you're entirely correct. Anyway, the Trinitrons I was talking about are definitely standard def, so no worries there.

[treismac]

I don't think a TV exists that can make the N64 look good.

Ahahahaha!!! :above me:

[retroman]

Sony Trinitron all the way...I have a 36inch one just for my retro stuff...It looks great on it. I have had this TV for 10 years now, and it is as good as the day i got it.

[charles__99]

Bought the XBR for $10, best decision ever...sounds amazing and the pictures just like it was in the 90's none of the upscaling or blurriness caused by my HD CRT,

Thanks everybody :)

[Ryudo]

You want one of these. I got it 30$ at goodwill. Sony WEGA Trinitron. Mine is 27 inch. But man it's a very sharp picture and older games look great on it.
http://i.imgur.com/g5K5R.jpg

[theMot]

Bought the XBR for $10, best decision ever...sounds amazing and the pictures just like it was in the 90's none of the upscaling or blurriness caused by my HD CRT,

Thanks everybody :)

Nice one! It's not worth mucking about with scalers and all sorts of nonsense on a HDTV when you can get one of these for next to nothing.

If you can get your consoles working on the component inputs you should do that.

[charles__99]

Nice one! It's not worth mucking about with scalers and all sorts of nonsense on a HDTV when you can get one of these for next to nothing.

If you can get your consoles working on the component inputs you should do that.


I will, I'm getting a pair of s-video cables for my N64 tomorrow at a local gaming shop, also, I'm waiting till I can find an XBR100/200 at a local goodwill or classified ad, but until then, this one makes my old TV look like it's from the early 1900's as for video and audio. And Ryudo that's a pretty awesome looking t.v. :) good find :) -> also, I dig the dreamcast :D

[Duke.Togo]

I own a KV-34XBR800 and it is my favorite TV for classic gaming. Fantastic set.

[dukenukem]

Damn there's a person about 2 hours fro me that is selling ther xbr800 for $15.Too bad they live so far and that the tv weighs so much.i just bought an older 13inch panasonic crt to compliment the 3 i currently have.i have been keeping an eye out for some of the sony trinitrons on craigslist as they are awesome tv's.

[charles__99]

Anyone with information on:
KV-36FS320

how are they compared to something like a sony XBR100/200/250?

Will they distort the picture/Colour like new T.V.s do, or will they maintain the quality that old CRT's do,

I have S-video hook ups for my snes and n64

Not worried about guns on old games (I have old CRTs if I ever have an itch to play those),

Thanks so much for all the replies thus far, I enjoy reading them and learning what people are enjoying :)

[Parodius Duh!]

Trinitrons are nice and all but personally I prefer my 36" HD ready RCA home theater T/T PIP.

Basically Sony Trinitrons and RCA Home Theater CRTs are the best bet for picture and sound.


I got super psyched cause I won one of those clear prison TVs off of ebay super cheap and it was local pick up, totally slipped my mind that these things are probably bare bones and have no hook ups whatsoever...oh well, It could have been awesome, now its my garage TV..... Clear TV's FTW!!!!!!!!

[charles__99]

Trinitrons are nice and all but personally I prefer my 36" HD ready RCA home theater T/T PIP.

Basically Sony Trinitrons and RCA Home Theater CRTs are the best bet for picture and sound.

I had an RCA HD before for gaming and I found that the N64 was very pixalated (when I say very I mean relative to the amount that n64 normally produces :) ) Just hoping if I pick up this FS sony that it won't distort the Video so I can get the picture I got when I used SD CRTs

Edit: Local pick ups FTW, no one else bids usually cause shipping is INSANE :)

[Parodius Duh!]

I had an RCA HD before for gaming and I found that the N64 was very pixalated (when I say very I mean relative to the amount that n64 normally produces :) ) Just hoping if I pick up this FS sony that it won't distort the Video so I can get the picture I got when I used SD CRTs

Edit: Local pick ups FTW, no one else bids usually cause shipping is INSANE :)


Hmmmm.....what model? 64 looks fresh and crisp on mine.

[charles__99]

Hmmmm.....what model? 64 looks fresh and crisp on mine.

I can't remember, probably a lower end model, back in the day money was tight around my house, which is probably why it didn't handle the picture as well as your HD does :),

here's to hoping the FS320 will give me the picture I want :popcorn: Also, I'm getting the TV for $60, any feedback on that would be awesome, as a side note, if you don't have feedback on this TV model, let me know what your using, which systems and how you love/hate it :)

[theclaw]

KV-36FS320 looks to have component. That should give especially stellar possibilities, after investing in the extra equipment to make older systems use it.

[charles__99]

KV-36FS320 looks to have component. That should give especially stellar possibilities, after investing in the extra equipment to make older systems use it.

Is the N64 able to use components? I have S-video and assumed the N64 and snes weren't able to Use the potential of components?

[theclaw]

No. Not on their own. It's a fairly expensive road for people who must seriously have the cleanest sharpest video from games.

[kedawa]

I'm not sure how things stack up on a 36" screen, but on smaller screens, I can't really tell the difference between s-video and component unless the component source is progressive scan.

[charles__99]

I'm not sure how things stack up on a 36" screen, but on smaller screens, I can't really tell the difference between s-video and component unless the component source is progressive scan.

So what size screen do you consider small :)? Also, anyone with any information on XBR models, does the Sony XBR 800 have a 4:3 option ? Where do I draw the line in the XBR line of sonys in which the N64 graphics will still look decent and not like a blur, as they do on HD LCDs?

[charles__99]

No. Not on their own. It's a fairly expensive road for people who must seriously have the cleanest sharpest video from games.

I don't have the money when it comes to "expensive", but am deffinitly interested, for the sake of learning, what these people are doing to get that sharp image. Care to elaborate? :popcorn:

[theclaw]

I don't have the money when it comes to "expensive", but am deffinitly interested, for the sake of learning, what these people are doing to get that sharp image. Care to elaborate? :popcorn:

The idea is making home TVs closer to arcade style. Regular CRT users don't usually need fancy upscalers or HD features (HDTV is where the very very costly XRGB shines), so turning RGB SCART (popular cable in Europe) into component direct is one approach.
4701

(this particular example doesn't pass through sound, but there's SCART adapters to get around it)

See a sharp image has potential for clearer object edges, textured patterns less washed out, reduce the effect of bright colors bleeding into nearby pixels...

SNES does OK through composite's limits. You may not see a big effect there.

Improvements are much more obvious with systems like Genesis and Neo Geo who offer worse composite than average.
Some unusual Genesis revisions even have composite below that, into an atrocious "rainbow band" effect. Must be seen to believe! @_@

46994700

[kedawa]

My Genesis 2 always had weird vertical lines around sprites. I thought it was defective until I saw that my friends' system did the exact same thing when connected through composite.

[Gamevet]

My Genesis 2 always had weird vertical lines around sprites. I thought it was defective until I saw that my friends' system did the exact same thing when connected through composite.

It's called rainbow banding. I notice it on my SD CRT, but I don't see it while using composite cables on my HD CRT.