Fudoh's ode to old display technology

[Steamflogger Boss]

Oh man, I'm very jelly. What is the make/model? Looks absolutely sublime.

[FinalBaton]

The brand is Dotronix. model DSV27.

It's a "TV wall" monitor so the bezel is super slim. It's actually smaller than my 25 inch consumer Sony, despite having 2 more viewable inches!

Really barren inside, all controls are on a pcb that is screwed on the bottom-rear of case, so it must be really easy to take out of there and put in a cab. Actually, the bezel is so slim that one might be able to fit it in a cab WITH the bezel on...

Funny thing about that company is, they still make these monitors... and are based in the US

[Gunstar]

That looks great and the small bezel is fantastic!

[Unseen]

Is it just the picture or is the convergence quite bad in the top left corner? There is a big red shadow around "SCORE" in one of the pictures.

[FinalBaton]

Yes some convergence in top left. So what?

[Xyga]

You are compelled to fix it or burn at the stake !

Super sexy looking shadow mask for a tube this size btw, and the slim bezel is great. I'm jelly too.

[FinalBaton]

Thanks Xyga I really wanted a good looking shadowmask monitor of that size, so I'm pretty stoked!

[GojiFan90]

How does one go about purchasing from Dotronix? They don't sell directly from their website, and there are no prices...

[FinalBaton]

How does one go about purchasing from Dotronix? They don't sell directly from their website, and there are no prices...

Just email them, they have a "contact" tab on their website. I did it and they answered me with the prices

Know going in that they don't make any deals nor liquidation prices, though. They price them just as if they were selling to businesses in the '90s (they still sell to museums actually). You know how the larger Sony PVM monitors sold for several thousands dollars back then? Well…

Price right now is at $2595 for an RGB-only one in the DSV series like mine (model number DSV27). And they sell a flat tube one with component, s-video and composite called the DNR series. The 27 inch DNR27 is $2494. Both come with a 1 year factory warranty

I don't expect any retro gamer to buy some, was just sharing that for curiosity's sake, haha

[the Goat]

Price right now is at $2595 for an RGB one in the DSV series like mine (model number DSV27). And they sell a flat tube one with component, s-video and composite called the DNR series. The 27 inch DNR27 is $2494. Both come with a 1 year factory warranty

Those prices are about one tenth what I expected.

[fernan1234]

Price right now is at $2595 for an RGB-only one in the DSV series like mine (model number DSV27). And they sell a flat tube one with component, s-video and composite called the DNR series. The 27 inch DNR27 is $2494. Both come with a 1 year factory warranty

I'd be really interested to know why there's no flat tube for RGB (unless "component" in the flat one is for both RGB and YUV?).

[maxtherabbit]

How does one go about purchasing from Dotronix? They don't sell directly from their website, and there are no prices...

Just email them, they have a "contact" tab on their website. I did it and they answered me with the prices

Know going in that they don't make any deals nor liquidation prices, though. They price them just as if they were selling to businesses in the '90s (they still sell to museums actually). You know how the larger Sony PVM monitors sold for several thousands dollars back then? Well…

Price right now is at $2595 for an RGB-only one in the DSV series like mine (model number DSV27). And they sell a flat tube one with component, s-video and composite called the DNR series. The 27 inch DNR27 is $2494. Both come with a 1 year factory warranty

I don't expect any retro gamer to buy some, was just sharing that for curiosity's sake, haha

Did yours come new from them? I would expect better corner convergence for 25 bills

[FinalBaton]

Did yours come new from them? I would expect better corner convergence for 25 bills

No mine is used. and not bought from them.

[FinalBaton]

Price right now is at $2595 for an RGB-only one in the DSV series like mine (model number DSV27). And they sell a flat tube one with component, s-video and composite called the DNR series. The 27 inch DNR27 is $2494. Both come with a 1 year factory warranty

I'd be really interested to know why there's no flat tube for RGB (unless "component" in the flat one is for both RGB and YUV?).

That's a good question. Maybe the newer design (flat tube) ended up being targeted more towards people who don't know too much about electronics(those museum employees for example) and thus they decided to go with a connection more known by the general public, in this case component

Just throwing an hypotesis out there. They should have still included RGB on top of component though


EDIT : forgot to say earlier, they sell 20" and 25" variants too

[Hoagtech]

The brand is Dotronix. model DSV27.

It's a "TV wall" monitor so the bezel is super slim. It's actually smaller than my 25 inch consumer Sony, despite having 2 more viewable inches!

Really barren inside, all controls are on a pcb that is screwed on the bottom-rear of case, so it must be really easy to take out of there and put in a cab. Actually, the bezel is so slim that one might be able to fit it in a cab WITH the bezel on...

Funny thing about that company is, they still make these monitors... and are based in the US

Did you get that off of ebay from Long beach CA selling Savon Pat diagnostics?

I called dotronix and they offered me an exhorbant price for a new model. I am super jealous as well.

[tacoguy64]

Thats a sexy monitor you picked up. Wouldn't mind picking up a dotronix dsv27.

[Cannonballs]

The 29” and 32” PVMs would have near the same sharpness correct?

No they wont. The BVM-D32e1wu has a significantly higher TV Line rating (1000 TV Lines) than the PVM-2950qm (600 TV Lines).

I’m looking at a 2950q for mostly 240 16/32bit RGB, read a lot of favorable things on here about them.

[xga]

The brand is Dotronix. model DSV27.

It's a "TV wall" monitor so the bezel is super slim. It's actually smaller than my 25 inch consumer Sony, despite having 2 more viewable inches!

Really barren inside, all controls are on a pcb that is screwed on the bottom-rear of case, so it must be really easy to take out of there and put in a cab. Actually, the bezel is so slim that one might be able to fit it in a cab WITH the bezel on...

Funny thing about that company is, they still make these monitors... and are based in the US

Any chance you can check the tube model number and manufacturer please, FinalBaton? I'd be keen to know what sort of tube its got.

[Classicgamer]

I saw some of those monitors on eBay a while ago. I wondered how they would be as a gaming monitor as they look quite stylish for a crt.

I am surprised the manufacturer still sells them and even more surprised that they still make them and even more surprised still that they sexpect to sell for the full retail price.

I wonder if any museums are still buying them for that price. Every museum and gallery I have been to in the last decade used flatscreens or projectors if a screen was needed.

Would you mind posting a pic with a different game? maybe SF2 or Double Dragon.

[FinalBaton]

@xga @Classicgamer the monitor is stored away at the moment since I'm moving soon but I'll see what I can do

[Crayfish]

JVC TM-290ZE Rare Find!!

Hi guys. I've owned a few JVC HTM's before and a 19" DTV but was after a larger pro monitor. I searched for a NEC XM or a Megaview for years in the UK with no luck. Just recently I happened across a TM-290ZE that I had never even heard of before. Its the 29" big brother of the HTM line. The inputs and manual controls are located on the side, which I prefer with these super deep pro monitors, access is so much easier that rear mounted.

The picture is comprable to the smaller HTM models, fantastic colors but not as sharp as my BVM ofc. The service menu is the same, I would have liked to have seen a few extra geometry options since the screen is just slightly rotated anti-clockwise, but it only affects about 1 pixel line in 240p.
The Photos don't really do it justice as my current phone cannot take decent photos of CRT screens.. The last picture is along side my PVM 2130 (in Tate) for scale.

RGB Rob's video on this model that showed that it also came with a remote (mine didn't).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MImAMC2Yzls
I though I might possibly find a consumer JVC remote that might work with it, but feared I wouldn't be able to access the adjustment sub-menu because of the hold Enter>Menu combination you have to do, but paused Rob's video to see the serial number of the remote , and in another stroke of luck I was able to find one for sale in Hong Kong which is being shipped to me now! Looking at photos of it, it has a 'memory mode' button which makes me wonder if this may have multiple savable geometry settings, but the manual says you unfortunately cannot save multiple settings per input..
*Btw, I do not have to have the remote as the buttons on the monitor itself do everything, but it will be super nice not to have to get up and reach around the side when i switch systems, even if I still have to manually re-adjust from the menu.

All in all I am super happy with this model and to finally have a large pro 15kHZ monitor after so many years of searching. Manual can be found here:
https://elektrotanya.com/jvc_tm-290ze.pdf/download.html





ISSUE:
Recently I started getting some kind of interference when using it. I assumed it must be a lose connection as it came and went. I tried isolating each thing in the chain, PC, Extron 203, then matrix etc, but turns out it is doing it without any input at all and only seemingly on the RGB input.
When the input is in (see 2nd pic) I get horizontal streaks, discoloration and a bar down the centre of the screen.
With no input (see 1st pic) I just get green horizontal streaks.



I seem to be able to just lightly slap / tap the back of the monitor (Fonze style) to get it to return to a perfect picture, which is handy, but also worrying. What could be causing this and why would just slapping the back correct it?! I have hunted for years for a large pro 15kHZ monitor, so I am super worried about this issue now that I have one..

Any thoughts on this problem appreciated.

[Sefirosu789]

JVC TM-290ZE Rare Find!!

I seem to be able to just lightly slap / tap the back of the monitor (Fonze style) to get it to return to a perfect picture, which is handy, but also worrying. What could be causing this and why would just slapping the back correct it?! I have hunted for years for a large pro 15kHZ monitor, so I am super worried about this issue now that I have one..

Any thoughts on this problem appreciated.

Its probably just a bad solder joint probably on the input board or main board here is the service manual: (wait a few seconds to download)

https://elektrotanya.com/jvc_tm-290ze.pdf/download.html

[Shining]

Picked up this beast of a consumer CRT a couple of weeks ago, Grundig ST 82-774. Cost me €20. It's a non 100hz 32" 4:3 from 1995-1996 and with a Toshiba tube inside. I'm already deeply in love with it as it beats the image quality/geometry on all my other Trinitrons. It has two RGB scart sockets and the service menu is super easy to get into. Great sound too. If anyone has any input on Grundig tellies from this era it would be fun to read about it

Spoiler

Spoiler

Some info on the TV:

Spoiler

Spoiler

[Fudoh]

Grundig, Blaupunkt, Metz, Loewe. All really great CRTs from the early to mid 90s.

[Classicgamer]

if you are in the UK, you should check if Hantarex have any Hantarex Cubes left (they did last time I looked). The Cube is one of the best large CRT monitors ever made and it looks very sleek IMO.

Or, if you don't mind making your own case, ask if they have any Polos left. The Hantarex Polo (UK version) is my personal fav retro gaming / arcade monitor ever. They were amazing and a new one would be a real find.

That is if your issue turns out to be more than a dry solder joint.... I'd start by opening it up to see what is happening inside when you slap it. Ideally there would be an immediately obvious loose wire that is easily fixed...

[Einzelherz]

I mean, it's called Megatron so I think it automatically beats every other TV.

[H6rdc0re]

I've always been wondering. On most Sony PVM's there's BNC in and out connectors. We can connect to either in or out and get a good picture. What's the danger in using both the in and out connectors simultaneous and effectively giving us two RGB/Component connectors at the same time. I'm asking because the BKM-129X is almost impossible to attain and I don't want to damage my gear.

[the Goat]

I've always been wondering. On most Sony PVM's there's BNC in and out connectors. We can connect to either in or out and get a good picture. What's the danger in using both the in and out connectors simultaneous and effectively giving us two RGB/Component connectors at the same time. I'm asking because the BKM-129X is almost impossible to attain and I don't want to damage my gear.

You should not use the 'out' connectors as an input. You need to put 75 Ohm terminators on the 'out' BNC jacks. Without the terminators the signal will be distorted (probably too bright).

[H6rdc0re]

I've always been wondering. On most Sony PVM's there's BNC in and out connectors. We can connect to either in or out and get a good picture. What's the danger in using both the in and out connectors simultaneous and effectively giving us two RGB/Component connectors at the same time. I'm asking because the BKM-129X is almost impossible to attain and I don't want to damage my gear.

You should not use the 'out' connectors as an input. You need to put 75 Ohm terminators on the 'out' BNC jacks. Without the terminators the signal will be distorted (probably too bright).

That's on the BVM's. Almost all PVM's have 75 Ohm auto termination. I do have terminators on every out just in case.

[Einzelherz]

Iirc because you need to have a 75 ohm termination. Just get a switch.