Time to give up CRT's for me?

[Issac Zachary]

But yeah the last thing you need is a crt

Needs and wants. Technically we don't even need to play videogames. But when I'm not the only one in the family who prefers the CRT, even if we'd probably be fine with most any flat panel screen and I get yelled at for even thinking of getting rid of it... then what?!

Darn it! I forgot that my PS3 wasn't PS2 compatible. So that kind of puts and end to using that as the PS2 to HDMI machine if we do end up going the flat panel TV route.

As far as the Switch goes, and any modern console for that matter, I have a very good reason for limiting access to the internet on devices in and out of the house. There is no Wi-Fi in our house. Does the Switch have an ethernet option? This is why I love our Gameboys as there is no problem in that regard.

[KPackratt2k]

As far as the Switch goes, and any modern console for that matter, I have a very good reason for limiting access to the internet on devices in and out of the house. There is no Wi-Fi in our house. Does the Switch have an ethernet option? This is why I love our Gameboys as there is no problem in that regard.

Only the OLED Model Switch has an Ethernet jack on its dock. For the regular model Switch (not OLED), you'd need a USB Ethernet adapter.

[Issac Zachary]

As far as the Switch goes, and any modern console for that matter, I have a very good reason for limiting access to the internet on devices in and out of the house. There is no Wi-Fi in our house. Does the Switch have an ethernet option? This is why I love our Gameboys as there is no problem in that regard.

Only the OLED Model Switch has an Ethernet jack on its dock. For the regular model Switch (not OLED), you'd need a USB Ethernet adapter.

Thanks!

[gray117]

But yeah the last thing you need is a crt

Needs and wants. Technically we don't even need to play videogames. But when I'm not the only one in the family who prefers the CRT, even if we'd probably be fine with most any flat panel screen and I get yelled at for even thinking of getting rid of it... then what?!

Haha sorry; didn't know this wasn't just your preference - not usually the case and honestly that actually puts a very different spin on things - I think most of us assumed this was more your concern/preference. But yeah the need is to make choices with how you use the space. And whilst we don't need any of this, but we absolutely do need to do as family would prefer...

And these days there certainly are legit options out there which I don't believe sacrifice playability and can go quite far aesthetically. But yeah, I mean if your kids really prefer say a wii and crt, over emulation and a switch, then honestly maybe it's worth the space sacrifice, especially if there's other stuff changing. Assuming you're not off to the top of a mountain or something you can always change things up later if needed.

Maybe I haven't got a handle on your personalities or wants, but I'd definitely solve the ethernet/wfi problem with a little wifi access point if possible for any/all mobile + tablet devices...But yeah if you would rather avoid wifi signals, and your family would prefer to keep the crt - then please by all means do all of that. It's just not what I'd assume is the 'normal' wants, but don't let that put you off if that is what you all prefer .

I would certainly suggest trying out some other solutions with everyone, before the change, just so everyone can contribute to the decision, and probably try and simply go with what the majority prefer - if that's really the crt then I presume there might be a way to work it... Especially if family is more into shared games than say shared streaming tv which could be offloaded to individual devices/expereiences ... maybe even mock up the space in advance? ...The last thing you want to do is make all the choices on behalf of everyone unless you really have to, instead have everyone contribute and hopefully make it a fun joint decision rather than any 'sacrifice'. But yeah, now, it's certainly more of a human question in my mind than a technical one

(And quite an intriguing consideration for someone like me who enjoys having a pretty large collection, has a big pc always for work, but has always said I pretty much give it up the collection if it was ever needed... and honestly, despite being lucky and having pretty much everything I want, crts included, just for social convenience I spend a large amount of time on a retropie with a decent old small lcd on the side while hanging out with the missus and watching tv during family down time...)

[fernan1234]

Darn it! I forgot that my PS3 wasn't PS2 compatible. So that kind of puts and end to using that as the PS2 to HDMI machine if we do end up going the flat panel TV route.

If you softmod your PS3, which is very easy to do on any model and firmware (I'd recommend installing the Rebug CFW), you can run PS2 game rips on it with the same compatibility.

[Issac Zachary]

these days there certainly are legit options out there which I don't believe sacrifice playability and can go quite far aesthetically.

Ya, we're pretty abnormal...

But thanks for the suggestions thus far! Like I said, we may have to give up the CRT(s) and go the way of modern flat panel technology. I guess what I'd like to know is what brands of flat panels work best. What's the difference between VA and IPS or is that even a thing? LED, QLED, OLED??? Would a computer monitor be better than a TV?

A lot of this kind of stuff has been answered here and in my googling.

I would certainly suggest trying out some other solutions with everyone, before the change, just so everyone can contribute to the decision,

Good advice! But that also may mean getting a Retrotink or OSSC first. I guess we could always sell it if we decided to stay with the CRT's. We tried plugging a Wii in at a niece's house a few months ago. I had brought a component cable, but the TV wouldn only display black and white as the luma input was also a composite input and there didn't seem like any way of convincing the TV that it was a component, not composite signal. So I had to go get the composite cable and it worked, although didn't look great and felt "laggy" probably from the TV's own deinterlacing going on.

If you softmod your PS3, which is very easy to do on any model and firmware (I'd recommend installing the Rebug CFW), you can run PS2 game rips on it with the same compatibility.

Ya, I've been wanting to do that, but haven't gotten around to it. I have a hard drive in the fat PS2 that I put all the disk games on so I don't have to run the disks, and even the Wii I have a USB drive I use with it. The PS3 has an internal hard drive, so that seems like it should work.

I got the PS3 for cheap and was wanting it for one game that was advertised on the PS3 store. But come to find out, it was no longer available, so we haven't actually played with the PS3. It did come with a couple games, one of which is a Gran Turismo game I'd like to play some day as I love the Gran Turismo series.

[Issac Zachary]

What about this display for TV/monitor with retro gaming in mind?

Dell S2722QC 27-inch 4K USB-C Monitor - UHD (3840 x 2160) Display, 60Hz Refresh Rate, 8MS Grey-to-Grey Response Time (Normal Mode), Built-in Dual 3W Speakers, 1.07 Billion Colors - Platinum Silver

[Guspaz]

Your link goes to a completely different monitor than the text you put there.

[Issac Zachary]

Your link goes to a completely different monitor than the text you put there.

Odd. I thought I had put the right monitor in.

Now I'm looking through some other monitors. This is kind of a pain.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Honestly, as long as you get a reputable brand (and there's lots on the market) you'll likely end up with a good monitor. The stuff that's available is really reliable nowadays. If you're particular about a specific set of inputs make sure it comes with those, but generally speaking you'll probably be happy with whatever you get unless you're very particular about a certain feature.

I've had a few new monitors and a TV in the past couple years as well as some hand me downs I've passed on to good homes, all from different manufacturers, and I've really had no major complaints about any of them. All the ones on the market seem to be offering latency/gaming options, a result of market push for that sort of thing.

[strayan]

If I was in the market for a 27 inch display to replace a CRT I wouldn’t go past the EVE spectrum. 60hz strobe and comes in matte or glossy screen varieties. Also does integer scaling

https://eve.community/t/eve-4k144-spect ... tion/29258?

[Issac Zachary]

If I was in the market for a 27 inch display to replace a CRT I wouldn’t go past the EVE spectrum. 60hz strobe and comes in matte or glossy screen varieties. Also does integer scaling

https://eve.community/t/eve-4k144-spect ... tion/29258?

That looks like an awesome monitor!

[tacoguy64]

For all the systems you mentioned, you don't really need anything higher than 1080p. And that's just gonna be for PS3/ movies and TV. You can plug that in straight with HDMI or component. As for using the PS3 for PS2/PS1 gaming, couldnt really tell you much. Probably ok, but I would check for it yourself to see how you feel. You could also just use the PS2 for PS2/PS1 gaming, which i never had any issue with, if you go that route, you will need something like an OSSC or retro tink 2x/5x to play on a flat screen. And if you go with that route, it opens up the option to mod your N64 for RGB so you can also use it with the retro tink/OSSC. The MISTER should be fine by itself. As for your N64, there are some stand alone HDMI solutions like the EON N64 or the N64 digital. I think that covers all your bases.

[Issac Zachary]

Thank you Tacoguy64!

I also got a Game Cube today with component cables since the Wii isn't GC compatible.

Anywho, lots to do.

Thanks for all the suggestions and support! I'll let everyone know what I end up doing.

[Ed Oscuro]

Just to stir the pot a bit more, 1080p doesn't really seem the best choice for modern or classic gaming except in a few edge cases. 4K is obviously what you want for media consumption. "1080p" consoles like the 360/PS3 are really rendering at 720p and so, all things considered, end up looking just as good on 1440p or 4K displays. Successor consoles with 1080p modes are covered well enough by backwards compatibility and in some cases will be rendered at 4K instead, but there may be some games here that work best at 1080p (or 4K, naturally). Overall, I'd give a nod towards 4K and 1440p displays. At least some modern scalers like the RetroTINK 5X Pro will scale up to 1440p, which leaves 1080p with no advantage over 1440p for retrogaming other than sheer compatibility if you want to down the rabbit hole of specialist devices for unusual systems.

The Eve Spectrum devices look nice but don't really grab me as great value for money for the specs listed. I'd just visit Rtings.com and check out their suggestions for the size you're looking for and find good deals that way. Eve's 144Hz 4K display (4K at 27" is very cramped for that resolution IMO) "starts at" $799, but for $999 you could get a 44" OLED LG C1 at 120Hz. Meanwhile, the "in development" 27" 1440p 144Hz display is roughly the same price as a LG 32GP850-B, which is a bit larger (32"), has been on sale for at least as low as $377-ish and is currently $499, and has a very handy 180Hz maximum refresh rate for that nice 3x60Hz multiplier. Only the QHD/1440p 280Hz model really looks enticing, but again, I'll wait to see what Rtings has to say about its color accuracy and so on.

For monitors right now I stick to the Rtings recommendations and they haven't steered me wrong with their current recommendations.

[Issac Zachary]

So I've been trying the MiSTer out on the 1920x1200 Samsung monitor I mentioned before with great results. I've found out how to tinker with a few more settings and have a CRT look I'm really liking. So far I haven't felt any lag. It feels and looksreally good for an LCD if you ask me, except the not-so-black levels, but to be honest they aren't that bad. It's nice being able to output at the monitor's native resolution, or at least that's what my gut feeling seems to tell me.

One major advantage is not only can the Mister run at this monitor's native resolution, it also does 50Hz! I was hoping to pick up a 50Hz CRT some day, but this monitor is becoming a one-in all device. We also have a desktop hooked up to it too.

I also tried out the PSX core today and really enjoyed it! Now I have 5 machines to play PlayStation games on... I probably should sell or give away a few.

[Ed Oscuro]

Have you checked out the Shmups buy/sell forum? Always people around looking for a good steal or deal.

[Issac Zachary]

Have you checked out the Shmups buy/sell forum? Always people around looking for a good steal or deal.

No I haven't. But that's a good idea. Thanks!

[Issac Zachary]

Ok, crazy idea here again with replacing the ol' CRT and now the T-260.

As I mentioned before I've been using the Mister on a Samsung Syncmaster T-260 (TN TFT from 2008). I love how it feels and love the CRT filters on it. But the question remains, do we keep this monitor or change to something else?

We've been using this monitor for everything. It's our computer monitor, we play video games on it, we watch TV and movies on it. It fits well in our small living space, much better than the ol' 27" Trinitron in storage (can't give it up entirely) and we also feel more confortable with it than with a 42" flat panel TV as we have to sit pretty close in our living quarters.

The main problem we have with it is contrast ratio and blacks. Dark scenes in movies are extremely hard to see, for an example. It also doesn't seem that bright in our living room. And there's a nagging feeling that I can see some ghosting or trailing of fast moving objects, but that might be just in my head.

I was thinking of replacing it with a 1440P monitor so I could have native resolutions of both the Mister and maybe a future RetroTink 5x. One that seems highly rated is the Nano IPS LG UltraGear 27GP850-B 1440P 16:9 monitor. But it doesn't have great contrast or blacks either, and I have no idea yet how it would react to certain Mister or RetroTink settings.

It's hard to compare without seeing the monitor in person, but here's what I'd be changing if I did:
Monitors: Current/LG UltraGear
Ratio: 16:10/16:9
Size: 25.5"/27"
Resolution: 1920x1200/2560 x 1440
SDR brightness cd/m^2: 300(advertised, maybe as low as 96 tested)/349(tested)
HDR capable: No/Yes (up to 472 cd/m^2)
Contrast ratio 623:1/807:1(both tested)

The LG UltraGear 27GP850-B also has BFI and a good viewing angle according to reviews, which would be great for our "movie audience" in such a small living room. It is said to have very good pixel response times and low input lag. It also swivels on its stand to portrait mode, apparently, a nice feature for some arcade games.

But is it worth $377 (was $500)? Would it work with the Mister and the RetroTink 5x? Would it make a nice SDR TV and computer monitor too? Opinions???

PS. I'm also tempted to bring out the 13" CRT monitor I have. I do have a wall mount for it (yes, I have a CRT wall mount that looks like it was for a gym). But I am afraid it would be too small width ways for all our TV and monitor needs and a bit too boxy still. But that's another thought I could try.

Or maybe the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD instead as it has a better contrast ratio?

[kitty666cats]

Bring out the CRT wall mount! Would be so “based” as the kiddos say… haha

[Ed Oscuro]

I've got a LG 32GP850-B. It's the best flat panel monitor I've had but it's really just the expected generational improvement over the previous generation. Quality control is much higher than the previous generation units, though, with great color covering a wide gamut accurately, a true 10 bit panel with almost no color banding, great performance in more tests, and no dead pixels out of the box, first try with no panel lotto. It still has some slight glow and flashlighting spots, so it won't outperform an OLED TV for watching dark movies.

I'm not sure this is the best time to get one, but the price seems to be discounted somewhere close to what I paid for mine. Less than $400 is a decent deal (the 27" should be cheaper still).

I've only played a bit with BFI using RetroArch. I haven't convinced myself that a carefully selected BFI pattern at 180Hz (2 frames content, 1 frame black, I think) actually makes a notable improvement, but partly this is due to the monitor having great image clarity at 180Hz. Bad BFI settings add hellacious flicker, though, and your console / emulator better have some rock-steady framerates to make good use of it. Along with resolution handling, one of the two enduring pros and cons of CRTs is simply its flicker - it's often annoying but it's also built-in with no need for precise timing agreement between the video signal and the monitor's own frame pacing to make it work flawlessly. Dropped frames or tearing on a BFI monitor can shoot that all to heck.

Gaming at the 180Hz native refresh rate is great. 60Hz is also less blurry than a previous generation panel - and worlds ahead of your 2008 SyncMaster. I had a 204b from 2006. I liked it, and could game on it, but it's completely obsolete. The modern LG isn't going to have that crisp flicker change from frame to frame like a CRT if you're running at 60Hz with no BFI. But I think most of that is going to be down to the physiology of the eye, and relatively little to do with pixel response time - even at 60Hz these monitors perform excellently, and their best performance is at 180Hz. If you can do BFI, that should improve things, but I'm not sure it's reliable yet. And, often, the benefits of no flickering outweigh the benefits to me.

[Issac Zachary]

I've got a LG 32GP850-B. It's the best flat panel monitor I've had but it's really just the expected generational improvement over the previous generation. Quality control is much higher than the previous generation units, though, with great color covering a wide gamut accurately, a true 10 bit panel with almost no color banding, great performance in more tests, and no dead pixels out of the box, first try with no panel lotto. It still has some slight glow and flashlighting spots, so it won't outperform an OLED TV for watching dark movies.

I'm not sure this is the best time to get one, but the price seems to be discounted somewhere close to what I paid for mine. Less than $400 is a decent deal (the 27" should be cheaper still).

I've only played a bit with BFI using RetroArch. I haven't convinced myself that a carefully selected BFI pattern at 180Hz (2 frames content, 1 frame black, I think) actually makes a notable improvement, but partly this is due to the monitor having great image clarity at 180Hz. Bad BFI settings add hellacious flicker, though, and your console / emulator better have some rock-steady framerates to make good use of it. Along with resolution handling, one of the two enduring pros and cons of CRTs is simply its flicker - it's often annoying but it's also built-in with no need for precise timing agreement between the video signal and the monitor's own frame pacing to make it work flawlessly. Dropped frames or tearing on a BFI monitor can shoot that all to heck.

Gaming at the 180Hz native refresh rate is great. 60Hz is also less blurry than a previous generation panel - and worlds ahead of your 2008 SyncMaster. I had a 204b from 2006. I liked it, and could game on it, but it's completely obsolete. The modern LG isn't going to have that crisp flicker change from frame to frame like a CRT if you're running at 60Hz with no BFI. But I think most of that is going to be down to the physiology of the eye, and relatively little to do with pixel response time - even at 60Hz these monitors perform excellently, and their best performance is at 180Hz. If you can do BFI, that should improve things, but I'm not sure it's reliable yet. And, often, the benefits of no flickering outweigh the benefits to me.

Thanks! That's encouraging! I might try one and see. I wonder if there's any place I can return it if it doesn't fit my fancy. But to be honest, I really should get the CRT out of the living room/dining room/kitchen room area. We don't have a table to eat at as it is. (Maybe I could put a sheet of plywood on top of the ol' Trinitron and make it a CRT table??)

I will say this though, that I don't know what I'd need more than 60Hz for right now. I'm looking to play mainly at around 50Hz to 60Hz. We'll see though.