Putting 2 CRTs next to each other?

[andykara2003]

I have a BVM and NEC XV29+ that I have limited space for and my wife doesn’t want them looking ugly around the house, understandably.

We have a recess in the dining room that’s just wide enough for the two CRTs to cram in next to each other with a cm or so in between. I’ll build a unit around then so it looks like normal storage cupboards.

I’m wondering what it is that causes image distortions and breaks CRTs when they’re out too close together for long periods? Is it the speakers in the units? Obviously the BVM has none - if I remove the inbuilt speakers in the XV29+ Would they be fine next to each other permanently?

[Josh128]

Its not the speakers, its electromagnetic radio waves from the high voltage cathode rays and circuitry. Ive experienced the same thing with even PC monitors side by side. Turn one off and the distortion / wobble goes away on the other.

[andykara2003]

Thanks Josh, appreciate it - I think you’re right:) But does that mean that as long as one’s off, the other won’t be affected? I think not, as I stored a couple of spares next to each other years ago & it ruined one - I guess that’s the speaker magnets? Or maybe something else..

[Einzelherz]

I've had mine side by side for years. Even with them all on simultaneously I haven't noticed much trouble. But if you're only using one having the other off makes it a non issue, in my experience.

[XtraSmiley]

There were walls of CRTs in the 80's as well as pro CRTs like BVM/PVM being stacked for use. They will not damage one another.

[Josh128]

There were walls of CRTs in the 80's as well as pro CRTs like BVM/PVM being stacked for use. They will not damage one another.

That is definitely true, I have experienced the problem before but Im not at all saying its a common occurence, just that its possible. Ive also had an issue when using a GBS-C on one CRT while powering a second CRT on right next to it. It would create a creeping line down the CRT fed by the GBS-C, the line would disappear when turning off the other CRT. This interference messed with the GBS-C itself and not the CRT the GBS was feeding.

Speaker magnets could also definitely cause purity issues in adjacent CRTs as well, depending on the size, location, shielding, etc. but this would not disappear when powering the set down.

[buttersoft]

First time i encountered the ripple this was with my two arcade cabs side by side. Took me ages to figure out they were affecting each other Only when on, of course, and doesn't do any damage.

[Ed Oscuro]

Rumor has it that the more Gradius cabinets you play side-by-side, the greater the effects of the ripple laser.

[andykara2003]

Speaker magnets could also definitely cause purity issues in adjacent CRTs as well, depending on the size, location, shielding, etc. but this would not disappear when powering the set down.

This is the crux of it I think. One of the CRTs was a Loewe, which have larger speakers as they focussed on sound. Caused permanent damage.

[XtraSmiley]

I have a BVM and NEC XV29+ that I have limited space for and my wife doesn’t want them looking ugly around the house, understandably.

We have a recess in the dining room that’s just wide enough for the two CRTs to cram in next to each other with a cm or so in between. I’ll build a unit around then so it looks like normal storage cupboards.

I’m wondering what it is that causes image distortions and breaks CRTs when they’re out too close together for long periods? Is it the speakers in the units? Obviously the BVM has none - if I remove the inbuilt speakers in the XV29+ Would they be fine next to each other permanently?

Can you slide a sheet of metal in-between them?

[andykara2003]

I looked onto this once. There are specific metallic shields that should in theory help, but the field wraps itself around metallic in strange and interesting ways. Having called various companies back in the day I came to the conclusion that it’s unworkable to protect a tube from magnetic fields produced so close. I think maybe the key is to keep larger unshielded speaker magnets at a distance. In conclusion I think it’s safe to say pro monitors are ok next to each other as they have no speakers (or very small ones in some), but CRTs with larger speakers may not be.