Sony BVM-20F1U vs PVM-2030

[Taiyaki]

Classicgamer > Basically the problem is as you said, most of us don't have cabs. Someone ought to make some outsides cases like tv cases for those arcade monitors, it would probably become the next trendy thing every retro gamer would go after. lol

I agree that the BVM delivers an incredible picture but at the loss of some of the crt attributes we were used to growing up.

EDIT; Actually I went up and read about Arcade monitors and saw some reviews and pics and made me want to explore this alternative. Is it possible to get scarts or bnc's hooked up on those? I found vga to jamma adapters but haven't found a way to hook up scarts.

Maybe with some work a 19 inch arcade monitor could be installed in a pvm chassis lol.

[freyesm]

Can't find an used BVM-20F1U in good condition at all.

Perhaps I should wait for 2015 as it might be the year of OLED.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's unlikely 2015 will be the year of the OLED, since Sony only produces them for professional uses, and the only major maker of commercial panels in TV sizes is Lucky Goldstar. OLED is getting increased pressure from the improvements in cheaper IPS / VA type panels.

[freyesm]

OLED:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... words=oled

[aaronmjr]

For anyone who doesn't know, most (all?) BVM's have an hours counter built in so you can check to see how much it's been used.

For what it is worth as a person who has owned quite a few PVM/BVM and other CRT monitors I'd say for my taste the 2530 gave me the best picture that I ever saw.

I now very bitterly regret selling that beauty.

The BVM A20F1U that I have in my possession produces "scanlines" that are way too pronounced. I consider it useless for 240p content. In fact I use my comparatively lowfi B&O MX4200 for 15khz content. The same overly pronounced scanlines holds true for the PVM 20L5 and likely other dual sync SONY monitors capable of both 15 and 32khz.

The 15khz only SONY monitors are the way to go, and do not get caught up in the deceiving web of metrics by going for the monitor with the highest or best this or that. As far 15khz gaming is concerned SONY hit the sweet spot in the 80's with pro monitors such as 2530. Everything after that is needless excess in my opinion.

Interesting, typically people chase after RGB on CRT's for sharpness and scanlines, including myself. I bet you would be plenty happy with a late model component capable consumer-grade CRT with an RGB to Component converter. I'm actually a bit jealous. There is a seemingly limitless amount of free CRT's on craigslist that would fit the bill for you, while I'm stuck pining after unicorns like an XM29, ha! I know you already saw it, but here's a post I just made this morning comparing a "needless and excessive" 20" PVM vs. a PVM-2530.

I picked up a couple PVM-2530's recently and don't get me wrong the picture is nice, but they are 560 line monitors and don't hold a candle to my PVM-20M4U (800 line) in sharpness and scanline definition. The color is better on the 2530's though. Here is a comparison between the two using a CMVS via RGB:



PVM-2530 (560 lines)


PVM-20M4U (800 lines)



PVM-2530 (560 lines)


PVM-20M4U (800 lines)


The close ups make the difference look pretty dramatic, but truth be told after you get a few feet away they both look great, just in different ways.

BNC is a connection method and VGA is a video signal.

Old post I know, but VGA is sort of an ambiguous term. It refers to 640x480 resolution, 15 pin d-sub connector AND the analog video signal. Calling all 3 of those things VGA is technically correct.

[kamiboy]

Interesting, typically people chase after RGB on CRT's for sharpness and scanlines, including myself. I bet you would be plenty happy with a late model component capable consumer-grade CRT with an RGB to Component converter. I'm actually a bit jealous. There is a seemingly limitless amount of free CRT's on craigslist that would fit the bill for you, while I'm stuck pining after unicorns like an XM29, ha! I know you already saw it, but here's a post I just made this morning comparing a "needless and excessive" 20" PVM vs. a PVM-2530.

I had an XM29 as well, but for 240p always preferred the 2530, and I thought the 2530 was plenty sharp, but then the one I had was mint.

Also here in Europe component capable CRT's are rare as hen's teeth. I actually have one here but it is a 100hz set that processes the signal digitally and anything 240p looks like dog shit on it because there is no scanlines and it processes the picture as if it is 480i to boot. A shame, I will have to toss it one of these days.

I prefer a professional set like the 2530 because of build quality. Currently I do most of my gaming on a B&O MX4200 due to factors like size and aesthetics.

[Ed Oscuro]

OLED:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... words=oled

Eh, there's a few Samsungs (knew I was forgetting them!), and only one looks affordable. But its input lag - after a firmware update! - is close to 40ms. That is close to just a frame of lag, of course, but it's disappointing to see OLED behind the top displays. The best OLED display tested at Display Lag is just a bit faster.