PVM-20L5 vs. BVM-20E1U?

[jdubs]

Hey Guys

What's the better monitor between these two?

-Jim

[Ed Oscuro]

Depends on what you want to use it for. The BVM E model has a higher resolution spec, but the PVM 20L5 is very sharp and also does 480p, 1080i, and 720p in addition to 480i/240p. Note that neither tube will likely give you a very "arcade-like" image due to the high resolutions (the PVM might be a bit better in this regard).

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

most people here like the PVM 20L5 over the BVM due to the multiformat and picture look.. it is cheaper and you should be able to find it easily… the only note, for me and my eyes.. NES looks better on the BVM than the PVM due to the LCD like sharp picture quality but that is just me and no one esle share this view:)

[Einzelherz]

I've been longing for a PVM-20L5 because of its aforementioned multiformatness and increase in size over my 14L5. I'm a lazy person and having its auto color function, ability to run different resolutions, and lack of necessary external controller all make it a generally easier machine to own. Plus you don't have to pay the BVM tax.

[wyatt8740]

I got a free(!) PVM 20L5 a cpuple weeks ago, it is extremely nice (PBS station was upgrading stuff).

I had been looking for a 20 inch BVM model, but was pleasantly suprised with the 20L5... It's quite nice. And BTW, last I checked, the resolution for the 20E1U was 900 lines, and the 20L5 is also 900 lines.

Only possible downside is the lower number of cards... the 20L5 only has one card slot. But as you don't need a card for S-video, composite, RGB, or ypbpr, I think it'll be fine.

I can't think of anything that uses SDI, at least.

Note: in the following album, any percieved crappiness is the fault of the camera.
http://imgur.com/a/GYZQu
If you don't want to see how I added easier RGB outputs to my SNES, skip the first few pics.

There are three pics of the dragon on top of Magus' castle because I couldn't quite get the camera to get the yellow of the moon right. I still couldn't but I posted three attempts that were alright.

[Skips]

I got a free(!) PVM 20L5 a cpuple weeks ago, it is extremely nice (PBS station was upgrading stuff).

I had been looking for a 20 inch BVM model, but was pleasantly suprised with the 20L5... It's quite nice. And BTW, last I checked, the resolution for the 20E1U was 900 lines, and the 20L5 is also 900 lines.

Only possible downside is the lower number of cards... the 20L5 only has one card slot. But as you don't need a card for S-video, composite, RGB, or ypbpr, I think it'll be fine.

I can't think of anything that uses SDI, at least.

Note: in the following album, any percieved crappiness is the fault of the camera.
http://imgur.com/a/GYZQu
If you don't want to see how I added easier RGB outputs to my SNES, skip the first few pics.

There are three pics of the dragon on top of Magus' castle because I couldn't quite get the camera to get the yellow of the moon right. I still couldn't but I posted three attempts that were alright.

The 20L5 is 800 TVL and the 20E1U is 1000TVL

The 20L5 also has two input card slots, not one.

Pros of the 20L5: Sharp picture with decent colors. Great 240p/480i support as well as HD support up to 1080i. This is an excellent choice if you require HD and SD gaming.

Pros of the 20E1U: Sharper CRT than the 20L5 and more accurate colors. Extremely vibrant CRT with thicker scan lines than the 20L5. If you are only using 240p/480i you don't have very many options better than this.

Ultimately it will most likely come down to what you can afford or find in good condition. Both are excellent monitors. You can't go wrong with either choice.

[Ed Oscuro]

HD support up to 1080i.

Up to 720p. 1080i sounds like the bigger number, but it's not.

[Stingray]

I had the same dilemma recently and decided on the 20L5 since I wanted to play PS2, GameCube and Wii games in 480p with component cables which the BVM can't taken advantage of (as stated above), and it still looks wayyy better than any other CRT I've ever played on.

In a perfect world you would have both: the BVM for your classic 8-64 bit consoles, since it looks better (from what I've heard) and has more lines of resolution, and the PVM for your HD (480p) content. I believe it even goes up to 720p as stated by another user.

As far as choosing one, it depends what your needs are. If money is no object and you're only playing SNES and Genesis games, get the BVM. If you want to play PS2/GC era games too go with PVM. You won't be disappointed by either.

[Skips]

HD support up to 1080i.

Up to 720p. 1080i sounds like the bigger number, but it's not.

720p is a lower resolution than 1080i, its just interlaced and not progressive. It is still 1920x1080 albeit with a slight flicker and interlacing artifacts. The 20L5 will display it straight up as 1080i and not try to convert it to 720p like a lot of modern LCD panels do. Using 1080i vs 720p on the 20L5 on consoles such as the Wii U will result in a much sharper picture (but with minor flicker). Like I said, up to 1080i.

*edit* Forgot to mention 1080i also yeilds a slightly darker picture than 720p, even on the 20L5. When I had one and the Wii U I always used 1080i over 720p because it was a good deal crisper looking than 720p.

[Ed Oscuro]

Yes, 1080i is a higher resolution, but barely. What I'm getting at is that 720p support basically guarantees 1080i support, but the reverse isn't true (there are some consumer sets with 1080i but no 720p support, though maybe early / rare). 720p has a higher horizontal scanning frequency than 1080i and is pushing more lines than the 540 per refresh of 1080i. For this reason, Sony always lists 720p after 1080i in their reference materials for the PVM-20L5. This apparently only matters for sets with analog (i.e. component) connections, though, since HDMI apparently guarantees 720p.

1080i is garbage for games anyway. 720p is much more important for games even today.

Edit: Come to think of it, the PVM is really likely only terribly useful for 480p, since it's a 4:3 aspect monitor. If playing 16:9 games is important, a D24 might be a better choice, maybe, tho its 4:3 area seemingly is slightly smaller than a real 4:3 monitor. For 720p/1080i, I'd just go with a modern flat panel, myself.

[BazookaBen]

All this talk of what resolution is better is totally missing the point. What matters is the rendering resolution of the game.

Like Mario Kart 8 or Super Mario 3D World. Both of those games are natively rendered at 720p. If you pick 1080i or 1080p in the Wii U menu, the game will just upscale from 720p, giving you some nasty scaling artifacts. But if you're on a PS4 playing Far Cry 4, you want to go with 1080i, since the game is natively 1920x1080 at 30fps.

This of course only applies to multisync CRT monitors. If you have a flat panel display or HD CRT that isn't multisync (like all of Sony's consumer HD sets), then you're better off letting the console do the scaling.

[Stingray]

All this talk of what resolution is better is totally missing the point. What matters is the rendering resolution of the game.

Like Mario Kart 8 or Super Mario 3D World. Both of those games are natively rendered at 720p. If you pick 1080i or 1080p in the Wii U menu, the game will just upscale from 720p, giving you some nasty scaling artifacts. But if you're on a PS4 playing Far Cry 4, you want to go with 1080i, since the game is natively 1920x1080 at 30fps.

This of course only applies to multisync CRT monitors. If you have a flat panel display or HD CRT that isn't multisync (like all of Sony's consumer HD sets), then you're better off letting the console do the scaling.

This seems like a given. I certainly wouldn't recommend either monitor for anything past 6th generation consoles (excluding the Wii which maxes at 480p) since newer consoles like the Wii U are widescreen by default, output 1080p, and are HDMI-first (a resolution and connection type neither of these monitors support).

Component cables do exist for newer consoles, and I know the PVM in question has a 16:9 feature, but you'd just be wasting real estate on a 4:3 screen and 720p/1080i would be your max.

[Ed Oscuro]

All this talk of what resolution is better is totally missing the point.

Whatchu talkin' bout, Bennis? Thread was about the PVM-20L5, not HD consoles - and yeah, I totally pointed out that 16:9 material is not a good fit for a display like this (well, unless you love to play in a tiny masked-off portion of a 20" screen). That's why I mentioned normal flat panels and the D24 as alternatives.

[BazookaBen]

Well, people were debating 720p vs 1080i for games, so I'm just chiming in that it totally depends on the game (when dealing with multisync CRT).

As far as 16:9 material goes, letterboxing isn't too big a deal if you sit close enough to the monitor. I played Rayman Legends at 2880x1620 on my 21" Lacie CRT, and it looked gorgeous, but my face was about 1.5 feet away from the monitor.

[Ed Oscuro]

What's your high-resolution flatscreen CRT got to do with the 20L5? Letterboxing and a 1.5 foot viewing distance on a curved monitor with a 800TVL spec aren't going to give anywhere near as nice an experience. I used a Sony 21" CRT once too - not quite that small a viewing distance, but close - we're talking a screen in a totally different league from the PVM or even the BVMs.

Talking up 1080i in this thread is reaaaaly misleading (not to mention non-topical). Some people might get (very) lucky and find a capable CRT for free, but most people will have to pay real money for them, at this late date, and - in other words (once again, said before), get a real 1080p display for 1080p content.

[wyatt8740]

The 20L5 is 800 TVL and the 20E1U is 1000TVL

Oops, I'm wrong there.

The 20L5 also has two input card slots, not one.

Hmm, http://www.broadcaststore.com/pdf/model ... vm20l5.pdf says '1 slot' and also, opening my 20L5 up, I see that it is a single double-width slot.

Pros of the 20L5: Sharp picture with decent colors. Great 240p/480i support as well as HD support up to 1080i. This is an excellent choice if you require HD and SD gaming.

Pros of the 20E1U: Sharper CRT than the 20L5 and more accurate colors. Extremely vibrant CRT with thicker scan lines than the 20L5. If you are only using 240p/480i you don't have very many options better than this.

Why would the colors be more accurate? Both use the same SMPTE-C phosphors. Sharpness, I can agree on.

Ultimately it will most likely come down to what you can afford or find in good condition. Both are excellent monitors. You can't go wrong with either choice.

Having not owned a BVM but knowing the 20E1U by reputation, I'd agree.

[niall]

Pros of the 20E1U: Sharper CRT than the 20L5 and more accurate colors. Extremely vibrant CRT with thicker scan lines than the 20L5. If you are only using 240p/480i you don't have very many options better than this.

Why would the colors be more accurate? Both use the same SMPTE-C phosphors.

BVMs have color accuracy circuitry in addition to the phospors.