Help choosing TV

[SGGG2]

I'd try and pick up a used CRT HDTV. I had a 32" 1080i Samsung and the picture quality with component was out of this world. The downside's that it can weigh over 200 pounds. I'd recommend VGA for dreamcast and a SCART cable with a SCART to component adapter for Saturn, S-Video just can't compare to RGB.

EDIT: The TV model's TXM3297HF

[KBZ]

sounds like most of your games will be 4:3, so might as well get whatever is best in 4:3

I personally really like trinitron sets, and the later models still go for really cheap these days on craigslist. Getting everything hooked up to component would be a bit of a hassle but I think s-video on a good trinitron still looks amazing..

[Zeron]

sounds like most of your games will be 4:3, so might as well get whatever is best in 4:3

I personally really like trinitron sets, and the later models still go for really cheap these days on craigslist. Getting everything hooked up to component would be a bit of a hassle but I think s-video on a good trinitron still looks amazing..

NTSC should have adapted SCART for RGB but nope they insisted with the piece of crap composite video. If you have never seen true RGB on your TV I believe you can live without it but once you hook up a system through RGB, you can't go back.

[StarCreator]

Yeah, based on what you're hooking up, I don't see a need for an HDTV at all - indeed, even direct CRT HDTVs are susceptible to input lag because of the scaler.

Your best bet is finding a standard CRT at a size and weight you're comfortable with. The screen being flat would be a bonus, as would finding one that has both S-Video and Component inputs.

Or, if you plan to get into PCB collecting down the line, a Sony PVM-2950 or an NEC XM-2960 or similar monitor might fit the bill if you can find one locally. They support the 15KHz RGB signal from most PCBs natively and are still excellent NTSC displays at the same time.

[antron]

Also, I have a US Saturn. Would the SCART to Component adapter work on my Saturn. If yes, where can I find one?

Thanks.

yes, ebay, $50. little black box.

[njiska]

Yeah, based on what you're hooking up, I don't see a need for an HDTV at all - indeed, even direct CRT HDTVs are susceptible to input lag because of the scaler.

Yes although i'm not able to detect any on my XBR800

Long and short if you're looking for a great TV for older consoles go for a Sony Trinitron. You'll get one used for cheap and the picture quality is brilliant.

If you look at an HD Direct-view CRT you're pretty much locked into the 30-34" range. Should be able to find 16:9 and 4:3 EDTVs in the 20-30" range.

[kamiboy]

Before you go spending a lot of money let me give my perspective. When using a CRT the difference between S-video and RGB are negligible. You might be able to detect a small difference if you have them sitting right next to one another but unlike composite versus S-video, RGB versus the former is the area of diminishing returns.

Try your S-video cables first to see if you are content with what you get.

[SGGG2]

Check out several different TV's and see what you like. Bring a system with a component hookup and a few games you are intimately familiar with. SD TV's like Sony Trinitron look very good, but don't compare to a HD CRT via component, at least the one I had. I have no experience with production (?) monitors like the Sony PVM, but I've heard the color is amazing. One of my friends raves about his.

You could also get a component to VGA transcoder/scaler like the HD Box Pro or the GBS-8220 board and run it into a CRT computer monitor. Since these only have one component input, I'd invest in a switch box. The GBS will also accept VGA for your dreamcast.

[doctorx0079]

I have an NES, SNES, Dreamcast and PS2 in my retro games corner and I want a good compromise solution. I don't want to bother hacking my NES or SNES, at least not right now. Would I be best off with a Sony Trinitron?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The general rule of thumb is: low-res CRT TV monitors for the old school gaming consoles and a HDTV setup for the newer consoles like the PS3 and the 360 via HDMI interface.

Sure, your eyes will be dazzled by going with an analog RGB monitor -- super razor sharp. Just gotta get the right cables either for Scart input or make your own custom RGB cables though.

The Sony Trinitrons (the ones with a flat screen setup) are great with component video -- try to get one with a mixture of composite video, S-Video & Component Video to widen your accessability with your gaming console gear.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[GateofThunderforceIII]

Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread, but I am also looking for:

1) Great TV for modern HD gaming (PS3 and 360). Is the gap between LCD and Plasma as far as picture quality and blurring shortening? I have a 42" Sharp Aquos with 120hz but haven't played it for a year now (don't remember the picture quality or degree of blurring), but have been gaming with my folk's Plasma TVs and the Plasmas sure look great. Any suggestions please (especially Plasma vs LCD)? I will be using HDMI cables.

2) I noticed today that Amazon/Amazon partners have used HD Ready CRT Sony Wide Screen Wegas in stock. I also want to have a separate game station for retro gaming (Mega Drive up to XBOX 1/Wii) and only want a CRT for this. Can anyone recommend this TV? I currently have an HD Ready 4:3 480P-1080i Samsung 32" that I love, but this Wega is pretty tempting starting at $250.

Thanks all!

[njiska]

Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread, but I am also looking for:

1) Great TV for modern HD gaming (PS3 and 360). Is the gap between LCD and Plasma as far as picture quality and blurring shortening? I have a 42" Sharp Aquos with 120hz but haven't played it for a year now (don't remember the picture quality or degree of blurring), but have been gaming with my folk's Plasma TVs and the Plasmas sure look great. Any suggestions please (especially Plasma vs LCD)? I will be using HDMI cables.

Plasma. Black will actually be black, not a pansy shade of gray. We've got a 57" Panasonic down stairs and it works like a charm. Plus since it can do varying refresh rates you don't need some stupid high multiple to get accurate representation of all frame rates. Plus they seem to be pretty cheap.

2) I noticed today that Amazon/Amazon partners have used HD Ready CRT Sony Wide Screen Wegas in stock. I also want to have a separate game station for retro gaming (Mega Drive up to XBOX 1/Wii) and only want a CRT for this. Can anyone recommend this TV? I currently have an HD Ready 4:3 480P-1080i Samsung 32" that I love, but this Wega is pretty tempting starting at $250.

AVOID HD READY AT ALL COSTS. My current gaming TV is a WEGA 34XBR800. Native Res 1080i. It does not have the proper components to draw a lower res image, instead it makes use of a digital scaler. While there is no noticeable lag, the image quality especially for 1/4 NTSC or lower resolutions, is practically unwatchable. Occasionally i get screen tears when playing the NES.

Sony Wega's around the age of mine also force you to use some bullshit technology called Digital Reality Correction that makes a royal mess of whatever it displays. When I had my Wii running over composite there was noticable ghosting. Now that it's running in progressive scan it looks much better. But a regular non-HD Trinitron looks a million times better.

Do you know what the exact model is?

As an aside does anyone know why companies decided to go with digital scalers instead of just making the displays Multisync?

[brentsg]

AVOID HD READY AT ALL COSTS.

Your TV may suck with some content, but I don't think it has anything to do with "HD READY". That was just a buzz term to indicate it had no tuner for HD TV channels. Believe it or not, there was a time when tuner cards were $1000+ add-ons.

[kamiboy]

Perhaps it would help if people could refer to actual model numbers. Those Trinitrons come in all shapes, builds and sizes. I know that one specific, and common place model of Trinitron is to be avoided at all cost as it seems to have a very high fatality rate.

A few weeks back I myself got the crazy idea that, hey, maybe I should buy one of those local SONY CRT's everyone is trying to offload in the locales. Then I tried to do some research and I realized I was way over my head with all the existing models that look sort of like one another.

Also, no one ever posts their model number in those ads, it is always reads, SONY Trinitron, or SONY WEGA. Not very useful.

In short can anyone recommend any specific models of non HD SONY CRT TV's? That monitor that was mentioned is fine and all, if you can find it. Alas I imagine the chance of finding that rare beast in one's vicinity is astronomical compared to finding a Trinitron TV for sale.

[njiska]

AVOID HD READY AT ALL COSTS.

Your TV may suck with some content, but I don't think it has anything to do with "HD READY". That was just a buzz term to indicate it had no tuner for HD TV channels. Believe it or not, there was a time when tuner cards were $1000+ add-ons.

Ok let me clairfy my statement. Avoid CRT TV's that are 1080i or 720p as there are only a handful that can display multiple resolutions without the aid of a digital scaler. My TV actually has one of the better scalers and it's still shit unless you're feeding it 480p.

And I remember the days when tuner's were pricey. Seems to me that my Matrox Mystique with the Rainbow Runner TV daughter card wasn't cheap.

Perhaps it would help if people could refer to actual model numbers. Those Trinitrons come in all shapes, builds and sizes. I know that one specific, and common place model of Trinitron is to be avoided at all cost as it seems to have a very high fatality rate.

I believe i've mentioned it already but mine is Sony Wega FD Trinitron 34XBR800..

The only HD Direct-view CRT I've found worth owning is the Sony Wega FD Trinitron 34XBR960. It is a god amongst direct-view CRTs.

[kamiboy]

Yes, but why go with HD if you just want to use it for 240p content. I'd like some plain old SD SONY televisions of good quality. The XBR CRT's are rarely found for sale in one's vicinity whereas a simple search nets me at least a dozen or so plain Trinitron SONY's for sale. I think most people will experience the same so it would be nice to have some models people can vouch for. Or maybe all the Trinitrons were good and it does not matter which you go with.

Personally I would prefer something all analogue that does not try to do any digital wizardry with the signal being fed it.

[njiska]

Or maybe all the Trinitrons were good and it does not matter which you go with.

Personally I would prefer something all analogue that does not try to do any digital wizardry with the signal being fed it.

There was a series that had a bad power board or something and would die all the time. Aside from them I've never really seen a bad SD Trinitron. And yes, no scaling is the best. I the reason I have an XBR specifically because I don't have enough space for 2 TV's and I need HD for my X360 and PS3. Otherwise I'd have a second 32" 4:3 SD Trinitron.

[kamiboy]

Well, that was the impression that I got, that they were all fine. And the series with the bad board was what I was talking about earlier, I fell upon reports of those issues while researching one model number after the other. I dont remember it though.

I'd jump on one of the ones being sold locally, but the sheer size and weight make it impossible for me to fetch it. Let alone fit it into any transport vehicle that I have access to. There is also the little voice of sanity telling me that I'd be a loon to get an unwieldy beast like that when my 22" CRT monitor looks fine.

[kamiboy]

Anyone know a place that sells the Sony PVM-2950's online that can ship them to Canada?

Ever since I started gaming on that CRT monitor that my employers were going to toss out I have had an appetite for going full back CRT. I was started looking at local SONY TV's being sold but I am the sort of person that has to go all out when he chooses to go anywhere at all. I wish I didn't know about the 2950, but now I want one as it suits my old school needs the best.

But does it even make sense to go with the 2950 if I am planning to use consoles exclusively, that is no PCB's or arcade hardware of any kind, just plain old vintage console hardware?

[njiska]

I will probably check on craigslist keeping the Trinitron in mind.

You won't be sorry, they really are incredible displays. Between my TV and my monitors I think I currently own 6 of them and every one is amazing. Speaking of which any one know where I should look for parts on a Trini? One of my 21" PC monitors appears to have a Flyback transformer that's about to die.

But does it even make sense to go with the 2950 if I am planning to use consoles exclusively, that is no PCB's or arcade hardware of any kind, just plain old vintage console hardware?

Not really as the cost/difficulty of getting the display is going to out-weight the end picture result. You're better off just doing the same as the OP and looking for a late model SD Trinitron on Kijiji. Depending on what part of the country you're in they may be incredibly easy to find.

[brentsg]

I remember liking a Trinitron 40" CRT toward the end of the era. It was 4:3 and supported HD resolutions, letterboxed obviously. Man it was huge and heavy too, but I think it would have been a solid display for gaming.

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/SONY-KV-40XBR800- ... B0000789GB

ah yeah! 325 pounds too..

[kamiboy]

Not really as the cost/difficulty of getting the display is going to out-weight the end picture result. You're better off just doing the same as the OP and looking for a late model SD Trinitron on Kijiji. Depending on what part of the country you're in they may be incredibly easy to find.

Too late, I cannot unknow what have come to know. I am already seeking to get quote for a PVM-2950 from broadcast stores that still carry them. Oh, you miscreants, what have you done?

Of course if that falls through I'll see about getting a local Trinitron if I can. But that monitor seems to be a much better fit for my needs because it takes everything, component, RGB, S-video, composite, PAL, NTSC. Also it seems to be of a more compact build and easier to handle as well because of its boxed construction.

And since it is meant for studio work the colours should be to die for. We'll see how I fare out, if I can secure one for around 500 or so I'll definitely do it.

[njiska]

Not really as the cost/difficulty of getting the display is going to out-weight the end picture result. You're better off just doing the same as the OP and looking for a late model SD Trinitron on Kijiji. Depending on what part of the country you're in they may be incredibly easy to find.

Too late, I cannot unknow what have come to know. I am already seeking to get quote for a PVM-2950 from broadcast stores that still carry them. Oh, you miscreants, what have you done?

Of course if that falls through I'll see about getting a local Trinitron if I can. But that monitor seems to be a much better fit for my needs because it takes everything, component, RGB, S-video, composite, PAL, NTSC. Also it seems to be of a more compact build and easier to handle as well because of its boxed construction.

And since it is meant for studio work the colours should be to die for. We'll see how I fare out, if I can secure one for around 500 or so I'll definitely do it.

I'll give you that the mass of supported input standards is arousing and the colour circuits should be good, but to get the most out of it you'll need to be able to calibrate it at a professional level. Personally i think the effort to locate the device outweighs it's usefulness as a regular trinitron is already incredibly sexy. That being said if you do happen to locate a supply please let me know. I'm not willing to go out of my way to find one, but I am more than happy to buy one. .

[kamiboy]

Well, I found the 2950 online selling for the insane price of around 1500. Suffice to say that is far above what I was hoping for. But I did manage to locate a Sony PVM-3230 for a price I would be willing to pay. Anyone here familiar with this one? Is it as good a choice as the 2950? If so I think I'll jump on it.

EDIT:

Thumbing through the manual it seems my initial suspicions were not unfounded. This model is not as versatile as the 2950, for one it does not have component input, and the RGB input seems to be meant for a different application than what I would want to use it for, it syncs on green for an example.

Then there is the matter that it seems to only do NTSC. Well I'll pass on it, but here is the ebay link for anyone being interested, I'll wait until I find a 2950 for sale for around 500 shipped.

[StarCreator]

For reference, I picked up my PVM-2950Q for $100 from the Trading Station forum right here, and rode over with a friend with a hatchback to pick it up from the next state over. I ended up selling it a month or so ago for the same price.

They're great units, but I don't know if I could justify dropping $500 on one.

[kamiboy]

I recently dumped over a hundred on official cables for my consoles, specifically an RGB21 for my SNES that ended up not working. I think I may have wasted over 500 on fruitless endeavours like that in the last 3 months. I can easily justify 500 for a CRT to display all my classic games better. Especially since I find newer games increasingly repugnant and will be doing classic gaming mostly going forward.

How would you compare the 2950's performance to what other displays you've dealt with?

[neorichieb1971]

I didn't like the 2950. Mine came in a really old state, dusty and well used. The geometry wasn't perfect and the controls to shift the screen were on a PCB inside the monitor which meant taking the casing off. Its ok if you just want consoles on it since its a 1 stop thing. But if you play PCB's its a hell of a set up each time you plug a different board in (for perfection).

I preferred the XRGB option with a CRT VGA monitor. They are newer, you always have controls at the front and the geometry is usually perfect. You can find them locally so no shipping. If you start pissing around with 2950's you'll end up spending lots on custom cables and such. Its not worth it.

XRGB > VGA CRT > Easiest way of getting a great set up without too much risk involved. All items are usually resellable. Try selling a 2950 locally for what you paid for it.. Most people think its junk.

[kamiboy]

Talk of the devil, XRGB-2+ -> 22" CRT monitor is my current setup. And I did end up spending a king's ransom on special RGB21 cables so I could hook up my consoles to it, and I was met with some disappointment in that area. For an example my new SNES does not work with the CRT via the official SCVH-010 RG21 cables which were expensive to come by.

My NES, CDX and Saturn work great though, but seeing the quality of CRT old school gaming just wet my appetite for a proper CRT television dedicated to that cause. I was starting to peruse local ads for SONY Trinitron's being sold by unknowing owners when I happened upon this thread and discovered that there was an even better fit for me. I won't ever be dabbling in PCB's, I only need the perfect display for classic console hardware.

The majour advantage of the 2950 is that it can do 240p RGB/Component out of the box in both NTSC as well as PAL. All of my PSX games are PAL, as well as a handful of my PS2 games, so having a system that supports these would be great.

It is true that none of the RGB cables that I currently own would serve me in any way, form or fashion if I got hold of the 2950, or just plain Trinitron TV, but until I figure things out I do have S-video cables to carry me through.

I think I could buy a female to female SCART adapter, rewire it to be female RGB21 to SCART and then buy a SCART to BNC cable to finish things off. The components are easy and cheap to come by at least.

Also, I put up an ad yesterday to call out for a 2950 and I got a reply from someone that is in possession of one which needs repair. We'll see how that one plays out.

[Endymion]

It is true that none of the RGB cables that I currently own would not serve me in any way, form or fashion if I got hold of the 2950

Sure they would. Just get a SCART box and wire an adapter, could be done in 20 minutes. Then you would just plug up new SCART RGB cables as you get them.

[kamiboy]

20 mintues, sure, if I know what I am doing, which I do not. Then ever after hunting down the correct SCART schematics, Euro and Japanese style, and managing to wire things up all nice I still have a feeling it might not work well or at all.

I've been very unlucky with RGB SCARTS lately, and these were official or professionaly made one's not anything thrown together all haphazard by myself.