CRT TVs

[keeney123]

Re: CRT TVs

CRTs TV were perfected over the years. When the color ones came out in the late 1950s early 1960's they had problems and had to be degauss and after a period of time the phosphorus would start to flake off of the screen. Also, the early version had tubes which would go out quite frequently. Usually the cathode would burn out because of cold cathode emission. When the tubes were turned off an oxidized compound would settle on the cathode and this resistance had to be over-comed the next time the TV turned on. So I guess the answer was to leave the cathode on all the time. The transistors took over which made the TV much more reliable. They still had the cathode in the picture tube but the cathode was left on and they increased the thickness of the filament and I remember they had better techniques of flashing the tube. By the late 1980's and 1990's many of the picture tubes would last 15 to 20 years. Where in the 1960's and 1970's they would last about 7 years.

[kc8adu]

Re: CRT TVs

recently repaired a rca ctc40 tv stereo combo.
i saw it 20 years back for poor stereo performance and fully recapped it and replaced a dieing flyback.
this time a worn out crt and main filter caps.
not a bad run for a set bought in 1969!
btw the owner had to put it in her will as the family joked they would have to draw straws or pick numbers from a hat to determine who gets it when she passes!

[lti]

Re: CRT TVs

One week later...

What kind is it?

It's a Sony CPD-15SX1 made in March 1996.

[momaka]

Re: CRT TVs

For whatever reason I've always had a fascination with CRTs. I think they're much more interesting than LCD units.

Same here. The thing I like the best is the high voltage static noise when the CRT is turned ON or OFF. And the sound of a loud degauss coil

On that note, Sony CRT monitors are awesome for that .

I'd like other members here to throw in their opinion on CRT displays, and if anyone else here is still using them.

I have only one CRT TV left. It is at the countryside house where my grandmother lives. That's it. It's an older Sony from the early-mid 90's (and one of their best, IMO). 23" or 27" IIRC, only vertically flat screen, and made in Japan. It doesn't get much use these days since we don't go to that house too often. Maybe for 2-3 weeks in a year.

My parents bought it in the mid-90's during the major bank crisis in Bulgaria. Basically, there was a huge inflation and money started loosing its value very fast. My parents had some savings worth about two brand new cars. In just about 2 weeks course of time, all those savings lost their value by about 10x the ammount. That's when people started pulling their money and buying whatever they could afford. My parents bought this TV. And it still works today, 20 years later .

Other than that TV, we don't have any other CRT TVs left in the house anymore. I stopped watching TV when I started college so I didn't really care what TV we had after that point. Eventually, my parents wanted to get something newer when the LCDs started getting cheaper a few years ago, and they did so in 2012. But I think we had a good run with our CRT TVs. We bought our 27" Philips 27RF50 in the early 2000's... Sometime in 2003, I think. We used it all the way 'till Summer 2012 - so a good 9 years. It did need one repair, though - a new flyback. This was in 2004-2005 somewhere. The original flyback was made by Eldor, IIRC, and those were known to go bad in Philips and many other CRT TVs. It still worked perfectly when we gave it out on Craigslist, though.

I'll be honest, I'm terrified of working on a CRT display!

Hehe, I was too. And still am when it comes to very old sets that don't have modern implosion protection-equipped tubes. Other than that, they are not much more dangerous than your standard LCD monitor/TV power supply. Just need to be careful and make sure the main cap is discharged and that you also discharge the tube anode, should you need to do remove the anode cap.

But any decent LCD is a better option than a CRT. It's less harmful for your eyes...

Not really.

Light from a CRT display is a lot more natural than CFL-backlit LCD (and sometimes LED, too) and contains much less UV.

The only downside of CRTs is flicker, which tends to give people headaches. But that only goes for TVs, since they refresh at 50/60 Hz. With CRT monitors, if you set it to 72 Hz or higher, you won't get a headache at all. I run all of mine at 85 Hz.

how can any engineer not like something that has an anode cap with a BIG red wire on it!

^ This

It aint so bad, and it'll get better once your loud dubstep damages your ears some more

True. I don't hear too well past 12 KHz, so those pesky CRTs don't bother me .

I still hate them fire alarms, though.

Most of the CRT monitors made after 1997 that I've seen had a blurry picture, along with some other issues.

That's odd. I have many monitors from many different years. Most are really good, and just a few aren't. Usually, it is the cheap brands that tend to be blurry. And those with tired tubes. But most of the time, that is nothing that the focus knob on the flyback can't fix (and if it's a Sony monitor, you usually find separate vertical and horizontal focus). All of my higher-up models (i.e. 19" and 21" sizes) are superb both color and focus-wise.

If anything, I actually dislike how sharp LCDs are. Black text on white background (or even worse, white text on black background) gives me a feeling as if someone is poking into my eyes. Of course, if you have Windows Vista or newer, ClearType takes care of that. But I run XP on a CRT, so I don't really need to waste CPU cycles for that.

After all, CRTs have "natural" anti-aliasing due to imperfect, non-square pixels.
This becomes very nice to have in games. Even at lower resolutions, the game still looks decent. Try that on a LCD, and you'd puke. Anything less than the native resolution on a LCD looks terrible. And even at native resolution, you still need AA, because you can still see the pixels "dancing". With CRTs, it's all good .

CRT TVs are given away free on a daily basis on my local kijiji. Everything from expensive Sony 36 inch WEGAs (200 pounds?) to other brand names like Panasonic, JVC, Sharp, etc.

Most people just want them out of their house to make way for the new thin TV and reclaim some space in their homes.

RPTV (rear projection) are also commonly found for free. Everything up to 60 inches and most in working condition.

Same here in the DC and surrounding metro areas (i.e. Northern VA and Souther MD). I usually see at least 2-3 postings a day.
Moreover, in the last 2 years or so, those postings were mostly for 30"+ size CRT TVs. Saw a few widescreen CRTs as well, but luckily they got snatched up. Would be a shame to see those go in the trash. Also saw a few 40"-42" Sony CRTs as well and really thought about taking one. But I just don't have the space... nor the manpower. Those 40"+ sets are a real back-buster.

Here are some pictures of the Trinitron. It looks surprisingly clear with S-Video, but I have an RGB cable coming in the mail, which I'm guessing will look better than S-Video, mainly because S-Video is limited to 1024x768

KV-27FS120? Cool .

Let me know if it ever breaks and you need parts. IIRC, I have a complete set of boards and wires for a KV-27FS100 (found the TV in a dumpster and decided to take the boards before someone smashes it for the yoke/deflection coils). That set is only 2 years older than yours, but I'm pretty sure the design and parts used are similar. I know this because I also have some (broken) boards from a KV-36FV310 (from the same dumpster, too! ). If anything, I have a MCZ3001 IC, which IIRC commonly goes bad on newer Sony TVs.

This 15 years old Panasonic Quintrix 32" not only refuses to die, but stubbornly insists in working perfectly OK.

http://i.imgbox.com/BDctmB99.png

Nice set!
Keep them widescreen CRTs going. They are amazing and will provide many more years of faithful service.

[Agent24]

Re: CRT TVs

I like the whine of a CRT flyback. It tells me my ears are still good!

Tubes and VFDs and neons and Nixies are more fun to look at anyway. MOSFETs might be cheaper but they only glow once.
I have to build a tube amplifier some day....

[stj]

Re: CRT TVs

traditional tube amps are rubbish.
what would be interesting is to build a tube amp with modern drive circuits.
for example a current-regulated drive for the heaters to get them up faster without damaging the lifespan
some crt tv's had this.

also, a pre-amp that counters the frequency curve of the tubes so you get a flatter response.

[Pentium4]

Re: CRT TVs

The thing I like the best is the high voltage static noise when the CRT is turned ON or OFF.

I thought I was the only one Such a cool sound.

Just need to be careful and make sure the main cap is discharged and that you also discharge the tube anode, should you need to do remove the anode cap.

How do you discharge these without hurting yourself? Doesn't the tube operate at something ridiculous like 20kV?

The only downside of CRTs is flicker, which tends to give people headaches. But that only goes for TVs, since they refresh at 50/60 Hz.

I don't notice any flicker at 60Hz, but any lower than that it is very noticeable.

I usually see at least 2-3 postings a day.
Moreover, in the last 2 years or so, those postings were mostly for 30"+ size CRT TVs. Saw a few widescreen CRTs as well, but luckily they got snatched up. Would be a shame to see those go in the trash. Also saw a few 40"-42" Sony CRTs as well and really thought about taking one. But I just don't have the space... nor the manpower. Those 40"+ sets are a real back-buster.

Yes it would be a shame for any of them to be thrown away. The only reason people don't like them is because of the size.....
My neighbors have a KD-36XS955 that they will want to get rid of soon. I told them I would gladly take it. In my opinion it's a perfect CRT TV. It's high def with HDMI, the only 4:3 to use Super Fine Pitch and 36" is a pretty big screen.

KV-27FS120? Cool

Yeah, the thing is pretty awesome for only being 480p. I gave it to my friend so that he could use it for his 360. The 360 looks A LOT better on that thing than his 32" 2009 Samsung LCD. He also only has SD cable, and it looks at least twice as good on the Trinitron.
I hooked the KV-27FS120 up to my Kill-a-watt meter and the thing was surprisingly efficient from what I originally judged by the power rating on the back. Just sitting at a "Video 2" with nothing hooked up, it was pulling 69W AC. Then I hooked it up to my computer via S-video and played a 480p video through it. With all the Brightness/Contrast/Color/Sharpness settings set to half way, the thing averaged around 85W AC. Went in the low 70's during dark scenes, and the highest I ever saw at a very bright scene was 114W which makes this thing more power efficient than my 39" Funai LCD.

The reason I decided to give this to him (besides being nice) is because I scored this thing instead! A KV-30HS420! Now, I got the true taste of a Sony Trinitron. 720p looks amazing on this thing, specifically cartoons such as Archer. The colors are so bright and defined. But, for whatever reason, it will only run at 30Hz @ anything higher than 1280x720 using HDMI. Since I'm only going to be using it for videos while hooked up to my computer, I prefer 1920x1080 @ 30Hz over 1280x720 @ 60Hz.

Another thing about old CRT TVs over LCD is the built in speakers. This thing has a 15W speaker on each side. I know it's probably a size limitation, but the built in speakers on this thing sound better than the built in speakers of any LCD/LED TV I've heard.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: CRT TVs

I thought I was the only one Such a cool sound.


How do you discharge these without hurting yourself? Doesn't the tube operate at something ridiculous like 20kV?


I don't notice any flicker at 60Hz, but any lower than that it is very noticeable.


Yes it would be a shame for any of them to be thrown away. The only reason people don't like them is because of the size.....
My neighbors have a KD-36XS955 that they will want to get rid of soon. I told them I would gladly take it. In my opinion it's a perfect CRT TV. It's high def with HDMI, the only 4:3 to use Super Fine Pitch and 36" is a pretty big screen.


Yeah, the thing is pretty awesome for only being 480p. I gave it to my friend so that he could use it for his 360. The 360 looks A LOT better on that thing than his 32" 2009 Samsung LCD. He also only has SD cable, and it looks at least twice as good on the Trinitron.
I hooked the KV-27FS120 up to my Kill-a-watt meter and the thing was surprisingly efficient from what I originally judged by the power rating on the back. Just sitting at a "Video 2" with nothing hooked up, it was pulling 69W AC. Then I hooked it up to my computer via S-video and played a 480p video through it. With all the Brightness/Contrast/Color/Sharpness settings set to half way, the thing averaged around 85W AC. Went in the low 70's during dark scenes, and the highest I ever saw at a very bright scene was 114W which makes this thing more power efficient than my 39" Funai LCD.

The reason I decided to give this to him (besides being nice) is because I scored this thing instead! A KV-30HS420! Now, I got the true taste of a Sony Trinitron. 720p looks amazing on this thing, specifically cartoons such as Archer. The colors are so bright and defined. But, for whatever reason, it will only run at 30Hz @ anything higher than 1280x720 using HDMI. Since I'm only going to be using it for videos while hooked up to my computer, I prefer 1920x1080 @ 30Hz over 1280x720 @ 60Hz.

Another thing about old CRT TVs over LCD is the built in speakers. This thing has a 15W speaker on each side. I know it's probably a size limitation, but the built in speakers on this thing sound better than the built in speakers of any LCD/LED TV I've heard.

Looks like Halo! Cool!

[Pentium4]

Re: CRT TVs

Indeed. I just beat The Library on Legendary. Phew

[Agent24]

Re: CRT TVs

I thought I was the only one Such a cool sound.

Such a joyful sound!

How do you discharge these without hurting yourself? Doesn't the tube operate at something ridiculous like 20kV?

Disconnect power, and put the plug in your pocket so nobody plugs it back in while you're not looking.

Then, take a long flathead screwdriver with a plastic handle and a clip-lead. Clip one end to the screwdriver shaft and the other to the CRT grounding braid. Hold one hand behind your back and use the other to stick the screwdriver head under the anode cap and look for the snap and spark. It's scary the first time but you get used to it.

If the TV has been off for a while, you would probably not see\hear anything as they often self-discharge to low levels anyway.
If you remove the anode connector, you should connect the clip lead between the CRT anode terminal and CRT ground to prevent the tube charging itself back up from dielectric absorption and giving you a shock when you plug the EHT lead back in.

Get a HV probe and check the voltage after discharging if you're paranoid.

[sariwati392]

Re: CRT TVs

how can any engineer not like something that has an anode cap with a BIG red wire on it!

that would amazing to see the spark jump out of the red anode LOL

[stj]

Re: CRT TVs

only from a distance!

someone came to me wih a portable tv once that had a bad trippler, it was throwing sparks out of the lead all over the place - it looked like something from tesla!!!

tripplers are evil, i'm glad they got replaced by line-output transformers!

[Agent24]

Re: CRT TVs

tripplers are evil, i'm glad they got replaced by line-output transformers!

They didn't. The tripler is just a voltage multiplier, the LOPT drives the tripler.
In modern sets the LOPT and tripler are integrated into the same unit along with the focus and screen controls. The overall circuit is still the same.

[stj]

Re: CRT TVs

that's not true, a modern lopt does not use a diode/cap ladder - it uses high-ratio windings to get the voltage and is potted to prevent arcing.
(not that it was very effective for philips or eldor transformers!)

[Agent24]

Re: CRT TVs

that's not true, a modern lopt does not use a diode/cap ladder - it uses high-ratio windings to get the voltage and is potted to prevent arcing.
(not that it was very effective for philips or eldor transformers!)

Really? I thought they did. Maybe the older ones do. I'm sure I read it somewhere.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: CRT TVs

It doesn't get much use these days since we don't go to that house too often. Maybe for 2-3 weeks in a year.

It likely means a mouse is going to shit or piss! O_O Eww.
I hate that now, with American hantavirus out there..........

[kc8adu]

Re: CRT TVs

speaking of crt tv i am going to indy to pick up a sony chromatron set.a kv-7010u.
very rare set!a friend spotted it at a yardsale for $15.
might be rarer than my rca ct100!

[momaka]

Re: CRT TVs

...A KV-30HS420... will only run at 30Hz @ anything higher than 1280x720 using HDMI.

Probably because 720p is the highest the TV can handle in progressive scan. Anything above that likely goes into interlaced mode. Hence the 1080i specs.

Or perhaps the early version of HDMI has something to do with all of that too. IIRC, the HDMI version used in this TV lacks HDCP, so some sources may refuse to play on it altogether (or play at a lower quality/framerate like you noticed).

That said, 1920x1080 @ 30 Hz is still quite acceptable. When it comes to games, though, I prefer higher refresh rate/higher FPS over higher resolution.

Another thing about old CRT TVs over LCD is the built in speakers. This thing has a 15W speaker on each side. I know it's probably a size limitation, but the built in speakers on this thing sound better than the built in speakers of any LCD/LED TV I've heard.

Yup, CRT TV's have more space, so they often have bigger and better speakers in them compared to LCD. But Sony CRT TVs in general (epsecially latter models like yours) are known for using very nice speakers. I have two sets of 10W, 8-Ohm speakers pulled from those broken/dumped Sony CRT TVs I found. All I have to say is that they are very nice speakers. Also, the Sony KV-36FV310 that I found has a TFA9984j amp IC in it. From my research online, that IC is likely similar to the TFA9843j, which can do up to 40W per channel in BTL mode! The other Sony TV I found had a TDA8580j amp IC, which is capable of 23W per channel in BTL mode. So it's not just the speakers in these Sony TVs that are good. The speaker amp ICs they use are nice too.

[Agent24]

Re: CRT TVs

In terms of speakers, you can't fit anything good into a paper-thin modern LCD TV...
Arguably that goes for the rest of the parts, too!

[Andrew F. Ali]

Re: CRT TVs

I recently replaced a Flyback transformer on a SHARP 20" CTV Model No. 20C69Z Original FB# F-1139CE. Replaced with a F-1382CE....Working great!!!