CRT Fetish Thread

[SNKNostalgia]

Only PVM I could find in a 250 mile distance from me is in New Orleans and it is a 13" that is overpriced. Fuck, I hate this part of the South for game related electronics (especially trying to find a arcade cab). Even Atlanta and Dallas gets these in near their areas but nowhere in LA, MS, and AL. It is like I have to go to a major city that is at least 4-8 hours away to get one without shipping, lol. Looking for a decent 20-25" BTW.

 

[Fogueman]

I´ve been reading this thread, checking the pictures and videos about pvm monitors, etc.

Do you guys think that there´s so much difference with regular sony trinitron tv sets? I have a 25 trinitron and for me, picture is as good as i can perceive in the videos. I´ve never seen a pvm running.

 

[RAZO]

Coming from a guy who thought the wega's were the best crt's out there. Yes, there is a difference in picture quality. Especially when your running pure rgb through a pvm.

 

[tomlee80]

I´ve been reading this thread, checking the pictures and videos about pvm monitors, etc.

Do you guys think that there´s so much difference with regular sony trinitron tv sets? I have a 25 trinitron and for me, picture is as good as i can perceive in the videos. I´ve never seen a pvm running.

I'm presuming you live in Spain so it's likely that most CRTs you encounter have an RGB Scart socket? If this is so then the leap in quality between a decent CRT TV with SCART won't be hugely different from using a PVM through its RGB BNC connectors. However as someone whos recently purchased a PVM after using domestic Sony Trinitrons through SCART since 91 I can say that the real benefit is the abilty to fine-tune every facet of the colour, brightness and screen positioning. When I owned by first 14" Trinitron in 1991 which could handle a 60hz RGB SCART input, the picture from my US SNES was fantastic. The problem was that the picture was shifted to the left slightly causing a black border down the right side of the screen. It bugged me so bad I wrote to a UK Nintendo magazine of the time called "Super Play". They published my letter but admited they didn't know how to solve it. This is something easily set using the service menu on a PVM or BVM. When you've got multiple consoles and you have a bit of OCD when it comes to seeing the games EXACTLY how they were intended then buy a Sony PVM.

 

[city41]

Looks like I'll be getting a 8041Q PVM this weekend. I don't really need it, but I figured what the hell.

 

[Fogueman]

I'm presuming you live in Spain so it's likely that most CRTs you encounter have an RGB Scart socket? If this is so then the leap in quality between a decent CRT TV with SCART won't be hugely different from using a PVM through its RGB BNC connectors. However as someone whos recently purchased a PVM after using domestic Sony Trinitrons through SCART since 91 I can say that the real benefit is the abilty to fine-tune every facet of the colour, brightness and screen positioning. When I owned by first 14" Trinitron in 1991 which could handle a 60hz RGB SCART input, the picture from my US SNES was fantastic. The problem was that the picture was shifted to the left slightly causing a black border down the right side of the screen. It bugged me so bad I wrote to a UK Nintendo magazine of the time called "Super Play". They published my letter but admited they didn't know how to solve it. This is something easily set using the service menu on a PVM or BVM. When you've got multiple consoles and you have a bit of OCD when it comes to seeing the games EXACTLY how they were intended then buy a Sony PVM.

Yah. That´s what I thought, tomlee80. I´ve got two sony trinitron tvs, and they give me crystal clear image quality. I´m very happy with those, and yes i´m living in Spain and they have Scart socket. I can adjust the geometry and various settings entering the hidden operation menu, so I think I´m going to skip getting one of these pvm monitors. They are also not so easy to find here in Spain, but I had some of them handy and cheap. I also happen to have the Framemeister which impress me every day, so i´ll spend my money elsewhere.

Thanks for your answer.

 

[wyo]

I have an AES and Sony PVM-20M2U and was looking to buy a SCART cable for use with the SCART to BNC adapter I built for my Sega Genesis/Sega CD. Unlike my Genesis SCART cable, the only cables I can find all use composite video as sync. Apparently, earlier AES consoles like mine output composite sync on pin 7. Is there any benefit to be derived from using c-sync vs c-video on the AES?

 

[skate323k137]

I have an AES and Sony PVM-20M2U and was looking to buy a SCART cable for use with the SCART to BNC adapter I built for my Sega Genesis/Sega CD. Unlike my Genesis SCART cable, the only cables I can find all use composite video as sync. Apparently, earlier AES consoles like mine output composite sync on pin 7. Is there any benefit to be derived from using c-sync vs c-video on the AES?

The real question is if your PVM can take composite video as sync. Some can, some can't. The medical models (like yours) are likely to have no problem using cvid for the sync signal.

 

[joe8]

I have an AES and Sony PVM-20M2U and was looking to buy a SCART cable for use with the SCART to BNC adapter I built for my Sega Genesis/Sega CD. Unlike my Genesis SCART cable, the only cables I can find all use composite video as sync. Apparently, earlier AES consoles like mine output composite sync on pin 7. Is there any benefit to be derived from using c-sync vs c-video on the AES?

Do some AES's output composite sync, and some don't? In that case, wouldn't the official RGB cables work with some AES's and not others (if they all have the same wiring, i.e. there aren't multiple versions of the official Jap-wired RGB cable)?
I have a Euro-wired SCART cable which works fine through my SCART->yuv converter. But I guess when it goes through the converter, it eliminates any potential sync issues (as yuv never has sync issues).

 

[wyo]

The real question is if your PVM can take composite video as sync. Some can, some can't. The medical models (like yours) are likely to have no problem using cvid for the sync signal.

Right. I'm just wondering if there will be any difference in quality.

Do some AES's output composite sync, and some don't? In that case, wouldn't the official RGB cables work with some AES's and not others (if they all have the same wiring, i.e. there aren't multiple versions of the official Jap-wired RGB cable)?
I have a Euro-wired SCART cable which works fine through my SCART->yuv converter. But I guess when it goes through the converter, it eliminates any potential sync issues (as yuv never has sync issues).

Neo Geo AV Pinout:
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:neogeoav

I think the official RGB cables all used c-video for sync so it was never an issue.

 

[skate323k137]

There will typically be no loss of quality. I use cvid for sync on my PVMs all the time.

 

[joe8]

There will typically be no loss of quality. I use cvid for sync on my PVMs all the time.

My PVM can take composite sync (it's a 2950QM). I'm assuming it can also take other types of sync, like a separate sync.

What do you use on your PVMs- a basic SCART -> BNC cable like broken sells? Do you have any sync issues on any of your PVMs, or have you never needed to use a LM1881 chip?

 

[theMot]

I'm presuming you live in Spain so it's likely that most CRTs you encounter have an RGB Scart socket? If this is so then the leap in quality between a decent CRT TV with SCART won't be hugely different from using a PVM through its RGB BNC connectors. However as someone whos recently purchased a PVM after using domestic Sony Trinitrons through SCART since 91 I can say that the real benefit is the abilty to fine-tune every facet of the colour, brightness and screen positioning. When I owned by first 14" Trinitron in 1991 which could handle a 60hz RGB SCART input, the picture from my US SNES was fantastic. The problem was that the picture was shifted to the left slightly causing a black border down the right side of the screen. It bugged me so bad I wrote to a UK Nintendo magazine of the time called "Super Play". They published my letter but admited they didn't know how to solve it. This is something easily set using the service menu on a PVM or BVM. When you've got multiple consoles and you have a bit of OCD when it comes to seeing the games EXACTLY how they were intended then buy a Sony PVM.

I remember that letter! God only knows why but i do remember it. Super play was the shit back in the day. Their tech advice was shithouse though, go back and flick through some early issues and the advice they gave was laughable.

 

[SNKNostalgia]

No PVM in my area?!?!?

 

[city41]

I picked up an 8" 8041Q PVM today and it doesn't work. It shows a blue and red horizontal line at the very top of the screen. Hitting the underscan button brings it down about an inch and adjusting the vertical pitch on the back moves the lines up and down. Audio works ok. None of the video inputs make any difference, same blue/red line.

I'm going to pop it open and see if anything obvious stands out. Do these carry the same danger as arcade monitors when opened up?

 

[skate323k137]

My PVM can take composite sync (it's a 2950QM). I'm assuming it can also take other types of sync, like a separate sync.

What do you use on your PVMs- a basic SCART -> BNC cable like broken sells? Do you have any sync issues on any of your PVMs, or have you never needed to use a LM1881 chip?

They all take composite sync; the question is if they can get that signal from composite video when video is sent to the monitor on the sync input.

Some of the PVMs can do this, usually the medical models. Some of them cannot and will require a lm1881. All my PVMs are medical models (20M2MDU and 1943MD's) and don't need the sync cleaner / sync seperator. Scart televisions operate this way normally; they get their sync from the cvid pin.

I use one of brokens cables with a scart cable for my saturn. No issues with sync. My other consoles are basically the same, wired as scart would be. You'll just have to test your PVM and see if you can get away without the lm1881 or similar.

 

[MetalSludge]

Hearing about the benefits of being able to adjust things like picture placement on the pvms reminds me of my consumer Trinitron crt computer monitor. Seems like every other PCB places its picture a little differently on the screen, but thanks to the ability to adjust everything from position to key etc., it's no big problem, a clear benefit you get from monitors over some modern tvs.

The old thing weighs a ton though as a 19 inch screen. It was designed to sit on little molded on legs in front, as if having its huge weight on some kind of swivel like a modern monitor was an unrealistic idea. I got it back in the day as one of my first computer montors and never got around to throwing it away. Thank goodness for that, as it now leads a new life as an arcade game monitor since I found out about the benefits of crts and scanlines etc.

When I occasionally use my lcd for a larger, if inferior, picture, being unable to completely adjust the image placement is indeed a big pain. Good thing they made things to last back then, albeit to also never be lifted.

 

[wyo]

There will typically be no loss of quality. I use cvid for sync on my PVMs all the time.

Good to know. I'll go ahead and pick up a regular AES SCART cable then.

 

[phonedork]

Thought I would show my set up...

Dual Sony PVM 20L5 Linked together

 

[city41]

Nice setup. The 20L5 doesn't accept component, correct? Why dual monitors, just for kicks?

I'm about to have a very similar setup. A 20M4U and a 20M2U side by side, but one of them rotated for vertical games. I just ordered a 2-way switch that I will use to switch between the monitors.

 

[skate323k137]

The 20L5 doesn't accept component, correct?

20L5 accepts damn near everything, component included.

 

[trenog]

That's a nice setup phonedork. I really like the Sony receiver and speakers to match

 

[The Chief]

I like that setup, just needs one of those monitors to be rotated.

 

[phonedork]

Nice setup. The 20L5 doesn't accept component, correct? Why dual monitors, just for kicks?

I'm about to have a very similar setup. A 20M4U and a 20M2U side by side, but one of them rotated for vertical games. I just ordered a 2-way switch that I will use to switch between the monitors.

I linked them together at first so I calibrate both monitors the same. But it just looked so awesome with both on!

 

[phonedork]

I like that setup, just needs one of those monitors to be rotated.

I would rotate one, however it would look funky. These monitors are hard enough as is to try and make them look nice in your home. Plus the only shooters I can think of that would look great rotated are on my Sega Saturn. Which I cannot get to sync right now. I believe I have to soldier the composite sync. Its funny because I can get the Saturn to sync with a CSY2100 setup to a CRT. But I cant with the Sony PVM.