CRT Fetish Thread

[skate323k137]

You're in cali... be patient and you'll find one for 50 to 100 bucks. They pop up at odd times when you least expect it.

 

[Wachenroder]

Damn... already sold. What's a good price for the 20" PVM? I'm seeing some $300-500 bullshit which I'm not going to pay.

Right now I'm using an old Sanyo 20" TV with composite, and honestly it looks damn good... I kinda like when all the pixels blend/merge.

I got both of my PVMs this early this year. An 8041Q (8 inch) for 20 bucks and 1954Q (19 inch) for 80. I was constantly checking craigslist everyday and sending out offers.

You gotta be quick.

Honestly, unless its a relatively new (or low hours) monitor in good condition, I wouldn't pay more then 100 - 120.

Good luck.

 

[Mega]

There's really no excuse if you're in Cali. Branch out from Craigslist (slim pickings) and eBay (overpriced). You need to pick up the phone and call video production studios, non-ebay video equipment resellers, hospitals and medical resellers ("MD" medical grade PVMs and Olympus re-branded PVMs).

If you must use eBay, use Best Offer to haggle with sellers who only have "local pickup," most of them are in Cali and have been sitting on the same monitors for months.

Find out where electronics go for recycling in your area and call ahead to see what they have. You will find a gold mine of quality displays, likely a number of nice RGB/Component CRTs on the verge of being scrapped.

Also don't limit your search to Sony monitors, lately there's too much fixation on that one brand. There are good alternatives like JVC, Ikegami, Olympus, maybe Panasonic? If it looks promising, has the right inputs, look up the brand and model number to check specs. Better yet, test on premises if possible to avoid taking home a broken POS. I also agree with the above that unless it's a BVM with recorded low hours, a CRT monitor that appears to have had little use, or in fact new (rare new ones still exist), try not to pay much more than $100.

 

[Guspaz]

Really? I had no idea GBI forced 480p over component. A lot of Wii VC games can be played in 240p component. GBI over S-video and composite (and PAL RGB?) run in 240p). So why the limitation on Gamecube component?

My guess is that the console can't tell what sort of TV it's connected to, and GBI doesn't let you configure resolution within the software itself, so it defaults to 480?

Here's some snippets from the exchange between RetroRGB and Extrems (the author) that leads me to believe this:

480i suggests you're using a component cable. 240p isn't available when signalling EDTV capability.

The only problem I have is I can only use it in 480i mode, since I'm using component video cables.

You can trick it into using 240p by momentarily disconnecting the cable.

This is from a while ago, though, and it could be incorrect/outdated at this point. I don't have a GC component cable to test it, and the ULL build is defaulting to 240p over S-Video, which is exactly what I want (because 240p will work better than 480i on my PVM).

 

[kuze]

That's actually a really nice image and probably a lot closer to what the original artists intended, not what you see on an ultra sharp BVM with thick scanlines.

Thanks! I'm quite happy with it and would definitely recommend them if found at the right price.

Here's another, possibly better shot, of some SoR2:

 

[Reclaimer]

There's really no excuse if you're in Cali. Branch out from Craigslist (slim pickings) and eBay (overpriced). You need to pick up the phone and call video production studios, non-ebay video equipment resellers, hospitals and medical resellers ("MD" medical grade PVMs and Olympus re-branded PVMs).

If you must use eBay, use Best Offer to haggle with sellers who only have "local pickup," most of them are in Cali and have been sitting on the same monitors for months.

Find out where electronics go for recycling in your area and call ahead to see what they have. You will find a gold mine of quality displays, likely a number of nice RGB/Component CRTs on the verge of being scrapped.

Also don't limit your search to Sony monitors, lately there's too much fixation on that one brand. There are good alternatives like JVC, Ikegami, Olympus, maybe Panasonic? If it looks promising, has the right inputs, look up the brand and model number to check specs. Better yet, test on premises if possible to avoid taking home a broken POS. I also agree with the above that unless it's a BVM with recorded low hours, a CRT monitor that appears to have had little use, or in fact new (rare new ones still exist), try not to pay much more than $100.

Many good tips in here! Thanks Mega.

LA is excellent for finding monitors... SF, not so much. And those two are a lot further apart than you yanks might realize.

 

[Phexe]

I went through about 5 different CRT's before I found my current best. The first 2 were Composite only, and I had to grab them via an add, the next was a Sony WEGA with SVideo/Composite which was my main retrogaming TV for a long time. I then went after a SCART CRT and got a grundig but only later found out it was 100hz so stuff like the SNES/Neo Geo looked awful on it (And there was no way to swap between 100hz/60hz modes even in the service menu). I then found this badboy at a local workshop, they were giving it away for free, so I grabbed it after seeing 50/60hz and two Scart inputs (a good sign for RGB). I've cleaned it inside and out and its great (The only thing bad is the front flap is missing but I can live with that).


Loewe Profil



Really good TV, 2 SCART inputs (Bottom input is S-Video/Composite Only). The picture via Scart is better than my Blast City's MS-2930's picture in 15khz! To fix the 1 RGB input I've got one of these in the post;



Only does 3 SCART but I'm planning on getting another 1 or 2 when i can afford them.

 

[oliverclaude]

...I then found this badboy at a local workshop, they were giving it away for free, so I grabbed it after seeing 50/60hz and two Scart inputs (a good sign for RGB). I've cleaned it inside and out and its great (The only thing bad is the front flap is missing but I can live with that).

Congrats! Loewe's "Profil" CRT's are excellent, indeed. Later models like "Art" had that obnoxious front glass panel, which reflected way too much of the environment and made longer sessions quite an imposition. Wish you good gaming .

 

[Phexe]

Congrats! Loewe's "Profil" CRT's are excellent, indeed. Later models like "Art" had that obnoxious front glass panel, which reflected way too much of the environment and made longer sessions quite an imposition. Wish you good gaming .

Thanks Oliver! Good gaming to you too mate!

 

[Pretty Amy]

2530 PVM w/ speakers (and a cabinet and a VCR) for $50 in the Seattle area:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/ele/5323126271.html

I'd go scope it out myself, but I think the wife would stab me if I bought another monitor.

 

[tacoguy]

Almost tempted to make the 3 hour drive from Portland but do i really need to add another crt monitor to my collection?

 

[kuze]

Almost tempted to make the 3 hour drive from Portland but do i really need to add another crt monitor to my collection?

Not often you see a 25" PVM for sale, do it!

 

[Mega]

I saw a 29" PVM (2950Q I believe). I wanted it but it was impossible for me to take home and up several flights to my place, never mind finding a spot for it.

 

[Pretty Amy]

Well that link now just shows the cabinet without the TV but still priced at $50.

 

[Heartkill]

I bought this PVM-1341 locally last week. Seller included the BNC to SCART cable and original manual.

 

[SudoShinji]

Thought I'd share what is quite possibly the worst result of a cross hatch test ever before popping the back off and adjusting my pots.

*does anyone know where the vertical pots is on a 1953md? Or how to shrink screen size horizontally?

 

[MtothaJ]

Thought I'd share what is quite possibly the worst result of a cross hatch test ever before popping the back off and adjusting my pots.View attachment 30924

*does anyone know where the vertical pots is on a 1953md? Or how to shrink screen size horizontally?

In all honesty this doesn't look too bad. Obviously the screen is off-center and you need to tweek the horizontal and vertical size but this should be easy enough to adjust.
This looks like a model where you adjust via on screen menus and not pots. To get to the service menu try the old 'press menu and then press enter and degauss' combination.

 

[xsq]

my thoughts exactly. Colors and geometry seem good.

 

[bochi]

Man you guys are so lucky you never see any pvm's on the island.

 

[skate323k137]

Thought I'd share what is quite possibly the worst result of a cross hatch test ever before popping the back off and adjusting my pots.

*does anyone know where the vertical pots is on a 1953md? Or how to shrink screen size horizontally?

A lot of this is just repeating what other guys have said, but you should not need to open it up. Your geometry looks great, just needs position / size adjustments which should all be in the service menu. In all honesty aside from position/size that's an excellent crosshatch.

The control panel looks like the 20M2MDU so if nothing else snag that service manual from http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?248672-PVM-Service-Manuals-20M2MDU-and-others and go to town. That thread says what page the instructions are on for the on-screen service menu.

 

[tacoguy]

Posted this on the shmup forums but figured this would be good here as well.

Finally got around to taking a bunch of pictures of my Sony FW900.
In order to play 240p games I am using the XRGB mini with a hdmi to vga adapter for some good results.

-The entire albulm
http://imgur.com/a/ao6wi

-Select pictures

 

[texaspowtapa]

got this ikegami monitor for cheap on the internet, this bitch is rock solid, because arrived without any damage, and it was poorly packed in cardboard





its an ikegami tm14-20r, with a panasonic 700 TVL tube

i don't have anything other than my 360 to plug in, 480i composite, but i already bought a component cable that not arrived yet, still not an 240p source but will show up a little bit of what this monitor is capable off. i'm poor and unemployed right now


and damn.. this fucker is deep, this is the only thing that i don't liked about, but i'll be a great monitor for vertical shumps

 

[SudoShinji]

A lot of this is just repeating what other guys have said, but you should not need to open it up. Your geometry looks great, just needs position / size adjustments which should all be in the service menu. In all honesty aside from position/size that's an excellent crosshatch.

The control panel looks like the 20M2MDU so if nothing else snag that service manual from http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?248672-PVM-Service-Manuals-20M2MDU-and-others and go to town. That thread says what page the instructions are on for the on-screen service menu.

Hmm I thought it was way off center, the games have been cut off. I opened it and centered the cross hatch and games are so much better now. I'll look through the manual and try to find a way to horizontal shrink the screen and I think I'll be in great shape (aside from a weird color fluctuation issue in some games). Thanks for the advice.

 

[ninoh]

Has anyone ever done this the cheap and safe way? Preferred mailing choice, without damage from delivery, insurance yes or no? Especially from ups who can be helpful, but can damage goods. I'm thinking of mailing out my pvm someday from the east coast to west coast. Average cost. I believe its a 15inch monitor unless its somewhat 21inch.

 

[skate323k137]

It takes a massive box for a 20" and you want to double box it. I've received one without damage but it was seriously wrapped in about 15 layers of bubble wrap, dropped into a box, that box was wrapped and then put in another box. it was sent fedex ground for 50 bucks or so.