CRT Fetish Thread

[skate323k137]

I usually just use a bunch of test patterns / color bars on JAMMA PCBs or a 240p test suite. I can dial in pretty well geometry and color gain/cutoff with that. It would be cool to learn the right way though.

 

[F34R]

How far is too far?

I guess if the price isn't too bad, I can go anywhere that doesn't make the price out of range lol.

For instance.. I'm looking at one today, and talking with the owner. He wants $300 for it, and 55 for shipping. I sent him a message and told him I'd do $150 plus the shipping cost, but I'd come pick it up. So, $205, and I'd come get it. He's about 110 miles, which wouldn't jack the price up. He replied and said he wouldn't take less than $250 if I come get it. This is for an Olympus OEV203. I don't think I can swing $250 and justify that amount.

Thoughts anyone? $250 for the OEV203?

 

[Dochartaigh]

$250 is exactly where the market is by me (east coast). I would prefer a Sony though just for the looks (even though Sony makes that exact one - a rebadge of the PVM-20M2MDU)...but it seems like you can't find them by you so I would grab it if that's what you want.

Also, just for the record, you're already using a decent consumer TV with an excellent Component connection type...you're not going to get worlds shattering better quality out of a PVM - it's all incremental. There is a difference, and as you start to learn all the minute differences between them they can add up to be quite large - but that's only after you've learned the finer points. At first glance you might be have a bit of regret you spent all this money on a ~15+ year old CRT TV (those OMG moments -in regards to image quality- are usually reserved for people who have never seen anything better than composite on their parents crappy TV from 1995 with 100,000 hours on it).

 

[RAZO]

KyaDash and ChuChu already bit into this, but I was talking about on the SAME monitor the difference between RGBS and YPbPr is extremely small (since the signals themselves are nearly identical in quality when all things are equal). In most cases it comes down to how the monitor's hardware handles both input types, how it's calibrated, and how the converter box was built.

When I run mine on my BVM-D20F1U where I can switch from one preset to another very quickly with its two input cards, and flash between the same source on RGBS and converted RGBS>YPbPr, they are so close I would fail the Pepsi challenge picking one over the other.

Even when I try it side-by-side with my BVM-20F1U and BVM-D20F1U (calibrated for white balance at least with the BKM-14L probe less than a year ago) they're near identical once again. The SUPER slight differences are there if I squint and half-way guess (these are different sets) but then I can tweak the brightness a notch or two, or contrast, or R or G level or whatever and they'll be so close to each other it's not even funny.





I totally understand your logic. I've moreso been posting about the RGBS SCART to YPbPr converter option because ever since that "OMG RGB TV MOD IS SEX – BETTER THAN BVM" video came out you have people left and right wanting to mod their consumer sets. People who have never opened up an electronic device in their life. They think the mod is so easy because there's tutorials online and the thread on Shmups, and that after it's done they will have a TV with the same exact quality (if not better since *they* did the mod themselves) than a BVM...which I always laugh about lol.

Using a simple converter at least gives them another option on the cheap, with an easily found free consumer TV with component inputs. My own Sony KV-27FV310 looks beautiful with the Shinybow SB-2840 YPbPr converter. Little oversaturated (especially on the reds which Wega's tend to do), but when set to pro mode (with a couple slight tweaks...haven't even gone into the service menu much yet) it's a really sharp set (and like has already been said, that extra size doesn't hurt either).

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I still own my 27 inch Trinitron and maybe the RGB mod would make the difference but messing with that pain in the ass service menu didn't do much. My Reds are over saturated and bleed and if I try to sharpen the picture It looks grainy. I wish I could get it to look some what like my PVM picture but it just looks off. If I ran out of Pvm's I would definitely use it but not by choice.

@F345

It's not worth it spending that much money on a CRT. If a old professional monitor is going to cost me $400 than at that point I just rather get a OSSC and nice computer monitor and call it quits on Crt's. Retro Gaming really has gotten crazy. When I purchased my Pvm's from sellers, they couldn't wait to get rid of them quick enough.

 

[F34R]

You guys have been a great help. I'm not going to get it as much as the urge is there lol. I really appreciate all the help ya'll have given me with this. I'll keep looking for something $100 or less from now on. I won't post any more questions.. I don't think.. maybe. lol Again, so much help over my "journey" for this.

 

[TravistyOJ]

It'd had been several years since I've seen it, but we watched The Ring again last night, and man that movie has a really awesome variety of CRTs. Old school, professional, PVMs, consumer trinitrons, big and small. Watch it and see if you can count how many unique models pop up. Would make a pretty good drinking game

 

[F34R]

It'd had been several years since I've seen it, but we watched The Ring again last night, and man that movie has a really awesome variety of CRTs. Old school, professional, PVMs, consumer trinitrons, big and small. Watch it and see if you can count how many unique models pop up. Would make a pretty good drinking game

Yeah, it's funny watching movies and noticing now these broadcast tv's they use. Since getting into wanting one, I notice them all the time in older movies; whereas before wanting one, I never even gave a second glance lol.

Bruce Almighty.. look at them all in the booths lol.

 

[KyaDash]

but messing with that pain in the ass service menu didn't do much. My Reds are over saturated and bleed and if I try to sharpen the picture It looks grainy.

Depending on the specific model in question, there are a few service menu options that actually affect the red-push directly (red push is one of the biggest complaints with WEGA sets). As for the sharpness, if you mean the normal menu sharpness setting, that one shouldn't really be touched, left at about middle position, maybe a bit lower. Aside from possibly fiddling with the focus pot on the flyback to get things a bit tighter, again, depending on the set, there may be a separate sharpness (sub sharp or something along those lines) which will legitimately give you a truly sharper picture rather than the dirty, VM like sharpness filter that the user menu option affects.

I'm not trying to convince you that consumer sets can replace a nice PVM, just that the day that you have to go back to consumer gear might not have to be as bad as you think it will.

 

[RAZO]

Depending on the specific model in question, there are a few service menu options that actually affect the red-push directly (red push is one of the biggest complaints with WEGA sets). As for the sharpness, if you mean the normal menu sharpness setting, that one shouldn't really be touched, left at about middle position, maybe a bit lower. Aside from possibly fiddling with the focus pot on the flyback to get things a bit tighter, again, depending on the set, there may be a separate sharpness (sub sharp or something along those lines) which will legitimately give you a truly sharper picture rather than the dirty, VM like sharpness filter that the user menu option affects.

I'm not trying to convince you that consumer sets can replace a nice PVM, just that the day that you have to go back to consumer gear might not have to be as bad as you think it will.

Thanks Kya. One of these days I'll go ahead and mess with it again and see If I could get it to look right.

 

[F34R]

I really need to get over this lol. I'm now searching heart and soul for a KV-xxFV310! lol I swear, I'll never be able to live! hehe

 

[Heinz]

My 20M4A PVM came with the SDI card installed, has anyone used one of these converters to use a HDMI source?

 

[100Daily]

I would just like to concur that component and RGBs are so close as to be imperceptible. I have a couple PVM’s and have tested my Neo Geo which can output either signal. After you tweak the chroma, they are identical. If anything, some games could use a “chroma bump” for more vivid colors. The signals are equivalent. Plus Component signals are much cheaper and more forgiving to use with a switcher as well, and are compatible with consumer sets as well. I love Component.

 

[KyaDash]

My 20M4A PVM came with the SDI card installed, has anyone used one of these converters to use a HDMI source?

For SD monitors like the M4, you're really not getting much of a benefit from buying an adapter like that, since you're going to be limited to SD content only; PS3 is the only thing I can think of that might be able to put out 480i over HDMI (and I'm not entirely sure on that) and in a case like that, you'd be better off just using the readily available RGB or Component on the multi-out for that.

I have no personal experience with HDMI->SDI converters, but a friend has said in the past that the cheaper ones tend to give rather poor results. Whether that's true or not I really can't say, but I trust his word.

 

[Dochartaigh]

I really need to get over this lol. I'm now searching heart and soul for a KV-xxFV310! lol I swear, I'll never be able to live! hehe

I've literally found over 50 PVM/BVM's in my area in the last year or so. In that same time period I found THREE FV310's - if you thought finding PVM's was hard, I found the FV310 to be a TON harder to find weirdly (I stopped looking hard-core after I got mine though, so who knows if they're popping up left and right now for all I know lol).

 

[F34R]

I've literally found over 50 PVM/BVM's in my area in the last year or so. In that same time period I found THREE FV310's - if you thought finding PVM's was hard, I found the FV310 to be a TON harder to find weirdly (I stopped looking hard-core after I got mine though, so who knows if they're popping up left and right now for all I know lol).

Sell me something! lol I'll freakin' drive to PA! (desperate times required desperate measures lol) I've been a Steelers fan since birth, if that helps hehe.

 

[Neodogg]

Who is this? Fat$stack$ or Niko or VB?

https://louisville.craigslist.org/ele/d/olympus-oev143-pvm-retro/6354188924.html

 

[GohanX]

Thoughts anyone? $250 for the OEV203?

You can read my earlier thoughts about your current 27" Wega compared to the OEV203. Cliffs notes, the image in color on the OEV203 will look slightly better than the Wega, but I wouldn't give up the extra size of the 27", the quality difference isn't that much. At this point you've hit the point of diminishing returns. PVMs, HD scaler setups, it's all expensive stuff that doesn't get you much better quality than what you have now. I wouldn't trade my 27" Wega for the 203 in an even swap, much less pay several hundred dollars for one.

 

[F34R]

You can read my earlier thoughts about your current 27" Wega compared to the OEV203. Cliffs notes, the image in color on the OEV203 will look slightly better than the Wega, but I wouldn't give up the extra size of the 27", the quality difference isn't that much. At this point you've hit the point of diminishing returns. PVMs, HD scaler setups, it's all expensive stuff that doesn't get you much better quality than what you have now. I wouldn't trade my 27" Wega for the 203 in an even swap, much less pay several hundred dollars for one.

Yeah, I'm on the same page with not needing the PVM at this point. However, I would definitely consider a nice 32FV310 lol. This "new" 27FS100 I got to replace the other I had is a little worse off than the other (before it blacked out). Bottom left corner is a little distorted and the right side isn't straight down.

 

[GohanX]

Oh, boo. I didn't see that your other one is toast.

I can't deal with CRTs bigger than 27". If I can't pick it up by myself then it's too difficult to deal with.

 

[F34R]

Oh, boo. I didn't see that your other one is toast.

I can't deal with CRTs bigger than 27". If I can't pick it up by myself then it's too difficult to deal with.

I mean, I'll take a 27 FV310 if I can get my hands on it lol. Anything better than what I have now is an open deal for me. I'm starting to feel OCD about it. I probably browsed craigslist in 12 states last night. 30,000 ads viewed, half dozen emails sent out, 3 text messages sent as well.

 

[RAZO]

Oh, boo. I didn't see that your other one is toast.

I can't deal with CRTs bigger than 27". If I can't pick it up by myself then it's too difficult to deal with.

Another reason why I love my 14 and 20 inch pvm's. Moving those 27 inch wegas around in my early 20's was cool but in my mid 30's now, Throwing out my back over a TV isn't worth it. A brother has to preserve his youth.

 

[GohanX]

Git swoll, brah

 

[Neodogg]

Another reason why I love my 14 and 20 inch pvm's. Moving those 27 inch wegas around in my early 20's was cool but in my mid 30's now, Throwing out my back over a TV isn't worth it. A brother has to preserve his youth.

WAT? the 27" wega doesn't weight more than a bale of hay, it even has handles (like your waist)! pffft...city boy getting soft.

 

[RAZO]

WAT? the 27" wega doesn't weight more than a bale of hay, it even has handles (like your waist)! pffft...city boy getting soft.

Lol. It's not really the weight. More just awkward to hold. I had to carry that bitch from my car down the stairs to my basement by myself. Last one I got rid of dude bigger than me needed a 2nd friend to bring it up the stairs outside to his car.

Mine doesn't have handles. You have to bear hug it to carry it.

 

[Heinz]

For SD monitors like the M4, you're really not getting much of a benefit from buying an adapter like that, since you're going to be limited to SD content only; PS3 is the only thing I can think of that might be able to put out 480i over HDMI (and I'm not entirely sure on that) and in a case like that, you'd be better off just using the readily available RGB or Component on the multi-out for that.

I have no personal experience with HDMI->SDI converters, but a friend has said in the past that the cheaper ones tend to give rather poor results. Whether that's true or not I really can't say, but I trust his word.

I've always wanted to know, thanks!