AV (audio mono) and SVideo in the front. SCART and Rf in the back. No sticker so I don't have a clue about the model. I want to enter the service mode via this remote to correct some of the geometry.

The Computer History Archives Project recently posted two 1998 Sony promotional videos, showing the manufacturing process for Trinitron CRTs. It also describes the difference between curved and flat glass CRT’s…

Curious just how far some of you have gone for a CRT, and why!

For me, it was about 300 miles round trip to rural central Wisconsin to pick up a free Dell D1626HT. The guy really didn't want to pay the $20 ewaste fee to dispose of it so he had it listed on eBay for local pickup.

It turned out to be completely worth the trouble - not only was it a rebadge of the excellent Sony GDM-500PS (Trinitron PC monitor), it was in near mint condition too. Still gets regular use today 6 years later.

This has to be one of the coolest mods out there.

For further context, here's a podcast Shank was on with Steve from Retro Tech where he discusses how this mod came to be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGHIBjDS38

Like many, I’ve been exploring fediverse alternatives to Reddit lately, and I found this sub on Kbin, but didn’t see anything like it on Lemmy, so I created /c/crtgaming. Figured folks might be interested in subbing to both, like me.

Both of these websites are actively cataloguing the vast number of CRTs in existence, complete with specifications, service manuals, and photos. They also provide extremely helpful guides to help walk through some of the more complicated repair procedures.

CRT Database CRT Wiki

For me, it was joining the Super Smash Bros. competitive scene roughly a decade ago. Before then I had switched over all my consoles to an LCD, but something always felt off about it, even if I didn't have the vocabulary to explain it back then. I just kinda assumed that display tech was always going to be getting better, and left it at that.

Going back to CRT after years of gaming on LCD was revelatory. I couldn't believe how responsive it was and how fluid it looked - thus beginning a journey of learning about this technology, collecting sets, and optimizing my cabling and console outputs. Seeing 480p F-Zero GX on a VGA monitor was what locked me in for the long haul- I never would have thought native 480p could look that good.

I'm of the opinion now that gaming lost a lot more than people think in the transition away from CRTs. I truly believe that many gamers who grew up in the CRT era who now think they've "gotten worse at games" are actually symptomatic of this transition, dealing with input lag and poor response times that didn't exist before.

This video is a little old, but I think it's worth sharing again in case others aren't aware of this exciting project. The chassis is one component of a CRT that can be realistically remade in today's supply chain, and this project is aiming to provide a way to extend the capabilities of any CRT beyond what was originally possible.

From the video description: I recently had the pleasure of talking with Thomas Daede, the creator of an open-source CRT chassis. This project aims to replace the current aging circuitry that drives CRT TV's and arcade machines, with more modern components that allow for more control and flexibility. While the project isn't ready for public testing, Thomas has made some pretty incredible progress so far and this has potential to completely breath new life into older CRT's. If you're a CRT-expert and have experience in high-voltage electronics design, please check out the Github link and see if you can contribute:

Github: https://github.com/tdaede/td-crt

To kick things off, here's my current hoard, er, stash:

2x Toshiba Cinema Series 32AX60 Sony WEGA 32FS320 Dell D1626HT Sun Microsystems GDM-5410 Gateway VX1120 Lacie Electron 22 Blue IV Dell m783s (acquired at 0h)

I was a big Trinitron advocate for years, but the Toshiba 32AX60 really challenged that notion. It's by far my favorite for 240p.

For 480p/720p/1080p, it's a tossup between the D1626HT and the GDM-5410. Even Switch and PS4 looks solid on those.