Who Still Watches a CRT Television?

[lordkenmore]

Many places no longer accept CRT television for donation

We have had that issue out here in WA. I think there were disposal laws in place, and if a thrift store couldn't sell the TV, they had to pay for special disposal. So they refused to accept TVs. Although they did get "donated" regularly. Perhaps a small TV stuffed in the bottom of a box, covered with clothes. Or--best of all--people who'd come by after the store had closed, and leave a TV out back.

 

Now Goodwill has some partnership for recycling. For a long time, they'd try to sell the TV. If it couldn't sell or was broken, it went to recycling.

 

Not sure why I'm not seeing them do that now with CRT sets. Maybe the Goodwill I shop just hasn't been getting them recently. Maybe they are too hard to sell in this flatscreen world, and it's not worth bothering with.

 

[foraloysius]

There are quite a few tube TV's on Craigslist in the range from free - $25.-

 

[lordkenmore]

CRT computer monitors can display almost any resolution completely perfectly, a lcd monitor only looks good at it's native resolution.

 

And this was one thing I liked about CRT monitors when I used them. Years back, I ran a modern system (Internet) and an older Classic MacOS system (for productivity). The ideal resolution settings were different for the two worlds, but a CRT monitor could happily work with either system (although the Macs needed a special adapter to connect the monitor cable to the Mac, which would also "tell" the Mac what sort of monitor was in use). At one point, I even had a switch box, and I could flip between two computers.


 

I still have older Macs around, but don't really use them much. I can use them with flatscreen...but it's far from ideal. But it's good enough for using a Mac long enough to print something on my old LaserWriter.

 

While I missed the range of working resolutions, I have to say overall I prefer flatscreen monitors. They seem to be much easier on my eyes.

 

[lordkenmore]

phosphor based color still cannot be surpassed though.

 

I don't know if this is still the case, but I recall a lot of people doing hard core graphics work who clung to CRT monitors. They cited better color as a reason for sticking with CRT monitors IIRC.

 

[yogitunes]

I still have a 1997 Magnavox 25" in my bedroom, its starting to go, once it does, out to the trash it goes, see no reason to buy a replacement until its dead....

I also have two in the kids bedrooms, Sylvania TV/DYD/VCR combo's.....will use them until they drop dead....

don't understand though, since just about everyone has some sort of 'pay cable'....why don't the newer TV's become available without a built in tuner....seems a waste of money/equipment for something that doesn't get used.....digital box's of some sort select all the channels for us....

when we had the 60" Sony WEGA, all we had to do was get this 'card' from the cable company that fit in a rear port, that allowed the TV to operate without an external digital box...

I did see a DVD/VCR combo recently that was tuner-less....which made sense...why pay for something I can't use...

 

[firedome]

We had a CRT Toshiba 32" in the BRuntil a few months ago

and it had a perfect picture, but was so hard to move for cleaning &c, got a 32" Toshiba flat screen, had a hard time giving away the ctr for free on CL, but finally a gamer wanted it!

Still have at camp a CRT 19" color Sylvania from around 10 yrs ago that cost $89 new at Sears, and still has an excellent picture!

We have free over-the-air TV (4 PBS, 8 channels total) with our flat screen and antenna, we've never had cable, and never will!

 

[lordkenmore]

why don't the newer TV's become available without a built in tuner

 

I've sometimes thought a tuner-less TV might make sense.

 

But, at the same time, the cost of the tuner might not be that much, due to economies of scale. For all I know, a TV tuner might now be a 10 cent chip used in every TV made by a given company.

 

Then, of course, there is always that argument that "it adds only a little to the cost, and so it might as well be there 'just in case.'" I remember a local audio dealer years and years back who carried NAD, and all the sample models were stereo receivers. He pointed out that the comparable integrated amplifier was only $50 or so less...so you might as well just buy the receiver, and get that radio tuner.

 

[rolls_rapide]

"They cited better color .."

I agree, that was the case.

I know for a fact that my parents' 2007 Samsung LCD (with cold cathode backlighting) could not display green grass as naturally as their previous CRT telly. The grass looked artificial on the LCD.

A slightly later Samsung 2008/2009 model they also have, has superior green tones.

Shop display models these days, look absolutely fantastic.

I presume the now LED backlighting, has a superior output spectrum range - a bit like how your home furnishings look a different shade, depending on whether incandescent bulbs or compact fluorescent tubes, or LED bulbs are installed.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I tend to watch most television in my office/den where my computer lives. In the living room is this big, super-heavy Panasonic flat screen CRT set I purchased when I bought this house in 2001. I pretty much use it when I'm cooking since the kitchen is open to the living/great room. It's been a very fine TV and the flat screen coupled with the recessed area it fits in makes it appear less "vintage".</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Take a look at the photo. See that 55" LED 4K set sitting on the floor? I purchased that 4 months ago to replace the big CRT set. It's been sitting there all this time, never plugged in, while the warranty ticks away. Fortunately it came with a 2 year extended one. The set is turned around so the cleaning ladies won't hit it with the self-propelled vacuum. There's really no excuse for my laziness. I have a hydraulic lift table that makes removing the old set a simple one-man job, even for an old man like me with a bad back. Pull it out, lower the table and roll it over to the front door where the local thrift shop Revivals will gladly pick it up. There's a ceiling-mounted projection/screen set-up that I use for movies. Don't ask when that was last used. I think "Gone With the Wind" was new.</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I bought a very nice new Yamaha Internet stereo receiver before I bought the new TV. It's still in the box!  I need to get off the pot, have my back surgery (which I canceled in March even though Medicare and my insurance covers everything) and get my fanny in gear.</span>

 

[cfz2882]

several in use

-big old '70s looking 1982 Zenith "space command"console is the main set-performance still very good,mever mind that it is sneaking up on 36 Yrs This set plays the VHS and the 1982 RCA CED disc player-also still going strong at nearly 36 DVDs and other digital sources play on the 2010 Panasonic 42" plasma or 2010 42"Sanyo plasma.
-1957 Hotpoint portable: looks good atop the fridge,still works but more decoration than DD use.
-1983 RCA 19"in bedroom
-1981 RCA 19" in garage workroom.
-a large stack of other 1955-05 CRTs await repair or deployment

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

We had a few, a teeny tiny portable that was not near adaptable for HD/Digital-cable type use, just basic cable & antenna (rabbit ears)... So that one had been gotten rid of after we'd left our apartment...

There was another that was larger, and eventually it stopped working... --I think it was another portable...

Then a large 24" diameter in the living room, that go replaced w/ our first flat screen, just to buy a few more--one that fell off the kitchen counter & I'm trying to prevent another TV from going there--too close to where I prepare food & cook!

-- Dave

 

[countryguy]

I have my mom's RCA 26" cabinet tube TV from the early 1980s. Still works but it is not my primary TV. The narrow picture is a result of the program being broadcast - the full screen is functional.

Gary

 

[brisnat81]

I resisted for years the changeover from CRT to LCD. Michael had a 40" Panasonic CRT in 4:3 ratio when I moved in, that'd cost him $5000 in 2000. When his Mum's 1988 Panasonic CRT died in 2007 we bought a 42" Panasonic LCD, once I got used to it, I've never looked back.

The 40" CRT is still up at his mums and working, the only issue was that the Analog Tuner failed during the move, however since the End of analog broadcasting this has no longer been an issue.

in 2012 we bought one of the last made in Japan, 50" Pioneer based Panasonic Plasma TV's. The picture quality was exceptional then and still is now compared to other HD screens. Until there are more 4K video sources (Or Australia gets internet capable of streaming at 4K) it'll stick around as my favorite TV.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Both bedrooms still have CRT sets, but are seldom used. Both are 20" sets, basically the same except one is silver and branded Sylvania, the other is black and branded Emerson. I believe both are 2007 and 2008 models. They have flat glass on their tubes and have a pretty good picture. I bought the Sylvania right when CRT sets were going off the market but didn't want to pay the extra cost for an LCD which were still fairly expensive compared to CRT.

Up until a few years ago, we had a Sanyo 32" CRT in the living room about a 2002 model, something went wrong so it got replaced with an LCD, which got knocked over by accident in the middle of night and replaced with an LED.
I don like the how light and compact the flat panel screens are compared to the tube ones. That Sanyo was a monster to move!

I felt the Sanyo had a better picture than the replacement sets, and definitely better sound though.

I noticed Laundress mentioned the new sets have no input for VCRs, what kind of VCR is it? I have a Sony in the living room and it still connected right up to the newest LED set using the red and yellow plugs.

I do know my old Atari console won't connect to even the TVs in the bedrooms as it uses the old style two wire antenna connection. Has to use a converter of some kind.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Tuners

Personally don't like having all of these remotes to watch TV. Although ours are all programmed to work with the cable box remote. I suppose one could watch over the air TV using the TV's built in digital tuner, but I've never tried is since I don't have an antenna. Both the new LED and my older CRTs have digital tuners.

My Sony DVD/VCR doesn't have a tuner. I think when I recorded stuff on it, I had to plug the cable box into it. Haven't recorded anything since I first got it about 10 years ago.

 

[lordkenmore]

I noticed Laundress mentioned the new sets have no input for VCRs, what kind of VCR is it? I have a Sony in the living room and it still connected right up to the newest LED set using the red and yellow plugs.

 

I've been looking at flat screen TVs on-line the last day or so (partly because of this thread), and it's not hard finding a TV with composite input. I'm assuming it should work fine with a VCR, although I suppose there would black bars on the TV screen (since video tape isn't widescreen). The only sneaky thing is that the composite seems to be integrated sometimes with component video inputs--use all three inputs for component, but use one of the three inputs (specially labeled) for composite.


 

Of course, a lot of people were used to using the RF connection (antenna). That said, line level (composite video/ line level audio) is probably better, since the signal doesn't have to be converted to RF and back again. Line level connections have always performed better in my tests. I do note that some TVs seem to claim analog support in their tuners, and so <span style="text-decoration: underline;">perhaps</span> those can support a VCR.

 

I note S-VHS connectors seem to be non-existent on modern TV sets, but I think all devices I've seen with S-VHS outputs also had composite video.

 

The big pain I see is that there appears to be only one set of line level analog connectors now on TVs. I have a VCR, a LaserDisc player (seldom used, though), and a DVD player. I suppose switching could be done elsewhere--home theater receivers usually have switching ability (at least the older units I've seen), but I A) don't have a home theater receiver, and B) I'm not sure I'm interested in having one.

 

[lordkenmore]

Earlier, I was thinking about the talk about leaving out tuners, which some don't need or want. One thing I wouldn't mind losing off TV sets are the speakers and amplifiers to power them. TV sound was lousy on CRT sets (at least the newer ones I'm familiar with--things might been better on, say, a 60s console set), and has only gotten worse on flat screen sets. I always--<span style="text-decoration: underline;">always</span>--route sound through my audio system.

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>LordKenmore:  The only sneaky thing is that the composite seems to be integrated sometimes with component video inputs ...</blockquote> Interesting that component video inputs are available.  I recently read that DVD players now don't have component outputs, only HDMI for hi-def ... although 3rd-party converters supposedly can be found.  My plasma panel predates HDMI so I have concerns if/when I need to replace my player, which is already outdated and can no longer pick up YouTube and Pandora due to changes in network security protocols (NetFlix still works).  I don't want to replace my plasma until it dies.

 

[launderess]

Cannot recall where or exactly when noticed VCR connection

Or lack thereof. It was several years ago now at least because haven't looked at new televisions in some time.

Cannot recall exactly why at the moment, but the DVD player (Phillips) is routed through the VCR. That was the last new device added, and it was done a few years ago. The Phillips is an older model that plays DVDs from various zones. So can watch my British programming quite easily. Came in handy during the Downton Abbey craze as had DVDs sent from UK instead of dealing with the long drawn out (and delayed) PBS showing.

 

[grwasher_expert]

I had an old 1987 Blaupunkt color CRT TV which was working perfectly until 2012.Then it became useless because of the analog switch off.It didn't have any scart or rca input,so I couldn't connect any set-top box.