CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

The title says it all. I was thinking of putting a CRT up for my father, but then I thought of the downsides. My father knows nothing about pjs, so any problems that arise I would have to fix. With the price of digitals these days, it almost seems easier to go with a digital. While digitals still can't match CRT for price/performance, I don't think it would matter much for my father. I won't call him J6P (especially since he is very far from a six pack:), oh wait six pack mean beer not abs Laughing

), but he is pretty close. I showed him a HD image on the Proscan that I gave him and he said he didn't see any difference. Anyway, with 1080p digitals now below $3k would you still recommend to a friend or family member a CRT?

stefuel · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

You need choice 3 (other, with explanation)

If someone were the tweeker type I'd say give them a CRT. For someone not willing to do some work
I'd say digital is good enough.

Z-Photo · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:07 pm Post subject:

Go CRT (but - NO AMPROs)

stefuel · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:19 pm Post subject:

Joust · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject:

You need an option for "YES, because Digitals are not good enough....yet."

ecrabb · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject:

My old man bought a Sanyo PLV-Z3 probably 18 months or so ago. He was upgrading from an old Infinity video-only CRT FP in his long-neglected HT. He built a DIY blackout cloth screen, bought a mount to hang from his drop ceiling, and for a weekend or so of work, took his not-so-dedicated HT to a whole new level. Yeah, it's only 720p, yeah, it's not the best projector out there... But, you know what? For what he spent (including a free replacement bulb), considering that he sits about 2x screen widths, and considering he didn't have to ceiling-mount a behemoth, that *I* didn't have to help (big deal!), that it's totally maintenance-free, and it really looks pretty damn good... I think it's all good.

In all honesty, I probably wouldn't recommend a CRT to anybody but a serious enthusiast that doesn't mind all the downsides to a CRT (yes, there are some in spite of what some us think) to get the level of performance associated with a well-setup CRT.

It really depends what the person in question is going for... what their requirements are, their room, their budget, their dedication, desired level of performance, etc.

SC

Z-Photo · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject:

burn him

**kal** · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject:

Do I recommend CRT for most people. Hell no.

Would I consider a digital for myself today? Hell, no.

Kal

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:11 am Post subject:

I recomended CRT to a few people. Even took the 1252 along and did a demo with the HTPC. I found out most people think "around $800 delivered" is too much money. Most went to Canadian Tire or Wallfart and bought 27inch TV's.

ecrabb · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:27 am Post subject:

Thank you Kal for summing up in two sentences what it took me two paragraphs to write. What you said!

Z - Wink

SC

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

SC, beat me to it. What Kal said.

These days CRTs are for people who enjoy the hobby of tweaking with them, and/or can't stand some of the visual artifacts of digital projectors. For 98% of the people out there, a decent digital projector is "good enough." They'd be a lot happier with it, flaws and all, than with a 150lb beast on their ceiling that requires a pro to set up.

jask · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 10187 Location: kamloops BC

I recommend digitals to everyone I meet,
ESPECIALLY crt guys.........

the sooner I get rid of the competition-the sooner I get my 909

in truth,Kal hit the nail on the head.

NewbieDAN · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:25 am Post subject:

Well considering I've just (today) fitted two brand new tubes to my G70....here's the thing, considering the effort involved in a LC retube, considering I used NEC XG tubes and had to swap over NEC AC & LC hardware, remove and re-silicone anodes, replace tubes whilst ceiling mounted, get resistors soldered onto neck boards etc etc.....not to mention a FULL setup from scratch for at least 3 separate resolutions 1080i, 960p and P2 with all the nit picking astig, convergence, grey scale.....I can see why others may not have the skillz or where-with-all to 'own' a CRT......BUT everyone who will see mine in action, after the effort required (and due) will understand WHY I do.

Straight-up; for 90% of the population I wouldn't recommend a CRT over a digital.

I know that I won't need to contemplate this question personally for at least another (say) 6000hrs.... Thumbs Up

benareeno · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 1614 Location: ottawa, canada

If you don't know if you should have a crt...then you shouldn't have one. It's really that simple...

Analog Marty · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:52 am Post subject:

We have friends come over regularly to watch movies, out of about 40 people that have seen the 1292 in action (and I still do not have it set up that good) only 1 asked "what's the difference ?" Evil or Very Mad

I was about to kick her out of the house for such blasphemy, but then the battle scene in 300 started and I got distracted long enough for the steam to escape...

All the rest (some of them with digital PJ at home) have commented that the CRT rules. Thumbs Up

BTW. She also asked "what's the difference ?", when I demonstrated my valve driven stereo equipment, so I classed her as ignorant or just plain deaf and blind... Thumbs Down

bomrat · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 117 Location: chicago

hay hay hay, don't knock ampro's... there a great source for minty tubes Smile

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5320

I think you can get 1080p digitals for less than $2k now!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=889511

emdawgz1 · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 7949

I recommend Digital to most of my friends.

Digitals are easier and have a picture thats "good enough" for most.

Just not for me Wink

cmjohnson · Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 5180 Location: Buried under G90s

CRT for hands-on gadget hounds only. General consumers should stick to digital.

There are people who simply aren't able to tell the difference. My brother's wife can't hear any difference between a cheap stereo
system and my own quite respectable high end rig. (Aerial 10Ts driven by Krell monoblocks, etc...) The difference is obvious to
many people, but if the difference is lost on someone, there's no point in pushing the issue. It's not an issue at all, really, or at
least it shouldn't be.

To each his own. Whatever satisfies you is the right choice for you.

I'll stick to my MP-modded (gen II) 9500LC, myself. It may last longer than me. And I value equipment that works
well and has a very long service life. I'm no fan of throwaway gadgets that shouldn't last more than three years.

CJ

rod · Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:18 am Post subject:

I just went thru explaining to my B-in-law all the differences between CRT vs Digital then told him he's stuck with second rate video unless he's willing to go thru what I ( or rather we in the forum) did. So every time he watches golf on a digital all he sees is artifacts. In this regard ignorance is bliss and I have to agree that Kal summed it up pretty much.