The Sony PVM topic: Why they are highly regarded for Retro Gaming

[storino03]

I'm going into uncharted waters. I think I want to go for a Sony PVM monitor but want it to be around 19-20 inches. I'm a newb when it comes to the various models and features these TVs have. What do you recommend? What's the difference between Sony PVM, BVM and GVM? Thanks.

Additional links:

http://www.tested.com/tech/gaming/45...t-retro-games/

http://retrorgb.com/rgbmonitors.html

[Gypsy]

Good 19-20'' RGB capable models are really getting up there in price now. Hundreds of dollars and that doesn't even guarantee the tubes won't be shot to ****.

[storino03]

Do you mean, the longer you use a CRT, the more wear it gets? My parents had a regular CRT TV from 1995 that still works today. Or do you mean wear in other ways?

[Lord of Pirates]

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosph...or_degradation

[Gypsy]

Yeah but that's your parents using it sporadically. These were designed for the pro sector and many have hours on them north of 50,000. Especially if it was from a TV station, it was likely on all the time. There are always exceptions, somehow finding new stock etc...but it's something worth keeping in mind. This is really something to buy in person, even not considering the shipping aspect.

[storino03]

I see. They had that TV on nearly 6+ hours a day.

[storino03]

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosph...or_degradation

So eventually CRTs will all fail or are there people who can still recharge them? If that's the proper word.

[Gypsy]

Right, they will fail unless repaired. Also finding someone that knows how to do it and still has parts is a bit of an issue.

Iirc Sony would replace the tubes after 30,000 hours on pvm/bvm. Basically, you will want to test before buying. Make sure the picture is still sharp, not distorted etc...

[xelement5x]

The high desirability for a PVM type monitor for retro gaming comes from two main facts:

1) Most if not all home consoles originally generate their video in RGB format before passing it to another encoder for end user display, so the purest and most un-degraded signal you can get is that direct RGB signal.

2) Professional end monitors were designed for very high quality/precision video display so they show RGB signals the best that was possible in that time, plus they were often constructed with better components so they will last longer with fewer degradation issues occurring (but they will happen eventually, like mentioned above).

[Gypsy]

^That's correct. Consumer tubes will generally show signs of wear and picture degradation a lot sooner.

Honestly I think one would be just as well off getting a nice VGA CRT monitor and transcoding the signal. Requires more equipment and isn't as plug and play but the monitor is a lot more replaceable and for a lot less money (still possible to get good ones for free).