SPCR

I am planning to get a new TV during the next 1-2 weeks. I am not going to use it as a PC screen.
Since the channels I receive are 90% in a 4:3 ratio (and unlikely to go HD in the next 2-3 years), I decided to get a 72 cm CRT.
But the standard 72 cm CRT TVs are so deep that I could have space problems (and maybe weight too).
The only slim CRT TVs I found here are Samsung, which in principle is OK with me (I suppose they are still build in Korea, not China).
But I'd like to know if there are image quality issues with the slim CRTs compared to the deep ones?
And if they are more prone to coil buzzing? Obviously an SPCR question here.

Clever eh? The neighbours aren’t so keen though. They claim they can’t fully open their living room door now. Neighbours

There's a very long thread dedicated to the Samsung slimline HD CRT at AVForums, and the consensus seems to be that it's best avoided - the design of the slimline tube leads to poor focus at the edges of the screen, and there are also major geometry issues which *may* be at least partially solveable in some cases by accessing the service menu. There have also been many reports of intolerable coil buzzing, but some have been OK, so it seems it's very much a lottery.

I think you'll find more and more SD material will be broadcast in 16:9 format in the near future, so even without HD it probably makes more sense to go for a widescreen format. I'd just go for a relatively cheap CRT though without any fancy slimline pseudo-LCD design or supposed HD capability, and treat it as a stopgap for a couple of years until flat panel technology improves and prices come down.

I'd dearly like to get hold of a top quality CRT, as I'm still not really happy with the picture quality of any LCD panel that's available at a remotely reasonable price. They just don't seem to be available any more though, at least in the UK. Judging by the way the Samsungs have been flying off the shelves even with their acknowledged problems, I'm sure the market is there, but it still makes little economic sense for most retailers when the margins are so much higher for LCD TVs - lower inward shipping costs, less floorspace taken up on the shop floor and in the stockroom, fewer staff needed to hump them around, lower power bills, all topped off nicely with a higher purchase price...

nick705 wrote:I'd dearly like to get hold of a top quality CRT, as I'm still not really happy with the picture quality of any LCD panel that's available at a remotely reasonable price. They just don't seem to be available any more though, at least in the UK.

There's some bargain CRT's on eBay. That's where I got my Panasonic 32".

OK, so slim ones to be avoided, too bad for room space. The strong coil buzz would really drive me away.
But in a noisy shop it would be very difficult to listen to the TVs and choose the one with the least coil buzz.
I definitely want a good 4:3 CRT at 100 Hz, available here at 350-400 euros, since the HD Plasma or LCD are a lot more expensive here.
I doubt that in my country HD 16:9 is going to be the norm any time soon: most people have old TVs and don't need HD yet.
I can choose between Panasonic, Philips, Samsung and Sony, but I'd like to avoid stuff assembled in China, for quality reasons.
Could you recommend any of the brands above as coil noise free and overall good quality?

Hello,

I'm going to wait for SED. (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display)

http://www.behardware.com/articles/593- ... d-sed.html

CRT-like display -- very wide viewing angle, without any flicker, perfectly flat, 25% of the power of a CRT (less than an LCD), digital control over each pixel, 1ms response time, 50,000:1 contrast ratio, 30,000 hour life span (like a CRT).

They are the best of CRT's combined with the best of LCD's, and better than both.

Panasonic 100Hz CRTs IMHO deliver best quality. Sony is overpriced, Philips quality seems bad (at least at similar price than Panasonic - more expensive Philips models look better), Samsung CRT aren't impressive either.

Just subjcetive shop observations, no more.

I often look at MTV logo as good indicator of 100Hz quality - if MTV logo bottom line is stable, then deinterlacer (so called "comb filter") is good; if logo bottom line is shaking, then deinterlacer can't do its work properly. Same for various text-news panels on some channels - they should look smooth and stable.

One of my friends bought Panasonics - no problems so far (except somewhat unintuitive remote control functionality), very good picture at 100Hz.

Unfortunately I've no information about coil noise

Thank you for the inputs, I think I'll go for a Panasonic TX-29PS12, at about 425 euros.
I couldn't find the specs on the Panasonic global site, it seems this TV is for Eastern Europe only.
I still have to hear the coil buzz level (fingers crossed)...

NeilBlanchard wrote:Hello,

I'm going to wait for SED. (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display)

CRT-like display -- very wide viewing angle, without any flicker, perfectly flat, 25% of the power of a CRT (less than an LCD), digital control over each pixel, 1ms response time, 50,000:1 contrast ratio, 30,000 hour life span (like a CRT).

I'd love to have a SED set as well, but at this point I'm pessimistic about whether they will ever be commercially available. I bought a smallish LCD a couple years ago to have something usable for watching HD, so I don't have a burning need to upgrade anytime soon.

I'm not terribly impressed with LCD color fidelity ...

Update: my Panasonic TX29PS12P was delivered today. I chose it because it's 100 Hz and has digital noise reduction.
When looking at other TVs from Philips, Samsung or Sony I noticed the Panasonic has the least noise. This is important for my cable service.
In the shop it was impossible to hear the coil noise, but it has some. However, I can only hear it when the sound is off. Since I found it at Carrefour for only 350 euros, I am satisfied.
Size issues: I had to remove the upper part of the furniture I placed it on. And the box it came in is also huge - I can't get it through the door to the closet.