Jump to content
NHL'94 Forums

LCD vs Sony PVM-CRT, RGB Comparison


Recommended Posts

 I picked up a 20' Sony, PVM (Professional Video Monitor) CRT and some RGB Retrovision cables, recently. I did a comparison and wanted to share the results. Best picture I've ever gotten, easily. Better than any emulator I've played on as well. The comparison LCD is a Dell AIO.

3eSlHC1.jpg

Everyone is familiar with these. RCA or RF really doesn't do justice to how great the SNES and Genesis can look. Thankfully, both consoles output RGB natively without any mods.

Up until recently you had to use a scaler, like an Framemeister  or X-RGB Mini, which are really expensive or get SCART cables to pull this off. I did a post on pixelpuck a few years ago before I took the site down about SCART & RGB on a Genesis. It was a big PITA and I couldn't get near this level of quality.

PWbSIeQ.jpg

These Retrovision, RGB cables are pretty amazing, especially when combined with the RollsRoyce of gaming motors.

SNES Comparison

hAGq2Il.jpgqJbG4PO.jpgZqsQDMt.jpgkGI6y0H.jpg7XilD3C.jpg1GYbwuV.jpgZX5dy8W.jpgrQxhaFm.jpgOl49U6M.jpgHpTPFbA.jpgc0bqd8H.jpg5TYmNQn.jpgcgU8llO.jpgl1jX11R.jpg

Genesis Comparison

7ePmPHq.jpgzkl3vyK.jpgfQ1a5w0.jpgBrMAh0w.jpgcqUG3cg.jpgSnDlPUB.jpgaMgDndg.jpguq9dEPu.jpgd0IXx72.jpgxX51mtR.jpgysKW1lH.jpgfvy5gf8.jpgPCl0YOM.jpgUSiMhUS.jpgyvMJCya.jpgiOz8OGz.jpg7Sf9o32.jpgboaH9J0.jpgvZcsKP8.jpg64PiYGs.jpg2vdKoWH.jpgBDQjzfr.jpgod3yI6p.jpghwjjcWa.jpg

If you like to play on old hardware, I would definitely recommend getting a Sony PVM CRT and pair of Retrovision for your SNES or Genesis. The results speak for themselves. 

There's going to be lot of CRT's at Waves but I will probably be lugging this guy to Toronto for KO94-4. Hopefully it can be put to good use. 

  • Thanks 2
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congrats bud.

 

I bought a Framemeister years ago when I added an NESRGB board to my NES. RGB made it look like a whole new console. I then bought all the cables for the rest of my systems. Modded my SNES Jr. (only the old SNES outputs RGB without a mod), and was living the life. Then, early last year, I was able to pick up a 20" PVM free from work (looks just like yours). It was in MN, so I packed the living hell out of it and shipped it to myself back in NJ. It's so much more enjoyable to play on there than on the Plasma with my Framemeister. Now, the Framemeister just sits there. It's a sad story for the little guy.

Then, a month or so ago, I picked up a 14" PVM for free (well it was broken). Fixed it up and we used it at the tourney.

Worked at a museum in Phili last week, they has 2 PVMs and a BVM laying around. I'm not sure if I can take them though. These things went for big money back in the day. Now people just rip you off on eBay selling these. I think PVMs were $2-5k new (depending on size), BVMs (Broadcast Video Monitor) were in the 10k range.

The reason they are so much better than a traditional CRT, is the line count and the quality of the tube. A line count on a reg. CRT maybe below 300 lines. On a PVM they are 600-800 lines (depending on the model). And the tubes are made to last a long time. 

Even playing on a $20 CRT, composite video looks much better than on an LCD.

 

  • Love 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having witnessed one of these in person at the LI tournament, I am now on the lookout for a 14"-20+ PVM.  Heavy as hell, but there is no better picture.   

BONUS feature on these is that is has an additional output in the back, which saves the need for a splitter when you want to do a livestream at a tournament.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@chaos If they don't want them, Jesus' Salvage, BBQ Towing and Notary Service can oblige. 

@kingraph Apparently a good way to find one is just to email every local broadcast studio, university and news station in a 30 mile radius and ask them if they have any tube monitors that they no longer need. A lot of people who are persistent have gotten huge hauls. For most of these places, you're solving a problem.

I plan to do this next week myself as I'm smitten with these PVM's. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Lost an av liquidation auction for 10 pvms today. Feel gutted I thought I had em for a song for sure. 

It was in Jersey too. Inflation is crazy high the lot, combined - they were listed two at a time - went for over 3500. 

If this bubble doesn’t burst they’ll be like 1k a piece in 5 more years.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like they removed the pricing but I put in $400.00 for all except the single one. Had my Friday after work planned out and all.

I'm just bitching because I called over 150 companies in the last 2 months before I came across this auction.

FCEXuxf.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have a bunch of these professional monitors on hand thanks to @LeifErikson for the Minnesota tournament.  While most of them will be hooked up via composite initially, we do hope to start introducing more component/SCART hookups for future events.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@chaos

I have...

  • 20" inch PVM 
  • 20" inch BVM I just picked up recently
  • 40" inch Sony KV-40
  • 32" inch Sony 
  • 27" inch Toshiba 

Haven't had much success with gov auctions over the last several months. Nothing close to this particular auction.

@kingraph

FCEXuxf.png

Actually looking at the pic again, from top to bottom:

  1. $750
  2. $450
  3. $900
  4. $1200
  5. $850
  6. $900

I've been on the look out on /r/crtgaming on reddit to see if anyone there got any of these. Felt like these guys got in a bidding war. I'm not chasing these types of prices for something you can find for free if you're lucky or know where to look.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, chaos said:

@clockwise quit while you're ahead, you got enough goodies. 

THEY'RE MY FRIENDS.

All good except for the 40" which got messed up when it was bumped hard. It's so frigg'n massive. If I'd had gotten the 10 I would have tried to setup a tourney next year in the Philly area.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, clockwise said:

If I'd had gotten the 10 I would have tried to setup a tourney next year in the Philly area.

Dooo iiiit

Don't let perfection get in the way of doing something great :). Regular CRTs are easy to get for $0-$25. Then if you happen to get some more PVM's you can toss the regulars to make room.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, clockwise said:

THEY'RE MY FRIENDS.

All good except for the 40" which got messed up when it was bumped hard. It's so frigg'n massive. If I'd had gotten the 10 I would have tried to setup a tourney next year in the Philly area.

 

40"? holy crap. My 20" weighs 70 lbs., cant imagine a 40.

 

13" CRTs are the sweet spots for tournaments. Easy to carry. Lots of them on craigslist/FB/let it go/offer up.

 

Ask @Mike Gartner. He has a ton of CRTs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
1 hour ago, clockwise said:

I see this as an absolute win. His and hers exercise. What woman wouldn’t love this as an early x-mas present?

U4LPlOz.jpg

Someone please talk me out of this...

If the left handle can be rewired to a dpad, there can be no greater gift.  

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...