How many of you are actually still using CRT TVs?

[CRTGAMER]

If you need a remote, just check Thrift Stores or the Swap Meet.

Many Sony remotes years apart will work just fine.

Remote on the left official standard.
Sony remotes of the same decade should work.



Agree on the RCA audio output, that is how my Sony TVs are setup for the external stereo amp. Be sure to set the external audio out from Fixed to Variable in the Menu. My Remote controls volume and mute simultaneous to internal speakers and external stereo. This has an advantage of kicking on the stereo for movies or just the TV speakers for the morning news.

I check my local thrift stores regularly, and I found a Remote Commander RM-V310. The instruction manual contains a special section on controlling the volume of video components connected to an audio system. Neat! I just printed out the manual. I'm going to have fun with this.

My Wega came without a remote. I grabbed the manual for the TV online, inside the manual I found the model number for the remote. I searched eBay for the remote using the model number and got one for super cheap.

I don't know if I just got lucky, or if this is something that'll work most of the time.

The pictures show the range of Remotes that work on the WEGA CRT series. The newer slim design black one on the right actually came with a Sony LCD, works fine on the WEGA CRT!

If your Trinitron has TWO RF inputs, be sure the Remote has an ANT button, the regular input button only switches the various inputs and whichever RF was set by the ANT button. Nice thing about the two RF input is the second RF can be set to an older console (no switchbox needed) such as an Atari and channel set to default to 3.

[darsparx]

Either a Sony PVM if you can stand the curved glass or get the Sony WEGA 20" CRT; KV-20FS100 is a flat Tube SD TV.

This is actually proving very tough to find a crt now...I can't seem to find one that's smaller than that 27" and I'm not sure what I have will support it. Half tempted to get off the desk setup to make room for a stand with a crt on it(if I could get away with it)...Especially since I'm not sure outside of Sony Trinitrons what would be a decent tv and I don't know what I'm looking at with some of these XD

Edit: there's a plethora of those 27" but last I checked those things are heavy son of a guns....*sigh*

[Xeogred]

I would if I had the space. I still have some front heavy APEX TV that has 5 AV inputs and s-video. So that definitely seems worthwhile to lug around.

[isiolia]

The pictures show the range of Remotes that work on the WEGA CRT series. The newer slim design black one on the right actually came with a Sony LCD, works fine on the WEGA CRT!

I think Sony just uses the same IR or whatnot across their TVs. I use the remote from an old 20" Sony CRT for my Playstation 3D Display

[samsonlonghair]

My Wega came without a remote. I grabbed the manual for the TV online, inside the manual I found the model number for the remote. I searched eBay for the remote using the model number and got one for super cheap.

I don't know if I just got lucky, or if this is something that'll work most of the time.

This is a good tactic too. I've used this method in the past when my mom needed a remote control for her satellite. I've sworn off eBay for the time because I was wasting a little too much money online. I'm having more fun hunting for items at thrift stores anyway.

Either a Sony PVM if you can stand the curved glass or get the Sony WEGA 20" CRT; KV-20FS100 is a flat Tube SD TV.

This is actually proving very tough to find a crt now...I can't seem to find one that's smaller than that 27" and I'm not sure what I have will support it. Half tempted to get off the desk setup to make room for a stand with a crt on it(if I could get away with it)...Especially since I'm not sure outside of Sony Trinitrons what would be a decent tv and I don't know what I'm looking at with some of these XD

Edit: there's a plethora of those 27" but last I checked those things are heavy son of a guns....*sigh*

Yep, mine is 99lbs, but don't sweat it. There are plenty of good old CRTs on the secondhand market. You don't absolutely have to get a Trinitron. That's just for us silly retro-CRT elitists. Aside from Sony, you can find many quality CRTs by Phillips Magnavox, JVC, and RCA.

Get yourself any CRT that still works well. Check to make sure it has RCA jacks and (if possible) s-video. Avoid certain "cable-ready" CRTs that only have a coaxial antenna input.

Check the Salvation Army; they often have nice CRTs.

The pictures show the range of Remotes that work on the WEGA CRT series. The newer slim design black one on the right actually came with a Sony LCD, works fine on the WEGA CRT!

If your Trinitron has TWO RF inputs, be sure the Remote has an ANT button, the regular input button only switches the various inputs and whichever RF was set by the ANT button. Nice thing about the two RF input is the second RF can be set to an older console (no switchbox needed) such as an Atari and channel set to default to 3.

My Trinitron just has analog tuner, no digital tuner. That's alright by me though. I don't have anything hooked up to the single coax input I have, so I clearly don't need two.

I think it's great that so many Sony remotes are cross compatible. My remote commander controls my Trinitron, my Sony amplifier, and my Sony DVD/CD player without even needing to be programmed.

I think Sony just uses the same IR or whatnot across their TVs. I use the remote from an old 20" Sony CRT for my Playstation 3D Display

True, true. Sony uses the same IR codes that they have used for years. RCA does too. I have no problem with this whatsoever. I find it extra convenient.

Some companies, on the other hand, change their IR remote codes every time the weather changes. Have you ever tried to program a Universal remote, and you have to try ten different codes to get the right one? Then when you change the batteries, you have to repeat that whole process. Man, I hate that. First world problems I guess.

[CRTGAMER]

The pictures show the range of Remotes that work on the WEGA CRT series. The newer slim design black one on the right actually came with a Sony LCD, works fine on the WEGA CRT!

If your Trinitron has TWO RF inputs, be sure the Remote has an ANT button, the regular input button only switches the various inputs and whichever RF was set by the ANT button. Nice thing about the two RF input is the second RF can be set to an older console (no switchbox needed) such as an Atari and channel set to default to 3.

My Trinitron just has analog tuner, no digital tuner. That's alright by me though. I don't have anything hooked up to the single coax input I have, so I clearly don't need two.

I think it's great that so many Sony remotes are cross compatible. My remote commander controls my Trinitron, my Sony amplifier, and my Sony DVD/CD player without even needing to be programmed.

Some of the WEGA TVs have TWO Analog tuners such as the HD CRTs. Only the last of the Trinitrons have that separate Digital Tuner. Either TV would need the Sony remote with the unique ANT button, the only way to switch between the two RF inputs. However, for your TV the regular input button is all that is needed.

You can even set the inputs thru the Menu Input Name Label to be named as SKIP for inputs not utilized.

Yep, mine is 99lbs, but don't sweat it. There are plenty of good old CRTs on the secondhand market. You don't absolutely have to get a Trinitron. That's just for us silly retro-CRT elitists. Aside from Sony, you can find many quality CRTs by Phillips Magnavox, JVC, and RCA.

Get yourself any CRT that still works well. Check to make sure it has RCA jacks and (if possible) s-video. Avoid certain "cable-ready" CRTs that only have a coaxial antenna input.

Check the Salvation Army; they often have nice CRTs.

THIS. No worries on the weight of the TV once you confirm the table (The Fonze says "Sit on it.") can support it. Its not like you ever have to move the TV again. Concur, there are many brands of TVs that are decent, its just that the Trinitrons have such a great reputation. Many of the KV series even though Standard Definition, display so crystal clear.

As Sam mentioned, be sure the TV has more then just an RF input. At least Composite and maybe even SVideo and possibly Component. Usually Component input TVs tend to be 27" or larger. However, many with Component still have an SD Tube which does not allow 480p. The Component back in the day was called Color Stream, a better separation of 480i signal over Composite and SVideo.

The Flat Tube CRT in addition to being newer, tends to have better picture and digital control enhancements. There are curved glass Tubes that are decent, best to bring a PlugNPlay Handheld Game to test the video and sound of any TV at any new or used store. This has the benefit to verify the SD video quality on a newer HD LED as well as older used TVs. Most Thrift Stores allow plugging in TVs for testing, but you need to supply the video source such as the PlugNPlay.

[darsparx]

Yeah but that might be a problem. I just went to salvation army and in place of where all the crt's were about 6-7 months ago there's random speakers, SD A/V recievers, and a few tv stands. I don't know where else in my area to look just to get one at all(since now that's goodwill that doesn't carry them, salvation army, and the other places I would've looked are just closed...)

[CRTGAMER]

Yeah but that might be a problem. I just went to salvation army and in place of where all the crt's were about 6-7 months ago there's random speakers, SD A/V recievers, and a few tv stands. I don't know where else in my area to look just to get one at all(since now that's goodwill that doesn't carry them, salvation army, and the other places I would've looked are just closed...)

I noticed that too, many Thrift Stores just recycle the tube TVs, even the good flat screen CRTs. If you have a connection with the employee, see if they will let you peek in the back room.

CraigsList a great way to get CRTs, that is where I picked up the my uncommon Sony KD-27FS170 for only $20.

[Czernobog]

I still keep a nice 40 inch CRT to hook up most of my older consoles. Pretty much anything before the seventh generation I prefer to play on one of those rather than a flat or widescreen.

I also keep around a few very small CRT which I sometimes use to hook up one console at a time. I have a couple of those little ones with built in VCRs that I like to strategically place for watching films or playing Atari games.

[Anapan]

I still have a few, and they get used semi-regularly. My 48" 3CRT rear projector TV is set up beside my Plasma so I can pipe any of the SD consoles into it any time via a RGB-YUV transcoder.
Still, I use my Plasma way more often than anything else; The framemeister just makes everything except my PS2 look exactly the way I want.
I only use my small PVM for color calibrations on other displays now, and haven't even turned on my 1084 Amiga monitor for almost year.