How many of you are actually still using CRT TVs?

[Ziggy]

Does anyone have a degaussing coil that I could borrow? Or do these cheap wands really work?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Degausser-Dega ... Sw7nZar7tt

[samsonlonghair]

Does anyone have a degaussing coil that I could borrow? Or do these cheap wands really work?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Degausser-Dega ... Sw7nZar7tt

Back in the day I used to degauss my TV set by setting my computer CRT monitor right next to it. The closer, the better. I would use the built-in degauss function of the computer monitor to degauss both devices at the same time. Come to think of it, my TV set didn’t even need to be degaussed. I just thought it looked cool.

[Anapan]

I'll second using another CRT's degauss. Many consumer tvs do it when being turned on as well. I have done this before and by doing it repeatedly I was able to remove some corner discoloration from a screen which had no built-in degauss.

I got one of those cheap green chinese wands, but I'm too afraid to try it. I read that the way some technicians used to do it was a small horseshoe magnet fastened to the end of a variable speed drill going in slow circles the diameter of the screen's height approaching from a distance, up to 1.5" away and back again. Also too afraid to try that, but I bet you can find videos on youtube.

[Ziggy]

Hmm, OK, I'll give that a try first. I have a consumer TV that I just plugged in for the first time in years and it has discoloration in one corner. I have a few CRT monitors with built in degaussers, so I'll try that first. I didn't think to try this because I thought those built in degaussers weren't especially powerful.

[Nemoide]

I've tried calling several places only to be told that they no longer work on CRTs or to find they're no longer in business. But I have some leads and connections that may eventually allow me to it getting repaired.

In the meantime, I found someone who's willing to give me a little 13" Magnavox they had, which will be suitable for now. Plus I got a RetroTINK 2X Pro so I can now play my games on my HDTV; it's good, but it's not the same...
Maybe I should just start hunting for a PVM.

Oh, I should post an update: I *WAS* able to find a place that can fix it! It's a little store about an hour away from where I live, they normally tell people it isn't worth repairing CRTs but when I explained that it was for retrogaming, the clerk understood and told me to bring it in. Two days later I got a call saying it's all done and the total cost was under $100.

...unfortunately that was *just* before coronavirus got serious. I wasn't able to pick it up due to my own quarantining over mild symptoms (which was a false alarm) and now all businesses are closed until at least the end of the month. I don't know when I'll be reunited with my Trinitron.

[Ziggy]

Hmm, OK, I'll give that a try first. I have a consumer TV that I just plugged in for the first time in years and it has discoloration in one corner. I have a few CRT monitors with built in degaussers, so I'll try that first. I didn't think to try this because I thought those built in degaussers weren't especially powerful.

So it's been 24 hours and the discoloration improved quite a bit. I had a box stored next to this TV that had floppy drives and a bunch of other stuff. I removed the box and it improved. Maybe I won't even have to degauss, but it's minor now so I'm sure a computer monitor will work.

[samsonlonghair]

Hmm, OK, I'll give that a try first. I have a consumer TV that I just plugged in for the first time in years and it has discoloration in one corner. I have a few CRT monitors with built in degaussers, so I'll try that first. I didn't think to try this because I thought those built in degaussers weren't especially powerful.

So it's been 24 hours and the discoloration improved quite a bit. I had a box stored next to this TV that had floppy drives and a bunch of other stuff. I removed the box and it improved. Maybe I won't even have to degauss, but it's minor now so I'm sure a computer monitor will work.

For whatever it’s worth, I seem to recall that viewsonic crt monitors had especially strong degaussing. I remember that in my old technical school computer lab had a number of different brands of crt monitors. Whenever I degaussing a viewsonic monitor; it would also degauss the monitors directly to either side. The effect worked better when the monitors were closer together.

[Nemoide]

I'm sure nobody was wondering, but last week I finally got to pick up my TV from the repair shop!
It feels so good playing on that thing; using an upscaler is good, but nothing else is a CRT. The base on the bottom of the TV got kind of damaged by my struggles to move it, but that's okay with me because it looks like the damage is just cosmetic. I'm extremely pleased to have found that shop, it seems they can repair other older tech, like cassette decks, so I'll very likely be going back when they fully reopen.

I also feel I should share this guide for finding cheap CRTs by the creator of Twitter's CRT Bot. Some good advice in there! I found mine by searching Craigslist for "Trinitron" because I was looking for a higher-end TV but didn't necessarily want to bother tracking down a PVM just yet; I got it from an older guy who basically just wanted to get rid of it, rather than someone looking to rip of a retro-gamer.
The #1 thing I'd tell anyone looking to get a CRT: unless you have a large house and have friends to help you move it, get one smaller than 27" - bigger might sound nice but it's a PAIN to move and is SO LARGE that it can really be tough to make room for it. I would happily trade mine for a 24" or 21" set.

[Ziggy]

I'm sure nobody was wondering, but last week I finally got to pick up my TV from the repair shop!
It feels so good playing on that thing; using an upscaler is good, but nothing else is a CRT.

Congrats! I've experienced the same thing a few times, after retro gaming on an HDTV for a long period of time and then switching back to a CRT, you forget how much better it really is!

The #1 thing I'd tell anyone looking to get a CRT: unless you have a large house and have friends to help you move it, get one smaller than 27" - bigger might sound nice but it's a PAIN to move and is SO LARGE that it can really be tough to make room for it. I would happily trade mine for a 24" or 21" set.

Ugh, tell me about it. 27" is my limit for what I care to move by myself. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with my 32" Trinitron. It's too heavy for me to lift by myself, I've been moving it around with a handtruck. I really don't have the room for it, and I think I need to get rid of it.

[sh0wtime]

Hmm i've not tried my CRT set for at least 5 years or so.
i'm gonna try firing it up tomorrow, big old Sony Trinitron 29incher.
Actually just realised we used to think 29ins was big lol