Question about CRT HDTV sets

[dispatcher_21]

At another forum, someone keeps posting that HDTV sets that are CRT based are not digital but are analog and that they take the digital signal from DVI and convert it to analog. I said no way, just because its CRT doesnt mean it cant be digital, it all depends on the processor inside the tv, this guy insistes that I am wrong and that CRT displays are all analog. Am I wrong or what??

 

[tonyp56]

I am sorry to say this, but you are wrong. No harm meant. Which other site is it? HDTVoice.com? If you do some research on the web about CRT TV's, you will see that it isn't just this one person saying something out of the blue, it is the truth. Though to be honest with you, it doesn't really matter in the long run. "All Digital" TV's have their limits too, it really comes down to what you like. DVI won't give you any better of a picture on a CRT, nor will it give you a worst picture! Though most people that have one of those all digital TVs say that DVI gives them a better picture than without, but really, how much better can your picture be?

 

[MustangLX89]

From the research I've been able to do I've decided to opt for a CRT type television myself. I looked at all the benifits and drawbacks to the different types of sets and decided the weight of a 36" tube doesn't bother me. It's not like I'm going to be toting the thing around the house every week. Also, CRT's are said to have better blacks and shading. The newer fully digital sets like plasma and lcd just don't do it for me. The other thing is I play a ton of video games. My budget just can't get one that doesn't have the burn in problem some have. I also looked into rear projection type sets and came up wanting as well. I like having my house well lit with natural light. They just don't have the same picture brightness in a bright lit room as a CRT. The other thing is our set is usually on for about 16 hours a day. The life of the lamps wouldn't last very long with us.

To be quite honest with you unless you want to get into a competition with a friend or neighbor over size I don't see much sense in getting anything over 36" unless your room is just crazy huge. I'm going to wait a bunch more years untill they get the technology worked out myself. I'm sticking with the tride and true proven CRT. The picture seems better on them in my opinion.

 

[dispatcher_21]

Ok, I dont get it. Why isnt a CRT a digital display? The only difference that I can see between a CRT and a plamsa is how the picture is brought to screen. The signal from lets say the 811 via DVI goes to the DVI port, on a plasma,computer sees the signal and it charges the gas and the picture is shown (I know that is a very basic explanation), while the CRT computer gets the signal and starts shooting electrons or photons or whatever at the screen. Its digital from the box, DVI, to the TV to the TV computer. Why is the CRT not considered digital just because it uses a glass tube?

 

[DarrellP]

It's an analog pulse that drives the beams. It's just like comparing a phonograph to a CD player, eventually everything turns to analog. The phonograph is analog all the way and a CD gives the player a digital signal then it's converted into analog sound waves that you can hear.

The picture you are viewing coming off a Plasma display is analog to your eyes, we can't see digital, but the picture is put to the screen digital, while the CRT has to convert the digital signal into analog to drive the raster of the CRT. Make sense?

 

[TuxCoder]

... to drive the raster of the CRT. Make sense?

Yeah 'mon.

But excellent explanation though. I was trying to figure out how I could put it to words myself.

 

[toto]

And like the old vinyl record the CRT has many positives. Most digital sets still use CRT as a benchmark for picture quality

 

[DarrellP]

Speaking of vinyl, back in the mid 70's I purchased an Empire 598 III turntable (retail $1600). Since I was in the service, I picked up a second (had a small scratch in the walnut base) for about $220. It was one of the first quadraphonic cartridges on the market.

Anyways, I was sent to Alaska for my next tour of duty and I bought the first digital to disc transfer done by Telarc, the 1812 Overture and if you've ever seen this LP, the grooves for the cannon shots are about 1/2" wide and clearly visible on the album. The guy tells me what a torture test this is and says if you don't have a good turntable that the needle can jump right out of the groove since it was so dynamic. He asks me about my turntable and gets a big grin on his face and says "Yeah, that will track it just fine". There's nothing like vinyl for great sound.

The moral of the story: It is my humble opinion and years of A/V experience that I still love Analog and prefer it over Digital. Too bad analog is such a bandwidth hog, it is so pretty.

 

[mini1]

MustangLX89 -I'm liking your signature! nice!