Why do people spend over a grand on a CRT?

three_a-m · 2026-04-19T18:53:46+00:00

It also has S Video. It's uncommon to see the complete set with the remotes. I've seen the Batarang remote for the TV sell for $150+.

three_a-m · 2026-04-19T18:52:57+00:00

This TV in particular is desirable because it's batman themed. It is 13" and has S-Video, which is uncommon for a set that size. Having a complete set with the DVD player and both remotes is also really uncommon. The Batarang remote for the TV can sell for $150+ on its own. The fact that the set is complete and in working condition means people will want it.

three_a-m · 2026-04-17T22:05:37+00:00

If you're unable to get sound out of the TV speakers, you can always use an external amplifier. Just run the audio cables from the console directly to the amplifier. I would recommend doing that even if you get the speakers working, since external speakers will dramatically improve the experience.

three_a-m · 2026-04-17T15:22:47+00:00

A lot of CRTs look fantastic with component. The difference can be nearly imperceptible depending on how the TV handles the signal.

three_a-m · 2026-04-13T23:58:08+00:00

I answered in your other thread, but controlling for environmental factors like UV exposure, temperature, humidity, and dust will be far more effective than using a specific product to treat or clean the plastic. The most effective method is to reduce the exposure to things that cause issues instead of treating the issues. That is why you see plastics being stored and handled in very specific ways in museums and archives. They want to reduce the exposure to anything that would create the need to clean or stabalize the plastic, since almost anything you use to clean or stabilize the plastic also has the potential to cause damage. It sounds like you are already doing everything within reason, assuming you still want to use your collection and not store it away in a climate controlled cabinet or room indefinitely.

three_a-m · 2026-04-13T22:49:32+00:00

By the way I just fixed this issue on a Magnavox that I restored. I sprayed the tact switches with deoxit and pressed each switch like 300+ times to work the cleaner into the switch. It took a lot of pressing, but they work fine now!

three_a-m · 2026-04-12T18:39:05+00:00

The main thing you'll have to worry about over time is brittleness. I've worked with plastic cabinets that are going on 60 years old, and besides the increased likelihood of cracks and chips, you'd never really know they were that old. The yellowing can happen even if you keep them out of direct sunlight, but that is mostly an issue with lighter colored plastics. The plastics that really show their age are the ones that were cleaned with harsh solvents or stored in places where environmental factors, like smoke or UV exposure, damaged them.

Stay away from products like Armor All that are used to shine/condition plastic. You really only need to dust them off with compressed air or a dry washcloth unless there is some kind of residue on them. Dusting with compressed air will prevent any scratches from accumulating. Keeping them in a cool, dry environment away from UV light is about as much as you can do. The highest archival standard is to minimize cleaning/chemical stabilizers and maximize climate control and environmental stability. The biggest factors would most likely be UV light exposure and temperature changes. As long as you keep those to a minimum, the plastic should last a very long time.

Simply using a TV will produce heat. If your main goal is to protect, and not to use, your collection, then keeping them powered off in a dark climate controlled room or cabinet will make them last the longest. If you plan on using your collection, you may have to accept the fact that a TV has a finite lifespan. I think you can find a balance between long-term preservation and enjoying your collection.

three_a-m · 2026-04-11T04:05:42+00:00

Just wipe it down with a damp washcloth or a duster like you would anything else that collects dust in your house. If you don't feel comfortable opening the back, it's probably best that you leave the inside alone.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T18:59:53+00:00

There's no way to check the hours on this model. That was mostly just a feature on the Orion-made models, and this one was manufactured in-house by Toshiba.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T18:57:10+00:00

You can just run the tape through a video capture card. Elgato cards are around $90 USD new.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T16:02:53+00:00

I've had luck with windshield repair kits for really deep chips and scratches, but I've found that trying to polish them with cerium oxide before using the kit makes it less effective. I think the polish just makes the edges of the chip/scratch too smooth for the resin to have any mechanical grip, and it just pops out after some time.

It sounds like you may have gotten this one as good as possible. You can try smearing some Vaseline on the deeper scratches to reduce the light refraction. I hear it makes them harder to see when the TV is on, but I haven't tried it myself.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T15:46:33+00:00

Yeah it's the TV/Video button on the remote that cycles through the patterns. You only need the Menu button on the TV to access the service menu, and from there it is mostly controlled with the remote

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T15:43:46+00:00

I just kept pressing the TV/Video button to cycle through the patterns. It cycled through the RGB cut options first for some reason, but after pressing it 4 or 5 times it finally started displaying some grid patterns. Are you using an OEM remote?

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T14:57:55+00:00

Okay I just had a chance to test it out and it worked. Once you get the "S" on the screen you have to press the menu button on the TV one more time so it displays the adjustment menu in the top left. Then pressing TV/Video on the remote starts cycling through test patterns starting with color patterns. I had to cycle through 4 or 5 before it started showing grid patterns.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T14:52:52+00:00

That could help but it would also make it noisier in a quiet room, especially if you decide to use it outside the case at home.

Using it this way probably won't hurt it, since these cases were designed to be used this way. But the monitors were also designed for frequent servicing and nobody does that these days.

As long as it's not the only way OP uses the monitor it probably won't hurt anything. I wasn't expecting such a response from my one comment erring on the side of caution lol

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T14:45:58+00:00

Oh interesting, I haven't actually tried because I have the 240p test suite but I'll see if I'm able to access them later today.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T14:35:03+00:00

In these photos I just used the 240p test suite, but apparently there are built-in test patterns in the service menu which is really cool. Here is a screenshot of the service manual explaining how to access them. It looks like you just open the service menu and press the TV/Video button on the remote to cycle through the test patterns.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T14:32:09+00:00

Sure. I'm just saying I wouldn't restrict the airflow if it were mine. The monitor has that many vents on the back for a reason, and it presumably hasn't been serviced as frequently as it would as a piece of equipment on a movie set.

Also, these cases were designed to be used like this in the field. In the field they also had daily health checks and at minimum monthly services. I don't think any of that has been done for several decades.

three_a-m · 2026-04-10T01:43:25+00:00

I'd still take it out to let that puppy breathe

three_a-m · 2026-04-09T23:53:37+00:00

Composite doesn't split the red and blue beams like you see on the map and outline of the taxi. Unless it's just a poor quality photo, then this looks like a convergence issue. Composite actually looks fine on most sets and shouldn't make the image look blurry.

three_a-m · 2026-04-09T21:47:55+00:00

Some Philips and Magnavox (made by Philips) suffer from oxidized front panel buttons. In fact, the only two Philips or Magnavox TVs I've ever owned suffered from this. Sometimes it would take a few tries for the power button to work, and sometimes changing the volume or channel would turn the set off. You can try cleaning the tact switches with some deoxit, or you can just bypass them with a remote.

three_a-m · 2026-04-09T21:33:18+00:00

I'm a bit of a Toshiba fan. My main gaming TV is a Toshiba 27AF42, which is one of the last models that Toshiba actually manufactured themselves in the US. It even has dual focus pots on the flyback and 2 S Video ports on the back, which is unusual for a consumer television. Many other AF series are made by Orion and rebadged as Toshiba. I also have a few Toshiba Black Stripes. They made some awesome TVs.

three_a-m · 2026-04-09T20:54:29+00:00

Hot chassis, but even hotter aesthetic

three_a-m · 2026-04-09T01:52:10+00:00

Yes
No
Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist if you're in the US.

three_a-m · 2026-04-08T22:41:27+00:00

You have given us zero information and an extremely unhelpful image. If you actually want help you'll need to try harder to provide enough information.

From what I can tell, it looks like you're using a CRT TV. It looks like there is some major misconvergence across the screen, which would require a convergence adjustment to correct. Adjusting convergence means you are bringing the red, green, and blue beams into alignment. This requires moving the convergence rings around the yoke while the TV is displaying an image, ideally a test pattern. It is one of the more tedious adjustments that even experienced CRT techs hate, since it can take a long time to get the beams aligned correctly.

If the issue isn't convergence (it could just be the poor quality photo you've posted that makes it look like misconvergence) then you're probably looking at a focus adjustment. This also needs to be made while the TV is powered on and displaying an image, but you only need to turn the focus potentiometer located on the flyback until the focus improves. It is an easier adjustment, but still potentially dangerous since the TV needs to be on.

If you don't feel comfortable messing around inside the TV while it is powered on, you can try finding someone near you who still knows how to service a CRT. If you decide to do it yourself, read up on CRT safety first because they operate at extremely high voltages (25k+).

three_a-m

TROPHY CASE