| General and Gaming > Classic Video Games |
| CRT Eulogy |
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| dharmajones93:
Returning from my game hunt this weekend, I went through my normal habit. Open up the game (Kirby's Adventure, NES), dust the board, clean the contacts, etc. Popped it into the NES, turned on my sound bar, and pushed power on my 29 inch almost 30 year old Zenith television, only to see a single horizontal scan line across a blank black screen. After years of re-soldering broken cold joints to get the video-in signal working, I knew right away this was going to be the death knell. The dreaded vertical-line deflector failure. I just don't think I've got the patience, energy, or skill to fix this one. While this serves as a eulogy for a television that I have been playing NES games on for close to thirty years, it also got me thinking about classic gaming in general. I now need a new way to play my 18 or so classic consoles. Picture quality isn't essential, it just needs to be a classic feel. The disgusting mess that results when I upscale composite to my UHD flat screen is exactly NOT what I'm looking for. So what do I do? - Pick up one of the dozen CRTs at the thrift store down the street? - Settle for upscaling with composite, and s-video and RGB where possible? - Mod everything for RGB and find a Framemeister? - Sell everything that can't output HDMI and replace them with clones? Retrons/Analogues/wait for the Polymega? This experience has rocked my world and I'm not sure I even want to deal with original hardware. Another CRT is likely to fail, then I have to drag another 200lb tv out of my third floor apartment (no elevator/lift). I don't have confidence in upscaling, and moding kind of defeats the purpose for me. Clones seem like the most effective way, but I love the consoles. Maybe I'm still grieving and I should wait until I can think more clearly. All I know, is right now I don't have a satisfying way to play the stacks of games I have, and I'm losing it! So without saying what "I should do", what would you do? |
| tripredacus:
For shame, you hadn't been picking up backup TVs this whole time! :P |
| 98dgreen:
Pick up a free CRT at a garage sale |
| dharmajones93:
--- Quote from: tripredacus on May 21, 2018, 11:41:08 am ---For shame, you hadn't been picking up backup TVs this whole time! :P --- End quote --- What have I been doing with my life!? --- Quote from: 98dgreen on May 21, 2018, 12:53:21 pm ---Pick up a free CRT at a garage sale --- End quote --- "Pick up" he says. One doesn't just "pick up" a CRT. Jk, jk, I just mentally pictured the four adults it's going to take to "pickup' the tv in my living room and take it to the recycling center. But this is great idea, especially with spring cleaning going on in the suburbs! |
| bikingjahuty:
I have three backup CRTs, although only one of them technically is a decent enough size to where I'd actually want to game on it. But yes, get CRT TVs when you can and stock up. If I had more space I'd do the same. I see people giving them away on a fairly regular basis and it kills me not being able to snag some of the larger, higher quality ones. There probably wouldn't be a viable enough market to produce them, but it would be great if someone actually produced new CRT TVs. |
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