HDTV with a Sony CRTTrinitron WEGA (KD-34XBR960) - am I wrong? (1 Viewer)

[ncstatesman]

Hi All,

I am looking to get my feet wet with an HDTV. One set I'm looking at is a sony CRT 34" HDTV 16:9 FD Trinitron WEGA (KD-34XBR960) - yes, I know tubes are fat, bulky, and old school, but my motivations are several:

1. The BEST HDTV pic quality is still via CRT (so, I've read) - not to mention reliability
2. COST! the set is about $1,300 - very cheap entry level into HDTV in view of #1 above. Also, this set has built in tuner and HDMI, but only 1080i
3. I play xbox 360 video games, so I don't want to get an LCD as I am told refresh rates are not optimal for gaming and plasma may still have "burn-in" issues (is this still true?)


I just don't want to spend $3k for an HDTV set that although may be a lot bigger than the 34" CRT, does not have as good a picture qaulity for video gaming, HDTV programming, etc ,etc. Besides, when I do get a plasma/LCD/or that new toshiba technology (SED?) a couple of years down the road, I could retire the CRT to a smaller room and get a flat screen then.

Can someone let me know if I'm making sense here and offer suggestions/corrections to my thought process, especialy before I buy this set?

Thanks!

 

[ChrisWiggles]

You are making sense, and it sounds like your reasoning is quite reasonable.

Just make sure you calibrate your display properly including lowering white level. Crts are subject to phosphor wear (burn-in) but direct views are very resiliant to this unless you're playing pacman all the time or something! With a proper white level brought down from the out of box "torch mode" you should be absolutely fine for a long time.

 

[ncstatesman]

Hey Chris, Thanks for the input . . . . I wonder thought if I wait long enough a newer version of this TV may comeout with 1080p, with my luck that might happen after I purchase the TV

I know, sooner or later I have to take the plunge and adopt the technology, if I keep waiting for the next enhancement I'll never make the purchase

 

[ncstatesman]

Can someone suggest the a dvd setup guide (AVIA?, others?, etc) that I should use to calibrate the Sony CRT HDTV?

Thanks

 

[Garrett Lundy]

The newer version of the xbr960, the xbr970, is actually worse than the discontinued 960. SONY has dropped the Super Fine Pitch screen, and the resoultion has decreased from 1080i to 960i. SONY has closed its California Wega factory, and the newer 970's are sourced from China and Mexico, and are basically just the old KS models with new XBR badges on them.

Since cheap 1080p CRts would cannibalise their LCD & SXRD Tvs, I highly doubt SONY will dump more money into a technology they want to go away.

 

[ncstatesman]

Just my luck, I'm back to square onw. If that's the case - I might as well keep waiting . . . do you have any suggestions as an alternate plan. I don't know where I'm going to find a new/unopened xbr960 and I'm reluctant to buy a used one and the comparable 42" plasmas start at $3K

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[ncstatesman]

ok, I was able to find a new Sony KD-34XBR960 in stock online - can someone suggest what DVD Instructional Guide I should use to calibrate this CRT?

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Where? That is arguably the finest CRT ever made, or will ever be made! If they have more I want to buy one myself!

 

[ncstatesman]

Garret, in your post above u say:


So I don't know how u can say that it's arguably the best CRT ever made - what gives? Is the 960 good or bad?

 

[Garrett Lundy]

The xbr 970 is probably the best DV-CRT on the market today (Toshiba will argue this point), but the xbr 960 was better than any of this years crop of CRTs. Since electronics companies are unlikely to fund anymore Direct-view CRT research, the xbr960 will probably be going-down in electronics history as the best CRT TV ever made* I will repeat: 970 very good, but not best sony CRT ever.

*Loewe Aconda fans will argue that their 38" CRT was the best ever (certainly the biggest 16x9 DV-CRT), but it hasn't been manf'ed in several years and it didn't have any built-in tuners or digital inputs.