RF Generation Message Board

I've been shopping around CL, and Amazon for a CRT tv so I can actually play my zapper games on the NES.  Not even remotely sure what to look for or what works well, so I'm curious about all your setups.  What type/brand/size/whatever tvs do you use and how would you rate your experience with the gun on them?

If you have the space, get one of those old console TVs. They pop up in the free section rather frequently on CL. Not only do they have the instant retro look, but they're flat on top so you can put systems or games right there.

Someone asked a similar question awhile ago. Seemed like several of us, including me, have a Sony Trinitron Wega with the flat screen. I have two of them, both 27", but you can get them up to 35" or so I think, maybe more. Sony changed the Wega line a bit over the years, the later ones are still a CRT but the screen is flat, very nice. They also befit from having many inputs, in both style and number, on the TV. I see these TV's on craigslist often as it was a very popular television. People seem to ask $20- $40 if they aren't just giving them away.

I'll agree wholeheartedly with nupoile. Sony was great at making excellent CRTs, so just go looking for the high end tubes.

If I had the space, I'll third nupoile and say go with the Trinitron Wegas.  The flat screen ones are great.

I still think you should get one of these: http://youngstown.craigslist.org/zip/3551105042.html
But if not, the Trinitron is a good second choice. I have a clone of one that I use for 8 bit systems.

I would loooooove to find any of the Sony PVMs. They have so many hookups, can do components, composite, S-video.

i picked up a toshiba flat screen crt a while back at a thrift store that seems pretty good...it's not that big though, maybe 22", and i don't know how it compares with the sony ones. but it does have a component input, which is nice.

+1 bought one for my kids playroom a year ago and am about to "switch" it out for my ole beater

I certainly don't disagree with NES_Rules. While getting something like the Sony Trinitron is my thing, the console TV is a perfectly valid way to go.

Older console vs newer flat CRT is like Pepsi vs Coke, analog vs digital, SNES vs Genesis.

The console television would be much more time period correct. Memories of playing The Legend of Zelda with a friend are very much linked to the console TV as his house back in the '80s.

I've got a 40" Zenith flat screen (non-widescreen).  It's a tank but man I like playing me some old games on it.  Plus, it has a coax out, which is great for some capture (once I get around to it).

Sony has always been great, just pricy.  If I didn't have the Zenith I'd want a Sony.  Not in love with the concave TVs though.  My gaming aunt had a flat screen Sony while I was growing up and that thing took over memories of old games.  I'm sure I had fun on the family console television back in '89 when I was twelve, but what I really remember was playing NES and SNES on my aunts little flat screen (which seemed so large back then).

I would definitely go for an  old Zenith Console TVs, I played my Atari and NES on it when I was kid. They kicked ass, they had drawers on them that you could store game manuals, toys, candy and controllers in.  The only problem is that they feel like they weigh about 1000 lbs.

Agree, the Flat Sony's are my favorite CRTs.  I think I'd still pick up  an old console TV for $5-20 if I could find one.

If you wanna be hardcore you can always go for one of those RGB monitors if you can find one... :)

Really any decent sized tube TV with at least s-video inputs will do you wonders. Should be dirt cheap too.

Hell I'd give you one of mine if you lived nearby.

I got pretty lucky with my TV. My parents gave me the old Sanyo from the basement, I was the only one that used the basement (it was my high school gaming lair) so they gave it to me since they only use the basement for storage and laundry anymore.

I own two Sony PVMs and I haven't regretted getting them one bit. I don't think I can ever turn back to even a normal CRT TV since I picked one up, they're seriously that good. Plus you can get them for dirt cheap if you know where to look. Just make sure to get one that hasn't been used a whole ton since most PVMs were used in TV studios where they were left on all the time.