For the CRT lovers

[craftech]

For those of you who like CRT monitors for gaming, etc I came across this deal at Overstock.com for an IBM P275 21-inch Black CRT Monitor (refurbished):

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi...od_id=1086804&IID=prod1086804#moreinfo

Shipping is $1.00

The two reviews under the monitor seem very good and a Google search reveals general satisfaction with this monitor. The nice thing about Overstock is the cheap shipping even if the item is heavy. My two (also refurbished) 21 inch Sony Trinitron CRT monitors were both purchased from Overstock years ago. One finally needs repair and the other (that I bought for a spare) is still working perfectly.

The IBM P275 is a Sony Trinitron monitor.

The inputs are VGA and DVI-I. Not sure how to implement the DVI connection, but here is the manual for the monitor:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/visuals/p275_us.pdf"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/visuals/p275_us.pdf"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/visuals/p275_us.pdf"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/visuals/p275_us.pdf">ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/visuals/p275_us.pdf</a></a></a></a>

It describes on page 4 only the DVI-A portion of the connector which is DVI analog. "Inputs RGB video and sync signals (0.700 Vp-p, positive)
through a DVI-A connector" However DVI-I (DVI Integrated) is supposed to be both analog AND digital.

http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

Here are the correct DVI-I cables:

http://www.datapro.net/catalog/dvi_i_cables.html

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI_info.html

Monitor Specs:

Resolution
Maximum Horizontal: 1920 dots
Vertical: 1440 lines
Recommended Horizontal: 1600 dots
Vertical: 1200 lines

The monitor is 10% off right now with a coupon that is activated by clicking here:

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?SEC_IID=22701&PAGE=HOME


That will bring the monitor to $170.99 + $1.00 shipping = $171.99 shipped.

John

 

[dafuzzbudd]

that's a good find

ima have to pass though
after so many years dedicated to the crt,
i think im almost ready for the switch to the lcd.

 

[ICXRa]

If this is anything like the IBM P260 I have it is a really good monitor.

I got the P260 about six or so years ago for around $650 shipped....it was a "Hot Deal" here then. :Q

I would jump on this if I were going to stay with CRT based monitors but as LCD has advanced I think I'm with dafuzzbudd and will move on when the need arrives.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Progress happens for a reason :roll:

LCD FTW

 

[TheDrake]

I had to give up on CRT when I found LCD prices had dropped so much. You can find a 20" widescreen for $200 if not cheaper.

 

[electronicaddict]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Progress happens for a reason :roll:

LCD FTW

I wouldn't trade in my Sony FW900 for any lcd, esp for gaming. There's a reason this thread is huge:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=952788

 

[fatpat268]

Meh, I'll stay with LCD... they're easier on my eyes.

 

[tealk]

What's a CRT? Bump

 

[deepinya]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Progress happens for a reason :roll:

LCD FTW

1600 x 1200 @ 100hz FTW

no lcd can touch that lag/ghost/blur free gaming

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Progress happens for a reason :roll:

LCD FTW

LOL.

Progress, as in dead pixels, ghosting, input lag, 6bit color, backlight bleeding, gray blacks, dull whites, and AIDS?

 

[TheDrake]

lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

 

[deepinya]

Originally posted by: TheDrake
lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

Ive owned PLENTY of LCDS and returned just as many. I havent owned any of the newer 6ms panels but I can tell you that none of the LCDs came close to my CRT when it came to GAMING. In every other aspect Id take an LCD over this 70lb beast.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: TheDrake
lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

The issues they have listed are also not issues with higher-end LCDs. Ones with 8-bit non TN panels (think IPS or similar) are much better, have accurate color repro, and good response. Personally I'm more than satisfied with my 19" WS. Better than any CRT I've owned (flicker kills my eyes, even at 75Hz+)

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: TheDrake
lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

You can also tell that your sarcasm meter is broken. The guy was being an ass, so I decided I'd give it a try, too.

Sorry, but I own LCDs, and I own good ones. As a gamer, my preference still lies with an aperture grille CRT. The LCDs may be brighter and good ones have better text clarity, but my goal isn't to wash out the colors with brightness. I prefer picture quality, color quality, and flexible screen resolutions with high refresh rates, which an LCD can't give me, unless I drop $600 for an NEC. Even then, I still won't get flexibility with screen resolutions and I still won't have high refresh rates.

There are plenty of reasons to own both LCD tech and CRT tech. So before you go stereotyping "Oh, it's just those stupid LCD bashers that don't know anything", maybe you should keep your CRT bashers in check first.

 

[TheDrake]

Originally posted by: Avalon

Originally posted by: TheDrake
lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

You can also tell that your sarcasm meter is broken. The guy was being an ass, so I decided I'd give it a try, too.

Sorry, but I own LCDs, and I own good ones. As a gamer, my preference still lies with an aperture grille CRT. The LCDs may be brighter and good ones have better text clarity, but my goal isn't to wash out the colors with brightness. I prefer picture quality, color quality, and flexible screen resolutions with high refresh rates, which an LCD can't give me, unless I drop $600 for an NEC. Even then, I still won't get flexibility with screen resolutions and I still won't have high refresh rates.

There are plenty of reasons to own both LCD tech and CRT tech. So before you go stereotyping "Oh, it's just those stupid LCD bashers that don't know anything", maybe you should keep your CRT bashers in check first.

lol, dude chill. Dont take it so personal, its not that serious.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Progress happens for a reason :roll:

LCD FTW

Thanks for a good find, OP.

The "progress" or advantage an LCD offers over a CRT is the front to back space it requires. If the picture is more important to you, a really good CRT will outperform any LCD, any time, any day.

I'm using my six year old ViewSonic G790, and the picture is fantastic. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

These days, the hard part in getting a good CRT is finding one in stock. The IBM P275 at the OP's link is a refurb. Although they offer a two year protection plan for $19.99.

I haven't seen it, but I familiar with this ViewSonic G90fB CRT for $239.49 + $1 shipping. It's a little more, but it's new so it has a one year manufacturer's warranty, and I know it has a great picture. If I needed a monitor, I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

 

[Coquito]

The P275 is an excellent monitor, probably the best 21" model that is readily available these days. 2048x1536@85; Anything better is still somewhat expensive & not always for sale. If you want a good off-lease, lightly used, unrefurbished unit for cheap, check ebay & do local pickup.

 

[gregtor]

Didn't think there were still CRT lovers out there.

 

[Craig234]

I just got a Sony FW-900, woo hoo, I prefer CRT's for gaming a lot. Replaces my old NEC XP21 for which I paid $2300... too bad I can't get it repaired for less than several hundred $.

If anyone knows of a repair place for less, thanks.

 

[TranceAddictFoX]

I would suggest just looking on craigslist if you want a big/cheap crt. I got 2 21" Sony Trinitron E540's for $50 apiece. The guy had 5 of them.

[edit]
and yes, CRTs are still better than LCDs for people who are picky about it (many of which are gamers). That being said the average user doesn't know what to look for and therefor doesn't see the difference, which is fine. To each their own
[/edit]

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: TheDrake

Originally posted by: Avalon

Originally posted by: TheDrake
lol, you can tell all these LCD bashers prolly never had or seen the benefits of owning a LCD. Even though you may sacrafice a little vibrant color the space saving and clairity over CRT is just uncanny in my opinion... I have a 47" LCD and its brighter and more vibrant colors than any gaming CRT monitor I have owned, let alone alot clearer. But to each his own. I personally have owned many LCD's and the only issue I have EVER had with em is blacklight bleeding on my Dell Laptop screen. Never had a dead pixel or issues with ghosting, lag, color, dull whites, etc... If you see those then I would guess they are old models or cheap manufacturers.

You can also tell that your sarcasm meter is broken. The guy was being an ass, so I decided I'd give it a try, too.

Sorry, but I own LCDs, and I own good ones. As a gamer, my preference still lies with an aperture grille CRT. The LCDs may be brighter and good ones have better text clarity, but my goal isn't to wash out the colors with brightness. I prefer picture quality, color quality, and flexible screen resolutions with high refresh rates, which an LCD can't give me, unless I drop $600 for an NEC. Even then, I still won't get flexibility with screen resolutions and I still won't have high refresh rates.

There are plenty of reasons to own both LCD tech and CRT tech. So before you go stereotyping "Oh, it's just those stupid LCD bashers that don't know anything", maybe you should keep your CRT bashers in check first.

lol, dude chill. Dont take it so personal, its not that serious.

I didn't take it personal at all. Next!

 

[hansmuff]

Great deal OP. I am tempted, but broke. I'm currently using a 21" CRT and will stay CRT for as long as feasible, or until LCD has caught up in the gaming department.
I'm not bashing LCDs, but the things that annoy me are the whole "native resolution" concept, the lag (and yes I know, it is very hard to notice), and the response times.
Manufacturers have successfully pulled the wool over people's eyes, claiming response times that are just not true but to the manufacturers interpretation of true ("GTG".. hahahah).
For regular work, a nice LCD can't be beat. For gaming, a CRT is still where it's at for me. And the OP posted a great model and a super low price, and I say Thank You!

 

[13Gigatons]

CRT's

1. Heavier (won't fly away in strong wind)
2. Bigger (less work can be placed on your desk)
3. Better blacks (black is beautiful)
4. Better response time
5. Last longer
6. Works well at different resolutions
7. Cheaper
8. no dead pixels

I'm going to skip LCD and get a SED or OLED or whatever replaces LCD.

 

[minguskhan]

I've got the Sony one of the same line, and its still going strong after 7 years...but agreed, for work stuff, LCDs are much better on the eyes

 

[FightingChance]

Here's my two cents:

I moved from CRT to CRT, going up the chain from the excellent Viewsonic top of the line 17" (designation escapes me) to the great NEC FE991SB. I resisted LCD as well because of the issues listed; but there were some things about CRT that bugged me so much I moved over. Namely, the fact that I could never get the viewable area geometry good enough, one corner of the screen would always get fuzzy before the others, and most of all, the lag - not ghosting like on an LCD, but phosphor burn, most evident in games like Doom III that had a lot of transitions from bright white lights to pitch darkness. I made the switch to the Viewsonic vx2025wm, and man am I happy. There's just no ghosting at all, and I'm very sensitive to those sort of things. And for the fixed resolution, I just play games without stretching so it's still 1:1 (though I can't play in 1024x768, too small) The uniform contrast and brightness and 8-bit color are also excellent. So I respect the CRT, but for those of you who would "never" consider an LCD, I say rethink that, today's LCD's are leagues better then years ago.