CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

bitsquad · Joined: 13 Jan 2020 Posts: 26

Hello!

I am a CRT enthusiast who is seeking several models. Since I had such good luck finding a KV-25XBR here with the stand, I thought I'd try posting some of the other models I'm seeking in hopes there could be other forum members with these old TVs taking up space. I'm in Kentucky but I travel a lot. For something really good, I'll go anywhere on the eastern half of the country to pick it up. I would also be open to freight shipping high-end pieces from the west coast. I know a lot of people don't like to ship CRTs, and I fully get that, but with proper professional crating, foam padding, and freight shipping where the item is moved by a forklift and not rolled around by a package carrier, then freight is fine. It's just expensive to do it right, so that would be reserved for the most valuable pieces. But if you had something special, like a BVM-D24 for instance, and the price was good, I would pay to have it shipped properly.

CRTs that I'm seeking include:

Sony Profeel monitor, stand, possibly other accessories. I don't have a particular size in mind but I would definitely like a Profeel eventually. This would go great with my 25XBR and between that and the KV-3000R should round out my selection of top-end Sony 80s CRTs.

Sony VPH-G90 Projector. I've looked around a little bit for these and have priced a couple. I don't think I'm ready to pay 4 figures for one yet. Still holding out hope that I'll come across one for cheap in good shape. I'm not getting in a hurry to get this one.

Vintage Trinitrons. KV-1200, 1210, 1220 are near the top of my list for old televisions, but I am interested in others. Mostly 70s models at this point as I've got a few 80s models.

Sony Chromatrons. There was only one model released in the US and it's small. I would be interested in that. I'd be really interested in one of the first run of Japanese units but I have pretty much zero expectations of getting one.

Other vintage 70s/80s TVs. I don't want to pay too much for general consumer TVs, but I do like them. I'd like to eventually have just a little bit of everything. The main thing I look for in these TVs is the vintage styling which I find very attractive. Sharp Linytrons, RCA Digital Command, Zenith Space Command, Zenith Chromacolor, Toshiba Blackstripe, RCA XL-100, Panasonic Colorpilot, Panasonic Orbitel TR-005, etc.

Any Mitsubishi or NEC presentation displays. These are my favorite all-around CRTs because they are so versatile. They're basically giant computer monitors which can also go down to television frequencies also. Models include, but not limited to: Mitsubishi XC-2930C, Mitsubishi XC-3730C, NEC XM-29, NEC XM-37, NEC XV-29, NEC XV-37, NEC XP-29, NEC XP-37.

Of the Mitsubishi/NEC presentation monitors, the top of my list currently is the Mitsubishi AM-4201R 42". I do not have the 42" and it's the biggest CRT I'm likely to have a chance to acquire. (Assuming I ever get a chance to acquire one)

Also, Panasonic made similar presentation monitors which are less common. DT-2730MS and DT-M3050W are two models. There may be more. I know little about these monitors but I would love to find one someday.

Sony BVM-D24 and BVM-D32. These are a bit of a long-shot because I know I'm not ready to pay eBay prices on the D24, so my acquisition of one would depend on someone giving me a good price. They sell more reasonably in private sales sometimes but unfortunately those are usually in California. If the price was good, I would pay for crating and shipping from California. If it's on the eastern side of the US though I can probably pick it up myself.

The D32 is a bit of a rare beast. I would pay well for one, but that is relative. I don't know what current market value is for this model. It's one of those things that's uncommon enough that the "market value" is just what somebody decides to pay for it when it comes for sale. If you have one then please let me know. Hopefully we'd be on the same page and if not then it doesn't hurt to ask.

Production monitors from brands other than Sony. Ikegami, JVC, Panasonic, Conrac and others. I don't really have anything like this currently so I'm open to all of it. I'm not too picky with this category currently.

Possibly the one that I'd want the most, I haven't got much hope of actually finding. It's the Sony PVM-4300 with the 45" tube. If I found one, I would cover the transportation from anywhere in the US. It won't be cheap to move but I'm confident that I can do it. I've moved a KV-3000R which is heavier.

Anything unique or different. Anything not mentioned here with exceptional video quality, exceptional build quality, interesting design.

Thank you for reading this! I know that's a lot but I basically listed anything I could think of and tried not to leave anything out. If I get any good pieces of out of this it will be well worth it. I have the space for these and I don't intend to sell them. I will enjoy them regularly and I hope to make videos soon to help share my comparisons with others.

**kal**

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12026 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Wow, it sounds like you're building your own private CRT museum! I'm sure many people here would be very interested in a video of your collection.

bitsquad · Joined: 13 Jan 2020 Posts: 26

Haha yes it has nearly turned into a museum, although it's mostly later stuff though compared to what you'd usually see in a television museum. I was born in the 80s, so generally speaking, my nostalgia extends as far back as the 70s knob TVs that were still pretty ubiquitous in homes during my youth, often relegated to bedroom duty. I have a couple of TVs that I would consider "antique", but generally speaking, since I like to watch Laserdiscs and play old video games, and since I like to occasionally use any of the TVs I keep around, I don't really feel like I'd be the one to fully appreciate most antique sets. I do have a Philco Predicta barber pole, which I obviously bought for the styling because that's the only part of that set which isn't low-grade. Honestly I don't know how much longer I'm going to keep it around though because that awful smell from the cheap plastic outgassing is repulsive when you catch a whiff!

I tend to do projects slowly, but I'm working toward the goal of being able to make the best videos of CRT playback possible. I'm really trying to figure out the best way to do this right, where the camera is genlocked to the video feed and then dialed in to the right line, so that every shot is a progressive image of the entire frame. I doubt most people will be able to tell the difference from that and recordings from a camera phone, but that's the way things go.

Right now I'm working on setting up a metal shelving rack for any non-freestanding displays. I've got questions about how to set up the power and video distribution, and now that I think about it, there's probably a good category on this forum for asking about that.

I'm actually pretty new at this. I'd had a few small pieces for years and I'd say my interest in the vintage stuff started 15 years ago when I found a JVC Videosphere for sale for $15, but most of it is pretty new to me. I'd been wanting to get a production monitor for a long time but I never knew what to get. Now that they've become popular again, I am wishing I would have pulled the trigger years ago but that line of thinking doesn't lead to anything productive. I just think being self-employed gives me enough flexibility with my time that I'm able to spend (too much) time looking for CRTs. Like right now for example, I should probably get to work but I'm talking about CRTs instead. Very Happy

I'll definitely post some photos soon! Let me just get things a little more organized first. Thank you for the encouragement!

HaydnG90 · Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 1335

I have a KV-32XBR100 XBR2 monitor, access box and remote if you're interested. PM'ed you. Located Dallas TX

bitsquad · Joined: 13 Jan 2020 Posts: 26

Hey there!

Sorry that I haven't replied yet. I've been trying to find more info about this TV. There's surprisingly not that much.

I think this is one that I'd like to have, however the distance is very far. I'd have to find a couple really special pieces to justify the trip. It's not likely that I'll make it out that far but it's possible.

Does yours have the stand?

Thank you!

HaydnG90 · Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 1335

I had a Sony Profeel (larger of the two models) when I lived in Europe. Loved that system and quite aspirational back in the 80's.

As for the 32XBR100

Quite a few owner reviews here
http://www.audioreview.com/product/televisions/standard-televisions/sony/kv-32xbr100.html

Some tech details here.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/321393/Sony-Trinitron-Kv-32xbr100.html#manual

Widely considered the best NTSC tv made. No stand sorry.

bitsquad · Joined: 13 Jan 2020 Posts: 26

Yeah I found some basic info from years ago but nothing modern. When I looked up the 25XBR, there was a pretty decent amount of posts from modern owners, pinouts for the RGB connector, etc.

From what I can gather, it is a fabulous set. Kind of the end of the evolution of the curved Trinitron. 800 TVL resolution is pretty nuts for a consumer NTSC set. Apparently it was all made in the US as well.

I'm guessing that multi-input doesn't supply RGB. It wouldn't make that much sense considering that none of the inputs are RGB. Also, the 25XBR allowed RGB for connection to a computer, and by the time the XBR100 came out, computers were pretty far away from using 15khz. Too bad the monitor doesn't go up to 31khz because the tube is definitely sharp enough for it.

This would be a great set for a modern CRT enthusiast, especially somebody who doesn't feel like RGB modding their consoles or buying a bunch of expensive RGB cables. Or even better, for somebody with the knowledge to RGB mod the TV. This tube really does deserve to have RGB or component input.

I'm going to keep it in mind and let you know if I find myself heading that way. If you find a good home for it in the meantime though, I won't be upset.

Thank you!

**AnalogRocks**