CRT recommendations?

Hi, all.

I've scanned through the old posts here, but I couldn't find anything to help, so I hope this hasn't been asked too many times before!

I'm on the look-out for a new CRT to replace my second TV, a creaking old Sony. I'll be using it mainly for DVD playback and gaming, and I have a few fairly specific needs:

-- At least 30" widescreen, though more would be welcome
-- Must have SCART and component inputs
-- Must have prog scan
-- Max. cost of around £400-500

Anything else on top of that - HD-ready, for example - would be a bonus, and it goes without saying that I'm looking for high-quality and reliability. The consoles I'll be using only output at 480p, so it would be ideal to have a display that shows off that res in the best light, but if anyone can suggest a setup that will do that AND still be suitable for 720/1080 if I invest in other sytems, that'd be perfect.

Cheers!

[Andy98765]

I think you will find it hard to get anyone to recommend a CRT display simply because they are so hard to find. The shops don't sell them, people don't want them, they are bulky and usally can only only be found in the likes of ASDA's. Go the extra mile and look at this one http://www.lcd-tv-deals.co.uk/sharp_lc32gd8e_lcd_tv.htm meets ALL of your requirements except being a CRT.

Andy --

Cheers for that. I'm looking for a CRT primarily because I'm not entirely confident about the quality of LCD/plasma displays yet (though if someone can convince me otherwise) and because I'm hopeful that coming in when CRT is being phased out will give me a chance to get the best value for money.

As for the display you recommended, I checked the specs at the sites offering it & it doesn't seem to have component (one site suggests, bizarrely, that it's not even widescreen, though) and the price is - at most sites - quite a bit higher than I can afford to spend right now. Looks good, but not quite what I'm looking for. Thanks for the help, though.

[Andy98765]

Yes it DOES have component in, and in Freeview gives an excellent picture.
Look at the main site http://www.sharp.co.uk/Product.aspx?ID=1091 and click on SPECS or look at the manual http://www.tradenet.sharp.co.uk/file...32GD8EK860.pdf . The main differculty for most people in finding a good LCD is down to either bad sources in shops, or when it does look absolutely over the moon you find it connected to a Media PC or some demo hard drive.
Other things that affect performance and people do not realise. SKY boxes and DVD players set to 4:3 and PAL/Composite out, when they should be set to 16:9 and RGB or even component progressive. Using crap interconnects (now they DO make a difference) from ASDA/Tesco's which cost £1.99 each. If you look at the Prime demoed LCD/Plasma (the one they are trying to promote) in say Comets it will have £40 - £100 interconnects running from the back.

[aekostas]

Before you decide, try to go and see the TV. This is esp true with LCDs in my experience. My last visit to a shop (Comet/Dixons/something like that) last year put the nail in the coffin for LCDs as far as I was concerned, and the wife agreed: too much smearing, no depth. In 5-10 yrs time that I will be forced to buy again, it should be a different kettle of fish.

My problem is probably similar to 100Hz tvs, like the CRT I bought: digital processing affects the PQ; motion may be a problem (good indication: do movie titles appear unsharp as they scroll?), patterns may be a problem (I have a still picture of a harled wall that asks questions of my tv). It's exceptional otherwise (unlike most LCDs I have seen), but it's also discontinued.

Ebays your best bet, as you can get the best crts ever made on there that are discontinued, look for the Toshiba picture frame TV's, picture quality on them are superb and smart looking for a crt tv. they do them in sizes 32,36 inch.