With the prices of plasmas and LCDs falling, I wonder how long the big companies will continue producing big CRTs?

[Tight Git]

I'm sure for many years yet, just as VHS VCR's will be available for a long time.

Who was it who said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"?

[spocktra]

It is not just the falling prices of plasma and lcd its the quality as well.At this present time they cant get the picture as good as crt screens.

[RedRasper]

It was Mark Twain Tight Git!

Chris

Originally Posted by spocktra

It is not just the falling prices of plasma and lcd its the quality as well.At this present time they cant get the picture as good as crt screens.

No they cannot.

The only areas where plasma and LCD have advantage over CRT is geometry, colour (white) uniformity and size. But neither technology can match CRT for colour fidelity, nor can they render in true colour. A well designed CRT simply looks more natural than both plasma and LCD in my opinion.

The problem now is not what can CRT achieve, but how cheaply can it be done. CRT quality has fallen sharply over recent times and it appears to me that all designs are now built down to a price, which is leading to poorer quality TV's. A well designed CRT still gives the best picture, but they are now becoming very rare beasts, just as good CRT monitors for PC's are. I think that large screen CRT (36") will become the first victim of the enforced changeover to flat screen technology, but the smaller sizes will still be here for a few years yet.

[Tight Git]

Originally Posted by RedRasper

It was Mark Twain Tight Git!

Ah yes, good ol' Sam Clements!

Many thanks, Chris.

[bash]

Plasma/LCDs are good if you really want the bigger sizes. Colours are looked washed out compared to the best CRTs IMO.

For normal everday usage CRT's are still the way to go, esp since the average price of a 36" with prog scan capabilities have dropped so much over the last few years.

[Costas]

Originally Posted by Laurel&Hardy

No they cannot.

The only areas where plasma and LCD have advantage over CRT is geometry, colour (white) uniformity and size.

Actually you missed a few other plasma advantages..

1. Perfect focus
The plasma panel has perfect focus across the entire screen. Very important to many!

2. No susceptibility to magnetic fields.
Plasmas are not affected by magnetic fileds

3. Even light output
The plasma is perfectly evenly illuminated - no dark or hot spots.

In my opinion quality plasmas today with ISF calibration will match or exceed most CRTs. A lot depends on the type of signal fed to them. Being a larger screen and by its nature plasma will highlight poor video sources (variable bandwidth and resolution of certain satellite and terrestrial channel or VHS feed). On the contrary DVD image sources will give excellent pictures on plasma.

I also still have my 1999 32" Sony CRT and I agree with most here.... it beats all new models. However its good picture on DVD is so much better on the Pioneer plasma!

thanks for your replies guys. You have given me a lot to think about. I was within an ace of ordering a Tosh 36zp48p last weekend, but I kept thinking mmm.. perhaps a Plasma (Panny 37?) might be a better option, even though its about twice the price. Still haven't decided. My main TV packed up gfor good last week and so I watched the Chelsea game last night on a 20 year old 14"!

I was faced with a similar choice....Plasma or CRT. After many demos I went for the Tosh 36zp48....and am very pleased with it..

[sloopjohnb]

I'm another consumer on verge of buying a tv and trying to decide between the different types.

Have got the tosh 32zp and impressed therefore looking at 36zp38 but have a room that could take a plasma.. th37 tempting but you gotta bolt lots on and will I hanker for sky's hdtv next year?? (Hitch.42pd500 looks good)

Have to say chavvychase.. the chelsea game would have looked good on a 2" b&w!!!!!!!!!!

[schnipps]

Have none of you looked into DLP RPTV's, personally after having a few crt's over the years and recently a descent Sony wega 32" i would never go back after buying my tosh dlp.

[pathway]

Analyst estimates still place CRT based sales at around 70% of all TVs shipping in 2008 (currently around 90%) so i think they will be around for some time.

I think that will probably be true of the smaller and medium sized CRTs and CRT combis (i.e. with integral dvds and vcrs). Not sure tohugh about the big CRTs.

I am currently considering either the the Tosh 36zp48p or a 37" Panasonic plasma. Besides the obvious differences in depth and weight, the plasma also has a considerably bigger screen. Diagonally, the size of a CRT 36" is actually about 34". The size of a 37" plasma is about 37" (on the other hand, its about twice the price).

[rickyroma]

I was in the same boat , didnt know what to get , I went for a 32 Sony Wega , the picutre was pretty good but geometry problems and panorama problems (according to sony) made me decide to pack it in .

I got a Sony Service tech out who told me it couldnt be fixed , yet the shop collected it , dropped it to a service hub and I got it back a few days later saying it WAS fixed but it was the exact same with picture rotation on +2 ! They came to collect it again and I told I wouldnt take that back , only a new one would do , in the mean time I bought a pw7 42 inch plasma and im chuffed with it. Selling the new wega to my mate when I eventually get the new one so im happy all round.

Although my story doesnt really have anything against crt it was a nightmare for me , so many people say its impossible to get perfect geometry on a crt , if thats a problem for you (like me), get a plasma !