Best Tv for oldskool gaming?

[NeoVamp]

Hey guys i'm currently looking for a good crt tv that will fits my needs,
What i'm looking for is a tv that does/have the following :

CRT
Flat Screen
RGB
NTSC 60hz support
4:3 screen size
Auto Sync function.



Flat Screen - Not really needed but i just like how it looks.

RGB - Since i'm located in Europe RGB is of course the way to go,
my Megadrive games look beautiful in RGB.

NTSC 60hz - I once imported an American NES console to experience full screen gaming,
turns out my current tv does not support true ntsc 60hz.

4:3 - obvious of course.

Auto sync - I have a supergun with a couple midway games (mk1/2/umk3/nba jam/nba jam te)
sadly Midway games are notorious for giving out a different sync signal,
so to play them on your tv you need to have a tv that is not stuck to one sync signal.
sadly this rules out the Sony Wega and Sony Trinitron tv's.

So i was wondering what kinda tv you guy's would suggest.

Size.. around 28" or something.

[17daysolderthannes]

Can't really name a particular set, but I would recommend a rounded tube as some people report problems with zappers when using a flat tube TV. Can anyone confirm? The only instance that immediately comes to memory is the Angry Video Game Nerd reviewing NES accessories and having problems with all of them on a flat screen CRT.

[Mr. Ksoft]

I dunno, my last TV was a flat screen CRT and I was able to play Duck Hunt (the only light gun game I have) just fine. It was a pretty small one, so I dunno if that makes a difference.

Too bad I finally had to upgrade to an LCD. Traded my zappering for HD. No more light guns unless I borrow my brother's TV. >_<

[Baloo]

The zapper problems aren't with flat tube TVs, but HDTVs.

As for the best retro gaming TV, I would go with something with a sizeable screen fitted for your needs, something with tubes and has Coaxial in the back, and make sure it also has A/V jacks and stereo. A lot of those new DVD/VCR TVs are like that and should fit all of your needs.

[mick_aka]

A big ass flat tubed Sony Trinitron, I believe my 32" was the last consumer 4:3 model produced.

[retrospiel]

RGB - Since i'm located in Europe RGB is of course the way to go,
my Megadrive games look beautiful in RGB.

Cheap and simple no-name TVs without any picture post-processing ("enhancement") features do output a much better RGB than high end TVs .

Also, stay away from TVs with 100Hz, sharpness control, & co.

NTSC 60hz - I once imported an American NES console to experience full screen gaming,
turns out my current tv does not support true ntsc 60hz.

NES only outputs composite video. NTSC support for composite video indeed is rare, but practically any European TV since the late 70s accepts RGB at 60Hz and PAL-60.

Again: stay away from 100Hz & co. as many of these TVs are limited to 50Hz.

4:3 - obvious of course.

Definitely. 16:9 was made by the devil to ruin retro gaming forever.

Auto sync - [...]
sadly this rules out the Sony Wega and Sony Trinitron tv's.

So i was wondering what kinda tv you guy's would suggest.

A very old 80s TV from one of your relatives (make sure it got RGB-SCART) or a cheapo TV (e.g. Beko or Medion) from your local super market should do a better job than your typical high end TV anyway.
Ideally you'd take your Mega Drive with you to test the TV's 240p signal. Best thing for that purpose would be a Nomad with Battery Pack and MD2 SCART cable.

[kool kitty89]

Can't really name a particular set, but I would recommend a rounded tube as some people report problems with zappers when using a flat tube TV. Can anyone confirm? The only instance that immediately comes to memory is the Angry Video Game Nerd reviewing NES accessories and having problems with all of them on a flat screen CRT.

Works fine on my flat screen CRT, I think there's problems with high refresh rate CRT's (like 100 Hz), which I'd assume would include HD CRT TV's. Of course Plasma and LCD won't work at all as the entire screen refreshes simultaneously, no scrolling scan that light guns require. (same reason you don't see that annoying scanning band when recording videos off the screens of LCD or Plasma screens)

[matteus]

so post CRT era, what is the solution for systems that look crap on HDTV's? Surely there must be money in creating an adaptor/HDTV that can support old consoles?

[0x15e]

A big ass flat tubed Sony Trinitron, I believe my 32" was the last consumer 4:3 model produced.

Quoted for truth. The only time my Genesis, etc. looked better than my Wega CRT was on an arcade RGB monitor.

[gamevet]

Can't really name a particular set, but I would recommend a rounded tube as some people report problems with zappers when using a flat tube TV. Can anyone confirm? The only instance that immediately comes to memory is the Angry Video Game Nerd reviewing NES accessories and having problems with all of them on a flat screen CRT.

North American DC guns games don't work well with a Trinitron or Wega. Confidential Mission was nearly unplayable, because shots near the edge of the screen wouldn't register, even after calibrating the gun. We never got the Justifier here, so the only options were a couple of guns made by Mad Catz and some other 3rd party.

[TmEE]

as for getting a TV, get yourself some 28" Philips... all of these have at least 2x SCARTs (only 1x carries RGB :/), all of them support 60Hz, my TV also seems to be PAL, NTSC and SECAM compatible so US stuff will give you colors too using composhit or S-vid, they're 4:3, they come in flat and half flat configs... I prefer half flat since the image is more sharper on edges on those.
They may not like syncs other than 50 and 60Hz so it may not behave well with your Midway stuff.

[bcfczulu]

sony triniton 4:3

cant go wrong mate my neo-geo,mega drive ,snes and nes look great on it!!!

[NeoVamp]

sony triniton 4:3

I'd love a Sony Trinitron but as i said it just won't sync with midway arcade pcb's. (of which i have quite a few)

shame though, since they apparently have the best screen possible.

but thanks for all the info guys, I'm writing it all down and then deciding on the best choice,
then I'll try to find a good 2nd hand of it.

[otaku]

can't beat a CRT-low cost last for ever and have great picture especially for our old games. I have one left and my folks have one as well (mine sony theirs phillips)

[mrbigreddog]

My brother has a 36in 4/3 HD Sanyo tube... but it won't play light gun games... including Saturn gun games...