[rklein]

I have an eight year old Hitachi UltraVision 57S500, which is a Rear Projection CRT based set.  I have it set up in a unit that I had built so that only the screen shows.   (Please disregard the speakers on the uber expensive stool stands which was taken 8 years ago )  This TV was professionally calibrated by Chad B.



Anyway..., I was looking at replacing it with a Samsung 58 or 63 inch plasma(either C8000 series or the new 2011 models).  The Hitachi was just not showing the color pop it had.  In addition, the sharpness was suspect as well. 

Well, I recently took the screen off and vacuumed out the insides.  Then I painted all the metal and wood surfaces black with a $4.99 can of rustoleum(flat black).  I then cleaned the three color guns(red, green, blue) along with the big mirror on the back of the unit.  I then reattached the screen and ran a Digital Convergence with the help of a service manual I downloaded for $16.95.

I fired it back up and OMG!!!   I have to say that the colors, the sharpness, the depth are all back in spades!  I know...thinner is "in". LCD, LED and Plasma all have their strengths depending on your viewing situation.   However, too bad they had to ditch CRT technology so that you can hang your TV on the wall.

Randy

[Peter J]

It's funny how we back up sometimes for newer technology. CRTs are a very mature and consequently refined technology, the only real drawbacks being depth and heft.

 I just got rid of a 36" 10 year old Trinitron direct view that was still going stong...heavy though...I think around 200 lbs. Two guys busting guts to move the darn thing. Paid around $1900 for it and sold it for $60 and felt lucky. You almost can't get rid of 'em now.

Similar thing with cell phones. When we finally got to the point of good voice quality on cordless phones, here came cellular and reintroduced crappy voice quality that you could take with you.

The price we pay for "advanced" techology, I guess.

What goes it that upper tier of your entertainment center, does it just house lights?

[TheChairGuy]

It's funny how we back up sometimes for newer technology. CRTs are a very mature and consequently refined technology, the only real drawbacks being depth and heft.

 I just got rid of a 36" 10 year old Trinitron direct view that was still going stong...heavy though...I think around 200 lbs. Two guys busting guts to move the darn thing. Paid around $1900 for it and sold it for $60 and felt lucky. You almost can't get rid of 'em now.

Similar thing with cell phones. When we finally got to the point of good voice quality on cordless phones, here came cellular and reintroduced crappy voice quality that you could take with you.

The price we pay for "advanced" techology, I guess.

Indeed, Peter. 

The popularity of mp3 can be summarized in much the same way - sheer convenience over any consideration of outright quality

John

[rklein]

Yes Peter...The upper unit has three lights shining down through frosted glass.

I have been reading how people are picking up Pioneer Elite RPTV's replacing a couple of resisters(only if needed), cleaning the innards(light guns, mirror), running Avia or doing convergence, greyscale, etc. and ending up with a killer picture for around $100-$300.

I couldn't believe the amount of dust that had accumulated inside my Hitachi.  Especially on the light gun lenses!  It took me a few passes with cleaner for the mirror as you do not want any streaks.

Don't get me wrong...I still think the new top of the line plasmas from Samsung and Panasonic look great and wouldn't mine having one.  However, I can now wait a couple of years and be relatively content with the picture quality I am now getting from my Hitachi.

Randy

[Dan Driscoll]

I understand completely. I had wanted to hold onto my 53" Pioneer CRT-RPTV for a couple more years, but I had several problems crop-up last year that made replacement more practical than repair. Don't get me wrong, I love the 58" Sammy plasma that replaced itr, but I would have been just as happy holding on to the Pioneer for a while longer.

My wife, OTOH, is glad to see the Pioneer out and the Sammy in. When I told her it was 58" she wasn't happy, until she saw how thin it was and realized I was going to mount it on a stand. We have a lot more usable floor space in our living room now and she loves that.

[Huck]

I have an 11 year old Sony 53' RPTV that is still going strong.I will be buying the new Oppo BDP95 when it comes out here in Canada,so hoping the pic quality will be not too bad looking at the Sony,although I am mainly concerned with the audio quality at this point,at least while the old sony is still alive! Don't even know what to buy if and when she"goes",but right now all is good with it! Huck

[Danberg]

Out of curiosity, what specifically did you use to clean the outside of the CRT gun lenses?  The mirror?  Any concerns of damaging the "coatings" on the guns?

I have a 6 yr old Sony 57" unit, and would like to do the same.  Years ago I ahd a Pioneer unit and cleaned the guns & mirror and the picture difference was unbelievable (better).  I don't rememeber what I used to clean the gun & mirror surfaces.

[rklein]

Out of curiosity, what specifically did you use to clean the outside of the CRT gun lenses?  The mirror?  Any concerns of damaging the "coatings" on the guns?

I went to Home Depot and picked up Zep Foam Glass Cleaner.  Make sure you get the ammonia free stuff.  Here is a pic...

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/Ntk-All/Ntt-zep/h_d2/Navigation?storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&style=A&rpp=96

You can use a lint free paper towelling but I bought a pack of micro fiber cloths instead.

http://www.homedepot.com/Cleaning-Cleaning-Tools-Supplies/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbqqz/R-202314576/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I sprayed the cloth first and then applied it to the gun lenses.  Whatever you do... do not EVER wipe thoses lenses with a dry cloth.  Keep everything wet.

BTW, while you have the unit open, you might as well take care of any surfaces that could cause reflections.  I ended up painting(see 1st post) all wood/metal/screw heads a flat black.  I believe this really helped as well.

Randy

[smargo]

Anyway..., I was looking at replacing it with a Samsung 58 or 63 inch plasma(either C8000 series or the new 2011 models).  The Hitachi was just not showing the color pop it had.  In addition, the sharpness was suspect as well. 

That is ridiculous - the new lcd tv's are incredible especially the 3d tv's - i would never go back - the picture in hd and in blue ray is phenominal - with the right calibration these tv's blow away any crt's that i have ever seen. don't question sharpness untill you see an lcd or plasma that has been properly set up.

[rklein]

That is ridiculous - the new lcd tv's are incredible especially the 3d tv's - i would never go back - the picture in hd and in blue ray is phenominal - with the right calibration these tv's blow away any crt's that i have ever seen. don't question sharpness untill you see an lcd or plasma that has been properly set up.

Smargo:

With all due respect, I have absolutely no clue what your post has to do with what I stated in my original post.  I never made any statement that my CRT was better or worse(for that matter)than the new TV's that are currently available.

What I did say(please re-read my post) is that MY CRT TV was showing signs of age and I read how one can improve the picture quality of a RPTV and did exactly that. 

You may want to brush up on your cognitive skills before you accuse a post as being ridiculous.

Randy