Increasing longevity of TV CRTs?
 

I bought a TV tube Crt to play my old consoles, what tips to preserve CRT TV and it to have maximum durability?

This is simple:
- do not overuse it
- keep it on a good UPS (battery backup)

It should not be your "for everything" TV, but save it only for when you want to play old game consoles.

And then never use it in bad weather, when power is iffy (fluctuating, etc). Because even with a UPS, the tube can take a small hit to power during the quick switch-over from outlet to battery. (True non-switching UPS is too pricey even for me.)

I have two CRTs left (one in rec room, one in storage closet), and the primary reason is for video games. I'll probably sit here and cuss and cry when I can no longer use my zapper guns and other CRT-reliant accessories.

Is it more durable crt screen plan, semiplan screen or slim crt?

I really don't know what you mean by that -- and it doesn't really matter anyway.
CRT is CRT, for this basic conversation.

Note: I don't want this to turn into one of your other threads, where you ask endless/repeated questions. I'll just lock it. I no longer have time for that. Ask once, answered once.

Slim CRT, CRT Flat, CRT semi-plane has same kinescope durability? some people say that the semi-flat CRT oval has longer durability?

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag..._600x393-1.jpg

Kinescope is something else entirely.

Flat vs. slim CRT is still just CRT. Again, for this conversation, no need to distinguish. Advice is the same.

As far as original build quality, I find that "they don't make them like they used to" is myth more than not. For every lousy manufacturer, you can find a good one. So 70s/80s/90s had both good and bad, and 2000s had both good and bad. (No comment on pre-70s set, before my time, but assuredly the same concept applies.)

Don't overthink this too, like you do blank DVDs.

Again:
- don't overuse it, abuse it
- keep it safe with power, use UPS

Once the tube goes, you're screwed.

In the past 6 years, we've lost 3 tube sets and 1 EDTV LCD. The 1st blown set had no UPS yet, the 2nd had the UPS fail (it was 5+ years old), and the 3rd just quit working one day even though the power was fine (but it was also from 1990, heavily used 13" set). The Sharp 20" EDTV just went 3 months ago, and I've not quite quit on it yet, have some repair ideas and parts are available on eBay.

What are the best CRT brands in history? I do not know if in Brazil I find them

Oh, I don't know that there really was a definitive "good" brand. It really depends on era.

- In the 90s, some say Sony, and thus Samsung (which used Sony Trinitron tech). Not sure I ever agreed.
- In the 2000s, I liked JVC. But again, lots of Sony/Samsung fans, though mostly holdovers from 90s.
- But in the 70s/80s into at least the year 1990, Magnavox and RCA, which were actually manufacturers at the time, not just brands.

You had companies like Panasonic and Sharp, but I really just do not recall any sets worth mentioning.

I was mostly into the VCRs and the blank tapes of the era. Back then, there really wasn't a huge difference in set quality, from the major brand names. Not like it is/was in the LCD/plasma/etc era.

The main issue for me was always geometric distortion, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s. Cheap crappy TVs tried to maximize the tubes visible output, while keep the parts small/cheap inside. So you had a lot of bulbous distorted images from off-brand sets. I remember GoldStar (now LG) made quite a few of those, often sold under random brand names. You also have to watch for "brands" like GE, Zenith and Westinghouse that were just rebadges of the same craptastic cheap sets.

In the 70s/80s, you also had a lot of good sets (mostly Philips, RCA, Magnavox) rebadged by department stores, mostly Sears and Montgomery Ward (Admiral brand).

Every now and then, in the 90s, you'd see something nice from a company like Aiwa, Toshiba and Mitsubishi, but not that often. And quality would vary wildly on those. I saw both good and bad sets, usually bad due to the geometry problem.

Make what you will from that information. :)

I purchased Toshiba 29 Lumina in Brazil Orion tube made in Korea, is it good or bad?

A tube of cathodic rays has a maximum durability of how many years?

I have no idea what expected life of a cathode tube is.

The Toshiba made in Korea is probably a GoldStar (LG), as those were made in South Korea. That's where LG is from. But, then again, Samsung is South Korean, though I'm not sure if they manufactured there (or if so, for how long). I really have no idea. It depends on the year it was made. For me, the biggest issue was the geometry. I hate round tubes that distorted the edges and mucked up the overscan. I wanted flat(ish), and with decent rectangular overscan. But that was my preference.

For me, TV was a means to an end, not what I focused on.

Also, a few more tips on CRTs in general:
- keep out of sunlight
- turn off after several hours of use
- don't pause games too long, prevent screen burn
- keep it away from magnetic fields; not near microwaves, clocks, etc
- never block ventilation, don't stuff it in a cabinet
- don't touch the screen
- never clean it while powered on

Orion is the manufacturer of my tube is not LG

Toshiba is reliable brand of tube TVs?

FWIW, some publications, like Consumer Reports, did publish information on maintenance/reliability of some consumer electronics in the bast. If you can find issues from the era of CRT TVs this may give an idea which models were more problem prone. And all brands produced sets that over time developed problems, components age over time, the only issue was how long it took and what percent had early failures.

Also it may be a good idea the use them occasionally, perhaps an hour or two per week. This helps keep capacitors formed and the heat can help reduce damage due to accumulated humidity effects.

Some sets had instant-on features (part of the set has power at all times). That was probably a mixed blessing. It wasted electricity and had mixed effect on longevity of components, helping some and hurting others.

Can I turn on CRT TV every 6 months for 1 hour to remove moisture and preserve the capacitors?

Biggest problem you'll run into with newer CRTs (2000s) is the build quality. They were built like crap and usually just up and died after just a few years. Older sets usually have capacitor problems (Sony Trinitrons from the early 90s are notorious for this). High hour sets will have obvious problems with tube brightness and things like the flyback transformers go bad from heat over time.

Gamers usually go for the professional Sony PVM and BVM Trinitron monitors as they have reference quality pictures to them, but they are expensive nowadays.... even the broken ones. They are designed to be serviced, but finding someone to do the job these days is a pain outside of a major city with TV broadcast studios.

CRTs are beautifiul....... I prefer curved screens :)

all crts manufactured from 2000 until today have poor construction and low quality components?

No. There's just more bad than good in the 2000s.

Which countries made the highest quality kinescope?

Kinescope isn't CRT. Completely different. Not sure why you keep asking that.

I meant CRT cathode ray tube