Everybody who was born in my generation grew up with the old box style TV based on the cathode ray tube technology of the time (or CRT for short.) In this article I’ll be talking about the pros of doing your gaming on these CRT style televisions instead of the more modern HD or flat screens that are prevalent today. I first started using an old box style CRT for all my retro gaming last year, after acquiring an Emerson tabletop box CRT from an estate sale last year for $5. I’ll talk about some of the places you can get a CRT and how to avoid getting ripped off for something you can get relatively cheap if you look in the right places.
The CRT’s started being phased out at the very earliest in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This included televisions as well as computer monitors, but also managed to show up in other strange places as well that I won’t go into too much. I still had a box-style computer monitor pretty late in the game up until I got my first laptop, which was a Macbook, around 2007. I was pretty poor so my computers were always whatever I could scrounge together. I really didn’t mind too much, since the main game I played at the time was World of Warcraft and it still looked pretty good in 800×600 resolution at the time.
Why Play Video Games on CRT?
So, you might be wondering why on Earth would you want to play games on an old CRT TV? It’s old technology, right? Well, yes, technically. You can’t even watch watch over-the-air antenna broadcast TV on most CRT TV’s anymore, because the digital signals can’t be read by them. You can’t play HDMI systems either–although there are some work arounds which I’ll get to. So why?
The reason CRT TV’s are a great way to play your retro games on is because a lot of old systems were meant to be played on them. It’s actually less efficient to convert an AV signal to HDMI than it is to simply plug it into a TV that already has the connections for them. Also–and this is not just my opinion–a lot of the games from older video game eras look significantly better on the CRT format. This is because a lot of game developers designed the games to look good on the old format.
Just look at this picture of The Legend of Zelda playing on a CRT TV. This is what this game was meant to look like.
Where To Get a CRT TV
So, say it’s time to get a CRT. Where do you get one? Well, there are a few places that you can try, all of which depend on what’s convenient for you but none of which are entirely difficult. Unfortunately, you cannot buy a new CRT TV on the open market anymore. Manufacturers have just decided that it’s not worth producing them since everything has been replaced with HD and flat screen displays. There’s really not a ton of demand for them outside of the retro gaming (and VHS collecting) niche hobbyists anyway. Okay that’s out, so where?
If you’re really picky and want a specific model or can’t be bothered to go thrifting, one option is eBay. Be warned though, eBay CRT TV’s are incredibly marked up due to shipping and handling and also scarcity. That would probably be my last resort if I wanted one.
As I mentioned earlier, I got my CRT at an estate sale in my area. Estate sales are usually advertised on Craigslist or Facebook and generally are scheduled on the weekends. You might need to check the estate sale listings to see if any of them actually have CRT’s in the listing photos first, because, obviously, not all will have them and sadly, they are still somewhat of a rarity even on the second hand market (most people throw them out.)
Another option are garage sales (or yard sales/tag sales depending on your region.) I’ve seen many CRT televisions at garage sales for a very reasonable price. Honestly, you should be able to stay under $20, depending on the size of the TV. Which is another thing you should consider; do you want a big living room style CRT like when you were a kid or a tabletop TV you can put on your desk? Personally I don’t have room for a big box style TV, but your preferences may vary.
A few More Options
A few more options are thrift stores, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. Thrift stores sometimes have restrictions on what they will and will not sell, so you’ll have to check with the ones in your area. I know the one I go to doesn’t sell them, or any outdated technology like VCR’s. By the way, do you want a VCR built into your TV? VHS collecting is a second hobby of mine besides gaming! I’m not crazy, there are DOZENS of us, DOZENS! Just kidding, there is actually quite an active community on r/VHS as a matter of fact. Mostly horror film collectors.
Facebook Marketplace might be your best option in retrospect as I’m writing this, depending on what’s available in your area. I see them on there all the time and they’re usually only about $10. Same goes for Craigslist, although I find Craigslist to really only be active in bigger cities.
Lastly, I did want to mention one other option which is gaming conventions. At least retro gaming conventions, not necessarily your big contenders like E3. Last year I visited the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where there was a booth dedicated to selling CRT TV’s. They were about as pricey as eBay but without the shipping costs, so if you’re really wanting to get the full gaming experience, that is one option for you. Portland Retro Gaming Expo is another even which I suspect would have them, but I can’t confirm (if anybody knows leave me a comment!)
What to Do Once You Have One
There are some fun things you can do with CRT TV’s once you have them. The most obvious of which is to play games! There are several consoles that use AV output, including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES,) the Super Nintendo (SNES,) the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2, OG Xbox, Nintendo Wii, and probably others that I’m not thinking of.
You can also play VCR video and VHS. There is a Roku TV box which was designed with AV output, which you can get on eBay. And you can even get HDMI to AV adapters on Amazon for about $12. I haven’t tested those, but it seems like people have had good results with them (your mileage may vary.) One thing that’s always fun to do is setup mods on old systems and use them on a CRT like the Homebrew Channel on the Nintendo Wii. You can do all sorts of stuff and become a gaming mad scientist.
Do note that the coax connectors for a lot of these old systems might work but often don’t anymore due to poor initial design, however, there are many vendors of adapters on eBay. Yes, while eBay might not be a great place to get the TV itself, at least not at a super discount like me, it’s a great place to get the accessories for it!
Geeking Out
So, I’m not going to go too into the specific models of CRT TVs, since there are so many and also, to be fair, it’s not something I know a ton about; but there are many ways you can geek out on CRT technology. And by geek out I mean have lots of fun getting super technical and niche in your experimentation. For one, some old television sets have all sorts of knobs and dials that you can adjust the picture and color with. You can find a lot of these from old doctors offices and security cameras.
Also, one thing I really didn’t go into in this article was CRT computer monitors. Yes, those are a thing you can collect and use. Often they are VGA based, the old connector used for PCs in the classic era of computing. These are acquired in just about the same ways as the television set variety (eBay, Marketplace, estate sales, etc.) Many people simply throw them out or recycle them though like the TVs–which is what they’re supposed to do at least–since it’s hard to imagine why anybody would want them. There are TONS of retro computer enthusiasts, especially gamers, so don’t underestimate this potential hobby as well.
Conclusion
And that pretty much wraps up my article on CRT TV gaming. I don’t claim to know absolutely everything about it, since it’s an arcane science to be totally honest with you. But if you’re willing to do some thrifting and searching, you can have some fun with this style of gaming too.
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I really appreciate you reading my website, Mr. Dave Pizza, and I wish you the best in your retro gaming adventures, hoping you find a CRT TV for a super deal! In the mean time, thanks for spending your time here, and enjoy your games! 😊
