Vic 20 screen resolution and HDTV

Post by **Jeff-20** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:05 pm

Long rambling post:

So, I have an LCD (720p) in the living room and an old CRT TV in the bedroom. The bedroom is where I watch TV most and play games. The trade off is that some games look MUCH better on the analog CRT. Movies are better on the LCD.

I connected the VIC 20 to the LCD. It looked awful. So, it brings the question. Is the VIC like 240i or something? I don't want to replace my bedroom TV if classic games will look this bad.

I've experimented with the settings. No improvements can be made. Is there any chance future TVs would have a feature to compensate for super-low definition? I can't find any motivation for manufacturers to do so. I may just hold on to the tube TV forever! However...

I noticed that the classic famicom is very popular in Japan. Games are still found everywhere! Some of the Japanese TV makers may have a market if they consider this. The NES/ famicom looks especially awful on flatscreens.

pitcalco · Post by **pitcalco** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:14 am

I would certainly think that backward compatibility would be an important selling feature in which manufactures should and would take an interest. After all, when colour TVs came out you could still watch old black and white programmes on them without trouble.

I suppose this is not an answer to your question, but merely a note that I will keep an eye out for such a thing. (I would be interested in it myself)

PaulQ · Post by **PaulQ** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:39 am

Fortunately, CRT TV's are still readily available, and are cheaper than they've ever been. In the future, I still think someone will manufacture CRT TV's, but they'll probably cost more; much like what we see with vinyl records today. There are a lot of people who prefer the display characteristics of a CRT over an LCD or Plasma.

Personally, I'd just get a 1701/1702 if I were you; they look great and will last forever.

Mikam73 · Post by **Mikam73** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:00 am

They still sell tubetvs? I havent seen those long time and would love to get new 14" monitor

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:39 am

Yes, new CRTs are sold at supermarkets and surplus stores. Not so much at the high-end TV stores, for obvious (?) reasons.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:05 am

They take up a lot of space. I have a 13 inch TV in perfect condition, but no one will take it. I hate to trash it, but I may have to.

Zeela · Post by **Zeela** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:39 am

Jeff-20 wrote: I connected the VIC 20 to the LCD. It looked awful. So, it brings the question. Is the VIC like 240i or something? I don't want to replace my bedroom TV if classic games will look this bad.

How did you connect it? If you used the RF-modulator, then the picture most likely would be bad. But using composite video and displaying it as 4:3, not widescreen, then it shouldn't be too bad...

// Z

Post by **Jeff-20** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:12 pm

I did it both ways. The problem is not the signal strength / quality. It's the native resolution. The flatscreen TV seems to stretch the image even in 4:3 mode. Maybe the VIC is 240 or even 120 resolution, and the flatscreen is using algorithms to "up convert" the image, I think.

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:46 pm

I've posted about this before and it may be time to refresh memories...

Toshiba currently sells a line of CRT-based TVs that are ideal for use with retro-computers. They've got a 14" model called the 14AF46C and a 20" model called the 20AF46C. I've got two of the former and one of the latter and I think they're great. They have composite, S-video and component inputs which makes them particularly flexible.

PaulQ · Post by **PaulQ** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:37 pm

Jeff-20 wrote:They take up a lot of space. I have a 13 inch TV in perfect condition, but no one will take it. I hate to trash it, but I may have to.

The 1701 is worth every square inch of space it occupies.

Mikam73 · Post by **Mikam73** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 6:04 am

carlsson wrote:Yes, new CRTs are sold at supermarkets and surplus stores. Not so much at the high-end TV stores, for obvious (?) reasons.

What happend is that all my 3 monitors did break this summer.. Not happy about it at all, course LCD Samsung 940MW picture is not good at all.

I have two broken Philips CM8833 and Commodore 1901.

First CM8833 had always had really yellow and not sharp picture, one guy who has repaired arcades did tune monitor screws inside, picture was good and not yellow anymore.. Well.. Joy didnt last very long.. Soon after lost picture and there was buzzzz... sound inside monitor. He told that its bad and not easy fix.

Second was also CM8833. I got it from same city where I live, someones dad was selling his kids old computer stuff after he did move out from home. Monitor had problem that power button didnt work. It didnt stay down. I got idea change power button from other broken monitor to this one. It was changed about week ago at computer party. Power button works.. But mnitor works only some time, then picture goes away, I can hear sound.. so sound is ok, then if I smash monitor picture comes back or if I wait some time. It goes away like when you turn off old tv. So it doesnt look like bad connector connection.

Third Commodore 1901 did also broke at same party.. It just didnt power on anymore.. I did take my C64 + IDE64 front for Sumer games II competition .. Not sure if monitor was swith off when I did take video cable off. Anyway.. After got C64 back, no power anymore..

Not happy at all. Tryed find someone to fix those no luck, even tvrepairshop said that they wont fix monitors..

Denial

Vic 20 screen resolution and HDTV

Vic 20 screen resolution and HDTV

Re: Vic 20 screen resolution and HDTV