Video Asylum

Posted by Nigel (P) on December 18, 2001 at 22:27:34

Given that the picture tube supplied with my 31" Panasonic Flat Screen Television is stock, rather than of the NOS variety, I can't help but wonder if I'm getting the very best from my set.

Yes the blacks are black, the whites are white and the colours are deep n' richly saturated. Yet somehow I come away from each program or "viewing session" not only less than satisfied, but somehow deeply troubled.

I sense that the whole viewing experience could be improved with a picture tube sourced from oh, I dunno, perhaps Amperex or Siemens, Telefunken or RCA. For example, a cleartop from the 70's or earlier? You're the expert. You tell me.

As the author of Joe's Tube Lore, you've undoubtedly had the opportunity to swap or, as the cognoscenti call it, "roll" many tubes in and out of both your CRT-based television, and perhaps a projector-type as well.

I don't know octals from nine pin miniatures, but every tube I've put in my Panny thus far seems way too small and just glows orange.

Any suggestions?

Cheers.

Nigel