Just saw a post on the talksony message boards, asking if it's a good idea to petition Sony for a new CRT model to come out. The idea is, if there are enough signers to the petition, Sony might think about adding one tube to their model lineup... Look at the post for more info:

http://talksony.com/sony-home-theater-talk/56-petition-sony-tube-tv.html

Nice idea but given the closing down of plants that produce tubes the likelihood of anything coming out is very low. I have thought before it would be neat if a company did sell a product such as a high end CRT (such as the Sony super-fine pitch) as a sort of niche product that they maybe only took orders for online and only produced enough to meet the demand for that given market and supply scheme. Certainly a company could make money this way, especially with premium pricing given a niche product but the likelihood of convincing them to make such a thing is unfortunately very slim. That said though I fully support the idea of new high quality CRT displays. If companies can still make tube based audio amplifiers and that sorta niche product why not a CRT display as well?

I wouldn't mind a new XBR960...Maybe an Asian maker of CRT TV sets could make something (Funai?)

I haven't heard of Funai in quite a long while, last time i saw one i was 5 years old, it's been 12 years since then. Do they even manufacture CRTs anymore? They vanished as a brand, at least around here.

Funai has purchased the Philips, Magnavox, and Sylvania brands. They also sell under the Symphonic and Emerson brands.

Still, I wish Sony would produce one, they could have it like an online-only type of thing so they would save money that way...

As Sony stated when they pulled the SXRD line, they want over a million units per year.

If you want a niche High End CRT, just as Krell, Jadis, Mark-Levinson, Goldmund, whoever makes, pony up with your $30k deposit and if they get 10,000 orders, they might just make one for you.