Yeah, yer right. I was bored. I decided it was time to come over to the lamp forum and push some of the sleeping lamp cows over. Kick some 'o that lamp ass!
It also seemed like a good time to tell those that might be vacillating about what to purchase that a new thing has come down the pipeline.. something that most modern CRT owners always hoped for, but were afraid to dream of: Cheap Tubes!
It seems that the 8" MEC (panasonic)(Matshuita Electric Corporation) are now refurbishable! The dealer cost on these tubes hoovers around the $1150 mark each. The re-furb costs $400 each. Suddenly, a dead CRT unit (that was too expesive to retube) can be re-tubed at a VERY reasonable cost. So, the cost of entry into the CRT arena is even more reasonable.
There are MANY, MANY people out there who have been led to believe that CD's are better sounding than LP's. This has never been true. It is only at this time, with the introduction of SACD that the LP is finally eclipsed. 22 years after the introduction of the CD. This statement is emphatically technically supportable, on all fronts.
There is great reason to believe that the same situation will be taking place around the Digital projectors and their technology. The timeline will of course be different, but.. the CRT still has the lead in absolute quality. There are many, many people who will ABSOLUTELY NOT sacrifice 'belivability of image' for convienence's sake. They are not really aware that CRT's can now be had for considerably less than before, and at much less of a risk, due to the re-furb costs being lowered dramatically.
This is merely to inform them that CRT's still posess the most believable image on mid-sized screens. The technical hassles are much less than many people would have you believe.
Both types of projectors (crt/digital) inject the same amount of complexity into the owner's life, if they wish to pursue the UTMOST quality that their 'device of choice' will deliver. This is a given. Look at the DILA hassles, and the DLP hassles. The evidence is CLEAR. CRT is the same, and not any worse. Those who wish a hassle free set-up can achieve this with CRT as well. They just won't be pushing the envelope.
If one wishes to play with the items in question, there is no doubt that the CRT has the ability to go considerably further (than any other currently available technology) in creating a absolutely absorbing image.
The recent lowering of tube replacement pushes the CRT projector into an area where it did not occupy two weeks ago. The price of admission dropped practically overnight.
Soon, the price of refurbishing the big 9" MEC guns will drop as well, we hope. It will proabably happen soon. THEN the CRT will really be in demand. The value of dead 8" tubed CRT units with MEC tubes has changed. Before they where hard to get rid of, or could be quite cheap. Their e-bay price doubled almost overnight. And, the price of dead tube 9" units is creeping up in anticipation of the 9" tube being re-surfacable as well.
So, if the trend continues.... and it has barely even begun...we shall see if the digital technologies can keep pace. The start of a new technology is always slower than it is wanted to be, or anticipated. People get blinded in their desires, and the corporations are only too willing to help them along in this.
"BUY SOMETHING NEW", they say, "We sold you that old item already... we want more of your money.. yes, of course the new is better! We make a profit".
This is why I stuck with my lp's for 22 years, when I could have had an inferior sounding CD. You cannnot believe how badly CD's destroy the integrety of a sound. Most people won't. Their personal skills and capacities in the area of reaizing these facts blinds them to the fact that the LP IS actually better. What one cannot understand, they cannot believe. The SAME is true of the visual mechanism. One's personal capacities for self-realization and resolving skills should not impede the fact that CRT's STILL look considerably more lifelike than any other currently existing technology. Personal parts aside. In fact and reality. Not personal. Understand???? As far as personal capacities are concerned, don't step into a debate empty handed.
Was that meant to be mean? No not at all. I certianly have my limitations, as do we all. (one might say mine lies in lack of tact) I just have the common sense to realize that there are things I do not know of, and my 'opinion' does not matter. I even dislike the word 'opinion'. It is too judgemental a word. And, judgement is the highest order of a fool's game. Judgement locks you into a mental postion, and developmentally allows you to step no further, and anchors you in the lies of your own past. I try very hard to never express any thing like an opinion, only fact.
I apologize for the soapbox. It was merely my intent to inform people that might be fence sitters on purchasing a given technology, that CRT pricing has recently had a change for the better. It puts an entirely new perspective forward for those who pursue the ultimate image quality over any other 'restrictions' or considerations.
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goosystems.com
Ken Hotte
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by KBK (edited 05-09-2001).]
