[plissken99]

I'm still considering CRT, and my main concern is burn in. For example, here are the things i would do that may cause burn in:


Watch 4:3 satalite, Tivo does have a 16:9 setting but I don't know how that will work on programming, if it stretches it or what.


I watch TV DVDs that are mostly in fullscreen(with exception to the later X-Files seasons). I watch probably at least one episode of something every other day.


Play video games via PS2 and Gamecube, most of which do not have a 16:9 setting, every few days, but usually for hours at a time.


Will this amount activity cause burn in?


P.S, Does the Barco 801 use grey or black for side bars? And does gray really help?

 

[Krynos]

Watching a couple of hours a week 4:3 programming will not be a problem as long as you mix it up with with widescreen stuff too.


The video games could be a problem, depending on how static any areas of the screen are, and how long they are displayed and how bright. Limit your gaming to a couple of hours duration max, and again mix it up with widescreen stuff.


Burn in isn't an issue as long as you are aware of it and take minimal steps to avoid it


- Rick

 

[plissken99]

So figure, 2 hrs of gaming max, followed by a widescreen movie. I probably watch a couple of hours of 4:3 every night, as I have a few shows that I watch, but will it still be ok if widescreen material is mixed in? I could use the stretch mode, but I hate the look of that.


By static areas in games, do you mean like the life/energy etc. displays, things like that?


Ooh, what about the black bars on 2.35:1 movies?

 

[Energeezer]

The vast majority of burn cases are from computer displays such as a windows desktop. This occurs mainly in boardrooms where the owners are more concerned with a bright image in a semi bright room and not to worried about replacing CRTs cause in most cases they are not paying for them.

Unless you are a fanatic about 1 game in particular and insist on running it for long periods at high PJ settings then I doubt there will be a problem as long as you mix it up with some video. 4/3 video is best since it uses the full screen and any wear will take the full phosfur.Turn the lights off and the bright and contrast as low as possible and you will be fine.

MO

Steve

 

[Krynos]

Quote:

By static areas in games, do you mean like the life/energy etc. displays, things like that?

Yeah, though many games now have transparent statics, which is helping.


From what you have written on your viewing habits, you have nothing to worry about from burn in.


I watch a mix of 4:3 and 2.35:1 and 16:9 --- I've not burned in anything, and I don't really think about it much. Not a problem.


- Rick

 

[plissken99]

I do get fanatical about games, but I'll just limit the play time to 2 hours.


Since I'll be using an HTPC, I guess a cool screensaver is definitly in order.


Thanks for the info guys

 

[HWM]

If you keep the contrast setting below 40% of max and don't leave a static image on for hours, it won't be an issue for thousands of hours of use.

 

[Jay M]

I have fallen asleep several times with the windows desktop and a small video window on the screen. The PJ is at 60% contrast and there is no sign of burn in after two years.


As Rick said "Burn in isn't an issue as long as you are aware of it and take minimal steps to avoid it"


As long as you are aware- ie don't play the same game for 6 hours straight at 80% contrasst.


~Jay

 

[Martin W]

I haven't heard of anyone burning their tube within the home environment except this one dude who forgot his HTPC on with a static screen all night because of a girlfriend of his. Dunno about his contrast settings though.


Personally I think the PJ will take much more abuse than what is normal within the home environment before burn occurs.


One could wonder why so many arcade machines use back projection screens...I checked out my local arcade which has a lot of them, and every single one of the projection screens display serious burns. But these machines are on playing the same game 24/7 for several years.

 

[lawdawg]

I've read alot about burnin in, and the prevailing thought is that unless you leave an image on for several days you shouldn't have to worry. So what do I do? I bought an extron 202rgb plus with VS (video shift.) This is a rgb switcher, which I need anyway, that has a built in orbit capability. It will move up to 25% of the area either horizontally, verically or both.


This way I can hook my xbox up via my vgabox and still not worry about my wife accidentally leaving the sims up for hours at a time. She has been good so far, but I worry..... With the video shift capabiltiy I shouldn't have to worry about this as much. I got it for 150 bucks + shipping, used, from a rental place. Other deals must be out there too.

 

[KennyG]

As stated, I wouldn't worry about 4X3 burn-in because everything else fits inside it...and if you're pj is setup right, you've got 8-10,000 hours of usable tube life.

As for gaming...don't most of the modern games have moving backgrounds now days? I mean if your playing games like Unreal or Starcraft the backgrounds change if not constantly, then from level to level. So you have nothing to worry about there either.

It takes many hours of static display to burn it in.

 

[howdydoody]

I am careful about network logos with my front projector. My rear projector has burn in of the MSNBC logo. This occurred shortly after 9/11 as we were watching the news constantly.


Kevin

 

[lawdawg]

Plisskenn,


No one has asked what type of screen you will use? Is it going to be 4x3 or 16x9? If it is 4x3 then I would limit my gaming time. The fact that you watch 4x3 tivo stuff and 4x3 dvd's should help eliminate burn in.


As for the 16x9 mode on tivo, it's worthless and really doesn't do anything that I can tell.


Now if you plan on having a 16x9 screen and display the 4x3 stuff within it, then using dscaler's orbiting/bounce feature is a must. otherwise your 4x3 games will eventually cause uneven wear on the rest of the tubes.


Also, while it's true that the backgrounds change almost constantly on games, the problem is with the overlayed gui and status screens. They stay in exactly the same space, and are generally high contrast so the gamer can see them easily. For instance on the SIMS, in the lower left hand corner is a box that contains the gui. It doesn't move. The game is also fairly addictive. It's easy to be sucked in for 3 to 4 hours at a time. So in a months time, I could see the same image being displayed in the same place for easily 20 to 30 hours.

 

[plissken99]

It will be 16:9. I'll have to look into this Extron box.

 

[bentson]

I worry more about the wife leaving the DVD menu on when the phone rings, she hits [pause] or worse yet [menu] & then takes off for the day.

 

[Lifter]

I've been toying around with buying a CRT for a while. The burn-in really scares me because I'm a heavy gamer. I can easily live with limiting it to say, 2 hours a session- but could that still be a problem?

 

[James Bond]

Quote:

Originally posted by Martin W I haven't heard of anyone burning their tube within the home environment except this one dude who forgot his HTPC on with a static screen all night because of a girlfriend of his.

Lifter, this is the truth, don't listen to the chicken littles on this forum or elsewere.


P.S. that one guy could have avoided his burn with a simple screensaver that comes with his OS.

 

[James Bond]

Quote:

Originally posted by KennyG As stated, I wouldn't worry about 4X3 burn-in because everything else fits inside it...

I don't see how this is true. On my 16x9 screen, everything fits inside 16x9, i imagine most peoples situation. when i got my 8500lc it had a 4:3 burn and you could easily see it. It's 16x9 burn i wouldn't worry about.

 

[usabrian]

I will likely buy a very cheap lcd or dlp projector since I worry about my kid or wife leaving a static image on by accident. You can get used ones for about $300 to $500 on EBAY that will be fine for gaming but crap for movies.


Brian

 

[KennyG]

Quote:

Originally posted by Lifter I've been toying around with buying a CRT for a while. The burn-in really scares me because I'm a heavy gamer. I can easily live with limiting it to say, 2 hours a session- but could that still be a problem?

Hey Lifter... when I had my first pj, we had a party, I had a bit to much Tequila and left my desktop up for near as I can figure...about 4 hours. No sign of burn. Don't most games these days have changing backgrounds anyway?

Burn in is nothing to worry about unless you have something that stays in one spot for several hours. Also looking at some of the newer games (unreal) they seem to be dark with alot of shadow detail...the darker the picture/ background, the harder it will be to create burn.