From 1991-2015, You might see a TV that has a big tummy-like back. Those were CRT’s TVs. CRT is short for a cathode-ray tube. It is also known as a picture tube. It is a specialized vacuum tube that produces images when an electron beam strikes a phosphorescent surface. You might see old CRT Monitors of a computer, that are also using these CRTs. These TVs are large, heavy, and fragile. Its glass is very thick to provide it safety. CRT Technology is outdated by many new Tv technologies like LCD, LED, QLED, and OLED due to many factors like new technology is energy efficient, lightweight, takes up less space, cost-effective, and have better picture quality.
More Detail About CRT
CRT’s uses three RGB colors. It uses three electron beams, one for each color(RGB). It scans the screen continuously in a fixed pattern. It produces the image by controlling the intensity of three electron beams. Electron beams contain toxins. It contains approximately 4 to 8 pounds of lead in its glass tubes. Its tubes are also coated with a toxic coating. This is a very serious concern for our environment. You cannot throw it in a landfill. It must be recycled.
Advantages of CRT's
Resolution and Aspect Ratio
The big nice point about CRT’s are that It has high resolution and works over any resolution. You do not require to rescale the image. Its aspect ratio is also good.
Black Level and Contrast
It is capable of producing a very black and high contrast level. It is capable of display properly in the dark room.
Gray scale Perfection
It produces the very best greyscale and can be used in any calibration. Other technologies are using different methods to achieve this much greyscale perfection, but are not able to achieve up to the mark.
Response Time
Response time means how fast it responds when you give any command to the TV. CRT’s TVs are very fast in this. If you press a button from the remote, It responds very quickly. Its response time is less than 1 picosecond.
Cost (Price)
When you compare CRT’s with the latest TVs you can easily interpret that CRT’s cost you less. or simply you can say its initial cost is less.
Produce More Colors
It is capable of producing more colors as compared to other types of TVs.
Limitations
Following are the disadvantages of a CRT’s
Blooming
You might experience blooming in CRT. Blooming is nothing else but the change in the image due to fluctuation in voltage. It affects the brightness of an image, shrinkage of an image, and some times image gets to zoom in or zoom out. Lower voltage leads to blooming and higher voltage dp reverse. The blooming is caused because a higher current is applied to the electron gun. Sometimes, the image is distorted, pushing the darker side of an image to the same area. This is mostly experienced by all.
Domin
Sometimes, You might experience high contrast in a particularly dark area of an image. When an electron beam hit the light, it is hit unevenly. This results in the wrong color display on the affected area
Less Attractive
We are living in a modern world, where everyone loves to have an appliance that enhances the beauty of their house. If this is your concern, Then you should not go for this technology TVs.
High Voltage
It produces more brightness and its size is also large. So it requires more power to operate and to maintain brightness because brightness is controlled using electricity. It produces more heat than modern technologies. It affects your monthly electricity bill.
Heavy Weight
It is large and uses thick glass to protect it. Its tube is also big. So due to these reasons, its weight is very much. If you see, Sony PVM-4300 TV in 43 inches using CRT technology is about 200 KG in weight. and 32-inch TV weighted 75 KG. Now you can understand that CRT’s are very heavy compared to today’s TVs,
It requires a large space(Size)
These TVs have a tummy-like back that required more space for its placement. If you are short for space, CRT is not a piece of cake.
Emissions
It produces electric, magnetic, and electromagnets fields. It a topic of controversy for many years. Scientist Claims that there is no such issue with it. But We are always tense about this.
Not suitable for very bright Environments
It works fine in a very dark room but not in a very bright environment. So if you are planning to use it outdoors, It is recommended not to choose this type of TV.
Wider screen
As you see glass in all CRT’s TVs for the front display, a wider protection area is provided all over the sides of a glass screen. It consumes more space and makes it bulkier.
Image showing internal parts of a CRT’s.
Where is CRT's are used
- It is widely used in Television.
- The second most used area of CRT’s are CRT Monitors.
- It is also used in radar in display devices.
- In cathode ray oscilloscope.
- X-Ray tubes.
- It is used in Illuminated signs.
- It was widely used in video games.
Size and weight
We can measure the size of the screen using two ways. The first one is: to measure the viewable screen diagonally. Screen size is viewable area plus the black area around the glass. The screen is perfectly square and its edges may be a little curved. Its size comes from the glass of a screen. This glass has 50-60% of the total weight. The funnel and neck glass has 30% weight.
Burn-in
Burn-in means when an image burns physically. Any fixed logo or images left on the screen stay for longer, not change as the scene changes. It is also known as the ghost image. It is not only happening in CRT but also in other technologies of the Display. You can minimize the screen burn-in by setting the screensaver.
Types of CRT's
CRT’s are mainly have two types.
- Monochrome CRTs
- Color CRTs
Monochrome CRTs
Those CRTs which produce or display only two colors of images are monochrome CRTs. Those two colors are black and white.
Color CRTs
The Color CRT as its name indicates that it produces an image that has all colors as other TVs have. Color CRT uses three phosphors that emit red, green, and blue light. Color CRT also has total of three electron guns, one for each color.
Why we don't use it anymore?
Many people still use CRTs for special work like in airplanes for cockpits and gaming. Nowadays CRTs are not used anymore because their market or place is occupied by many other flat-screen technologies. All flat screen has huge benefits. Flat screens are cheaper, consume less energy, are light in weight, thinner, and more clarity, and resolution, and produce less heat.
Summary
CRTs are display technology used many years ago. These were used in the TV and CRT Monitors. It has a big tummy-like back that occupies more space. It requires more power and produces heat. Its resolution is also not as good as nowadays TVs have. It uses a dangerous material that’s why it is discontinued by companies and people prefer to buy flat-screen TVs that are light in weight and look more attractive than CRTs.
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