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The Effect of CRTs on Pixel Art (2024)

315 points · 129 comments · tobr

  1. xyzzy_plugh · · focus · HN ↗
    Why is no one manufacturing CRTs in 2026? Seriously this is such a lost art.
    1. bob1029 · · focus · HN ↗
      I think plasma displays are a much better option. We really should bring them back. The latest generation of plasma TVs drove their active elements at frequencies in excess of 600hz. You could do a lot of clever things with these panels. They are basically digital CRTs.

      A plasma TV in a pitch black room set to its maximum output power is still the most incredible experience I've ever had outside of a commercial venue.

      Self emission is the real magic trick. Not the pattern with which we scan.

      1. mrob · · focus · HN ↗
        As far as I know, all plasma screens use pulse width modulation to control the brightness of each subpixel. This produces even worse motion quality than a typical LCD; you get both sample-and-hold blur from the high persistence, and phantom array effect artifacts from the PWM. IMO, plasma displays are only suitable for watching movies, which have terrible motion quality anyway because of the low 24 fps frame rate.
        1. bob1029 · · focus · HN ↗
          I agree the response time is not fantastic, but if we are going for the effect of CRTs, it's not that far off the mark. Certainly higher latency than CRT and (properly driven) LCD.
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