Sony BVM1911 CRT Monitor Retro Gaming Review

[@MarcoRetro316]

Great review to see the engineering evolution that would become the 20F1. A great thing having those pots to adjust everything is that servicing is still possible without needing to worry about the eeprom firmware being corrupt or old which happened to me on my 20F1. I agree that convergence won’t technically sharpen the image but it converges the beams closer and makes the image more focussed. Thanks for sharing your overview of the monitor

[@riggel8804]

Yeah it's a trip. Growing up I always thought technology would only get better but looking at the state of things today I'm not so sure about "progress".

[@RetrofIex]

When I think 1911 I think John Moses Browning’s revolutionary automatic

[@riggel8804]

haha. Me too.

[@xylem2202]

I got a 1988 BVM 1911 for 700$. Some people might think that's expensive, but for me, I can afford it easily. Plus it was a steal price for what they usually go for, especially considering the condition it's in. I tuned it to have nearly perfect geometry and convergence. The colors are vibrant and the screen is as bright or brighter than my VGA monitor. I unplug it from the wall right after I'm done using it and I try not to use it too any hours a week. It's built like a tank, it weighs 90 lbs. This thing is really nice and I'm not selling it any time soon.

[@riggel8804]

I think it has $700 in value compared to what other monitors you could get for 700. I didn't know they made them as far back as 1988. Damn. Does it look different than mine? I've heard of people getting 80k hours on these things so I wouldn't worry to much about how much you use it. You probably couldn't wear out the tube in your lifetime if you tried. Even if you used it 3 hours a day every day that's only a thousand a year. I'm sure some components will fail eventually. I had to replace a couple caps on mine on the deflection circuit. Hope you got a way to service it.

[@cheeseburger7889]

i know the listing your talking about man i wanted that thing issue is i lived 16 hours away and had no money enjoy

[@crtinkering7323]

Man i really enjoy your videos! Keep em up.

[@riggel8804]

Thanks man. I got a bunch of stuff lined up. Should be at least 1 vid a month for the foreseeable future.

[@crtinkering7323]

@@riggel8804 do a patreon...see what happens! Ill donate

[@riggel8804]

@@crtinkering7323 Thanks! I'm thinking about it. Right now I am enjoying making no money off the channel and just doing it for fun. I monetized the cnanel recently and will probably turn that off soon. Not worth the bull shit.

[@crtinkering7323]

@@riggel8804 I might be wrong but I thought patreon had nothing to do with KZbin??

[@crt_rex]

What a coincidence, I was looking to get a nearly identical set (BVM-2011P) for my own personal pleasure, but ended up getting a BVM-D14H5 for my channel instead, because the small size is needed for the type of shot I go for. I won't do much gaming on it either, as like you, I prefer a bigger size, but the sharpness is very impressive. I do most of my gaming on a Sony KV-EF34M80, which looks extremely similar to that big TV on the left that you show on 4:31. Totally agree with you on the 480i scanlines, it's a thing and you've shown it well here.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

I have a 25 inch Wega that looks like the one you mentioned, and for a consumer set it's fantastic, crisp, bright. But my kv36fs300 is my baby and I love how it looks, and the size obviously 😂

[@crt_rex]

@@RemoWilliams1227 Yes, big TVs are great, especially Trinitrons! I love them. While I read my comment, I might as well update, I did get the BVM-2011P and it's amazing, it's my favorite monitor. I got a second BVM-D14H5 as well, because I wanted one with the 16:9 bezel mask, and it was easier finding a monitor that had one installed then finding the damn thing by itself.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

@@crt_rex well ty for the reply and update. I like other people who are excited about tech ⚙.

[@crt_rex]

@@RemoWilliams1227 No problem, I see that you checked my small channel out and subscribed as well, I really appreciate it. Currently working on the new video, should be out by next weekend. Absolutely, tech stuff all day for me, especially CRTs and retro hardware.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

@@crt_rex no problem!

[@futurematt5]

That was a great watch man. That shit is clean bro 👌 great to see pot adjustments, the design and image quality. Getting a pvm20L4 soon which will be Mt first pro monitor and am eating up this videos beforehand haha

[@crt_rex]

I managed to get the BVM-2011P, which is actually the same identical set in Europe. Paid for yesterday, picking it up in a couple of days. There were like 30 watchers for a long time on eBay, I didn't think I was going to make it. About $550, and it has 30600 hours, according to the seller. It's such an old school and interesting set, I can't wait to game on it.

[@riggel8804]

Awesome dude! Not a bad price as things are. I think you are really going to like it. I am surprised someone watching this video actually found one. Thanks for sharing.

[@crt_rex]

@@riggel8804 It stayed up for a long time with lots of watchers, and I was sure I wouldn't get it. Every single day I would reload the tab I kept open thinking it would be gone, but it wasn't. Then paycheck came, and I clicked on that button asap! I couldn't be happier. Your video is great because it gave me lots of insight about what you can adjust there and all the functions, along with a closer look, I love it. Helped a lot. And if you like this monitor, I'm sure I won't be disappointed, because you don't hype anything like a lot of other retro gaming channels sometimes do. Thanks for sharing.

[@riggel8804]

@@crt_rex Thanks! Let me know how you like it after you get a chance to game on it.

[@crt_rex]

@@riggel8804 I sure will! It's being picked up on Monday. I might actually record my next Mortal Kombat playthrough with it. I want to stick with 14" sets, so that the consoles don't look small by comparison, however, because the fight stick is so big, a 20" might work out great! I was going to upload a new video this weekend, but you know what, I think I'll wait for this set to make the next one with it then. I'll let you know either way. Again, thanks for the video, I'm over the moon that I managed to get this thing!

[@riggel8804]

@@crt_rex I think your going to like it. 20 inch is a really good size. you don't have to sit right in front of the thing like a 14 inch crt.

[@liljaygray]

So sweet dude! Love my BVM-20F1U, has 35k hours but had a tube swap, so it is practically brand new in that regard. As far as the BVM/PVM & consumer tubes, I believe the lower grade PVM tubes that weren’t as sharp were used in a small amount of consumer CRTs of the same size (20”) so basically the 2030 as far as I can think of - which was already a “pro-series” consumer set in Japan back then anyways. But seems you may know more about that stuff :)

[@riggel8804]

Japan has different tubes. I don't know much about their market but I have heard that consumer grade Japanese tubes can have 2030 tubes in them. I got a soft spot for the 2030. It's got style.

[@liljaygray]

@@riggel8804same, such a great PVM man

[@crt_rex]

Hey there, I forgot to come back here to tell you how it all went and to share a couple of pics I took! Anyway, of all the CRTs I have here, this is and I think will always be my favorite. Not only because of the beautiful image it produces, which is awesome, but because of how cool it is to adjust nearly everything physically and immediately with just the turn of a small screwdriver. Dammit, I love it! Adjusting vertical size, center, and the same for horizontal, is just so satisfying. Opening the tray alone is just so cool. I love this thing. Here's a couple of pics I took of it (added as replies here), I adjusted it the best I could, but it's hard to do it justice. I will make a playthrough video with this monitor on my channel in the near future. KZbin now has a thing with deleting comments featuring links, so if there are no replies to this comment, then it got deleted. But yeah, it looks awesome.

[@crt_rex]

Here, some pics: i.imgur.com/krlI9l1.jpg i.imgur.com/RyCh9GL.jpg i.imgur.com/GzZJUKC.jpg

[@riggel8804]

yeah bro youtube ate your link. Stoked you like the monitor. The cool factor on it is off the charts. It came out at the pinnacle of Sony and the pinnacle of analog tech. Right before everything went digital.

[@AwesomesMan]

Great video. I agree with you that pvm and bvm look real industrial. Almost like microwaves lol. There’s a Sears office selling this BVM in Chicago for $700 at the moment. Personally I enjoy gaming on large consumer tvs more.

[@riggel8804]

I bet that Sears monitor is a surveillance monitor. Every surveillance monitor I have ever seen is terrible-worn out, beat up and degenerate. Surveillance monitors are the scum of the earth. Recycling is too good for them.

[@voltz15]

I remember the Ms Pacman at my laundry mat had a convergence problem that was getting worse and worse, then one day I go in and it's replaced with an lcd.

[@riggel8804]

Lcd screens are where arcades go to die

[@thatdude4000]

On the 1911 models do the carry handles fold out or are the stationary on this model? I have a 20” somy pvm now but looking to add one of these to the collection…..

[@crt_rex]

Hi Riggel! I got the monitor yesterday, it looks amazing in person. I took the RGB to BNC adapter that I had on my PVM and plugged it in and turned on the Super Nintendo, it looks amazing! Got a garbled image at first, then all I had to do is open the tray, click on external sync, then RGB (was on component) and a couple of turns with the screw to adjust size and centering and wow, I just love how easy it all is! That being said, the image defaults to a bright, washed out image when the brightness button is not pushed in. I don't actually have enough 75ohm terminators. I just had three here, which I put on the output of the RGB, but I reckon I still need one for the external sync out, and the two composite out as well? What about the component digital outputs, do I need terminators on those two? I stopped using the set until the terminators I ordered from eBay get here, which is a shame, as I really wanted to game on it asap!

[@riggel8804]

I think you only need terminators on the output side of populated inputs. So if you are using rgb you need terminators on the r g and b output. You don't need terminators on the composite or component digital if memory serves me correctly. I am not sure about the sync line. I know there is a manual button on the front that you have to toggle on or off to mess with the brightness rotary dial on the front.

[@crt_rex]

@@riggel8804 Thanks for replying so quickly! I appreciate the info. I looked up on the manual, and yeah, it looks like I will need a terminator there: Page 14 "When the loop-through output is not used, attach a 75-ohm terminator." So it looks like I'm one terminator short and will have to wait, as I just have 3 of them at the moment. Hopefully, it gets here tomorrow, so I can get to finally use it safely. The manual says the same thing about the composite inputs quote above, but it doesn't specify if you need to be using the inputs in order to terminate the outputs, so I don't know for sure. I won't be using composite on this set at all, as I stick with my consumer sets for composite or RF. Is there any harm in terminating them anyway? If so, just the output ones, not input, correct?

[@riggel8804]

@@crt_rex No. There is no harm in terminating them if you are not using them. You could hook up to component to test it out. You have 3 terminators and you only need 3 when using component. Hook up a ps2 or a wii if you got one. Or you could hook up a dvd player. I don't think you need a terminator on the composite if you are not using it. You will know something is off if the image is way to bright. In that case you are missing a terminator.

[@crt_rex]

@@riggel8804 Thanks! I got a Wii and PS2, but I also have added component to my RGB-modded NES, so I could just hook that up then, until all the terminators get here! Capital idea. I could even use my RGB2COMP for other consoles if the terminators take a long time to arrive. Thanks for letting me know about the composite, I won't be using it at all here, so it's good I can just leave it alone then.

[@LameGaming]

Nice monitor man! I had the chance to grab one a few weeks ago from my monitor supplier but I was broke and it had 50k hours racked up on it with no indications of a tube swap so had to pass. I might be picking up an hdm-20e1u from him though which is another rare one.

[@riggel8804]

get em while you can. It's not getting any easier/cheaper. Never heard of the hdm. I did a google search. Multiformat hd 20 inch crt. Doesn't get much better than that. Is it 4/3? 50k is a hell of a lot of hours.

[@LameGaming]

@@riggel8804 I just made a 3rd trip to my pvm guy a couple weekends ago. I got a 20m2u, 14m2u, three 8" bvms, and a bunch of other goodies for cheap. The 20m2u is in great shape but red tally light is on and wont power on. I got it on the bench tore down doing deflection recap. The power board is outputting 5v,15v,and 115v outputs fine so its something on the chassis board. If caps dont solve it ill be pulling and checking transistors. Most of the caps I pulled were high esr. But yeah, the 20m2u will be my first 20" sony pvm. I cant imagine any tube looking better than my 20" panasonic 800tvl broadcast monitor but I hope im wrong lol. Hes got another 20" panasonic monitor for me that wont power on and that hdm 20e... I never heard of them either untill now. They made a 38" 400lb version thats super rare 😮 They are 16x9....Only does 480p or 1080i though but would be cool af for later gen stuff,movies, and maybe hook pc up to and try some new games on it. He said it might need work though. Image smearing. 600 bucks. Its a gamble and idk if a service manual is even available its so rare. Could only find one post on reddit of a guy who had one.

[@riggel8804]

@@LameGaming I wouldn't expect the 20m2u to look better than your Panasonic. I have a 20m2mdu and It's no sharper than my consumer grade Toshiba. Don't get me wrong It's a great monitor but it's at the lower end of video quality as far as pro tubes. That HDM looks like a hot mess. 16/9 on 20 inches is going to make 4/3 games look about as big as a 14 inch monitor. So you can basically think of it as a 14 inch monitor. Can't imagine watching movies on that thing. The fact that it doesn't do 240p makes it kinda useless. If it was free I would pick it up for a youtube video but for $600-hard pass.

[@LameGaming]

@@riggel8804 Yeah, the 20m2u will be fun to compare against the panny but cant see it being better. I have mixed feelings about the hdm.... Would be cool to play some current gen stuff on. I think ps4 and 5 still have 1080i options. But yeah, $600 is alot. I wish I could find a jvc or Panasonic multiformat monitor. I did get a free 26" toshiba widescreen hd tv for free, i need to test it out still... Im hoping I can laglessly pass through 480p as 540p on it

[@riggel8804]

@@LameGaming Some 20m2u vs pro Pani side by side footage would be great. You ever get the new camera figured out? I am academically interested in hd crts, Couldn't see myself using one though (I got a 100 inch projector with 1 frame of lag I use for hd stuff.) People hit me up all the time about hd crts I want to do a review of one because I keep talking to people about them. The internet needs a video showing their strengths and weaknesses. I haven't seen any one demonstrate lagless play but I remember you telling me it's possible. Makes sense if you can force native resolution.

[@philexile2954]

I have the BVM-1910 and it is also awesome

[@riggel8804]

I think that was the predecessor to the bvm1911. Is it similar? You should do a video.

[@Dstring611]

Following this. I just picked up a 1910 from a broadcast studio. Can’t seem to find much about it online. Would love to know more about it!

[@spaceghostpr]

I would love to own a PVM/BVM but I just can't bring myself to fork over that much cash for one. Ill settle for my JVC D Series and call it a day.

[@TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Very awsome set indeed! I'm like you though, I'd rather game on a bigger screen. Question: You have any knowledge on Sanyo crts? I was able to pick one up for free in a nice housing edition. It's a big boy 32in. The convergence is absolutely perfect! I'm not the best at all in honing them in as I'm still learning, but I wanted to learn more info on the set and brand in general. When I google anything about this model I keep coming up empty handed. The model is DS32225-01 with a november 2005 manufacturing date. Any and all information or options would be welcome. So much info is available on the popular brands it's insane. I've personally never thought Sanyo as a weird low budget brand. Somewhere in the middle. Maybe I'm wrong?

[@riggel8804]

I know nothing about Sanyo. I know guys like there Philips tvs and I would have thought of those as cheap. I have a couple budget tvs that look amazing (Sharp and Panasonic). The fact that it's 2005 means it's probably got a fresher tube and that's good. Yeah. It's next to impossible to find info on most consumer crts. Be part of the solution and do a crt reveiw!

[@TheAlphaOmegaX3]

@@riggel8804 lol while I'm flattered that you think I could do an actual quality crt review, I honestly don't think I'm good enough as the legendary Riggel. Maybe once I can get into the service menus I'll share little bit of my opinion on it. No remote, so that will have to be resolved first.

[@riggel8804]

@@TheAlphaOmegaX3 Yeah let me know what you think. There's a lot of hidden gems out there....a lot of stinkers too.

[@infinity2z3r07]

Really stunning a 19 could weigh 100 lbs. That chassis was meant to survive a bomb blast haha

[@Random.Walker.]

But not Delivery Driver. Some Fedex and UPS customers have said that they ordered CRT have been pushed off the truck to their door. That's a drop of almost two meters.

[@magic3383]

I'm looking for advice on dealing with purple/green discoloration in the corners of my flat-screen Trinitron. The picture is gorgeous on 90% of the screen, but a couple of the corners are tinted with purple or green. Is there a fix for this?

[@riggel8804]

Sounds like a purity issue. You need to degausse it. If that doesn't work than you can try gluing magnets to the tube or the chasi. I have a video on making a degausse wand. Should help you.

[@magic3383]

@@riggel8804 searching it up now. Thanks for the quick response!

[@riggel8804]

@@magic3383 ye

[@SamsungS-or1qf]

Did you remove the protective coating on the screen?

[@riggel8804]

Didn't have one when I got it. Not sure if this model has one.

[@NintenDub]

Your a funny sob.i wish youd make make more videos

[@riggel8804]

when i get bak in march im planning on doing some more. I got more stuff to do

[@oliverpuhp8287]

Start a Patreon! I’d sun for some of your expertise

[@riggel8804]

Thanks! I really like doing these for fun with no money attached. I'm probably going to turn all my monitzation off. Fuck the algorithm and fuck money.

[@deanagoes2791]

tired crt.