This trashpicked monitor is way more capable than I expected (ProVideo VM-1401C)

[@tidklaas]

For those wondering what the German text means, it says that the x-rays produced in the device are sufficiently shielded and the acceleration voltage is below 23 kV.

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

AH! Nice. I always know that it means that 23kv is the maximum voltage the CRT runs at, which is too low for X-ray. (I think 50kv is the minimum really) The idea is the TV's board incorporates safety measures to shut down is the high voltage exceeds a threshold so that X-rays are never formed. (By runaway HV)

[@tidklaas]

I remember that there was a bit of a panic about TVs irradiating children in Germany in the 80s, so that's probably why that text is there.

[@Colaholiker]

@@tidklaasMy 1992 Philips CRT TV set (yeah, still using it, I don't have TV service anyway, it's just a monitor for my DVD player) has a similar label - and I was actually about to post the same translation here, but you beat me to it. 😅 When Adrian mentions the German text on the labe, I was already 99.99999% sure this thing must support PAL, as there is absolutely no point in putting this on an NTSC only monitor. Nobody would have needed that here back in the day, and now it would only be needed for the same reason that retro computing enthusiasts in North America want PAL monitors. I wonder if even the power supply of this thing is multi-voltage/multi frequency (not necessarily wide range input, but maybe by changing some jumper or soldered bridge)

[@Stoney3K]

@@ColaholikerThe IEC plug makes me suspect that it's also a multi-voltage monitor and the same monitor was sold worldwide instead of having different boards for different parts of the world. For televisions that would make more sense since tuner channels are vastly different in different countries.

[@Ramdileo_sys]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 With that metal case.... and SVHS.... and PAL... this thing screams to you ... "find me another TUBE Adrian" !!! ...

[@Dorelaxen]

About 20 years ago, I found what I thought was a small television by the trash at my apartment. Turns out, it was a studio monitor, and a GOOD one, too. Had every kind of connector in the back you could imagine (even stuff like SCART). Only drawback was it was mono only, but that thing has seen tons of use through the years.

[@Really........]

I was blessed by acquiring two 20" Costar security monitors, new in box, that I was able to get for free. They were the ones that Wal Mart used to have hanging around their store before they switched to LCDs. They are switchable from NTSC to PAL and have both composite and Svideo in and out. Passes through while the set is off also. One is in my retro game room and the other went into a MAME cabinet. Pretty sharp picture.

[@falksweden]

That would be a really useful display with a crt transplant and a RGB mod. :) Nice find!

[@horusfalcon]

What a find! I had no idea that some of these old security monitors could also do PAL. Thanks for the tip.

[@AnthonyRBlacker]

Awesome, I didn't even realize you had a second channel, this was recommended by KZbin for me! Cool!!

[@madson-web]

Thumbs up for that power switch

[@ceebee23]

great find and nice for the monitor not to end as e-waste.... and you finally and dual PAL/NTSC monitor!!

[@MikesArcadeMonitorRepair]

Given what it was used for, the burn is not THAT bad. I would have expected it to be relatively low-hour. Seeing how clean it is inside lends credence to that. Seen much worse that still had good, bright images. Depended a lot on the quality of the tube(s). Awesome end result.

[@hjalfi]

Now I'm wondering how hard it would be to use a microcontroller to deliberately adjust the incoming video to brighten the burnt areas and make them less visible. It sounds like a pleasantly pointless project...

[@higihups]

@@hjalfi That would only worsen the result over time, as you would just burn it in even more. What could work, is doing the burn in negative, so it wears the rest of the phosphors to even it. But by the time that evens your tube will be very dim.

[@99domini99]

I have a monochrome set that was used for a security camera, it also has visible burn-in. The grid that separates four different camera feeds is clearly visible, and some text resembling “CAM 1”is visible in the left top corner. I’ll probably need to find a replacement tube for this, it’s also fairly dim and turning up the contrast makes it bloom terribly, to the point text is unreadable. It also takes a long time to warm up, after about half a hour it reaches full brightness. It probably needs more work than just a tube, but it’s a cool little set. I still like to use it for a terminal, even if the image is dim.

[@enginecrzy]

Wow, this is the most appliance looking tv that I've ever seen!

[@JamieStuff]

That one definitely looks like a keeper!

[@danielmantione]

Architecture wise it's an European TV without the tuner, remote control and SCART connector. It's kind of surprising this didn't happen more, considering that the hardware is fully NTSC capable. It's import to note that the jungle IC of this monitor is still analog, which means the RGB input signal is likely directly passed on to the RGB outputs i.e. no processing is done, which means it works as direct as inside a Commodore 1084 or inside a VGA monitor. TVs of the period this monitor was made generally work digitally and digitize the RGB input and do signal processing on it. At that point RGB loses its advantage over YUV component. Therefore this monitor can really be a gem, allthough finding one with a good tube could be a challenge.

[@mjouwbuis]

It was mostly large screen TV sets with frame doubler that digitised analogue signals.

[@danielmantione]

@@mjouwbuisThere was a lot of support for widescreen. A DVD player could or would play a DVD in anamorphic 16:9. A normal 4:3 was expected to be able to support a widescreen input via SCART, convert it back to 4:3 and then you could often choose between zoom, letterbox and 14:9 on the remote control. These conversions were done digitally. This and indeed 100Hz was the main driver for digitizing the inputs.

[@gingered]

Decades ago when I was a wee lad the family TV was on the fritz. My dad tried fixing it, and while he had it open and plugged in he saw it arc. He kept at it regardless, it kept arcing, but at some point a plastic bag fell into the TV and... arcing stopped. The plastic bag insulated or disrupted whatever was happening so he just left it that way and the TV lived for another 10 years or so. Different times, ladies and gentlemen.

[@SockyNoob]

That's terrifying lol

[@stuartmcconnachie]

7:53 …and the same to you as well! 😮

[@thomasjosephlamarque2927]

3:33 we still use crt in the uk railway

[@world_still_spins]

Near 12.34, that timing. 😂 "We know that this works..."

[@xargos]

Security monitors don't get enough love. A lot of them were built very well and look great when hooked to a good video source. I've never seen one with good audio, but for anyone looking to use a CRT these days I doubt using external speakers would be a big deal.

[@jaapverhoeven422]

That Philips TDA8360 is a really elegant jungle IC, extremely hackable. and both PAL/NTSC compatible. The TDA8361 and 62 varieties are basically the same chip but unfortunately have (i think) the external CVBS line disconnected. Which makes them a bit less hackable. See the remarks about those in the spec sheet.

[@josteinkallevik]

Hm i found that the TDA8360 has the Pin 15: external CVBS input not connected. for the 61 and 62 it seems ok?...

[@jaapverhoeven422]

Then it is the other way around :) I found out about it recently when i was looking into populating the unpopulated SCART logic on the pcb of a very unused Magnavox. Wow, this is easy I thought. Until i found out that it had the amputated TDA836X version. Still possible though, but then you have to switch the CVBS signal yourself with an extra switch (i.e. more hacking and sawing, literally).

[@retropuffer2986]

Nice find. I can easily see the use for the pass through as well as the S-video!

[@jorgelotr3752]

Given that boards to drive CRTs are still being made, I'd suggest you look for that CRT brand to see if they are still making them. If they are and prices are good, it could help to save a lot of good CRT sets.

[@BluRay_4]

Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) bankrupted in 2019, they had stopped making CRTs many many years ago but the switchover from CRT to LCD was too late and was probably one of the reasons why they failed

[@jorgelotr3752]

@@BluRay_4 a pity, really. There may be either new old stock floating around (at a premium) or perhaps some other company still makes them, but with unknown quality. It would have been nice.

[@mjojo1000]

I have the same monitor other than the screen burn it works great and speco technologies makes this monitor

[@wesbachman1956]

If I look at it from the side and squint, it kind of reminds me of a NeXTcube.

[@stephanemignot100]

A perfect MT-32 stand!

[@ryanianm]

mmm, love me some CRT videos. Keep up the amazing work Adrian!

[@sa3270]

It looks like it might work with PAL based on the specs on the web page you showed. At least in black and white.

[@sa3270]

Well shoot, guess I underestimated, it does color PAL too!

[@martinjh999]

This one reminds me of those old cube monitors that used to be used with the old BBC Micros here in the UK.... I forget their name but they were everywhere BBC's where...

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

I think they were called "Cub" monitors -- and indeed lots of similarities, at least in the construction style

[@rossthompson1635]

​@@adriansdigitalbasement2 Yes, Cub.

[@Zeem4]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 Made by a company called Microvitec, based in Bradford, in the north of England - who are still going. They used the same metal case right up to the early-to-mid 2000s, although by then the internals were more modern, for basically the same kind of reason at this one.

[@danyoutube7491]

Ooh yes, I remember the beige metal casing on those monitors which pretty much matched the colour of the computer case.

[@twocvbloke]

Just need to swap the CRT and it'll be a decent monitor, would be interesting to see if that Philips TV CRT was just a drop-in fit, though I don't recall if it was the same (or similar enough) CRT model... :)

[@russellhltn1396]

Odds are the reason CRT lasted in security longer than the general population is 1) cost, 2) no need for HD until the cameras are upgraded and last but not least: 3) CRT security monitors have a track record for running 24/7/365. I'm not sure as the first flat screens had that.

[@freeculture]

Nice find...

[@Ramdileo_sys]

With that metal case.... and SVHS.... and PAL... and all....... this thing screams to you ... "find me another TUBE Adrian" !!!

[@peteregan9750]

it is the coating on the copper, since it is wound close together like all coatings it can break down over time to create arc's

[@alzeNL]

very cool - i really enjoyed seeing the C64 working so well on it.

[@netrioter]

This explains why my 40" Sony Trinitron is still a beast of a CRT..does mean console gaming and displays 1080i. Sony licensed the technology from Magnavox. Yeah it weighs 400 pounds but it refuses to dim or die. Perfection

[@joshuaryanferguson3702]

crt tvs are reliable but you saying it puts out 1080i it just flat out bs cause they never make a sharp image its always foggy or cloudy

[@onometre]

​@@joshuaryanferguson3702hd crts were absolutely a thing in the early to mid 00s

[@joshuaryanferguson3702]

@@onometre false bud even though they claimed they were high definition them things never put out hd video through the tube they were as cloudy an foggy as can be

[@ToTheGAMES]

@@joshuaryanferguson3702 Monitors beg to differ.

[@joshuaryanferguson3702]

@@ToTheGAMES no they don't bud they have a trash video

[@KlodFather]

This was a DVR monitor and we used to buy this brand back in the day. PUT A COMPUTER MONITOR CRT IN IT AND YOU WILL GET THE DOT PITCH YOU WANT. Trust me it works. I did those kinds of swaps.

[@CapnKetchup]

The fact that it's perfectly square implies that you can stack a dozen in a grid to show as many cameras.

[@dsnein]

Always nice to pay that price

[@tigheklory]

I have a Heathkit IT-5230 CRT Tester and Rejuvenator and I would love to see you hook this CRT up to the tester too see how weak the guns are. Maybe give the guns a cleaning while you are at it. It makes a huge difference. I don't rejuve monitors if I can help it, usually I will just run a clean on them. If you don't have one you should get one. Also time for some Coleco Adam love.

[@LewisDonofrio]

My father who worked for Philips for 30 years, he says “Heat the cathode”

[@HeffeJeffe78]

When you mentioned the speaker as being "tinny", it somehow reminded me of the Monty Python "Tinny Words" sketch. It's on KZbin and worth a watch.

[@mmllmmll22]

At least it has some size compared to laptop speakers...

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

Sausage

[@simontay4851]

Ni!

[@HeffeJeffe78]

@@RichardFraser-y9t Yes! Sausage is a very woody word. Not at all tinny.

[@lockingBlock]

GORN!

[@tekvax01]

ProVideo is most certainly a CCTV security company.

[@frankowalker4662]

Could you use a thermal camera to look for arcing in the flyback or from the anode of the CRT ?

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

I don't think so -- maybe one of those IR cameras might help you see flashes? I think an arc is usually visible light, so a dark room probably is all you need. As I mentioned though I've never been able to see any of that with my own eyes before... I assume sometimes you can though, but just never for me.

[@frankowalker4662]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 I was just wondering if the arcs would show as a heat source. It's just a thought. Great monitor, BTW. It's a shame the CRT is so tired.

[@someguy2741]

Reminds me of a Commodore monitor I had. It might have been 1401? Or 1410? It had the same shape with handles on both sides. It was the same colour as a commodore 64. It ended up getting its destroyed by a furnace motor locking up. When the motor unstuck it surged the monitor and from then on it was so blurry it was junk. It had s-video and audio on the front and all the fancy plugs on the back.

[@Wyld1one]

tuner? I use the VCR with a tuner built into it. had excellent video quality that way too. including with the SVGA

[@TimmyJoe633]

Probably got removed from service in the late naughties when digital HD recorders become more common place and old analogue CCTV equipment was going out, an era when alot of stuff that was still functioning was just trashed because it's technology was out dated, although I did work in a hospital this week that had JVC CRT on a modern DVR still in use in the plant room, still giving a remarkably clear picture.

[@Cybernetic_Systems]

Hi Adrian, can you do a video on adjusting a CRT for a different hemisphere please? I own a North American Tandy CM5 colour monitor (I live in Australia) that I run from a step down transformer and I believe the yoke can be adjusted to suit the southern hemisphere. I’ve replaced FBT’s and HoT’s plenty of times, but Unfortunately I can’t find any info online on adjusting CRT’s for the different hemisphere magnetic fields. It would be amazing if you could cover this topic. Cheers Derek

[@lexluthermiester]

@Adrian'sDigitalBasement][ I had a very similar model to this! Mine had stereo speakers and connectors, but very similar! It had a beautiful screen and I used it for console gaming(NES, SNES, etc) for years. Such a good CRT display! EDIT: Mine was a 15" model and the screen was not all worn out.

[@DanielSquidington]

Do you have a video explaning the potential differences between a VGA pc crts, and tv tubes?

[@SilentShadow-ss5xp]

I would love to see this CRT RGB modded and maybe a new tube?

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

I'm on the lookout for a junky late model 13" TV to do the swap and then yeah, RGB mod will be necessary! For I guess upcoming video.

[@mibnsharpals]

I have such a device, with a 9" picture tube. It has the same chip and the RBB mod works. Only the picture tube does not have enough resolution because the mask distance is that of a normal-sized picture tube. The maximum resolution is about 360 * 300 pixels. The geometry has to be adjusted with small magnets. While the convergence occurs automatically. The most ideal way to operate the device is as a FBAS or as S-video in order to operate game consoles that run with 320 x 200 (240) pixels. If you have the right version of the chip, you can also make a version that supports PAL and NTSC.

[@ViegasSilva]

7:53 Austin Powers would approve

[@audibell]

Nice video on the old monitor and on the old coachs they have crt tvs

[@stevethepocket]

Oh wow I just realized a good source of low-hour TVs might actually be finding a conversion van at a junkyard.

[@Tommi-C]

It kind of reminds me of the big chunky monitors that came with the BBC Micro in the 80s. It was beige however. I think it was called the Cub Monitor.

[@Stoney3K]

Candidate for a CRT swap? I always find it funny that manufacturers call a Y/C jack an "S-VHS" jack as if it was intended for Super-VHS recorders. Instead, the name "S-Video" was short for "separate video" as opposed to combined CVBS. VHS (or JVC for that matter) had very little to do with it.

[@retrobitstv]

This has bothered me since the 90s. Manufacturers should have known better. SVHS != S-Video!!!

[@xsc1000]

@@retrobitstv Which other consumer product used S-Video connection except S-VHS?

[@retrobitstv]

@@xsc1000 laserdisc, hi8, a bunch of game consoles

[@jd9119]

Hey Adrian, are there any manufacturers that still produce picture tubes that you could swap with this tube?

[@oldguy9051]

My guess is that CRTs also ruled the scanner stations at the customs in airports etc. until the LCDs got fast enough (more than 60 Hz, ideally more than 120 Hz).

[@SimonZerafa]

The chassis design is very reminiscent of the Microvitec CUB monitors which UK viewers of a certain age will remember from their almost ubiquitous usage within schools with the BBC Micro. The tube position is totally different though so I guess there are only so many ways to make a cuboid monitor 😉

[@tw11tube]

It's not surprising that the video processing IC doesn't have geometry controls. The IC is not in the position to influence the geometry - it's just a PAL/NTSC-to-RGB converter. The job of getting the RGB signal to the CRT and getting geometry correct by applying correction voltages to the deflection circuit is at a later point in the signal path.

[@kopspijker3515]

Might have been thrown out when either the site it was on was shutdown or the entire camera system was upgraded to digital camera's. Every new security camera is connected to a LAN network these day's.

[@Dan-TechAndMusic]

Seems like a prime candidate for a tube swap and RGB mod! Maybe another donor Magnavox is in order? 😀

[@hansu-nihon]

Maybe try a CRT rejuvenation with that CRT tester device you have?

[@jorgelotr3752]

That would _maybe_ fix the brightness/contrast issue, but not the burnt phosphor.

[@danielmantione]

Rejuvenation can help against lazy electron guns, not against burn-in.

[@An_Onion]

New wand light?

[@MauroTamm]

This PAL topic keeps reminding me of when Eastern EU switched from SECAM to PAL in ~2000. Suddenly tens of thousands did not have PAL-compatible hardware, but a lot of "modding" services showed up. They installed special "PAL modules" on old TVs.

[@Bassquake76]

RGB mod next please ;)

[@simontay4851]

Fuhjyyu capacitors are one of the worst brands. When ever i find them in something, i replace them on sight even if they aren't bulging. They often go electrically leaky. Some users on badcaps forum call them fukyyu's.

[@Stoney3K]

I could see some line hum coming through on the PAL image as it had very visible vertical jitter. So there's a good chance those filter caps are on the way out.

[@strunapl6103]

It look like one of CCTV monitors for DVR analog recorders.

[@bretwashere]

Adrian: Can you do a video about CRT maintenance safety? I know there are other videos out there that explain, but your prospective may make people who have reservations against performing such maintenance more comfortable.

[@jpipod1]

Now you just need a new tube for it.

[@jasejj]

The front of this monitor looks to be identical to one of the generic portable TV designs of the early 1990s, I owned one such set, branded "Akura" - the area where the on/off switch is would be taken up by a 2-digit LED display, remote sensor etc. Akura were a UK company who claimed to manufacture in Scotland - my suspicion is they were buying in kits from the far east and assembling them, as Brian Palmer, who ran Akura now runs a similar company "Cello" which is the only UK assembler of LCD TVs - and they buy in kits from Haier and Hisense. Looks like this was probably one of those designs that stayed in production for a very long time. It would make sense that a highly modularised, generic template used by several manufacturers would end up in an industrial set like this. BTW Fuhjjyu caps have a *terrible* reputation!

[@markc871]

Another interesting thing about this chip is that the input switching and chrominance input are on the same pin 16. I’ve never quite understood how you feed it s-video chroma.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

It looks better in PAL than it does in NTSC. I'll bet you are already looking for a replacement CRT. 😊

[@draggonhedd]

I bet this chassis would be great to put that chinese CRT board in with a newer CRT without burn-in. Would like to see that project. Maybe wrap the chassis in some wood grain vinyl wrap or paint it some fun color, and repurpose the factory board for turning an old TV into a monitor. Or at the very least, see if you can find a better crt for this unit, and then RGB mod it.

[@mjouwbuis]

In what way would the Chinese boards be better than what's in it now? Just replace the CRT if the burn in is annoying.

[@ovalwingnut]

FUHJYYME ? FUHJYYU ! Sorry. Doctor says I'm getting to much cafeine. But COoL CRT. Outstanding linearity! However I really never felt I was ready for a "Pro Model". Just saying. Thank you for the ViDeO 🖖

[@curvingfyre6810]

I actually adore that shell. My CRT has better specs, vga, but that is a NICE looking chassis

[@markc871]

Straightforward to RGB mod.

[@markc871]

I should’ve kept watching before I commented.

[@8-bitbitsa821]

I have a monochrome version of this monitor 👍🏻

[@mikesilva3868]

Great 😊

[@Jasemtl]

I used to sell those cctv monitors in Montréal.

[@Retromicky82]

Honestly if it hadn't had the burning etc it would be a great monitor

[@chadhartsees]

Might not be a bad CRT for many arcade games (old space games like Galaga, Space Invaders, black background games like Donkey Kong, Pac Man, etc.).

[@FightingForceSoulless]

Just one thing, if I may. It's not a dealbreaker for me, but, when you're filming CRTs, I know that you can adjust the shutter speed on your camera, but, can't you, or, why didn't you get something that LGR has? Because the frequency is usually not 50 Hz or 60 Hz, it's 59.9 or 29.7 or whatever, and with what he has, he can adjust it so precisely, that there is no rolling bars whatsoever. I don't really mind, but it could improve the quality of the videos massively. Especially when you do far more CRTs and older stuff than he does.

[@marcusdamberger]

Yup, I've noticed that LGR can always get his camera to perfectly sync to the frequency the CRT is running at. It must be his camera type, maybe it has some kind of sync assistance feature to get you on the money.

[@one_b]

Before you even said "Camera 1" I was thinking that must have been a security monitor. Also, what is with Portland and CRTs? I am in WA and you never find much of anything up here but here you are posting a couple trash picked videos a year and your Craigslist is always full of CRT TVs and monitors.

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

Haha yeah I'm not sure why they are so plentiful here! But they really are, it's great. I often am just riding my bike and there is one on the side of the road. More than once I go get the car and grab them. I once found one of those Radium Pivot monitors like LGR featured. I didn't make a video about it as it was before LGR's video, so I didn't know much about it, but I had given it away to a friend so it is in a good home at least.

[@ratdude747]

Fuhjuuyu caps are the worst... Jamicons are also bad. Both are notorious in the recapping community for being used in Mobo Killer power supplies (Older Antec's in the former case, Bestec "12E"s in the latter case). The worst of the worst!

[@krz8888888]

give it a zap!

[@Stoney3K]

I'd agree. Put the tester on it, the CRT is already junk anyway. Zap and swap! See how much of an image you can still squeeze out of it after rejuvenating it.

[@mjouwbuis]

The serial number suggests 2004.

[@jorgeandrade20]

"This thing works well...." poof! 😂😂 You couldn't have timed that any better had you trained all week!

[@Synthematix]

Crt sets are still being made in china

[@mjojo1000]

Yes long live the good ol crt technology

[@stevethepocket]

Even by Asian standards, "Fuhjyyu" does not sound like a real name. It sounds like those jibberish brand names scammers use on Amazon because all the real words were taken by legit brands.

[@josteinkallevik]

Can you do a RGB mod on it :) please :) :) :)

[@tjtarget2690]

Notification Squad!!! :)

[@Wok_Agenda]

It looks like a rebranded Philips

[@B-in-Norva]

Made by Tatung. You can even google tatung crt monitor and find the same monitor without the provideo badging.... BtW, Tatung also made metal cabinet sets for US Navy ships. We had several in the 80s...