This is our parent’s television – and probably the one you inherited and would like to replace by a shiny and new flat panel. CRT stands for “cathode ray tube” – a tube that houses an electron gun that shoots electrons in a beam that illuminates phosphors coating the inside of the tube, therefore forming a continuous image. There is an electron ray for each of the three primary colors: red, blue and green. The rays draw 525 horizontal lines over the screen (of which only 480 are actually visible). The whole thing works as rear-projection although the term is used for other TV technologies. CRT TV sets are big and heavy since the electron gun needs some distance to shoot at the glass-made screen. During the years the screens lost their roundness and became flat, decreasing loss of image detail over the edges. Screen size is limited to 42 inches and the energy consumption is equivalent to that of plasma sets, and considerably higher than LCD and rear-projection TVs. Thought obsolete when confronted with the arrival of plasma and LCD panels, the CRT is going through a rebirth as companies like Sony and Sanyo are releasing thinner CRT TV sets (about 20% and 30% thinner than older counterparts).

Model example: Samsung TX-T2782 (27,” SlimFit).

Strong points

• Room brightness and viewing angle are not issues
• Bright colors
• Components have long life-span
• Decreased price

Weak points

• Great in size and heavy in weight
• Mature technology
• Screen size limited to 42 inches
• High energy consumption