Sony PVMs- which one to get?

joe8 · Jun 3, 2013

Which is the best PVM/BVM? Are the biggest PVMs the best ones to get?
How does the 2950Q/QM compare the smaller ones- is the picture quality as good as the 20" ones? Does the 2950Q/QM have an aperture grill (rather than a mask) like the smaller ones do?

Jibbajaba · Jun 3, 2013

In my opinion, the BVM-20F1U is the cream of the crop. Whatever you get, try to get the newest one you can, with the lowest number of hours on it that you can.

stormy · Jun 3, 2013

Yeah BVM is supposedly the best. Although any pvm with low usage is probably a safe bet.

joe8 · Jun 3, 2013

Jibbajaba said:
In my opinion, the BVM-20F1U is the cream of the crop. Whatever you get, try to get the newest one you can, with the lowest number of hours on it that you can.

how do you know how many hours they've done (by asking whoever's selling it?)
what's the difference between BVM and PVM? they seem harder to come by than the PVMs.
The CRT tvs and computer monitors I've had have never packed up or had any degradation in the picture over time... maybe PVMs are different.

Vigormortis · Jun 4, 2013

One thing to look for is whether the pvm can also accept component video through its rgb inputs. This automatically disqualifies anything that's really old, and it gives you a convenient connection for newer systems. This is the main thing I'm looking for in my own search for a 19-20" pvm.

daskrabs · Jun 4, 2013

The BVM has the best video quality, hands down, but they're rare, max out at 20" and require a large remote board, and I don't think they have audio. The stereo models (2030,2530,etc.) are nice becuase they have built-in speaker jacks, go up to 32", but most have 25-pin connectors for RGB instead of BNC and no component. The mono models (20XXX,1910,1954,etc.) usually make up for the mono audio with RGB/component in's and out's, which is nice for head-to-head setups.

Gamefan · Jun 4, 2013

I am selling my Sony PVM 20M4U which allows for Component via its RGB BNC inputs. I am asking $75.00 but I am in Denver. You would have to arrange shipping.

GAMEFAN

Jibbajaba · Jun 4, 2013

daskrabs said:
The BVM has the best video quality, hands down, but they're rare, max out at 20" and require a large remote board, and I don't think they have audio. The stereo models (2030,2530,etc.) are nice becuase they have built-in speaker jacks, go up to 32", but most have 25-pin connectors for RGB instead of BNC and no component. The mono models (20XXX,1910,1954,etc.) usually make up for the mono audio with RGB/component in's and out's, which is nice for head-to-head setups.

The large remote board is ust mounted on the bottom of the monitor. Most units that I see for sale have them already. Really, you wouldn't know that it wasn't just part of the monitor if you didn't know better.

They definitely do not have audio. They accept RGB and component as-is, but can take expansion boards that will let you input composite and s-video, and even PAL and SECAM signals. Newer PVMs/BVMs have a way of looking at total hours buried in the menu system somewhere. And all PVMs that I know of have the manufacturing date on the back of the unit.

Ash Burton · Jun 4, 2013

I'm checking out a PVM-22MDU tomorrow, are those decent for gaming?

Mugicha · Jun 4, 2013

I've got the 2 of the 20m2mdu's ash, and aside from being mono audio, they are friggin amazing for the games, and movies alike.

Vigormortis · Jun 4, 2013

Gamefan said:
I am selling my Sony PVM 20M4U which allows for Component via its RGB BNC inputs. I am asking $75.00 but I am in Denver. You would have to arrange shipping.

GAMEFAN

Ahh, that's one of the models I'm talking about

. The prospect of shipping a bulky monitor CRT kind of scares me, so I'm looking around for local deals near the places I'm visiting in a couple days (Wilmington / Philadelphia area). If I still haven't scored one by the time I settle down in Las Vegas in a couple weeks, I guess I'll have to be brave and start looking at shipped options ><

theMot · Jun 4, 2013

Quality wise they are all good, I have found the smaller models to be a bit better but always go for the biggest you can find.

Just make sure you connect your consoles via RGB, that is what makes the biggest difference. Especially the Neo, there is a massive difference between S-video and RGB with these things.

trenog · Jun 4, 2013

My tiny 13" PVMs are pretty nice as well. Famicom games look pretty good on them

Ash Burton · Jun 4, 2013

Thanks Mugi. I take it these things have no speakers, so I have to hook them up to computer speakers?

city41 · Jun 4, 2013

theMot said:
Just make sure you connect your consoles via RGB, that is what makes the biggest difference. Especially the Neo, there is a massive difference between S-video and RGB with these things.

I ran out to Gamefan's place and grabbed his Sony PVM 20M4U (thanks Gamefan!). So far I have my AES hooked up to it via component and it looks damn good. I can't imagine RGB would be much better, but I do plan to get the RGB hook ups for it anyway.

Xian Xi · Jun 4, 2013

trenog said:
My tiny 13" PVMs are pretty nice as well. Famicom games look pretty good on them

What are the dimensions of the 13" model?

trenog · Jun 4, 2013

Xian Xi said:
What are the dimensions of the 13" model?

13.5" (width) x 13" (height) x 15" (depth)

Jibbajaba · Jun 5, 2013

trenog said:
My tiny 13" PVMs are pretty nice as well. Famicom games look pretty good on them

I have a little 13" PVM as well, and that's what I do with it. Dedicated NES monitor. When I was a kid, we'd play NES on little TVs like that in a spare bedroom all the time, so it seems natural.

skate323k137 · Jun 5, 2013

Ash Burton said:
Thanks Mugi. I take it these things have no speakers, so I have to hook them up to computer speakers?

20M2MDU at least has a mono speaker. I just hook my consoles audio to my stereo receiver. PC speakers would work if you need to use those.

Mugicha · Jun 5, 2013

skate323k137 said:
20M2MDU at least has a mono speaker. I just hook my consoles audio to my stereo receiver. PC speakers would work if you need to use those.

yeah ash just like Skate said, I think there are some pvm's without speakers but the 20 mdu, has the mono speaker. I've yet to hook it up to other speakers, honestly the mono does ok for me, this could be a negative for some ppl, but I'm not terribly anal about sound.

side note: I found a copy of Akira on DVD yesterday, I nearly shit myself at how gorgeous it looked on the pvm.

daskrabs · Jun 5, 2013

Vigormortis said:
Ahh, that's one of the models I'm talking about . The prospect of shipping a bulky monitor CRT kind of scares me, so I'm looking around for local deals near the places I'm visiting in a couple days (Wilmington / Philadelphia area). If I still haven't scored one by the time I settle down in Las Vegas in a couple weeks, I guess I'll have to be brave and start looking at shipped options ><

I may have something for you. Post your email if you're interested.

Jibbajaba · Jun 5, 2013

There are also some PVMs that have a built-in speaker that isn't useable when the monitor is in RGB mode. My little 13-incher is like that. Speaker only works with composite and s-video. No dice in RGB mode.

Edit: But really, if you are going for the pinnacle of video quality, why settle for the integrated speaker? Get a nice external audio set-up going. I just have some decent Bose computer speakers hooked up to each of my PVMs, but down the road I'd like to get some nice bookshelf speakers and a compact amp for my main gaming monitor.

Yodd · Jun 5, 2013

Speaking of compact amps, I highly recommend a T-Amp.

I have both a Parts Express Dayton DTA-100a and a Dayton DTA-1 amps. I use the DTA-100a as the primary amp with my consoles hooked up to my RGB setup (XRGB-mini) and I plan to use the DTA-1 down in the garage with the PVM Jamma rig setup.

I can highly recommend both.

Don't let the wattage fool you. That little 15watt/channel DTA-1 with a decent set of speakers can run you out of the room with clean, loud music.

That's a pic of the DTA-100a sitting beside one of the Sony SS-B1000 bookshelf speakers. They are a great budget speaker. And magnetically shielded too! so you can set them near your RGB CRT monitor.

Vigormortis · Jun 5, 2013

daskrabs said:
I may have something for you. Post your email if you're interested.

Definitely interested

. I will arrive in the Philly area tomorrow afternoon and will leave Sunday morning. My email address is cezpeleta at gmail dot com .

joe8 · Jun 6, 2013

There must be someone one on ng.com who has a PVM 2950Q or 2950QM. How does it compare to the smaller size PVM's? I was reading a site on the net (Retro RGB) that claims the PVMs larger than 20" don't have an aperture grille (and consequently the picture isn't as good) (but the wikipedia article on trinitions seems to say all trinitrons have it). Can anyone confirm this one way or the other?

http://www.retrorgb.com/rgbmonitors.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinitron

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