chinny22 wrote on 2024-10-15, 22:40:

Not sure what you mean by tower deck Do you mean the case? […]
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Not sure what you mean by tower deck Do you mean the case?

If yes then you have lots of choice as you can choose a modern ATX case with better airflow and if you wanted a window to show off the old hardware.
Or you can get something Beige and period correct, It's all just personal choice.

You'll probably want a case with 2 front panels though, for a FDD and CD drive. If going modern it'll be hard to find a case with a 3.5 drive bay for the fdd but you can use adapters if needed.

CRT monitors are big, heavy, fragile and expensive to ship. I'd be looking whats available locally rather then specific models.

The case, yeah. I'd probably go for something beige and period correct. But due the vast choice, I just wondered if there were any specific models that were recommended. 😀

CRT monitors are going to be tricky. I can always check on Facebook Marketplace, but even then, I doubt there's going to be much near me. And many don't post/ship, but expect you to pick up.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-15, 22:49:

chinny22 wrote on 2024-10-15, 22:40:

Not sure what you mean by tower deck Do you mean the case? […]
Show full quote

Not sure what you mean by tower deck Do you mean the case?

If yes then you have lots of choice as you can choose a modern ATX case with better airflow and if you wanted a window to show off the old hardware.
Or you can get something Beige and period correct, It's all just personal choice.

You'll probably want a case with 2 front panels though, for a FDD and CD drive. If going modern it'll be hard to find a case with a 3.5 drive bay for the fdd but you can use adapters if needed.

CRT monitors are big, heavy, fragile and expensive to ship. I'd be looking whats available locally rather then specific models.

The case, yeah. I'd probably go for something beige and period correct. But due the vast choice, I just wondered if there were any specific models that were recommended. 😀

Like many things, I would probably say that what you can get in good condition is more important than trying to find the 'best' one. A lot of beige cases are yellowed out now, have missing drive bays, lots of other cosmetic issues, etc.

The one exception I would perhaps say is for P4s and other Hotburst things. Those things need a LOT of cooling and... well, there are certainly-period-correct cases that can't cool a Hotburst at reasonable noise levels.

For cases and monitors, I'd recommend looking locally and seeing what is available in good condition.

For a decent gaming CRT, you want something in the 17" to 19" range, preferably a Trinitron or something of similar quality, and without much wear 'n tear. These are basically unicorns these days, so you'll have to get lucky to find something good. A NOS monitor would be the holy grail.

I wouldn't try to ship a CRT, as they are big, heavy, and highly likely to get damaged.

Computer cases are also surprisingly prone to damaged in shipping in my experience. Which is again why I'd recommend checking local and find something in good condition. I've lucked out and found a few beige tower cases in the past year from thrift stores, as well as through local ads. But it really comes down to persistence and luck.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-15, 22:49:

CRT monitors are going to be tricky. I can always check on Facebook Marketplace, but even then, I doubt there's going to be much near me. And many don't post/ship, but expect you to pick up.

Old CRTs are tricky to ship because the electron gun can break easily during shipping if not packed correctly and handled with care.
In the past they used to be shipped with model specific polystyrene cages that would keep the monitors still in the packaging.
Now, since it's basically impossible to find the original packaging, you need to really pack the monitor tight with lot's of buffer between the monitor itself and the box, filling it with anything you have on hand that can absorb impacts and fill every void in the box. Even old newspapers will do the trick.

But there's a catch: Not only the monitor itself is going to be heavy (make around 15KGs for a 17 inch), the packaging itself is gonna get heavy. Thus expensive.

This summer I wanted to ship a Samsung Syncmaster 750s for 1000 km (from parents' home to my new home), with the box weighing around 25-27 KGs. I went to the local Mail Boxes Etc. store and they literally told me "we'll always refuse shipping a CRT unless you renounce any warranty on it, becuase it's probably gonna arrive broken". They suggested me to pack it tightly and drive it myself to the destination and, even then, they told me that the electron gun could still arrive broken if the package wasn't handled with care.

In the end I was able to ship it just because I found a private courier friend with my father that makes that exact route every couple of weeks. And it arrived without issues.
Otherwise is a pain in the ass, and the reason I'll always source my next CRT TVs and monitors locally.

Thanks for the suggestions. Sadly, I don't think I'll have much luck finding anything locally around here. I don't even remember the last time there was a car boot sale on. Or when I last went to one. The only two things I can think of are a Random Acts of Kindness page on Facebook for my town and Marketplace. We don't even get a local paper anymore, so there's not much chance of seeing any ads that way.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-16, 12:50:

Thanks for the suggestions. Sadly, I don't think I'll have much luck finding anything locally around here. I don't even remember the last time there was a car boot sale on. Or when I last went to one. The only two things I can think of are a Random Acts of Kindness page on Facebook for my town and Marketplace. We don't even get a local paper anymore, so there's not much chance of seeing any ads that way.

Then you'll have to go pick it up yourself and pack it yourself, to make sure it's packaged well and handled with care. The courirer being a family friend was basically doing it like that. Being in a small town won't help, but having a car will.

Mondodimotori wrote on 2024-10-16, 12:54:

Then you'll have to go pick it up yourself and pack it yourself, to make sure it's packaged well and handled with care. The courirer being a family friend was basically doing it like that. Being in a small town won't help, but having a car will.

I don't even have my own car sadly as I don't drive, so that complicates things even more. My brother and dad do, but I very much doubt they're going to be willing to travel too far to fetch one. 🙁

Much like with my original Sega Mega Drive and all the games - I wish I hadn't got rid of the old Windows 98 tower deck I had. I'm a fucking idiot. >_< Admittedly, it was just the tower/case, so there was no monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, but still... It's amazing how you come to appreciate things as you get older and regret many of the stupid things you did. ^^;

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:06:

Much like with my original Sega Mega Drive and all the games - I wish I hadn't got rid of the old Windows 98 tower deck I had. I'm a fucking idiot. >_< Admittedly, it was just the tower/case, so there was no monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, but still... It's amazing how you come to appreciate things as you get older and regret many of the stupid things you did. ^^;

This is just something that is almost unavoidable. Stuff gets obsolete at some point and you either sell it after getting something new or scrap it at some point. When you get interested in it again and it is retro, it is just too late.

Most of my stuff has went this way all the way from the 1980s, but I have some vintage componets and big box games that had been circling in my parts bins and parents’ house for years and decades. But most of the big stuff is gone one way or another. For example, I gave my 440BX computer from 1998 to my parents for internet banking and stuff in 2001 when I built a socket A computer and they scrapped it at some point. At one point I certainly wished I had taken it back from them when they got rid of it, but it is what it is.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-16, 11:34:

Computer cases are also surprisingly prone to damaged in shipping in my experience.

Not just computer cases but just about everything. The work ethics of delivery workers worldwide have degraded by several orders of magnitude in the past two decades.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:28:

This is just something that is almost unavoidable. Stuff gets obsolete at some point and you either sell it after getting something new or scrap it at some point. When you get interested in it again and it is retro, it is just too late.

My family TV was a 29" Sony Trinitron before being replaced by an LG 42" IPS LCD. It would be extremely valuable for retro gaming (home consoles in particular); if we had enough spare room back then......

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:28:

This is just something that is almost unavoidable. Stuff gets obsolete at some point and you either sell it after getting something new or scrap it at some point. When you get interested in it again and it is retro, it is just too late.

Most of my stuff has went this way all the way from the 1980s, but I have some vintage componets and big box games that had been circling in my parts bins and parents’ house for years and decades. But most of the big stuff is gone one way or another. For example, I gave my 440BX computer from 1998 to my parents for internet banking and stuff in 2001 when I built a socket A computer and they scrapped it at some point. At one point I certainly wished I had taken it back from them when they got rid of it, but it is what it is.

Yeah, true. It's been the same with me with a variety of things. Particularly toys/figures. Stuff I had as a kid that are now gone and have become rare and expensive. Sonic the Hedgehog figures come to mind, along with the original Buzz Lightyear action figure that came out in 1995 when the first movie was released. Likewise with Lego sets, which I was mad about as a kid. I've been tracking down old sets I used to have or where most of the pieces went missing. Sadly, a lot of things got handed down to my sister who either lost them or wrecked them. My copy of Pokemon Blue for instance... she lost/wrecked the box and manual and now those games are going for over £100+ on eBay. Crazy prices even. Thankfully my other copies have survived and are in great condition.

dormcat wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:40:

My family TV was a 29" Sony Trinitron before being replaced by an LG 42" IPS LCD. It would be extremely valuable for retro gaming (home consoles in particular); if we had enough spare room back then......

I think CRTs have faced huge attrition in general compared to many other vintage electronics. As you said, first is the size and they are really impractical to store, especially those larger TV sets. Second is that around mid to late 2000s LCDs were the hot thing, CRTs looked so ”last century” and people scrapped many perfectly functioning and good CRTs just because tubes looked dumb and you got ”cleaner” living room, smaller desk for your computer and whatnot.

I bought beautiful used Nokia 447Xpro 21” monitor sometime in early 2000s. I used it as my main monitor till around 2009, because early LCDs just sucked especially relative to the cost. Monitor was so good that I decided to store it and it probably took space in a closet for couple of years until I decided that it is time to let it go. I wish I had kept it, but again, it is what it is.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:44:

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:28:

This is just something that is almost unavoidable. Stuff gets obsolete at some point and you either sell it after getting something new or scrap it at some point. When you get interested in it again and it is retro, it is just too late.

Most of my stuff has went this way all the way from the 1980s, but I have some vintage componets and big box games that had been circling in my parts bins and parents’ house for years and decades. But most of the big stuff is gone one way or another. For example, I gave my 440BX computer from 1998 to my parents for internet banking and stuff in 2001 when I built a socket A computer and they scrapped it at some point. At one point I certainly wished I had taken it back from them when they got rid of it, but it is what it is.

Yeah, true. It's been the same with me with a variety of things. Particularly toys/figures. Stuff I had as a kid that are now gone and have become rare and expensive. Sonic the Hedgehog figures come to mind, along with the original Buzz Lightyear action figure that came out in 1995 when the first movie was released. Likewise with Lego sets, which I was mad about as a kid. I've been tracking down old sets I used to have or where most of the pieces went missing. Sadly, a lot of things got handed down to my sister who either lost them or wrecked them. My copy of Pokemon Blue for instance... she lost/wrecked the box and manual and now those games are going for over £100+ on eBay. Crazy prices even. Thankfully my other copies have survived and are in great condition.

Well, you did just like most people have when you got rid of them! That’s why they are valuable for collectors nowadays, because most people have trashed them along the years and they are now relatively rare especially in a mint condition.

Concerning a PSU - what I just saw on another thread from here suggested I should probably go for something like a 300-400W PSU with at least 20A on the 5V rail? And that it needs to have a 20-pin power connector? Is there anything else I should be mindful of? Thanks.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-10-16, 15:00:

Concerning a PSU - what I just saw on another thread from here suggested I should probably go for something like a 300-400W PSU with at least 20A on the 5V rail? And that it needs to have a 20-pin power connector? Is there anything else I should be mindful of? Thanks.

Guess this was probably the reply you saw: Re: Childhood deficiencies

Most modern PSU have 20+4 motherboard connector in order to support the earliest ATX 1.0 motherboards with 20-pin connectors. However, some PSU that comes with OEM systems have solid, inseparable 24-pin ATX 2.0 connectors. Furthermore, in some rare cases a capacitor or something else might block your connector clip: Re: The worse placement of capacitors on motherboards

dormcat wrote on 2024-10-16, 15:56:

Guess this was probably the reply you saw: Re: Childhood deficiencies

Most modern PSU have 20+4 motherboard connector in order to support the earliest ATX 1.0 motherboards with 20-pin connectors. However, some PSU that comes with OEM systems have solid, inseparable 24-pin ATX 2.0 connectors. Furthermore, in some rare cases a capacitor or something else might block your connector clip: Re: The worse placement of capacitors on motherboards

It was this thread I saw: New PSU for a Pentium III/440BX machine 😀

I also heard I need to be weary of those capacitors leaking.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2024-10-16, 14:02:

dormcat wrote on 2024-10-16, 13:40:

My family TV was a 29" Sony Trinitron before being replaced by an LG 42" IPS LCD. It would be extremely valuable for retro gaming (home consoles in particular); if we had enough spare room back then......

I think CRTs have faced huge attrition in general compared to many other vintage electronics. As you said, first is the size and they are really impractical to store, especially those larger TV sets. Second is that around mid to late 2000s LCDs were the hot thing, CRTs looked so ”last century” and people scrapped many perfectly functioning and good CRTs just because tubes looked dumb and you got ”cleaner” living room, smaller desk for your computer and whatnot.

Yup. I had a Sony CPD-G420S, I think it was, that I got in 2002 along with an insanely expensive 20" 1600x1200 LCD. Used it for my secondary systems. Insanely, insanely high end monitor, could do 1600x1200 at like 85Hz I think, something insane. Had dual VGA inputs too, built-in speaker, etc. Bought a Samsung T220HD 1680x1050 with TV-features in 2008ish or so which effectively replaced it. Ended up giving the CRT away to some dude from the moving company when I moved in 2009. (In Canada, long-distance moves are charged by weight...)

I have a feeling some retro enthusiast would absolutely love, love, love that thing today. But as you said, CRTs were heavy, power-hungry, were generally seen as the past, and... by the late 2000s there were tons of affordable LCD options that were more than good enough.

If I had been, say, 15 years older when I got it, then maybe that monitor would still be sitting in a basement. But that's the other thing - when you are younger you move more frequently, and you just can't keep things just because they somehow end up being cool 15 years later.

Any thoughts on this monitor? Looks like this one can be posted/delivered.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387502335741?mkcid … emis&media=COPY

You are from UK? If not, better forget it and even if yes, it´s very sensitive goods and must by very carefull packed and transported. I can't imagine it in international transport.
It could end like this:
Re: QUESTIONS ABOUT: Shipping a CRT

Every single one of these made at least one journey on a ship, and likely at least 3 in trucks.

More than likely its been punched a dozen times too over the years.

If the shipper is liberal with the expanding foam bags, it should be fine.

There's also insurance.