CRT TV

RyanIsntAlive · Wed 24/02/2021 21:03:35

Sat next to me as I type is an old CRT tv, no remote, just buttons for 8 channels, and I'm so intruiged by it, this TV is older than I am.

I was just wondering if anyone had done anything like this, or if anyone had any stories about their old CRTs?

My plan tomorrow is take the screws out and have a look inside, and safely remove parts from it.
As part of a photography project, I plan on scooping out it's insides and turning it into a wearable helmet. It's gonna be a fair amount of work, but the end project could be one of the coolest projects I've ever done.

Mandle · Wed 24/02/2021 21:43:32

Is this the beginning of an ARG thread?

blur · Wed 24/02/2021 21:47:43

There can be high voltages in some of the components even for a long time after the TV had been disconnected from the power socket. Good luck!

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 00:28:37

Quote from: blur on Wed 24/02/2021 21:47:43
There can be high voltages in some of the components even for a long time after the TV had been disconnected from the power socket. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, I'll make sure to ground myself before I start.

Quote from: Mandle on Wed 24/02/2021 21:43:32
Is this the beginning of an ARG thread?

...Stay tuned.

CrashPL · Thu 25/02/2021 09:36:29

Ah, CRTs, yes, yes. I still keep my beautiful Sony Trinitron around, it's an absolute beast for old computers or consoles!

Quote from: blur on Wed 24/02/2021 21:47:43
There can be high voltages in some of the components even for a long time after the TV had been disconnected from the power socket. Good luck!

Yeah, since there's a lot of high voltage components inside, it's always a good idea to discharge it before attempting further disassembly (depending on whether you have a bleeder resistor inside or not, discharging capacitors/transformers by themselves might take from 10 minutes to several days).

eri0o · Thu 25/02/2021 11:55:19

Hey, don't ground yourself. Grounding is to discharge YOUR static so YOU don't blow sensitive components.

In a CRT TV I don't think there are sensitive components like in modern smd electronics... Grounding yourself will reduce your impedance, this make easier to find a path through you, which you kinda don't want when dismantling a CRT TV. Look into flyback transformers.

Edit: also, please post pictures of the thing and the pieces as you disassemble it!

Mandle · Thu 25/02/2021 12:40:51

Quote from: eri0o on Thu 25/02/2021 11:55:19
Edit: also, please post pictures of the thing and the pieces as you disassemble it!

Also, please be sure to tell us about the weird note/electrical component/etching or whatever you find inside that leads us off on our first step of this adventure!

CrashPL · Thu 25/02/2021 13:19:09

Adding to what eri0o said (because I totally missed the part about 'grounding yourself') - indeed, that's a huge no no. Do this instead:

Granted it's for a CRT monitor (an old compact Mac in this case), but it's the general idea for all kind of CRTs - discharge it via the anode cap and a grounded flathead screwdriver.

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 14:27:00

Hey guys

Just an update before I disassemble, Thank you for the grounding advice, I'll make sure to not do that!
As for the TV itself, it's a sanyo black and white thing, I haven't been able to find any information on it online, but I have attached pictures.
I purchased it on Facebook marketplace for Â£10, and according to the listing, video didn't work, only audio. It was up for Â£15 but the guy quickly accepted my offer. I purchased it a few days ago but don't know when it was last plugged in.
https://imgur.com/a/xGf67YC
(I don't know if that's worked, I'm still new to forums)

I've only worked on newer PC towers so not sure how to go about this.
Once I open it up, I'll add photos.

Thanks again.

eri0o · Thu 25/02/2021 14:37:52

If you use a link directly to the image and put between tags on the forum, the image shows up

Code: ags

[img]MY_URL[/img]

On imgur, in the sharing options there's a BBCode option that already places these tags and places the direct image url inside.

In imgur direct links starts with i.

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 14:44:51

Had some trial and error but I got it

eri0o · Thu 25/02/2021 14:48:40

This is an example of a direct link in IMGUR:

https://i.imgur.com/K6szfw3_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

(Notice the i. at start)

Now place it between the tags.

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 14:51:24

I managed to get it, Sorry for the trial and error, I don't quite understand forum posting yet

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 16:03:28

The TV is open.

It had 4 screws but the insides are now open, It's very dusty, but also really cool!
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/USszpy7.jpeg[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/QoemW1b.jpeg[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/Ve81J9L.jpeg[/imgzoom]

I haven't touched anything inside yet, I'm not sure where to start on this. Any pointers?

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 17:12:39

Update, Took some parts out, I'm not dead!
My hands are filthy so I hope this is worth it.

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/g0kt22C.jpeg[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/l51pgXr.jpeg[/imgzoom]

With all the components out, I can start disassembling, But this is going to be much bigger than I could've imagined.

Quote from: Mandle on Thu 25/02/2021 12:40:51
Also, please be sure to tell us about the weird note/electrical component/etching or whatever you find inside that leads us off on our first step of this adventure!

As excited as I am, all I've found inside so far is this? A canadian cent from 1980, and, um, mayor McCheese?

eri0o · Thu 25/02/2021 17:21:42

Weirdly dust has settled very uneven! Also I see a Mitsubishi semiconductor there!

Also one of the buttons in your hand is reversed.

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 17:34:32

Theres alot of dust on the front knobs, but thats all fine, I've probably got some compressed air somewhere. Yeah, I didn't notice till you said, but its just there, weird to think of mitsubishi making electronics.
The buttons popped off when I pulled that board out, I put them back on to keep everything together.

Is it safe to remove the big chonky bit from the screen?

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 18:30:49

Theres a cable connecting the screen block thing, to the circuit board, its a thick red one that has a black sucker connected to the screen, I don't know if it's safe to remove. Any advice?
I think it's the anode Connection

eri0o · Thu 25/02/2021 18:49:05

I don't know, but if you stop writing I will assume you died trying.

RyanIsntAlive · Thu 25/02/2021 20:35:39

I'm back, not dead yet!

In the end I couldn't quite remove the anode cable, but I was able to cut it off safely.
And now its in parts.
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/EtYOEkM.jpeg[/imgzoom]

Still alot of work to make it wearable, but its a start. Main issue is the screen, the glass isn't attached to the case. its part of the CRT system, so without being able to disassemble that, I'll have to get new glass there.
everything past that is just additional stuff, I have a raspberry pi sitting somewhere, I could probably steal some code and slot it in, get a cheap screen around the same size, but it's not essential.
The majority of the project is weirdly done, this took much less time than I expected.

I'll give you updates on glass and stuff as they come.