Televisions ‘Technologies don’t usually die because consumers move on, they die because the inputs disappear’: I asked CRT TV experts if the technology could ever make a comeback — the biggest obstacle wasn’t what I expected Features By Becca Caddy Published 2 July 2026 The technology that outlived the desire to make it When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works . (Image credit: Pexels / Zachary Vessels) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Long before today’s wafer-thin OLED TVs became commonplace on our living room walls, televisions were big, bulky boxes built around cathode ray tubes, known as CRTs. They were heavy, deep and, for decades, they were everywhere. But then back in the 2010s, manufacturers stopped making them, and now most people would consider CRT TVs to be an outdated technology — a stepping stone in the evolution of television before they were replaced with flatter, lighter and more capable displays took over. But for a growing number of collectors, enthusiasts and retro gaming fans, these CRT TVs are far more than relics of the past. Browse Reddit, specialist forums or YouTube , and you’ll find people hunting for rare models, restoring decades-old sets, and swapping advice on how to keep their ageing televisions alive. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Some enthusiasts travel hundreds of miles to collect a particular screen. One of my favorite YouTube documentaries about CRT TVs tells the story of an enthusiast who obtained the biggest CRT TV ever made: the Sony PVM-4300, weighing a huge 200kg (440lb), shipped from Japan over to the US. What Happened to the World’s Largest Tube TV? – YouTube Watch On At a time when almost every piece of consumer technology is designed to become thinner, lighter and packed with smart features, CRT TVs have developed an unusually devoted following. You may like A retailer selling new CRT TVs? It’s true, but with some big catches Analog TV Simulator delivers a mind-blowing realistic sim of CRT TVs TV makers are fumbling the launch of RGB LED tech, leaving OLED safe I think that raises an interesting question. If people still want CRT TVs, and if enthusiasm for them remains strong long after manufacturers stopped making them, why aren’t companies building new ones? To find out, I spoke to display engineers, industry analysts and a former Sony CRT expert. What I discovered challenged my assumptions about why technologies disappear. The biggest obstacles aren’t a lack of demand or even the technology itself. They’re the factories, materials, regulations and supply chains that disappear around them. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. But before we get there, it’s worth understanding what CRT TVs are and why people continue to love them decades after manufacturers stopped making them. What are CRT TVs/monitors — and why do people still love them? It’s interesting to note that we will mainly make tech in black or off-white… (Image credit: Getty Images) CRT stands for cathode ray tube. It’s a display technology that creates images by firing streams of electrons at a phosphor-coated screen. The phosphors gain energy from the electrons and generate light, creating the image. Although the underlying tech dates back to the late 19th century, it’s safe to say that CRTs were the dominant display tech of the 20th century. For decades, if you owned a TV or a computer monitor, it almost certainly used cathode ray tube. What to read next Why I w
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