The quest to save the world’s largest CRT TV from demolition took an exciting turn when modder and YouTuber Shank Mods announced he had acquired the rare 43-inch Sony PVM-4300. This massive cathode ray tube television, weighing 440 pounds, was released in 1989 as a limited-edition flagship device to celebrate Trinitron’s 20th anniversary. Due to its high cost of around $18,000 in Japan (over $45,000 in 2024 dollars) and $40,000 in the US (over $96,000 today), the total number of units built was likely extremely low.
CRT communities had never spotted one in the wild, and before Shank Mods’ discovery, only two images of the PVM-4300 from outside of Sony’s PR materials existed online. After much internet sleuthing, one of the YouTuber’s sources traced one of the photos to the second floor of a 300-year-old ramen shop in Osaka. The shop’s owners planned to move in a few weeks, after which the old building would be demolished and the TV would likely be thrown away.
Quest to rescue rare CRT TV
With help from Osaka-based game developer Abebe Tinari and sponsorship funds from Shopify, Shank Mods had the PVM-4300 shipped to his parents’ garage with only days to spare. Following testing and minor repairs, the modder confirmed that the CRT features zero input lag and uses an advanced 480p conversion method for its time.
Old-school TVs and CRT monitors remain ideal for playing some games due to superior motion clarity, absence of input lag, and their ability to process low-resolution signals from retro game consoles and other devices. However, larger tubes require additional shielding, making CRT screens larger than roughly 30 inches impractically thick and heavy. Shank Mods is currently attempting to schedule an interview with Sony regarding the TV, digitize its service manual, and acquire its design documents.
This remarkable discovery and rescue mission have excited retro gaming enthusiasts worldwide, as it preserves a rare piece of technology history that was nearly lost forever.
