Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

There are over 100 ergonomic issues from displays, far more than just flicker and blue light. This forum covers the giant variety of display ergonomics issues.
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i_apocalypseon
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Joined: 25 Mar 2024, 12:59

Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

Post by i_apocalypseon » 30 Oct 2025, 12:22

Arguably I havent spent hours on this, but whats the difference, between 60hz flicker on a crt tv, vs say 100+hz on a pc crt monitor? From an eyestrain point of view? For comparison, I notice no eyestrain at all on my flicker-free lcd monitor. The little Ive tried of BFI didnt seem uncomfortable. Does it take longer exposure for the flicker to be bothersome? Chief? Purplemelon, could u weight in on this?

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kyube
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Re: Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

Post by kyube » 30 Oct 2025, 12:43

i_apocalypseon wrote:
30 Oct 2025, 12:22
Arguably I havent spent hours on this, but whats the difference, between 60hz flicker on a crt tv, vs say 100+hz on a pc crt monitor?
They are both implemented exactly the same in terms of waveform.
One is a 60hz pulse, the other is a 100hz pulse.

Any type of 100% (on-off) light flicker can be a potential eye-strain concern. It should be avoided for general use as of Q3 2025, regardless of frequency.
The arrival of +480Hz OLED is a great step in the direction of long-term eye health.

Here are a few examples of how different waveforms look like:

CRT — similar to rolling scan backlight strobing
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Image

LCD — global scan backlight strobing
Image

Dyac 2 (XL2586x+) — rolling scan backlight strobing
Image
Image
i_apocalypseon wrote:
30 Oct 2025, 12:22
For comparison, I notice no eyestrain at all on my flicker-free lcd monitor.
Because it's without any pulse, it's a relatively static luminance value in it's behavior. Hence the term "flicker-free".
i_apocalypseon wrote:
30 Oct 2025, 12:22
The little Ive tried of BFI didnt seem uncomfortable. Does it take longer exposure for the flicker to be bothersome?
If the BFI waveforms from RTINGS are to go by, it should be the same story as global scan backlight strobing in terms of eye-strain potential.
Image

i_apocalypseon
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Re: Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

Post by i_apocalypseon » 30 Oct 2025, 13:29

Many thanks kyube. I have also been reading about the benefits of flicker-free displays. Some oleds flicker at a very high frequency, so not technically flicker-free. Oh well, I read that the upcoming micro-led displays arent sample and hold. Just a matter of time, then.

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kyube
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Re: Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

Post by kyube » 30 Oct 2025, 14:21

i_apocalypseon wrote:
30 Oct 2025, 13:29
Many thanks kyube. I have also been reading about the benefits of flicker-free displays. Some oleds flicker at a very high frequency, so not technically flicker-free.
The term 'flicker-free' has some ambiguity in it.
All desktop OLEDs have a slight (less than incandescent bulb, which is ~30-33%) ~15% brightness dip, whose frequency is equal to the refresh rate of the display in question.
Example of 360Hz QD-OLED:
Image

VRR is a different story, however. You can read more about it here: https://tftcentral.co.uk/articles/explo ... rr-flicker

i_apocalypseon wrote:
30 Oct 2025, 13:29
Oh well, I read that the upcoming micro-led displays arent sample and hold. Just a matter of time, then.
MicroLED displays are redundant for the 60–3000 Hz refresh rate range that OLED is 'perfect' in, IMO.
We have far greater issues blocking the retina refresh rate journey. OLED's G2G RT characteristics aren't one of them.

i_apocalypseon
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Joined: 25 Mar 2024, 12:59

Re: Difference between CRT TV and Monitor flicker.

Post by i_apocalypseon » 02 Nov 2025, 12:27

Interesting, what would those roadblocks be?

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