Samsung GX 13" gaming TV (GXE 1395) circa 1999

[ifkz]

I don't know how many older collectors are still out there, but anyone that frequented a Funcoland or similar used game store in the late 90's-early 00's will remember this expensive ($300) gamer focused 13" set.  I could never justify the purchase due to the cost and size; my first new TV was bought right around this time:  for comparison it was $169 for a 19 inch composite Toshiba TV.  However, getting one of these had remained on my radar since it always remindes me of that specific time and place in my life (and those days are gone, ha!).

As the years have passed, I did see sets in use, but none for sale, and they had aged well.  I finally bought one at auction untested...so it had issues.  I got it yesterday and worked on it, so I can share some troubleshooting tips I have found.

When I got mine, only the subwoofer was working.  After digging around, the problem was found:  both doors have internal wires that are run through the hinges on either side of the set.  They had no channel for protection, so they got pinched over the years and were torn in half.  I stripped, soldered and shrink-tubed them back together again and removed a bit of internal plastic to prevent (or at least greatly minimize) this problem from happening again.

Despite the high quality appearance, the speaker electronics are cheaply done inside.  For example, each speaker door gives the appearance of containing three speakers internally.  To start off the cheap quality, each door is only held together with a total of four screws. Inside the door, the reality is the only speaker inside is a standard average quality TV set speaker that is shielded.  The internal wires (positive and negative) are held in place with hot glue.  In reality, this is just a 13 inch TV with a cheap 2.1 speaker set mated together.  The back has two coax-ials , and it maxes out with stereo composite - two sets of inputs; also rather cheap video input quality despite the premium original MSRP.  One oddity:  a set of composite output jacks.

I will say that they nailed the late 90's styling, and the picture quality on my tube is outstanding despite the general knocked around look of the exterior.

I got one speaker side working along with the subwoofer.  I must have a cold solder joint somewhere internally on the main board- a job for a warmer time.  One of the composite inputs has broken off during its rough life, but I am sure I can salvage a solution.  I consider my total price reasonable, but not fantastic...pick a number between $50 and $100.  No remote either...but who can put a price on nostalgia?

If this helps anyone out or someone gets enjoyment out of this post, please say so in the comments!

[BlueBMW]

We need pictures!

I always saw these at Electronics Boutique running demos of whatever new system there was at the time.  Neat but not too useful I don't think.

[NecroPhile]

+1 for pics.  This is the one that had doors over the screen, right?

[sn0zc0r3]

Pretty sure you're talking about this one? I remember playing Sonic Adventure on it at Funcoland right when the Dreamcast came out. I drooled over this guy for yeeaarrsss.

[SignOfZeta]

I never considered these things overpriced. You can't use $ per inch as a guideline if quality or durability is in any way a concern.

However, now that PVMs have dropped %95 in price I can't really see needing one of these.

[NecroPhile]

I never considered these things overpriced. You can't use $ per inch as a guideline if quality or durability is in any way a concern.

Is the image quality really that great?  Seeing as it's a Samsung, I suspect not, and $300 would've easily bought a 20" Trinitron in '00 (probably even a 27 incher).

[ifkz]

Yes, that's the one, in much better condition than this unit.  Mine does not have a stand or remote and the paint on the top is worn off and it has dings and dents (though don't think that I regret the purchase).

The real problem is how used the picture tube is in these things, everyone remembers them being used for store demos (especially when the Dreamcast was getting ready to launch); the more use the weaker the electron guns get, just like arcade monitors.  Despite the outside condition of my unit, the tube and guns (and caps) are still in good shape.  The quality of the inputs is also a downer.  This would not rival the image quality of a computer monitor or RGB setup.  It is better than average, but there was a clear profit made on these units.  It's a neat curio from the time.

[xcrement5x]

That does look pretty cool! I will admit that I love the form factor of that TV but I know what you mean, nostalgia from your childhood is hard to put a price on ;)

[majors]

We have two of the 13" GX's. We use them at cons for some retro action. But we have slowly replacing all of our "regular" CRT's with PVM's so eventually the GX's will be off rotation. For con purposes and travel, the shape is not the best.

[SignOfZeta]

By no means am I saying that these things are great, I'm just saying that size per inch is a worthless metric unless you are building a Jumbotron or something.

Btw, I'm pretty sure these date back to at least 1997, maybe 1996. I remember them being at the EB my friend worked at when he worked there and that was a long ass time ago, when they still made American Saturn games.

[ginoscope]

My brother had one of those but I can't remember how great the picture quality was.

Everything at that time failed to match the Commodore 1702 we owned for picture quality.  That same monitor still functions to this day.  I only last year found out that it outputs s-video.  All this time and I had no clue.

[technozombie]

I have one of these that I picked up at a Garage Sale for $5. I had to fix the wires leading to the speakers also. Mine is actually in pretty good shape with the stand and remote. Only a little scuff on the front. It is actually in my storage building. I already have a 27" CRT and so I don't really have room for it.

Edit:

[wilykat]

I would have liked one back then for funky design but not today. I just don't have the room for a 13" TV that I probably won't use because it doesn't have anything better than composhit.  I do hope to replace my Commodore RGB (RGB and S-Video but that good) with a PVM.

[johnnykonami]

I had a Commodore monitor growing up, from my C64.  I used it exclusively to play my TG-16 and Duo until the tube developed a problem whenever the screen got too bright (filled with white color, usually) and caused the screen to flip insanely almost like vertical hold out of control.  Dumped it years ago, I was sad to do it though.  My next goal is a PVM/BVM or similar, as big as possible/affordable.

[majors]

Everything at that time failed to match the Commodore 1702 ...

As you can see from my first post, the top image has a 1702 right beside the GX...running s-vid. Plus the speaker on that bitch is no joke.

[ginoscope]

Everything at that time failed to match the Commodore 1702 ...

As you can see from my first post, the top image has a 1702 right beside the GX...running s-vid. Plus the speaker on that bitch is no joke.

Nice I just noticed that and I did recently find the cable to output s-video from the 1702.  I was pretty impressed with how the picture quality looks.  I did all my gaming early on with it so I am glad it's still around and working.

[ActionJackson]

I was lucky enough to have one of these.  I put many many hours on that bad boy.  I don't remember it having any other inputs besides composite.  I think the big fuss was because it had some sort of special comb filter that was supposed to be legendary for gaming.  The subwoofer and the closing speaker doors made my 7th grade head explode when I got one of these.

[PCEngineHell]

This was not a very good tv. Composite in was ok, but being marketed as a higher end gaming monitor was silly when it lacked s-video, something that bothered me about it over the small amount of time I owned one since I started to own s-video capable systems. On mine the sub went out maybe 3-4 months or so into my ownership of it when it was still sold as new at Best Buy in 98. I had to send it off for repair since I had purchased an extended warranty.

After 6 weeks or so they never got it back, so I had them replace it with another that I kept new in the box. That one I got rid of unopened in a trade. I knew the guy I traded it to pretty well. He had issues with it a couple years later. Quality was simply not there with that monitor. I oddly enough ended up with a 19 inch Samsung awhile later, that while was still only composite, was worlds better picture wise.

[ifkz]

I am not sure there are any audio hobbyists in the crowd...

I learned today one of the door speakers is blown:  a bad voice coil, repair seems beyond anything simple.

I am looking for one, possibly two replacement speakers (so they match) that are shielded and the size 4" x 4". The rating of the old speakers: 16ohm 5w. These are nothing special, typical speakers from a TV.

Does anyone have a good website to order these, cheap?

[PCEngineHell]

Check on Parts Express. They may have something for you.