Lightgun games on flat CRT screens

[Brickman | 3,983]

I've done some searching around but can't seem to get a clear answer, hoping someone here can help.

I have a Sony Trinitron KV XR29M31 which has a flat screen and I specifically want to play Sega Saturn Japanese lightgun games on it. Is it possible?

A very long time ago I tried Duck Hunt and that didn't work so I'm wondering will this be the case for all lightgun games or just NES lightgun games?

[TDIRunner | 2,733]

I have a flat screen Sony Trinitron KV-27FS100L.  It works fine with NES, Genesis, Saturn, and PS1 light gun games.  It sort of works with Master System light gun games, but a few games give me issues.  It does not work at all with the SNES Super Scope Six.  

I also once owned one of the wide screen Sony Trinitrons with an HDMI input.  Not sure on the model number since I don't' have it anymore.    It was not compatible with any type of light gun.  

[Brickman | 3,983]

6 minutes ago, TDIRunner said:

I have a flat screen Sony Trinitron KV-27FS100L.  It works fine with NES, Genesis, Saturn, and PS1 light gun games.  It sort of works with Master System light gun games, but a few games give me issues.  It does not work at all with the SNES Super Scope Six.  

I also once owned one of the wide screen Sony Trinitrons with an HDMI input.  Not sure on the model number since I don't' have it anymore.    It was not compatible with any type of light gun.  

Thanks! Looks like that model is basically the same as mine.

 I must have had a faulty lightgun then. The House of the Dead here I come!

[RH | 4,903]

It should work.  The reason why light guns work is that CRTs are basically one high-powered electron beam scanning across phosphors which light up when they are struck.

The light gun reads a sensor for a very, very short fraction of a second.  If it see the blip of bright white from the screen through the lens on the gun, it registers that it worked.  I can't see how a curved vs. flat screen would change that since it behaves the same way.  In fact, I'm not sure if a flat screen might work better than a curved screen, especially at angles.  If you tried to play at a wide angle, the side you're on would be biased against the other side due to the screen curve.  On a flat screen, you're either going to see it or not, regardless of the angle. But, if the gun can get a consistent read from wherever you're positioned, it should work regardless of it your target is on the left or right. 

 

[TDIRunner | 2,733]

1 hour ago, RH said:

....

 

While I agree for the most part and my experience matches, my Super Scope Six still doesn't work, and I've read of and seen many others with the same issue.  In fact, I have yet to see a SS6 work on a flat screen, so I'm not yet convinced that it's something wrong on my end.  But I don't know enough about it to say why it would be different than the others.  If someone knows, I would be interested in finding out.   

[RH | 4,903]

1 hour ago, TDIRunner said:

While I agree for the most part and my experience matches, my Super Scope Six still doesn't work, and I've read of and seen many others with the same issue.  In fact, I have yet to see a SS6 work on a flat screen, so I'm not yet convinced that it's something wrong on my end.  But I don't know enough about it to say why it would be different than the others.  If someone knows, I would be interested in finding out.   

Very interesting.  Are these DTVs? I guess that could make a difference.  Even though the CRTs still work the same way, maybe there are more scans per frame or something.  I definitely could see that throwing of the timing.

[TDIRunner | 2,733]

2 hours ago, RH said:

Very interesting.  Are these DTVs? I guess that could make a difference.  Even though the CRTs still work the same way, maybe there are more scans per frame or something.  I definitely could see that throwing of the timing.

Mine is not as far as I know.