• Introduction: Updated on March 30, 2025 by Dave Farquhar. In 1989, Sony introduced the largest Trinitron CRT, the KV-45ED1 (also known as the PVM-4300) in Japan and imported 20 to the US during the recession.
• Sony’s PVM-4300/KV-45ED1: It was the largest CRT TV with a 45-inch tube providing 43 inches of visible improved definition. It stood about 27 inches tall and weighed 450 pounds, not fitting through a standard door frame. Sold for 2.6 million yen in Japan and $40,000 in the US. Sony hoped to sell 80 but the recession may have affected sales.
• The biggest conventional CRT ever: A conventional CRT compared to the GE Widescreen 1000. Worked with over-the-air signals using IDTV to enhance picture quality. HDTV arrived in 1998 (estimated 2005). Some buyers might not have worried about obsolescence.
• Why so expensive: Cost about 8 times Sony's second most expensive model due to being built by hand. Mass production was for smaller TVs. Unclear how many units were sold and how many survived. A Chicago area dealer said one was purchased anonymously.
• Conclusion: Sony continued making CRTs into the 21st century. Dave Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author who writes about retro technology four times a week and about retro computers and gaming five times a week. You can follow him on Pinterest, Bluesky, or subscribe to his RSS feed.