Workflows & Recipes
Creative recipes for common CRT looks using CRTified.
Here are some starting points for popular looks. Every value is a suggestion - tweak to taste.
Retro Arcade Monitor
Bright, punchy arcade cabinet CRT with visible phosphor structure.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Look | Coin-Op (or start from scratch below) |
| Mask Type | Shadow Mask (Dot Triad) |
| Mask Pitch | 3.0 - 4.0 |
| Mask Intensity | 60 - 80% |
| Raster Weight | 25% |
| Bloom Power | 80% |
| Color Intensity | 2.0 - 2.5 |
| Output Gain | 1.5 - 2.0 |
Key: Visible mask + high color intensity + bright output is the arcade formula. The phosphor dots and vivid colors are what sell it.
VHS Tape Deck
Warm, degraded tape playback with color bleed and rolling artifacts.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Look | Rental Tape (or start from scratch) |
| VHS | On |
| Tape Speed | LP or EP |
| Tape Wear | 35 - 60% |
| Tracking Error | 15 - 35% |
| Head Switching | 25 - 45% |
| Chroma Noise | 20 - 35% |
| Edge Wave | 1.0 - 3.0 |
| Wet / Dry | 85% / 15% |
Key: Let the VHS section establish the cassette character before adding Static, Analog Distortion, or Instability. A little Dry signal keeps faces and titles readable beneath the damage.
Circuit-Bent Broadcast
A live signal caught between a dirty mixer, unstable sync, and color electronics that have started making their own decisions.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Circuit Breaker | On |
| Physical Unit | Dirty Mixer or Panasonic WJ-AVE5 CV |
| Signal Interaction | Reactive |
| Color Circuit | NTSC Burst Drift or Composite Fold |
| Color Drive | 1.2 - 2.0 |
| Panasonic Mode | Waves for fluid movement; Blocks for stepped damage |
| Wet / Dry | 70% / 30% |
Key: Reactive mode lets the source footage participate. Start with one strong gesture - a sync collision, wave, tear, or color fault - then leave room for the image to breathe.
Green Terminal
Monochrome computer terminal with phosphor persistence.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Look | Terminal (or start from scratch) |
| Mask Type | Aperture Grille |
| Mask Pitch | 2.5 |
| Phosphor Bleed | 25% |
| Bloom Power | 90% |
| Glow Tint | Green (R: 0.3, G: 1.0, B: 0.3) |
| Color Intensity | 0.0 (fully desaturated) |
| Color Temp | -0.3 (cool) |
| Static Amount | 10 |
| Raster Weight | 40% |
Key: Desaturate fully, then use Glow Tint to add the green phosphor color. The Aperture Grille gives you that Trinitron terminal look.
Surveillance Camera
Security camera feed - harsh, high contrast, unstable.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Look | Surveillance (or start from scratch) |
| Mask Type | Raster Only |
| Raster Weight | 45% |
| Tube Contrast | 0.4 |
| Color Intensity | 0.6 |
| Static Amount | 30 |
| Static Type | White |
| Brightness Wobble | 0.03 |
| Vertical Hold | 0.008 |
| Output Gain | 1.8 |
| Black Level | -0.05 |
Key: Crushed blacks + desaturation + jitter. The Vertical Hold creates the unstable feeling. Keep the mask simple (Raster Only) since security monitors were cheap.
Subtle Film Grade
Barely-there CRT texture for a cinematic film look. No scanlines, just warmth and character.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Mask Type | Off |
| Raster Weight | 0% |
| Phosphor Bleed | 8% |
| Bloom Power | 30% |
| Halo Power | 20% |
| Static Amount | 8 |
| Static Type | Blue (Fine Grain) |
| Color Standard | P22 (Consumer CRT) |
| CRT Gamma | 2.4 |
| Wet / Dry | 60 - 75% / 25 - 40% |
Key: Turn off the mask and scanlines entirely. Use just the color personality, subtle grain, and glow to add warmth without screaming "retro." The P22 profile shifts hues in a way that immediately feels analog. Balance Wet and Dry to taste.