Why does my CRT TV look better than my LCD TV?

Yes, analog cable on a new HDTV will look worse than before and the reason is very simple. Your old CRT processes a 480i signal using about 480 pixels of vertical resolution Your new TV has 720 lines of vertical resolution, so now the input signal is SCALED up. Scaling magnifies not only the signal, but also the noise. So, it is not the TV's fault, it does the best it can with a low resolution signal.

Till today cant compare the picture reproduction on a CRT and a LCD tv. Reason, CRT recreates almost in the pure analogue way (the colour variation and intensity of light ) . Cant match the depth of the colour (only Plasma TVs can compete to some level). LCD technology R&D labs still struggling to match the old CRT. But as one of the post said, the size and weight is the issues in CRT and the high vacuum tube (risky in high voltage applied on its cathode).

If you're not getting HD it helps to get higher end TV. LG lcd TVs for example do a great job of processing an SD signal.

I dread the day when my lovely 2002 75KILO! 36" CRT Toshiba stops working. I still look at these modern large screen LCD, LED and Plasma TVs in shops and peoples homes and they STILL look poor to me especially on white flesh tones and unnatural colour. The only thing they are better at is the writing.......all that tickertape rubbish which is VERY annoying anyway on Sky and BBC! CHRIS (UK)