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Phosphor: Crt Factory

by Egret Studios LLC·VFX

Images © Egret Studios LLC. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Phosphor: CRT Factory stands out in the Superhive library for processing renders through a CRT-style signal chain rather than applying a simple filter, with results visible in the viewport before rendering.

What is Phosphor: Crt Factory?

Phosphor: CRT Factory is a Blender extension that recreates CRT and retro screen display effects, including screen bulge, phosphor dot structure, scanlines, glow diffusion, film grain, signal distortion behavior, and retro glare. It is not a filter; it processes your render through a full CRT-style signal chain covering scanlines, glow diffusion, color response, and display behavior. Effects are visible directly in the viewport before you render, powered by Blender 5.0's viewport compositor, so what you see matches the final render output.

The screen curvature simulates the physical shape of CRT glass with adjustable barrel distortion. Procedural scanlines are driven by wave patterns rather than overlays, with control over density, shape, distortion, detail, scale, band orientation, and profile. Color and display response give control over saturation, temperature, tonemapping, and phosphor tint to match different CRT eras. Signal distortion introduces instability, noise, and irregularities ranging from clean output to degraded and broken screens.

Phosphor works with both Eevee and Cycles, processing the compositor output rather than the render engine itself. It inserts into your compositor and removes itself cleanly, preserving your original node setup. The whole system enables or disables with one toggle via Live Preview.

Who is Phosphor: Crt Factory best for?

Phosphor: Crt Factory is best for blender artists adding CRT and retro screen display effects to scenes and renders in Eevee or Cycles.

How much does Phosphor: Crt Factory cost?

Phosphor: Crt Factory is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Live viewport compositing that matches final render output, powered by Blender 5.0's viewport compositor
  • CRT signal chain processing including scanlines, glow diffusion, color response, and display behavior
  • Screen curvature and bulge with adjustable barrel distortion
  • Procedural scanline system with control over density, shape, distortion, detail, scale, band orientation, and profile
  • Color and display response controls for saturation, temperature, tonemapping, and phosphor tint
  • 19 built-in presets including arcade displays, VHS degradation, terminal monitors, and stylized outputs
  • Non-destructive workflow with one-toggle activation via Live Preview

Tags

#CRT#retro#scanlines#compositing#VHS#realtime#Blender

Frequently asked questions

Does Phosphor: CRT Factory work with both Eevee and Cycles?

Phosphor: CRT Factory is fully compatible with both the Eevee and Cycles render engines. Rather than modifying the render engine itself, it processes the compositor output, so its CRT signal chain applies regardless of which engine you use. This includes the scanlines, glow diffusion, color response, and display behavior that make up the effect. Because it operates on the compositor, the same CRT looks and presets remain available whether your scene renders through Eevee or Cycles.

What Blender versions does Phosphor: CRT Factory support?

Phosphor: CRT Factory is built for Blender 5.0 and newer versions, with listed compatibility for Blender 5.0 to 5.1. It relies on the Blender 5.0 viewport compositor to provide true real-time feedback with final render accuracy, so you can see the CRT effect directly in the viewport before rendering. It is distributed as a Blender extension and add-on, and is listed as Blender Extension Compatible on its store page.

Does Phosphor: CRT Factory change my existing node setup?

Phosphor: CRT Factory uses a non-destructive workflow. It inserts itself into your compositor and removes itself cleanly, so your original node setup is always preserved. The entire system can be enabled or disabled instantly using Live Preview, with no manual setup or node wiring required. It is also designed to work well alongside other built-in Blender nodes, so you can combine it with your existing compositing work.

Is Phosphor: CRT Factory free?

Phosphor: CRT Factory is listed as free in this catalog and is distributed under the GPL license. For current licensing terms and any details on availability, check the developer's page from Egret Studios LLC. A demo video is also available if you want to see more about the extension before installing. The GPL license governs how the extension can be used and redistributed once you have it.

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