Retro Visual Effects

Users express excitement over a retro-style plasma or CRT-like visual effect, discussing recreations using CSS blend modes, shaders, blurs, scanlines, and related techniques for web apps.

➡️ Stable 0.6x Web Development
3,162
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4792
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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2008
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2009
39
2010
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2011
136
2012
169
2013
166
2014
120
2015
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2016
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2017
118
2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2026
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Keywords

e.g youtu.be youtube.com UI GPU HSV DusteDdk BkOJoID.png nvidia.com AP effect effects blur shader images cool filters tables image shape

Sample Comments

JohnMalkovite May 4, 2021 View on HN

How could I recreate this effect with an app/website ?

fidotron Apr 28, 2025 View on HN

This is neat. Any plans to add blurs and related effects?

benaiah Nov 14, 2013 View on HN

Really cool effect. Great way to get it without resorting to images.In the future, I wonder if something like this could be done with the -filter attributes, though those may only work on images. I know those have been used to do blurring before, though possibly not in the same way.

siculars Dec 20, 2008 View on HN

hey mate, don't be a hater. it's an uber cool effect.

fineIllregister Dec 29, 2014 View on HN

Would it be possible to recreate that effect on a raster display with a shader?

make3 Nov 21, 2019 View on HN

wow they even added shading, to do fake lighting effects

Luc May 17, 2022 View on HN

Could be photoshopped but might also be a CRT shader.

johnchristopher Nov 15, 2020 View on HN

I'd add some blur, applied in random spots but large enough not to notice it's shifting.

gvison Jul 3, 2025 View on HN

Used to make web background, the effect is good.

kesiev Oct 7, 2015 View on HN

That's right. Thanks! Added scanlines effect for extra blurring :)