Well, I was slouched down on my couch with my legs crossed and the guitar in my lap. The fret board was a low horizon with the tube as a setting sun, you might say; all background. Since I was just lazing about, I didn't bother to raise up to re-tune the string but when I plucked it I could see the ocsillations rise and fall- a phenomenon I've seen many times before, I might add, but I never considered it as useful in any way. When I plucked the second string I could see that two scillations did not match in amplitude or frequency. That is what got me to thinking in terms of the TV acting as a type of oscilloscope. As I tuned it to ear, I noticed the visual resonnance also aligned! Viola! (No, it wasn't a violin, PLEASE!). Er? Eureka!

Now as to the xenon strobe: Forget it. At the fastest setting it is probably too slow. It is way too bright to look directly in on and too bright even set to a side. Actination is also a big problem (the persistence of image). The xenon flashes are so short duration that it freezes the motion of the strings rather than allowing you to see the sine waves.

Back to the TV, what is really cool is that when you pluck a single string you can see the dominance of the initial note but as it dies down you can watch the overtone series develop and then subside also.