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Old 19th Feb 2017, 12:56 pm   #1
FERNSEH
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Default Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

A Forum member has expressed his interest in acquiring my Ferguson 21" TV set.
The Ferguson 247T featured the Halolight which took the form of a special fluorescent tube fitted behind the CRT mask. The original tube was found to be broken and there is absolutely no possibility of ever finding a replacement.

So how about replacing the old fluorescent tube with a string of LEDs? Like the backlight of LED TVs a light diffuser will be needed to produce an even distribution of light. Even the light intensity control can be reinstated.

The set has not been switched on for more than a year but as the attachment shows it still displays a perfectly steady picture without doing any adjustments. The complex line flywheel sync system is once sorted trouble free.

Link to the restoration of the Ferguson 247T: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...1%26quot%3B+TV

DFWB.
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 2:29 pm   #2
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

You can buy LEDs strings by the foot, and dimmer/power supplies too. Self adhesive, should be a doddle to fit.
 
Old 19th Feb 2017, 2:55 pm   #3
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

The Ferguson halo light, I remember seeing them, forgotten if I fixed any though. I am not convinced they help the viewing experience that a suitably placed table light would not have done.
Still it's of it's time and a worthy example, the picture looks excellent for a 60 year old TV or thereabouts.
Frank
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 3:48 pm   #4
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

How about two strings of alternating warm white and cool white LEDs behind the same diffuser, wired to each end of the track of a potentiometer and power to the slider? Then, as this was adjusted from one end to the other, the proportion of current fed through the warm and cool white LED strings would change -- giving you an adjustable colour temperature! Another pot in series, wired as a simple variable resistor, would act as an intensity control. You will need a decent sized smoothing capacitor for the LEDs, to avoid unpleasant visual effects if the LEDs' flashing rate (timed with the mains now) is out of sync with the video signal field rate (timed with the mains when it was recorded).
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 4:25 pm   #5
FERNSEH
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

Considering the age of the set, many of the original components including the Mullard MW53-20 CRT are dated 1955 the picture is suburb. Like Frank I do remember the Halolight. A good number of these sets survived well into the sixties and by then when I was asked to repair one of these sets I'd find as often as not the Halolight didn't work or was disconnected. Perhaps the strobe effect was the reason for doing that after the broadcasters ended the mains locked syncs in 1964?
I like the idea of dual colour temperature LEDs.

DFWB.
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 4:36 pm   #6
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

We had a Ferguson 236T 17" console with Halolight in the 1950's. It did appear to give a very nice surround to the picture.
Unfortunately when the old Ferguson was put into semi retirement the high voltage transformer that supplied the light tube failed and blew the mains fuse. I disconnected it and continued to use the receiver for some time. I would like to find another 236T just for old times sake. John.
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 4:44 pm   #7
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

The 'halo light' sets have always intrigued me. Is the crt surround made of particularly thin or translucent plastic? It looks pretty much like any normal surround. I wonder what sort of colour tint the original fluorescent tube provided? Would it be white or blue or pink-ish?

Steve
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 5:02 pm   #8
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

Bit of a similar idea as the current Philips Ambilight.
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 8:28 pm   #9
egrandUS
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

That looks very similar to the American Sylvania Halolight sets. They also used a 21" CRT in the early ones. Maybe there was some shared parts?
http://www.tvhistory.tv/1956-SYLVANI...-HALOLIGHT.jpg
http://www.tvhistory.tv/1956-SYLVANIA-Brochure1.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaB1Iyq6Dk8
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Old 19th Feb 2017, 9:20 pm   #10
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Default Re: Ferguson "Halolight" TV.

The only one I ever came across had a dud tube but it was, like many things, of it's time. When larger tubes were difficult and expensive they gave the impression of size, as ever a draw. Difficult to imagine now with monstrous flat screens.
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