UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Television and Video

Notices

Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 4th Sep 2016, 10:26 pm   #1
ctc15
Pentode
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Barnet, London, UK.
Posts: 167
Default 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Mikey 405 asked me to look after the old girl so davidh 1041 and myself picked it up.
These sets were sold for about £350! in the early 1960s by R.C.A.when they were pushing N.T.S.C. for the UK.
They were standard U.S. sets modified to 240 Volt system I 625 line N.T.S.C 4.43 MHz when P.A.L. came into use you could for a fee send it back to R.C.A. to be modified to P.A.L. or do it your self. This TV had been modified to P.A.L. / N.T.S.C.
The set is in very good condition but had very bad cataract. The tube is a 21FJP22 twin panel tube and the glue fails and goes opaque. The Tube and valves had the date code for 1964.
The set had a lot of dust inside as we all like to see. To wake it up I slowly put volts on the H.T. supply then after that slowly put mains into the set at that point.
26 valves (tubes) started to heat up. I now had sound and light on the screen I tuned it in and had good sound the picture was black and white in the centre of the screen which was not opaque when the colour was turned up the colour was all wrong the set was switched to PAL so something was not working. Since the colour was locked it seemed the PAL mod was not working. I have no diagram for the mod so had to trace it out. It has two valves I found most of the resistors were out of spec and 2 capacitors were leaky I changed them also the two valves and still not working. The mod had had a lot of work on it in the past so I do not know what the circuit was and if it had worked!
Plan two feed in 625 line 4.43Mz NTSC and see if it works and I had a diagram for that part of the set.
I have a RGB to PAL 4.43Mz converter which I converted to work on NTSC 4.43Mz. this was fed in I now had a good COLOR picture so the PAL mod was the problem. I will look at this later as it is now working in colour and the cataract needs to be fixed.
Yesterday Mikey 405 and Davidh 1041 came over to help with the cataract the TV was dismantled and the 21FJP22 removed as can be seen the safety screen and glue almost fell off I had a faulty 21FBP22 which is not a twin panel tube so has a separate safety glass and rubber gasket which was removed cleaned and fitted to the 21FJP22 . The CRT was refitted and the RCA reassembled and when turned on we now could see a full picture.
The TV is now working but some things need to be corrected the height shrinks as it heats up, horizontal hold is not good, PAL ident not working and UHF tuner is low gain I had to use a Bush tuner.
Keith
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2102.jpg
Views:	996
Size:	125.0 KB
ID:	129643   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2095.jpg
Views:	845
Size:	85.8 KB
ID:	129644   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2096.jpg
Views:	937
Size:	68.6 KB
ID:	129645   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2100.jpg
Views:	928
Size:	73.1 KB
ID:	129646   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2101.jpg
Views:	895
Size:	79.5 KB
ID:	129647  

ctc15 is offline  
Old 4th Sep 2016, 10:35 pm   #2
ctc15
Pentode
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Barnet, London, UK.
Posts: 167
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

More pics
Keith
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2090.jpg
Views:	662
Size:	69.0 KB
ID:	129648   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2091.jpg
Views:	706
Size:	56.9 KB
ID:	129649   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN2086.jpg
Views:	822
Size:	70.1 KB
ID:	129650  
ctc15 is offline  
Old 4th Sep 2016, 10:43 pm   #3
ukcol
Rest in Peace
 
ukcol's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 3,944
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

I studied for my City & Guides Radio & TV Servicing Cert at Southgate Technical in North London. A sixth year was added to the course to cover Colour TV Servicing and I took it in its first year.

The practical part of the course used those RCA sets as they were all that was available at the time.

If I remember correctly they were simple PAL (no delay line).
ukcol is offline  
Old 4th Sep 2016, 11:27 pm   #4
dave walsh
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
Posts: 5,803
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

I very much enjoyed the parts of this that I understood to some degree Keith but I couldn't guess what a "cataract" was in this context. I googled above to find that its a deterioration in the resin bond re the face plate. Well you live and learn thanks!

Dave W
dave walsh is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 1:37 pm   #5
Focus Diode
Octode
 
Focus Diode's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Borough of Gateshead, UK.
Posts: 1,420
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

I recognise this set! Had several valves missing. If only the internet and forums like this were around I would've been able to have got it going.

So pleased to see the set up and running. Well done.

Brian
Focus Diode is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 3:04 pm   #6
Brigham
Octode
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
Posts: 1,111
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

I'm fairly sure there was one of these at the ITA Burnhope site in the early '80s.
Is this perhaps the same one?
Brigham is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 4:28 pm   #7
dragonser
Heptode
 
dragonser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Carshalton, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 734
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Hi,
what an interesting set. Now I may know why the Korting / Decca Colour Tv pattern generator I have has an ntsc / pal switch ( and yes it gives you ntsc 625 line ).
regards Peter B
dragonser is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 6:05 pm   #8
Heatercathodeshort
Dekatron
 
Heatercathodeshort's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,142
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

A 'proper' colour television receiver. Well done. John.
Heatercathodeshort is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 7:54 pm   #9
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,424
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Compared to the first UK SS CTV's, that chassis looks quite compact to say it's early 1960's.
Nuvistor is offline  
Old 5th Sep 2016, 8:20 pm   #10
Tazman1966
Nonode
 
Tazman1966's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: St Albans, Herts, UK.
Posts: 2,193
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

So the old girl lives! Excellent news. Well done to you all.
__________________
All the very best,
Tas
Tazman1966 is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 1:01 am   #11
ntscuser
Hexode
 
ntscuser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Coventry, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 279
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
A 'proper' colour television receiver. Well done. John.
Yes indeed!
__________________
Classic TV Show Theme Tunes
ntscuser is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 12:24 pm   #12
Hunts smoothing bomb
Octode
 
Hunts smoothing bomb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Wimborne, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 1,407
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Truly excellent to see a picture on this old set, well done to you all!

Cheers
__________________
Lee
Hunts smoothing bomb is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 2:34 pm   #13
beery
Heptode
 
beery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Ware, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 988
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Great stuff.
I never knew these RCA PAL sets existed or that RCA attempted to force NTSC on us.

Great pictures. Do you think the 3rd picture in your first post looks like Eddie Izzard being attacked by a blue sponge cloth?

Cheers
Andy
beery is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 3:17 pm   #14
brianc
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire, UK,
Posts: 1,055
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Fantastic work, guys. It's great to see these old sets being nurtured back to life.
I remember seeing sets of this type around Lime Grove Studios when I was at the BBC. The experimental colour studio was very close to Telecine where I worked. It would have been lovely to get one as they were being thrown out as I'm sure happened. Later, the huge RBM sets in Imlock cabinets ruled the roost but that was well into the PAL days.
brianc is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 4:03 pm   #15
kan_turk
Hexode
 
kan_turk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 395
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Absolutely brilliant to see one of these sets survive - not only survive but now restored to working order. It would, however, be somewhat misleading to suggest that RCA tried to force NTSC on anybody - NTSC was simply the only viable show in town when Europe first looked at colour systems and was the preferred choice of the BBC - hence the importation of NTSC sets from RCA.
This set started life as an RCA CTC16 (525 line NTSC 3.58MHz), was converted to 625 line NTSC 4.429MHz (the BBC preference) and later to 625 line PAL 4.43MHz when that system was finally adopted. There is a case for leaving it in its current state ie 625 line NTSC but it would be interesting to get the PAL mod working (and documented) - either way a very significant addition to the very limited cohort of colour oldies

Regards to all and well done to those involved in the preservation and restoration

John
kan_turk is online now  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 9:31 pm   #16
red16v
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Winchester, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 635
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Quote:
Originally Posted by brianc View Post
Later, the huge RBM sets in Imlock cabinets ruled the roost but that was well into the PAL days.
Ah, the RBM Driftmaster as we used to call them. Probably good for an afternoon.
red16v is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2016, 9:40 pm   #17
ntscuser
Hexode
 
ntscuser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Coventry, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 279
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Was it one of these?

http://www.radiomuseum.co.uk/rbm.jpg
ntscuser is offline  
Old 8th Sep 2016, 8:02 am   #18
brianc
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire, UK,
Posts: 1,055
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

That's the one. They were so imposing and the set-up controls were easy to get at but not easy to set up if you see what I mean!
brianc is offline  
Old 8th Sep 2016, 11:02 am   #19
Nicklyons2
Octode
 
Nicklyons2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,517
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

Marvellous to see this RCA set back in action, great effort and you have my respect in doing it. Really it is an historic item; sadly early electronic items seem not to be much prized by a society which depends upon, and is so besotted by electronics.

On a just an aesthetic note I've always rather liked the shape of the masked off round CRT; I know half the picture is missing off the corners, but they look like 'proper' TVs. I suppose in the same way level-crossings still show the picture of a steam loco and artwork often shows the outline of a '162' at the side of a landline telephone number.
Nicklyons2 is offline  
Old 8th Sep 2016, 5:45 pm   #20
ukcol
Rest in Peace
 
ukcol's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 3,944
Default Re: 1964 R.C.A. Round tube color TV back to life

It will be great if you are able to get the PAL modification working. Is it a simple PAL decoder as I suggested in post #3 ?
ukcol is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 4:34 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.