Recommended 13" Tube TV
 

Well, in case you haven't seen my other post, http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=253270, my Emerson ECR1350 is having some issues. The folks here have been helpful, but until I can find time to look deeper into it I would like to have another tube to watch.

So I went to my local thrift stores and took note of the models that interested me:

RCA EJR3305
JVC C-13110
GE 13GP244
Sharp 13F-M100 (Linytron)
Sylvania CBE1525L01
MGM/Mitsubishi CS-1342R

Can anyone comment if any of these have a good track record, good picture quality, or if any are to be avoided? In particular, I like the Sharp, Slyvania, and MGM, because I love the retro look of the MGM and Sylvania (see photos below, Sylvania on left), and the Linytron is a clone of the fabulous Trinitron sets. Thanks!

The Mitsubishi MGA will have a nice picture and are pretty reliable in my opinion, I have one from '75 still going strong. I've had it 13 years and never had to repair it.

I don't think I've seen a Sylvania like that. I wonder if it's from the NAP or GTE era? It probably uses an E31 chassis and they produce good pictures. They do have issues with bad solder connections and bad electrolytic caps in the power supply.

The GE sounds like a "BC" chassis set; which, used a Panasonic built chassis. The flyback transformers are bad about blowing up in these.

I also had a lot of flyback problems with Sharp TV's.

The Mitsubishi, RCA, JVC, or Sylvania would be what I'd look at. The only thing that would hold me back on the Mitsubishi would be if it was made after the mid '80's. It was sometime in the late '80's when they started using bad electrolytic caps that would leak, literally, all over the chassis.

That Sharp model number sounds very much like the kitchen TV that's a mid '90's set. It's starting to show it's age; but, it's good enough to watch the evening news while eating supper. It's certainly not a set I'd buy today.

Looking up the JVC, it looks like a more recent set that probably uses a Chinese chassis. I can't find anything on the RCA; but, if it's one of those TX82 chassis sets, you'd better leave it alone. That's a screwball chassis and the main filter cap will hold a charge that will knock you on your butt. The best RCA's were the CTC135 and lower chassis number sets. Come to think of it, that GE may be a TX82 chassis set.

The more I think about it, the MGA or Sylvania may be your best options; but, for no more than they want for them, you probably couldn't go wrong with any of them. If one dies, you aren't out much.

Ill put in a vote for the MGM.

I don't know where you are, but around here, sets are selling for $0.99 to $6.99 all the time. Some you'd swear were just taken out of the carton.
The G/W is asking $3.99 for those el-cheapo B/W sets without A/C adaptor, while remote color sets are selling for $0.99. Go figure!
P.S. They all work, most work perfectly.

I wish the thrift stores here would get that message. They still think a beat up 19" set from the '80's or '90's is worth $25-$50.

The store I was at was having a "closeout" sale on all of their TVs; they even had an '80s Magnavox console for only 25 bucks. The most expensive TV I looked at was $10, because I didn't feel like putting more into an unknown set.

I'm glad to hear about the Sylvania and MGM because those were my two favorite sets. I know its crazy for a young guy like me to want a tube, but believe it or not a 19" widescreen would not fit as well as a 13" tube set in the space that I have.

That, and I love the look of "proper" TVs! :D

Thanks for your suggestions; I'll probably grab the Sylvania or MGM (or both!), but if you have any other recommendations that I didn't list, I'd be more than happy to hear them!

Could you give me an time frame for that RCA chassis? The set I looked at was from the late 70s or early 80s, since it had turret tuners. I may have read the number wrong too. The RCA was in a different shop with bad lighting.

Well, I bought two TVs today: the MGA/Mitsu and the RCA. The Sylvania was already gone (bummer). The Mitsubishi has a beautiful picture that's only marred by slightly crooked edges, but otherwise is an awesome set for $10. Color uniformity, convergence, sound all check out great. It was made in 1986, so it may be part of the leaky capacitor group, but there is no sign of that so far.

The RCA has a surprisingly good picture for age its age, though I am having one issue with it. The picture has good uniformity and convergence, but there is a lot of snow from the RF feed. I know its not my equipment because the same feed shows up perfectly on the Mitsubishi. So my guess is that either my 75 ohm to 300 ohm converter is bad or the tuner needs cleaning, but I'm still happy with both. Also, the RCA has some interesting adjustment controls on the back; if anyone knows about these or the RF snow issue, do let me know! Also, do you know what chassis number it is? Thanks for your input!

That RCA is probably something like a CTC117 or 18. You might try adjusting the peak picture (sharpness) knob on the back of the set. You may also need to clean this control with contact cleaner.

I don't think that's crazy. I'm 35 and most males my age would not have nothing less than a big flatscreen TV. I was raised on CRT TV's in the 13" to 25" range, both color and B&W. Those types of TV's are what I've become used to and those thin, wide flatscreen TV's don't look right to me. To this day, I have no problem watching a 12" B&W TV.

I'd say that RCA is a keeper; in years to come there is going to be a gradually increasing demand for them among collectors. Why? Because they are among the last "real" RCA's, they were made in the USA, decent enough performers, and this one is small enough that someone who can't handle a console can own it.

You are indeed in good company. I'm 20 and not a fan of non-crt sets either. I not one to watch color shows on monochrome sets though. I rarely watch monochrome programs which leaves little use for my monochrome sets. I favor using delta gun color sets as my earliest memories of watching TV were watching one(one of the last Motorola/Quasar WID sets) and there is something about the picture of delta sets(imperfections and all) that some how feels more 'real' to me than other types of sets.