Favorite CRT Testers
 

Whats the best CRT testers or your favorite ones? I have three Beltrons, one Sencore CR70, and one B&K 467.. I tested a roundie with the three Beltrons and they all pretty much read into the low range (between .2 - .4) and the B&K and Sencore CR70 reads the same picture tube well into the good range.. I've never tried cleaning or rejuvenating with any of them, as I never needed to yet...

Personally, all I've ever used were various B&K models and models 467, 470, 480, and 490 are all good units. My biggest complaints with them are the cheap cases and cheap plastic hinges/latches that most of them use. My first CRT tester was an older blue B&K 465 and it was a good tester for testing B&W and delta gun color CRT's; but, the rejuvenation method was rather crude and would often do more harm than good. The later B&K's use a better rejuvenate function that usually does not torch the CRT.

I've also heard good things about the Sencore CR70 and I hope to someday add one to the test equipment collection.

The later CRT testers often cost hundreds of dollars, if not over a grand; but, with CRT's not being popular anymore, one can often get one of these testers for very little money.

I got my Sencore CR70 off ebay about 4-5 years ago and payed around $200.. Now I see them on there sometimes with no bids at $50...

CRT Tester Favorite
 

I just picked up a B+K 467, IIRC, and totally agree with the cheap case comments. This one is pristine, however, except for decayed foam holding the CRT test sockets in place in the lid. The book for it has a 1977 copyright date. that's got to be a late production unit for that model.

I'm not sure how they work, but the supposed advantage of the newer CRT testers is a relatively gentle rejuvination function, that cleans the gun cathodes without "stripping" them. The other feature newer units have is a progressive shorts removal function, so you don't send 10KV to do a 800V job. LOL

I think the 467 was made at least until the late '80's-early '90's and was superseded by the 490; which, is basically the same unit.

I like the 467 seeing how the results seem to be really good and I don't have to set different settings for each gun like the Sencore CR70.. Beltrons have weaker results when testing compared to a B&K 467 and a Sencore CR70.. I've tested different tubes with three different Beltron units compared to the other testers and the beltrons give approx same weaker results.. I've seen the 490 on Ebay a few times and looks like it functions just like the 467, with a much nicer more well built case and a different color interface.. I've seen a 490B and that looks like it has many more functions that I have no idea what they do..

I have no intention of rejuvenating any CRTs, so any recommendations for one I could get cheaper because of this?

I had a 466 that sold on Ebay for less than $20 not too long ago, here's the same model for $20 on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BK-crt-teste...item3f2986202a

As of a few years ago, at least, you could buy a replacement case for the 467 that has real hinges, from B&K. It cost maybe $40-50 if I remember right.