Superior Instrument Co - TV Cross-Bar Generator
 

I just picked this little guy up. Does anyone know anything about it or could point me to a schematic ?

I believe it generates vertical and horizontal lines for TV stations 2-6.

The tube lineup is a 7193 and a couple acorn tubes. It looks to me like they're using the 7193 as a rectifier ?!?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/...f4c2dbe7_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/...11862548_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/...2d0ec96a_b.jpg

Since I can't find any info on this bugger, I've been reverse-engineering it. The 7193 is indeed used as a rectifier with the plate and grid shorted together. The other two tubes are 954 acorn types. I'm going to do a quick recap and try to fire it up. Later I'll draw up a proper schematic.

A quick recap got it working more or less :D

The vertical linearity mode seems fine. The control on the lower right sets the number of visible lines.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/...72479edcf2.jpg

The horizontal mode is a bit flaky though. I tend to get diagonal lines or just one vertical line.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/...c1bbc1caed.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/...d7eddc6b21.jpg

I guess that's about all I can do without having any proper literature. Not that I really need to use it for anything. I just like to fool around with vintage gear sometimes ;)

That is a neat little piece of equipment. Does it work the same on all output channels or do the patterns vary if you put it on a different channel? What do the sweep modes do versus the linearity modes?

It outputs either vertical or horizontal (when it's working!) bars on channels 2-6. It's pretty crude compared to more modern pattern generators.

The sweep modes puts out signals suitable for injecting either a vertical or horizontal drive signal into a defective TV set. In other words, there's no RF carrier.

I just bought one of these myself! Haven't received it yet, but would be interested in comparing notes when I do. I don't know if any documentation will come with it, but will let you know.

Mark

Cool. If you got the one I'm thinking of, it looks to be in really good condition.

I suspect my problem has to do with adjusting the coil accessable via a hole in the back. I've tried fiddling with it and it has some effect, but I'm working in the dark. It will be great to compare notes.

Side note - I also just picked up a SICO TV-50 genometer. Supposedly it can do bars, crosshatch and dots.

I will share my experiences! Yes it probably is the one you are thinking of, and the seller included the entire chopped power cord. I took some good pictures I'll share so we can compare "parts bin" components SICO may have used between runs.

If it's the one I'm thinking of, I had my eye on the genometer too...

A few pics of the one I picked up. There is one capacitor that looks like someone may have swapped for an odd looking, double terminaled type - but could be original. Tabs at each end test to be connected together - and looking at yours, the wiring proves that.

http://www.dygit-dev.com/images/radio/seco1.jpg

http://www.dygit-dev.com/images/radio/seco2.jpg

http://www.dygit-dev.com/images/radio/seco3.jpg

http://www.dygit-dev.com/images/radio/seco4.jpg

Very nice - the cabinet seems to be in excellent condition.
LOL - that's one ugly capacitor :D If you have trouble reading any of the values, let me know and I'll pop mine open. I hope you can get it running so we can compare outputs.

I've seen 3 genometers pop up lately. I picked up the one locally that was branded PACO. It's in the new test equipment forum.

I had wondered what those tubes with two grid caps were used for. Now I know. I have a few of those from a TV shop that I cleaned out.

I finally found a schematic for this so I thought I'd add it to Bob's thread. Now I can get mine going as well. My unit has never had a working bar oscillator.

https://i.postimg.cc/3RwW6vFr/Superior1.jpg

Schematic and article was found in How to understand and use TV test instruments by Milton S. Kiver. Page 99 - 100

The schematic predates the use of a war surplus 7193 for the rectifer.

I find it interesting to see what kind of components they used to make a somewhat working piece of equipment?
I always thought, the ones that designed the products had a sense of humor. :D

Lol this. Their choice of a 954 VHF tube was total overkill. I was working on mine back in 2008 when I first got it and it turned out it was completely wiping out analog channel 6 over at my Dad's place 150 feet away with no wire attached to the RF output.