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  #1  
Old 11-07-2017, 10:03 AM
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Best color TV 1965-1975?

Looking at performance, reliability, durabity, design. What's your vote for best?

Is it as simple as RCA versus Zenith?

I can't make up my mind, I like RCA, and Zenith, and Sony, even Motorola.
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Old 11-07-2017, 10:17 AM
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Zenith 25DC56, 25EC58. No question.
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Old 11-07-2017, 11:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TUD1 View Post
Zenith 25DC56, 25EC58. No question.
If best is defined by reliability and or focus sharpness, then yes. Otherwise there are roundys from the era that can do better color...I've seen both RCA and Zenith roundys out preform a flat chassis in the color department...I'd probably go with a zenith roundy as being most reliable with really stunning color.
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  #4  
Old 11-07-2017, 11:31 AM
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I should add a couple other criteria - tube or hybrid chassis, and rectangular screen.

My only issue with Zenith is based on fairly limited experience, but the whole color demodulator circuit in RCA tv's seems to be better. It's like the Achilles heel of the otherwise ideal Zenith.

I put my 16 inch Zenith into my bedroom a few days ago, and it's such a pleasure to watch the sharp and bright picture, I haven't had a color CRT set hooked up for some time, and I forgot how great they are. I do need to mess with the color circuit though, sometimes there's a greenish cast to images which should be blue. It doesn't happen all the time but it's an occasional problem.
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  #5  
Old 11-07-2017, 12:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maxhifi View Post
My only issue with Zenith is based on fairly limited experience, but the whole color demodulator circuit in RCA tv's seems to be better. It's like the Achilles heel of the otherwise ideal Zenith.
I agree about the Zenith color demodulators being annoying. My 1968 20Y1C50 set has a very annoying tint problem on scene changes. It's just all over the place.
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  #6  
Old 11-07-2017, 06:53 PM
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Best ever ALL AROUND color TV ?
Zenith SS flat chassis NO question about it.

Almost all early SS sets were better built than newer ones.
Also easier to fix than a tube job. Even GE & Admiral put
out good ones.

73 Zeno
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  #7  
Old 11-08-2017, 12:17 AM
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OK, dumb guy question. What's a flat chassis, you mean as in horizontal versus the vertical PCB?
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  #8  
Old 11-08-2017, 09:16 AM
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25DC56 with the Zenith picture tube for durability. Agree that roundies often seem to have better color.
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  #9  
Old 11-08-2017, 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Kevin Kuehn View Post
OK, dumb guy question. What's a flat chassis, you mean as in horizontal versus the vertical PCB?
Flat chassis was 1st Zenith 100% solid state color. It sat in the
cabinet "flat" as opposed to being fold down vertical like
the later CC2 chassis. Sold in 25" C, D, E & probably a few F year
sets.
Still built on steel chassis with hand wiring & abt. 8 small modules.
All semis also plugged in.
Even at the time they were known for ruggedness, servicability,
almost immortal CRT's & had a great pix ! Everyone loved them, even
the RCA guys.

73 Zeno
LFOD !
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  #10  
Old 11-08-2017, 09:40 AM
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1.zenith hybrid and flat chassis sets.
2.sylvania hybrid and e45to e48 chassis
3.rca xl100 chassis with delta gun crt
4.magnavox t995 chassis
5.philco hybrid with cool chassis tubes
roundys do seem to produce much more pleasing color saturation.ctc 15 or zenith
roundys were the absolute best

this is just my opinion.i left the business in 1985 and just dabble occasionally.worked 26 years and saw many different sets but my list is based on my own experiences.
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  #11  
Old 11-08-2017, 10:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sampson159 View Post
1.zenith hybrid and flat chassis sets.
2.sylvania hybrid and e45to e48 chassis
3.rca xl100 chassis with delta gun crt
4.magnavox t995 chassis
5.philco hybrid with cool chassis tubes
roundys do seem to produce much more pleasing color saturation.ctc 15 or zenith
roundys were the absolute best

this is just my opinion.i left the business in 1985 and just dabble occasionally.worked 26 years and saw many different sets but my list is based on my own experiences.
Great list. The Philco hybrid is way underrated IMHO. Sweet pix.
I would add Admirals 1st SS 25" sets. ( NOT the 13, 17 & 19).
As good as any, just needed a better jug.

73 Zeno
LFOD !
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  #12  
Old 11-08-2017, 11:48 AM
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This thread is just a TAD on the "Jingoish" side of things, but that's all right..An early day Trinitron is rather hard to beat ,in my book... EVERYBODY always enjoyed
watching it... A Golf match, when you had a cameraman who knew what he was doing, was a sight to behold...
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  #13  
Old 11-08-2017, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Sandy G View Post
This thread is just a TAD on the "Jingoish" side of things, but that's all right..An early day Trinitron is rather hard to beat ,in my book... EVERYBODY always enjoyed
watching it... A Golf match, when you had a cameraman who knew what he was doing, was a sight to behold...
Before I got interested in vintage TV, and having grown up in the 1980s, I thought the trinitron was head and shoulders above everything else. Everyone in my family who cared about quality had one, I thought the only people who bought RCA or something else, were either too cheap to get a Sony or people not interested much in quality.

So seeing how good of a picture those old RCA and Zenith delta gun sets can make when they're operating properly was a bit of a surprise to me. The remaining ones I saw growing up were always on their last legs and all out of adjustment. And now, in 2017, it's really hard to find an early Trinitron with a good enough picture tube to make a good picture, they all seem to be off due to weak tubes. I'm not sure if it's because they were so good that people watched them until there was nothing left, or if they have worse longevity than the domestic tubes.
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  #14  
Old 11-08-2017, 02:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maxhifi View Post
...And now, in 2017, it's really hard to find an early Trinitron with a good enough picture tube to make a good picture, they all seem to be off due to weak tubes. I'm not sure if it's because they were so good that people watched them until there was nothing left, or if they have worse longevity than the domestic tubes.
I suspect a good part of it is that the Trinitrons probably were run at higher beam current than other tubes, which helped give them their brighter picture. This was possible because of the tensioned grille shadow mask, which did not deform with heat (until it got so hot that the tension was released.)
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  #15  
Old 11-09-2017, 08:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy G View Post
This thread is just a TAD on the "Jingoish" side of things, but that's all right..An early day Trinitron is rather hard to beat ,in my book... EVERYBODY always enjoyed
watching it... A Golf match, when you had a cameraman who knew what he was doing, was a sight to behold...

Yeah, Sony pretty much released the Trinitron and that was their first mic drop. Growing up in the 80's, the Trini was THE set to have - nothing really came close. The Colortraks were decent when they worked, which wasn't often on the one my parents had :/
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