Just curious... is this set "mechanical color"-ready??

In 1963 I purchased the assembly manual and schematic for the Colordaptor, which included samples of the color filter material. The setup included a ten tube chassis. If memory serves, a kit of parts which included a pre-punched chassis, but not the color wheel or motor, was about $250. For a completely assembled and tested unit, which included the color wheel and motor, the price was around $400. The following year, you could purchase a Heathkit 21" round tube set in kit form for about $395. Needless to say, I never bought the Colordaptor! I eventually discarded the manual and schematic. I wish I had them now.

[Rob]

Originally posted by wvsaz
The following year, you could purchase a Heathkit 21" round tube set in kit form for about $395.

WV,

I was fortunate to find one of those 21" round Heathkit color sets in Buffalo a few years ago and bought it. It is the GR-53A from late '64. It was initially offered as the GR-53 with only VHF. Mine is the only one I've ever seen in all my years of vintage color TV hunting and collecting!

Rob

Rob,

Do you know if Heathkit sold many of those sets? I have read rave reviews about how good it was, how easy to build, and how good the manuals were. Nevertheless, in the early sixties building your own color TV did seem just a little intimidating.

[Rob]

WV,

I have no idea how many Heathkit 21" color sets made it out but you are certainly right I think in that it was probably a bit intimidating at the time. I was fortunate to obtain a complete owner's assembly manual from an owner of one of these that no longer had his set. Mine has a bad 21FJP22 so it needs a tube as part of getting it going again. I have a good spare I can use. It also has a broken degaussing coil thermister, so the B+ cannot get into the circuit either. Beyond this I haven't examined mine further. It is well built however and it even has a built in crosshatch convergence generator! It took getting the manual to learn this.

This set was offered in two versions, with or without a cabinet. Unfortunately the one I got is without. If I was running a funded TV museum I'd put this in a nice clear Lexan cabinet and call it the "Phantom Colorceiver"! I've been keeping my eyes out for a suitable attractive cabinet from another set of the same era.

Here is a copy of the magazine ads that were in Popular Electronics and similar magazines for this set at the time. I have the original ad in several of my magazines.

Rob

[Jeffhs]

I goofed. I thought the Colordapter color adapter was all-electronic, but I guess it wasn't after all. When I stopped to think that there is no way a B&W CRT can reproduce color without a color wheel, I realized my mistake.

Jeff