Westinghouse K840CK15 Restoration

[etype2]

Jerome, thank you for posting the link and excerpt. Relevant to this discussion.

Interestingly, RCA tested a single gun color tube, but abandoned it in favor of the delta gun arrangement. Little known is that Sony developed a 30 inch, 114 degree, beam index tube in 1981. Submitted to the IEEE, but nothing further found.

[Jeffhs]

Time marches on. CRTs were good in their day, but that day has passed. Now we have flat panel TVs which, of course, have made CRT televisions obsolete, except for collectors. Certainly, it is possible to use a converter box or an external DTV tuner with an older TV, and they do work well for what they are, but the picture these devices will produce on a 50+ year-old TV will not be anywhere nearly as good as that shown on a modern HDTV. The older sets were built for the North American NTSC television standard, which was a lot less demanding than the modern ATSC standard; that is, it is certainly possible, as I mentioned, to use an external converter box or DTV tuner to allow an older set to display ATSC signals, but the technology is so far out of date (with older televisions) that the only real advantage to using a DTV converter on these sets, IMHO, is to prove that ATSC can be displayed on such TVs. With new flat-panel HDTVs being so inexpensive (I don't like to say cheap) these days, it is actually, again IMHO, better to replace an old NTSC-standard television with a new, up-to-date flat screen. I did just that very shortly after the local TV stations in my area near Cleveland started telecasting in ATSC HD, was very favorably impressed with the improvement in picture quality and, very honestly, I would not go back to NTSC even if I could, or wanted to. The picture shown on my 32-inch Insignia TV on every station I receive here on Spectrum streaming cable service runs rings around the pictures I grew up seeing on TV before DTV, even though I was almost dead-set against getting a new TV at first, since I don't adjust to change easily.

Now that I have an HDTV (32 inches) with a picture even larger than the last 23-inch NTSC b&w TV I had in the '70s (a 1963 Zenith console, not to mention the 19-inch CRT sets I've owned over the years), again, I would not even think of going back to NTSC or CRT televisions, even if it were possible to do so. That is, working with NTSC TV standards is good for the experience and for the satisfaction of restoring older TVs to working order, but most folks outside VK are much better off just scrapping the old TV when it quits and replacing it with a new HDTV, again since new flat screens, even large ones (under 60 inches), have come down in price drastically from what they formerly sold for; that is, a 70-inch HDTV still costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $600, with larger ones costing much more, but TVs under 60 inches, as I said, are selling to most folks much better, due of course to their lower prices.

BTW, I don't see the sense in having a 60+-inch flat screen, unless the TV will be a status symbol (!). Sixty-inch and larger TVs are good for theaters and such, but they are, IMHO, much too much TV for the average home, unless the living room or family room is incredibly large.

[etype2]

Having grown up seeing early color television, (but not owning one until 1966,) the first in 1956, I never thought those early color sets were capable of producing really good color. That notion was based on the early color production chain of the 1950’s which I viewed back then. Admittedly, I was prejudiced against early color sets from the 1950’s, until I saw what the modern color production chain images look like on roundy color sets. I appreciate the American engineering technology created back in 1954 and folks like Mike Doyle and many techs at VK who can bring a 67 year old television back to its original working condition. The essence of our hobby.

As for large screens, folks enjoy the theater experience in their homes, no noise, coughing, talking or cell phones.

[etype2]

UPDATE, DECEMBER 4, 2021

Continuing to experiment with combination cabinet/lit screen and direct exposures from the Westinghouse H840CK15 with RCA 15GP22 CRT. These screenshots were taken December 2, 2021 from a live Phoenix PBS, channel 8.5 telecast. Camera used was a Sony A6300 atop of a tripod, shot in RAW, processed in TIFF, RGB16, Display P3. Auto developed with post processing by Affinity Photo, auto color, auto color balance, auto contrast and auto white balance. Exposure F4.5, 1/15s, 43mm, ISO 500, CWB. Last three screenshots taken during the Macy Thanksgiving Parade.

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[old_tv_nut]

Beautiful!

[Steve D.]

Wonderful images. You took great care taking these photos and it shows exactly what these sets were capable of.

[AlanInSitges]

Gorgeous picture on that thing!

Those Westinghouse always seemed like watching a washing machine to me

[etype2]

Thanks Wayne, Steve and Alan.

Westinghouse added a 19 inch color CRT later which filled in more of the same sized mask and cabinet.

[etype2]

Third anniversary of the restoration of our Westinghouse H840CK15 with RCA15GP22.

Live broadcast images, no freeze frame. Camera information at last link.

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Edit: One more.

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EDIT: Photos were shot in RAW, processed as TIFF files.

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[etype2]

Update, September 27, 2022

We just downloaded software trial for 30 days, Photoshop for iPad. It’s not available for purchase, Adobe forces me to rent this software. I’ve rendered in extremely high resolutions, new and previous RAW file screenshots from the Westinghouse H840CK15 with RCA15GP22 using this new software.

It would not be possible to upload those files here which would take you to the molecular level of the phosphor screen ;-). (The last screenshot takes you there:-). ). So we made screenshots which are still 19+ MB’s. If you enlarge these screenshots, the images will not improve. They are limited to my iPads screen resolution.

1954 technology to view for fans of vintage color TV.

Notes: All shot in RAW, processed as TIFF’s, rendered with Photoshop for iPad using auto processing. No photo editing done. Sony A6300 camera on tripod.

Three year restoration anniversary is September 30, 2022.


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Visions4 Magazine https://visions4netjournal.com/

[Popester]

Absolutely astounding. Thinking this is coming from vacuum tube technology from way back then. American know how was really something. I wish this nation could recapture that can do attitude again. Thanks for the photos, Marshall.

[etype2]

Thanks John

Trying to push the performance envelope documentation before something catastrophic happens.

I agree. Let the engineers in the board rooms of American companies.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by Popester

American know how was really something. I wish this nation could recapture that can do attitude again.

Let's be clear here, WE STILL HAVE IT!

The "catch" is, most of it is put into military or related technology. Also, just about --all-- desktop computers use American-designed CPUs (Intel or AMD), worldwide.

But if "know how" or "can-do" means trying to sell a new technology to American consumers for $11,000.00 (in 2022 dollars), no, we do not have that anymore.

[etype2]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

Let's be clear here, WE STILL HAVE IT!

The "catch" is, most of it is put into military or related technology. Also, just about --all-- desktop computers use American-designed CPUs (Intel or AMD), worldwide.

But if "know how" or "can-do" means trying to sell a new technology to American consumers for $11,000.00 (in 2022 dollars), no, we do not have that anymore.

Could not agree more, BUT ever notice the really successful American companies had or have engineers as their CEO’s. There has been too much “run by committee” and “what’s good for the shareholders”, “Can’t do it” if the marketing people won’t approve.

Prove the concept, bring the product to market, absorb the short term losses, the profits come later. Visionary people running companies is what we need who see the future and not short term profits, and do the mergers and acquisitions game.

[etype2]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEKEND TO ALL.

Westinghouse H840CK15 and yesterday’s Macy parade.

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