Motorola Photos of Prototype Rectangular Color Television Development - Videokarma.org TV - Video

drh4683 · #1 10-02-2015, 09:29 AM

Earlier this year, I went to a local area estate sale in Elmhurst and noticed quite a variety of different Motorola products throughout the home, such as clock radios, transistor radios, phonographs, car radios, even Motorola test equipment.... After finding many technical papers and documents dating back to the late 1950's, I found out that Mr. Al Wood was a product safety and development engineer for Motorola from the mid 50's until retiring in the late 90's.
Mr. Wood was a key player in the development of the first automotive alternator that was first introduced on Chrysler Corp. cars for 1960. He was also largely involved with the development of the FM-900 FM car radio that was introduced in 1959 and last but not least, he was involved in the development of the first rectangular color television picture tube when Motorola teamed with National Video Corp of Chicago on it's development.

At the estate sale, I found a box in the basement that said "Motorola slides"... Yes indeed, these were real photographs from Mr. Wood while working at Motorola, they are NOT scans out of some brochure. I was able to save these as I think I was the only one who realized the significance of them at the estate sale. These are first hand photos of early development of the first rectangular color CRT dating back to 1960 thru 1963. Sadly, this box of slides were in a flood at one time and MANY were damaged as the colors bled to the point where you could simply not distinguish what was on them. I set up my slide projector and went through each of them and took photos of the best ones available to document and share. I believe many of these photos were taken not only to document the progress on the development, but also to serve as a slide show for possibly some kind of seminar due to the photos and drawings that describe the convergence circuits. Each of the slides had a pencil written number on them so they could be organized in a slide tray. Unfortunately there were no specific descriptions or documents to go along with any of the slides (I carefully searched the entire home and saved all documents relating to Motorola).

But you can see the prototype design of the rectangular CRT as it came to form, all you can do is imagine what is happening in each of these photos. Notice how the CRT has a large neck like that of the round screen sets. Motorola never mass produced a rectangular CRT like this, so the TV and chassis in these photos are most certainly prototype material.

The 23EGP22 was the first rectangular color CRT to see mass production starting in late 1963, however these photos definitely predate that tube. Motorola moved to their new headquarters building in suburban Franklin Park, IL in 1960 (as shown below). Most of the slides are dated December, 1960 thru 1962.

474395_494872887196463_574723242_o by drh4683, on Flickr

Motorola Rectangular Color Television Engineering (1960-1963) by drh4683, on Flickr

drh4683 · #2 10-02-2015, 09:29 AM

additional photos:

Motorola Rectangular Color Television Engineering (1960-1963) by drh4683, on Flickr

drh4683 · #3 10-02-2015, 09:30 AM

additional photos:

Motorola Rectangular Color Television Engineering (1960-1963) by drh4683, on Flickr

drh4683 · #4 10-02-2015, 09:31 AM

additional photos:

Motorola Rectangular Color Television Engineering (1960-1963) by drh4683, on Flickr

oldtvman · #5 10-02-2015, 10:35 AM

Motorola was never a favorite for service, but old people loved them because they had a nice soft picture. But from my view the reds were very orangey, had convergence problems. If I recall those crt's were manufactured by VDC. Video display corp.

dieseljeep · #6 10-02-2015, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtvman

Motorola was never a favorite for service, but old people loved them because they had a nice soft picture. But from my view the reds were very orangey, had convergence problems. If I recall those crt's were manufactured by VDC. Video display corp.

The CRT's were originally made by National Video, in Chicago.
Motorola had an interest in the firm. They also worked with the engineers of Motorola to develope their first rectangular CRT.

Electronic M · #7 10-02-2015, 11:28 AM

Fascinating pictures. I wonder if the damaged slides could be restored by someone skilled in image restoration?

pendulum · #8 10-02-2015, 11:51 AM

Awesome photos, thanks for sharing! I really enjoy seeing these behind the scenes and prototype shots.

RobtWB · #9 10-02-2015, 12:05 PM

... thanks for sharing and thanks for preserving the history

JBL GUY · #10 10-02-2015, 12:27 PM

Thanks for sharing those great photos!

DavGoodlin · #11 10-02-2015, 01:52 PM

That is an incredible discovery Doug. Thank you for being the steward of this legacy.
Rather than wonder if the covergence "wheel" was re-invented, did Motorola need to design anything special due to the rectangular tube development or was it because RCA owned the patents?

old_tv_nut · #12 10-10-2015, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Fascinating pictures. I wonder if the damaged slides could be restored by someone skilled in image restoration?

Image "restoration" mostly involves cosmetic replacement of damaged areas with similar content from undamaged areas. Not what you want for studying what's actually in a historic photo. Better to trust your eyes to pick out details if possible.

old_tv_nut · #13 10-10-2015, 08:36 AM

Some guesses of what is shown:

Slides involving a reddish/brownish form (e.g. 21699504899_f60d268441_h.jpg) - I think this is a shadow mask forming apparatus.

Slides involving a faceplate (e.g. 21698555098_cb2e434ec7_h.jpg) - I think these may show the top of a lighthouse for patterning the phosphors.

Anyone have more educated guesses?

old_tv_nut · #14 10-10-2015, 08:42 AM

A note about the quality of these slides. The high contrast and lack of details in the shadows would indicate that these are copies and not originals. It's unfortunate that more shadow detail is not visible, as that might help identify what processes are being shown in some of them.

old_tv_nut · #15 10-10-2015, 08:43 AM

Doug, have you found a picture of Mr. Wood? I don't recall meeting him, but his face might be familiar.