Recently Acquired 1969 Motorola Color Tube Tv

[Lain94]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

SS sets 1980 and newer are typically several times more complex than anything from the tube era....The difference is SS sets hide their complexity in integrated circuit chips and by encapsulating much of the wiring in the PCB. Tube sets every component is serviceable.

If your set is like mine it's a 25XP22 CRT (I forget if mine is a AP, GP or XP, but they're all interchangable) which is a major blessing. The 23" and larger console CRTs are MUCH easier to find than the 22" and under table model /mini-console CRTs. Basically all console sized delta-gun CRTs (and a good portion of table model CRTs) the same envelope size are compatible. They made delta gun rectangular CRTs from 1965-around 1980 when inline gun tubes replaced them in new TVs. There is one thing to be aware of in 1968 the US government passed a law changing CRT size measurement from the industry standard of glass bulb diagonal to being the diagonal measure of phosphor screen viewable area. So the same tube made in 1967 as a 25XP22 would be labeled as a 23VXP22 if made in 1969.

There's tons of worthless SS 70s consoles in ugly Mediterranean cabinets with compatible CRTs out there like Zenith CCIIs and RCA XL-100s (granted the XL-100 name lasted far past the end of the delta gun era). Zenith came out with black matrix CRT technology (calling it Chromacolor) in the 1970 model year and RCA and others soon licensed it, and it is a MASSIVE improvement in picture quality. The Zenith Chromacolor CRTs tend to be VERY long lived. I've upgraded some of my 60s sets to 70s Zenith black matrix tubes and it always makes a nice improvement in picture.

I checked the tv and the picture tube has a label on it that says "21GWP22" I am unsure though if this is the original picture tube that came with the set when it was new though.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Lain94

I checked the tv and the picture tube has a label on it that says "21GWP22" I am unsure though if this is the original picture tube that came with the set when it was new though.

According to the pictures furnished, it looks like the original CRT. It's made by Motorola if the label shows an EIA number 185. That CRT wasn't that great!

[Lain94]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

According to the pictures furnished, it looks like the original CRT. It's made by Motorola if the label shows an EIA number 185. That CRT wasn't that great!

What would my options be as far as replacing the picture tube go? I am not concerned about whether the replacement picture to would be original for the time period of the tv so as long as it physically fits and is electrically compatible.

The picture tube has a minor cataract and is very high hour so I may end up having it replaced eventually if not now.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Lain94

What would my options be as far as replacing the picture tube go? I am not concerned about whether the replacement picture to would be original for the time period of the tv so as long as it physically fits and is electrically compatible.

The picture tube has a minor cataract and is very high hour so I may end up having it replaced eventually if not now.

NOS is fairly rare but the first places I would check are the early television museum earlytelevision.org, and one of our videokarma members (ohohhodafarted) websites. Besides that the only source is another delta gun color TV the same screen size (also somewhat rare).

CRTs we're meant to be rebuilt not replaced but it's a process that takes highly specialized equipment and skills that died with the CRT TV era.



If you were closer I'd be tempted to trade my working but musty smelling 23" moto for your 21".

[Lain94]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

NOS is fairly rare but the first places I would check are the early television museum earlytelevision.org, and one of our videokarma members (ohohhodafarted) websites. Besides that the only source is another delta gun color TV the same screen size (also somewhat rare).

CRTs we're meant to be rebuilt not replaced but it's a process that takes highly specialized equipment and skills that died with the CRT TV era.



If you were closer I'd be tempted to trade my working but musty smelling 23" moto for your 21".

I was worried that replacements would be rare. I did find an ebay listing for a picture tube that I thought was compatible. It is a 21GFP22. I am a bit skeptical though that it actually works and has no issues as the tube has a sticker on it saying "intermittent short". The seller insisted it works but I am not going to buy it when I have no way of testing it for quite some time.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35355898043...YAAOSwTyhg4B50