The elusive Indextron

[Scott_Est]

Originally Posted by jhalphen

I have scanned all the color VF data for the CKC-021 RCA camera (the 2 board version) and the CC-030 earlier RCA color VF (the 3 board version).

Hi

This is my first post here on Videokarma. I found Videokarma.org last year, when searched information about RCA vintage video camera view finder model CKC021 which I bought from USA.

My plan is, after hopefully getting a circuit schematic, convert this viewfinder's colour block from NTSC to PAL, because here in Europe is no NTSC signal present, all is digital using PAL parameters (576 lines). Additional converter (PAL to NTSC) will worsen the signal quality significantly, I already tried it. Secondly, all IC's are covered with thick black paint, so reverse engineering is also tricky. And Philco Indextron system is almost unknown here, no specific info about it.

There are no schematics for that in Internet. So that is the reason why I registered to Videokarma with hope, that fellow member Jhalphen still has a copy of it.

After that I planned to build wooden casing resembling old 1940-50 era TV set around this viewfinder, of course it will be very miniature size.

Best regards
Scott

[etype2]

Originally Posted by Scott_Est

Hi

This is my first post here on Videokarma. I found Videokarma.org last year, when searched information about RCA vintage video camera view finder model CKC021 which I bought from USA.

My plan is, after hopefully getting a circuit schematic, convert this viewfinder's colour block from NTSC to PAL, because here in Europe is no NTSC signal present, all is digital using PAL parameters (576 lines). Additional converter (PAL to NTSC) will worsen the signal quality significantly, I already tried it. Secondly, all IC's are covered with thick black paint, so reverse engineering is also tricky. And Philco Indextron system is almost unknown here, no specific info about it.

There are no schematics for that in Internet. So that is the reason why I registered to Videokarma with hope, that fellow member Jhalphen still has a copy of it.

After that I planned to build wooden casing resembling old 1940-50 era TV set around this viewfinder, of course it will be very miniature size.

Best regards
Scott

Welcome to VK Scott,

I have those files you are looking for, Jerome was very generous to send them to me. I will wait for Jerome to respond to your request, but if he dose not see this, I can send to you.

Sounds like an interesting project if you can pull it off.

Best regards,

Marshall

[jhalphen]

Hello Scott,

Of course i still have the files, backed-up several times. When you spend many hours doing Scans, you don't want to loose them!

Give me your Mail address by MP + max inbox file size and i will send you everything concerning the CKC-021 color viewfinder.

I don't think your planned conversion will work. The electron beam scanning speed is linked to the phosphor strip width and pitch. This is optimized for 3.58 MHz NTSC subcarrier. A tube for PAL would require a different strip pitch to coincide with the PAL subcarrier at 4.43 MHz.

see the illustration here, bottom of page 3 of this thread:

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php...3&d=1278374924

Secondly, the viewfinder contains several highly specialized analogue ICs which Hitachi developed for the color VF. A PAL version would require duplicating the IC's internal circuitry with discrete transistors and each IC probably has over 100 transistors on the chip.
BTW, these ICs are unfindable. I need a HM11759 Color Processor chip and have tried for several years with no success.

Finally, i do not agree about your comment concerning PAL to NTSC converters. I have several units purchased at around 150 Euros which truly convert 525/60/3.58 to 625/50/4.443 and they work fine.
Think about it: the resolution of a 1.5" color CRT is pretty weak anyway, it's not a 25" CRT or bigger size flat screen.
Mine have a 6Mb interpolation memory (reduces judder in horizontal camera pans).

I would keep the VF as is and convert composite PAL to NTSC.
Been there, done that and quite pleased with the results.

Best Regards
jhalphen
Paris/France

PS: @e-type2, thanks! for your offer to help Scott.