It's not quite accurate to think that RCA "dumped" the CT-100 and replaced it with completely different TVs. The 21" models that immediately succeeded it did have a bigger CRT and a somewhat simpler (and cheaper) color decoding section. But in other ways they were much the same TV. If you compare schematics for the CTC-2, CTC-4, and so on, you see a gradual evolutionary process. Sure, they substituted a bigger picture tube as soon as it was available; similar upgrades were made in the early days of B/W TV, and that change in itself didn't require big changes in the electronics.

RCA gradually made their color sets more affordable and reliable during the years when they were waiting for the chicken-and-egg problem to resolve (i.e., for enough color programming to become available to create strong consumer demand). I think it's hard to fault their strategy in releasing the CT-100 when they did. It helped RCA establish early leadership in color TV. That led to a pretty strong market position by the time that selling color TVs -- finally! -- became a money-making activity.

Just my $0.02.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Yeah, you're prolly RIGHT Phil. I know little or NOTHING of the "Innards" of these guys... Seems like I read prolly here that the 1st really reliable color set was the CTC-7 series...

The CTC-7 is a nice TV -- very watchable -- and I have no hesitation playing mine as often and as long as I like. My CT-100 also seems stable, as far as that goes, but I honestly don't play it much, not wanting to put a bunch of miles on the unobtanium CRT.

Phil Nelson

I wonder what my 64 Zenith 21" with a metal cabinet cost new. Just throwing it out there as the point of cost to the average consumer being really high closer to the beginning. I was thinking that by 1964 that the color sets were becoming more affordable.

This ad from May 1964 shows most price leader 21" color sets sold for under $400.00. That would include your metal cabinet Zenith.

-Steve D.

I see they were calling consolettes (table models with spindle legs) consoles.