I remember seeing a 1951 electronics magazine that had in it's cover a GE set that matches the description you made. It had people around it watching it. I was kinda surprised, because I never thougt of GE making that kind of set in 1951.

Just a friendly reminder, Politics are not allowed on AK not even in the Off Topic Forums.


This hasn't gotten out of hand so I haven't edited anything but please stick to discussing TV collecting, repairing, etc...

Thanks,

Eric

The Sola transformers were used in solid state Zenith, Magnavox, Quasar, and Panasonic sets of the 70's/early 80's.
I don't know about use for HI-FI audio as the transformer produces a squarewave which is harder to filter out and may introduce more noise.
Probably an electronically regulatated power supply such as using a 6080 tube would be better for that application.

I remember seeing the CV transformers in some of the early Zenith solid state chassis. The last Quasar set I serviced was one of the old drawer-chassis hybrids with a mostly solid-state modular signal path and tube sweep circuits. That was a while ago, like 20 years, so I don't remember if that model used the Sola CV transformer. I don't recall seeing the characteristic large capacitor on that chassis, but I also don't remember the repair being much more than working on something in the "drawer" area.

In my 2x50W EL34 amp, I use a pair of 6080/6AS7 tubes controlled by a 6AU6 with its cathode voltage held constant by a 150V 5W Zener diode. The input to the regulator is the rectified and filtered output of a Sola CV transformer.

Speaking of 30" sets, here's a mystery that I've wondered about from time to time. Perhaps someone here can identify what this TV could have been..?

Back in the mid/late 80's, I came across a weird early-50's-era-looking antique console TV at a big antique show/flea market. All I remember is that it was *really* big, and had a *huge* unmasked round CRT (just a big round frame around it). Despite the 'porthole' look, I am pretty sure it was not a Zenith-- at the time, I didn't think to see what brand it was (or I forgot), but I recall that the styling didn't seem very Zenith-like. I seem to remember that the back cover of the set was made of metal and full of small round ventilation holes, but I could be mistaken. I don't know for sure if it was a 30" set, but it was *big*, and defnitely bigger than a 19" B&W round tube. Back at the time I saw it, I might not have been able to correctly identify if it was a color 21" set, but I've never heard of a 'porthole'-style color roundie, and besides, the screen looked bigger than that, so I'm thinking it was likely a 30" B&W (did anyone ever make, say, a 27" or 24" B&W round CRT..?)

Anyway, I never saw another set like that again. However, sometime perhaps about 10 years ago, I happened to be flipping channels and stumbled on _Mister Rogers Neighborhood_. At that moment, Fred Rogers was just leaving to go to someone's house for some purpose that I don't recall. When the scene switched to that neighbor's house, however, a great big round-screen TV was briefly visible in the living room, and I immediately made me think it was the same model as that one I had seen at the antique show.

Anyone else here ever see an odd looking big 'porthole'-style TV like this? Or am I just imagining the whole thing..? :)

There were a number of manufactures who made 24" round CRT sets, and a smaller number who made 30" round CRT sets. Not sure if any of them were true porthole styles, though. I would have to page through Riders and Sams to know.