Very Nice set. I had one in a combo years ago. It had a solid state audio output stage to drive the big speaker system.

Thanks everyone. I got the TV all snuggled into its new home along with my 1941 Philco 41-255, 1937 Zenith 5S127, and 1940 Zenith 8S563.

I just can't say it enough. This TV's picture is amazing. Super crisp and sharp with very strong colors.

Does it still have its original CRT? I don't know exactly how old your TV is, but if I had to guess, I would say at least 35-40+ years. (I knew someone in my home town in the '70s whose family had an RCA TV very similar to this one, which is why I am estimating yours is at least 40 years old.) If the set still has the original tube after all those years, it is truly amazing that you are getting such a great picture. My best guess, however, is that the tube was replaced at least once, as it is all but unheard of for a CRT, b&w or color, to produce this good a picture after 40-odd years, unless the set wasn't used much by its previous owners.

Even at that, forty-plus years with the original CRT and making a picture as good as yours is phenomenal. Most color CRTs have either become so dim after this length of time (if they produce any kind of raster or picture at all) as to require a brightener, or else the filaments in one or more electron guns have burned out. Again, I think your CTC25 is on its second CRT. If it isn't, I'll be very surprised.

I'll have to call Danny and confirm this, but I'm pretty sure the original tube was rebuilt in 1973 or thereabouts, and the rebuilt tube was graveyard dead when Danny gave it to me. It now has a Zenith tube from Danny's inventory with super strong emissions. The TV was made in 1966 for the 1967 model year. So it is 50 years old.

I forgot to mention, the CRT has no safety glass. Instead it was fitted with a steel band to protect against implosion.

I got a video of this TV up on Youtube. Here is the link.

I like the plate on your car. The sofa.

I had a new problem arise with the CTC-25 today. I turned it on, and seconds later I heard some strange clunks. After that, I was greeted with a raster that was completely distorted, shrinking and growing rapidly, and buzzy, pulsating audio. I got a picture, but soon thereafter, it started rolling and then it went back to normal.

Intermittent connection maybe? Glad it fixed itself though. Absolutely beautiful TV with an excellent picture!:thmbsp:

Thanks, SwizzyMan. I love that Westcott of yours! Talk about beautiful. You did a fantastic job restoring it.

Possibly the auto-degauss thermistor trying to take a (*bleep*). Those going open was a very common problem. Usually doesn't fix itself though.

If it does it again, don't let it run like that for any length of time. If it is the thermistor going open, it will quickly burn up its paired varistor (the big black disc thingy that sits next to it).

old_coot88, thanks for the information.

Could also be a main lytic failure. If any of the cans are getting warmer than the surrounding chassis metal after ~15-45 minutes run time the offending can(s) should get changed.

I forgot to mention that this chassis is almost 100% original, and I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible. When I was looking it over, I only saw one new capacitor and a few new solid state diodes on the convergence board. All the rest is 1966.

Here is the flyback in the RCA CTC-25. I measured the temperature after an hour with my infrared-thermometer, and the highest number I saw was 133 degrees F. This is the original flyback for this TV, and it is on its third CRT. Your collective thoughts? I want to avoid melting wax, arcing, and smoking. This TV is my daily watcher for no more than two hours a day. 5-6 days a week.