Example of TK-41 state of the art, December 1968
 

The Dean Martin Christmas show, 1968.

Good color, one of the funniest Bob Newhart sketches ever, and just in time for the season now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LHl0zf09pE

The bit rate is reasonably high so no huge coding errors. My only complaint would be that the coding for YouTube has converted it to progressive scan with jaggies on motion.

Example of TK-41 state of the art, December 1968
 

Great color from those old TK-41’s. I’m always fascinated when I see vintage color shows like this. Thanks for sharing.

I was making an educated guess from the characteristics of the images that it was TK-41s (probably with upgrades to prism optics and possibly solid state pre-amps).

Maybe someone who actually knows what was used on his show at that time can tell us.

We were able to view color TV on a regular basis after August, 1966. I remember the Perry Como color shows were decidedly inferior to Andy Williams and Dean Martin/Goldiggers shows. I read that TK 41’s were used on the Como show. This Dean Martin Christmas special first aired December 19, 1968. The Martin shows aired from 1964 to 1975. I know that TK 41’s were used on the early Martin shows and in 1968, RCA introduced the TK 44A. The TK 44A was used to tape the Jerry Lewis show in Burbank and just across the hall the Martin show was also being taped.

https://visions4netjournal.com/wp-co...1CD0D8366.jpeg

I have to go back and look at the Dean Martin video again, but on first look no tell-tale characteristics of Plumbicons jumped out at me, although the video looked remarkably clean and noise-free, which IS a characteristic of Plumbicon cameras compared to the TK-41.

Well, I don't see any image orthicon halos and also no Plumbicon comet tails or smearing - but the video is so clean, I am changing my guess to TK-44A's on this program.

The 68 Elvis Comeback Special was done with TK-41’s, I’ve seen pictures with them in background.

The reds on video seem too good for it to be TK44's but, then again, the corner registration seems too good for it to be TK41's?

There's always the possibility that the video was tweaked with modern technology to clean it up.

It most likely was. But the absence of both image orthicon halos and the typical motion smears and flares of Plumbicon cameras is puzzling to me. Were the RCA Plumbicon cameras that much better than the Philips?

Did this studio ever employ TK-42 (4-tube) cameras? I am not familiar with the look of video from them.

By 1964-65, the TK-41s were making pretty darn good video, but note the horizontal scan ripples and misregistration on the far left in this last tape from the New York World's Fair RCA exhibit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Vm_peHmKg

Legend has it that NBC never bought any TK-42's or 43's. Having operated them for about 6 years I would say they made the right choice. Wait for the plumbs to show up. I would like to know when RCA put them in the development pipeline.

https://visions4netjournal.com/wp-co...ED45DC27B.jpeg

I read on the “Eyes of a Generation” site that NBC’s Burbank studio began using TK 44A’s in 1968.

-and-
old_tv_nut:"By 1964-65, the TK-41s were making pretty darn good video, but note the horizontal scan ripples and misregistration on the far left in this last tape from the New York World's Fair RCA exhibit:"

The mystery is heightened by 1968 being a release year for TK44, but NBC, most highly favored RCA customer, could have obtained earlier product? Therefore I concur with above assessments and vote for TK44's

Another characteristic of early Plumbicons was a lack of deep red response. This made them insensitive to the hemoglobin spectrum that gives Caucasian skin "rosy" cheeks and instead tended to make faces look like they had been painted a uniform color. This is characteristic of some shows I have seen. Later, special extended-red Plumbicons were developed to alleviate this problem. Amperex gave a presentation on such improvements at a conference in October of 1968, so I surmise the improved tubes were already available.

This video does not show the "painted orange skin problem." Maybe this is an indication that the RCA equivalent [I seem to recall that RCA manufactured their own version, but I may be mistaken] of the Philips Plumbicon had better deep red response as well as less motion smear; or maybe the TK-44A's NBC had were already using the improved Philips/Amperex tubes.

There was an episode of "All in the Family" showing the studio outside the set. They were running Norelco cameras. Philips products were always "Norelco" in the US at the time.
I used to watch Graham Kerr to hear his for off-color jokes. IIRC, they were produced in Canada. The cameras were badged "Philips". Really great color.

The downfall of the TK41,42,43 cameras was the IO. The concept of a return electron beam was not a very good one. Not only was the IO expensive, it was difficult to produce.

Dave A is correct about the TK42. Certainly the worst camera this operator ever handled and the ones we used in Tampa were modified from the original awful zoom/focus controls. The cameras soaked up light and the color wasn't that great either. This was at WEDU in Tampa 1971. The 3 we got were donated by one of the other local stations and gladly I'm sure.

It's not a legend, NBC never bought any TK42's or 43's. Lytle Hoover who was with RCA confirms that and is well documented. RCA did give NBC a TK42 that was used for a sound booth that was permanently mounted (no pedestal) for emergency news. You need to read Bobby Ellerbees' "Eyes of a Generation".

As you might expect anything using new technology was unreliable. The MTBF for a 42 or 43 was about 2 weeks. A lot of CEs bought them because they wanted to be on the cutting edge of technology.
The biggest problem was the pinboard construction, which looked like something Heathkit would build.
As a result, they created a lot of jobs for technicians.

TK43 + PSU, CCU... = ~400 lb
http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/rca/tk42/tk42brochure.pdf

Can the moderators consider pulling the TK-42/43 discussions off to a new thread so as not to pollute the original discussion with our memories of this dog compared to the beauty of the original post? I'm holding a photo of me behind my 43 and I think I can find tape stills of the garbage this thing cranked out and would like a clean post. We 42/43 veterans have our own cross to bear.

Dave A does have a point here. We all know now what a strange designed camera the 42 was but the 41's were aging and as we were quickly slipping into the transistor age, something had to be done to advance television technology. Remember that IC's had not yet come onto the scene and we had not time tested germanium transistors and all was new for the time. RCA was already heavily invested in the space race and up to this time all RCA stuff was the stodgy art deco umber grey painted equipment and knew they had to update.

Now comes the RCA "NEW LOOK" light blue equipment with a fresh look. No more tubes and the solid state age!! I must say to develop a piece of equipment like a 42 was certainly not only a big leap in technology but was brave and risky considering it was all solid state except for the pickup tubes. After they learned of some bugs they developed the 43. Somewhat improved but back to the drawing board!

After learning solid state better then came the 44. No one can argue that the 44 was a bad design, it was a terrific camera for the time, highly respected, reliable and was a workhorse for many years to come; not only better looking but very much lighter in weight and RCA sales sold a world of these.

Yesterday I had to move a 42 to my new building and what a pill that was!! Remember, camera operators had to haul these 350 lb monsters up many flights of stairs in coliseums/baseball/football stadiums and many times on a daily basis when an elevator was not available. UGH!

Yes, the 42/43 had their faults but it was state of the art in the day, highly touted to be very promising with a new improved look and I think we call those "GROWING PAINS" BUT they actually did work, made fairly good color and for many years big time network shows! There are not many of these examples still around today, only a few but I am happy to have three of these to show where we came from in camera technology.

Sincerely, your camera nut collector, Julian Burke

I watched the first episode of Rowan & Martin's Laugh In last night on Amazon Prime.

In the long shots of the stage you can clearly see two TK cameras.

They also left in the animated Peacock at the opening and the Timex commercial.

I remember mounting a 42 camera on top of a Houston Fearless pedestal with 3 other guys. It wasn't too difficult as I recall. The camera actually weighs about 238 lbs.
BUT the cable was just about as bad. Like dragging a large wet rope.