My First Color Roundie
 

Hey guys, some of you might remember me posting once in a while, but until now I hadn't been able to land one of these color beasts- :banana:

So here she is- Only strings attached was that I had to take the other tube era rect. color Zeniths, and a 50's Philco Golden Grid set, located down some steep basement stairs.

The date code on the tubes indicates it's a '63. I assume it's an RCA chassis? Any ideas on the number? Anything I should watch out for on this design?

And in case you're wondering about the make, it's a Silvertone- I have no idea what the original knobs should be on this one, so if someone knows, throw me a bone!

Looks like the original CRT, and I actually got a pic and sound on powerup, though very, very dark. A flip of the switch to service mode and I get nice, bright setup bars so there's potential here. I haven't dusted for the tube number but it appears to have separate safety glass. It's no CT-100 but I plan on giving it the full treatment : )

So, whaddaya think?
Cory

Sounds like a fun project. Congrats!

Cory,

Good score! Great way to start the new year. Your Sears roundie probably has an RCA CTC-12 chassis. The models with the separate safety glass used the higher brightness sulphide 21FB22 picture tube. And, you won't have to deal with the bonded tube contamination problems.

Steve

I dunno what it is, but to this dumb ol' hillbilly, there's about always somethin' REGAL about a roundie-maybe it's that I remember 'em "back in the day" and they WERE special-expensive, not many around, not that much color programs. Congrats, Cory ! Looks like you got yrself a DANDY one there, Sport !! We'll be expecting pics, you know...<grin>-Sandy G.

Super cool! Congrats! You're going to love it, and everything you watch on it is going to look somehow better .

I just got a load of caps for my Zenith roundie that I may try installing tomorrow. Eccchhhh. I'm not good at that sort of thing.

Sandy: the reason roundies look so regal, is that when they were around, the only places (other than stores) that you'd see 'em is in houses like where Mrs. Drysdale lived!

I remember an episode of "Hazel" where they bought a color set. Don't remember if it was a roundie or not--or even if they showed the screen. I haven't seen the show in like 30 years, so the memory is a little fuzzy.

I would bet my last $ you have a CTC-15 chassis. No, it's definitely a CTC-15 chassis. Looking from the back of the set, locate the service switch. On the CTC-12, the kine bias is located to the left and is a pot. On the CTC-15; the kine bias is a 3 position vertical switch located to the right of the service switch, to the left of the serv switch is the video peaking, also a 3 position vertically mounted slide switch. Also, the CTC-15 has a focus rectifier (the CTC-12 has a 1V2 focus tube), and a 6JE6 H.O.tube mounted on a pedistal (vs. 6DQ5 non-pedistal on CTC-12), and 3 large electrolytics behind power transformer (vs. 2 for CTC-12). NO WAY is that a CTC-16. Enjoy! P.S. Love yellow/green line cords !!

Yeah, mine belonged to my granpaw. He had it in his office for years-I think it's a '65 Zenith-remember it was a VERY BIG DEAL to get to watch the Xmas & New Years parades on it & the football games. Remember "The Following Program is brought to you in LIVING COLOR on NBC" & the"peacock animation"?.... <grin>-Sandy G.

Nice score! :thmbsp:

Same thing applies to Star Trek (an NBC show).....there was an episode where the crew landed on a planet that was like a modern day version of Rome. Spock and McCoy had to battle some gladiators for a live TV broadcast and the announcer mentioned that it was being shown in COLOR! A inside joke or just a sign of the times? Dunno, but it made me giggle.

Anthony (Gary 7 signing off)

Yeah, I remember thinkin', "Man, they got those humptyback RCA color TV cameras there ! (TK-41s, IIRC) just like they have here on earth ! You remember-every time a TV station was shown on TV, there was always a BUNCH of those lumbering giants milling around-along w/skinny guys in white shirts & skinny ties & headsets workin' them.-Sandy G.

Hazel, roundies, and the NYWF
 

They not only got a color TV, the program was used to advertise RCA color sets. I went to find this ad, and for the first time I noticed the fine print at the top, which advertised the RCA pavilion at the New York World's Fair, thus satisfying two interests of mine at once!

I would have loved to see the:

Color TV Center at the 1964 World's Fair.

Ummm, (Homer Simpson drool) "color tv center...."

Maybe Homer's pop bought the old Radiation King up there at the Color TV Center? I miss watching that show...nobody around here will watch it with me!

http://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/ny64fair/map-docs/rca.htm

Thanks, Steve D.!!!

see
http://www.nywf64.com/rca01.shtml
for 5 pages about the RCA pavilion, including shots of someone (ahem..) seeing himself on color TV.