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Hi-
I don't think there was any conscious effort to favor one monitor type over another. Usually, it came down to the best price negotiated by NBC sourcing.
The Trinitrons exhibited higher luminace output w/o mask distortion, so were good on-set monitors in non critical areas. But the audience monitors suspended from the lighting grid were definitely RCA consumer sets with a composite input.
When Sarnoff was alive, there was much more adherence to the use of RCA made equipment at NBC, but as the Broadcast Equipment division waned, NBC enjoyed a little more freedom in buying non-RCA equipment.
But when it came to major equipment, such as transmitters,cameras, and VTRs, it was RCA at NBC. Period.
I recall discussing with a Burbank manager his choice for new VTRs for an edit suite, and that they were visiting Ampex to scout the latest AVR-3. The suite got RCA TR-600s. End of story.
Some manufacturers, Tektronix for one, used the trinitron in monitors designed for critical viewing. I believe they were the same tube used in consumer sets. In any case, these monitors concealed defects and were poor in resolution as compared to delta-delta gun type monitors. Later, TEK switched to a D-D type in their 690 series monitor.
In my days at NBC, Conrac was still the monitor of choice, but Japanese maker Ikegami came in at a lower price in the late 80s, despite many faults. Later, many faults were corrected.
When NBC negotiated equipment deals for the Olympics, Sony offered favorable terms, and Sony is now the most prominent top end monitor at NBC.
Regards
J Ballard
23 years at NBC
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