The CBS color pictures probably did look dazzling compared with early demos of the RCA system. RCA had horrible registration (convergence) problems in their early experimental cameras and receivers of 1949-51, a flaw completely absent in the CBS system. Color sync was achieved manually in early RCA demos, with an engineer holding a pot in his hand attached by a cable to the receiver to try to keep the color oscillator in phase. When this proved unsuccessful, the color burst signal was invented.

On the other hand, the CBS system lacked the resolution available in the NTSC system once it was perfected. A major CBS flaw was color fringing on fast-moving objects. RCA amply demonstrated this flaw by having a girl twirl a silver baton in front of a CBS camera at one of the hearings. On the screen, it looked like she was twirling several red, green, and blue batons at once!

Another annoying CBS defect was flicker at high brightness levels. This was especially noticable if a large area of the picture consisted mainly of one of the primary colors. CBS usually conducted their demos in dimly lit rooms, with the brighness turned low on the receiver to hide this defect.

So, overall the CBS color picture probably was best in 1951, but certainly would Not have been in 1961!