I had my CT-100 restored last year. I certainly watched the parade on New Years Day, and short of watching in Hi-Def there's nothing like watching the Rose Parade on that power gulping mahogany monster. The reddest reds and all of the other brilliant colors gushed forth from that 12 1/2" "flat" screen. I have read some of the archival tv reviews from the first parade colorcast Jan. 1st 1954. Most are not kind. According to the critics, the close up shots were ok, but on that small screen in the wide shots the color seemed to run together. And they though the picture was not bright enough.
Jeez! How about the fact that it was actually live and in color on those super tuned up RCA Model 5 prototypes.