Picture tubes--rate them...

[rca2000]

In my own obversations--There seem to be "best and worst" picture tubes out there.


I will rate my own opinions on the various "generations" of color tubes I have seen/heard about.

The first generation. 15GP22/15HP22. NOT too good, they don't hold up well, mainly due to poor seals.

2nd gen--19" color tubes (not sure of the #'s) These do NOT seem to be much better than the 15" tubes, not too many made--do NOT seem to have real long lifespan--but than I have NO personal experience with them and have read only scant info.

3rd gen. 21AXP22/a. These were a LOT better. Metal tube, SOME seal problems--but not NEAR as bad as the 15" tubes. If seals are good--these CAN last a long time. I have seen a number of them test like NEW after all of these years.

4th gen--21CYP22 types. All glass, seem to hold up SOMEWHAT well. NOT as refined as the successors, IMHO.

5th Gen. 21FBP/JP series types. These are all glass and are a LOT brighter than any before them. They can last a LONG time--and do NOT often go to air, unlike those before them. Of course, like any bonded tubes, the JP's and such get bad cataracts often. All in all--the BEST of the roundies===and pretty much the last gen of them too.

1st gen rect. 22EP22 or such, 1957, made ONLY by sylvania or westinghouse. Did NOT work out well at ALL. had a LOT of convergence and purity troubles VERY few made, before pulled off production.


2nd gen rect. NVC 23EGP22. 1964. THIS is a tube that should have NEVER been made--or at least they should have recalled it like the earlier 22" attempt--but they did NOT do so. NOT likely to be good, after all of this time. I personally have NEVER seen a good one. Even in the late 1970'S--they were dying then !!

3rd gen rect..25AP22 GP22 types. Better than the 23EGP22--but still not too good. I have seen a LOT of bad ones--even 30+ years ago. Still, other than cataratcs--a fair chance of finding one good now.

4Th gen rect---Zenith's "chromacolor" tubes. VERY good tubes. MUCH better and brighter than others before. Can last a LONG time, likely to be good even today. ALso in this grupo are RCA'A "hi-lite" tubes with improved RE phospor. Likely good also--but NOT as good as the chromacolor matrix tubes.

5TH gen--Sony's "trinitron" tubes. Some of the earliest ones were not the best, but soon they were improved and often lasted a long time. VERY good picture, rivaled ONLY by chromacolor II tubes. Fair chance of finding a good one today.

(710AB22 type Sony 26" tubes.. These are TERRIBLE tubes !! Little chance of getting a good one today. They were dying OVER 25 YEARS ago !! On a par wit the 23EGP22 tubes for reliability/longevity. BUT--when working--they DID produce a great picture. )


2nd gen Chromacolor tubes--chromacolor II. (DELTA gun types). There are the BEST tubes EVER made IMHO. They go on FOREVER !! I have hardly EVER seen a bad one !! And the picture they produce is about UNBEATABLE !!

RCA late 1970's delta 25" tubes. NOT too good. DO NOT seem to hold up well. Not NEARLY as long as the Zenith tubes of the era.

Zenith "thin neck "tri-potential tubes". NOT real good. DO NOT seem to hold up NEARLY as well as the delta gun tubes. fair chance of finding a good one today. STILL better than the 110 degree tube Zenith made from 1991-99, though...


RCA late 110 degree 1970's to late 1980's in-line tubes with the "plug-in" focus connector. NOT too bad--have seen a LOT of good ones. Seem to hold up pretty well.

RCA 110 degree in-line type tubes late 1980's till 2000's. (Most other brands of that period too). (NOT "mini-necks). Good tubes, often made by Hitachi. VERY good tubes, last a LONG time, only seen a few bad ones. Usually a "bonded " tube with sealed -on yoke. High likelihood of finding one good today.

"Mini-neck" tubes. All brands. Often used on 20" and smaller sets. DO NOT hold up too well. Do NOT like to be rejuvinated either. Of course a small set is more likely to have a good tube, particularly a 13" or smaller set, since they often were used less often.

And...the Zenith "experiment" from about 1991, when LG took over. Supposdely was to produce a "low-cost, cheap to build, high-quality tube". What they GOT--was a WORSE tube than even a 23EGP22 or 710AB22 tube !! These were dying in WARRANTY, left and right, within a couple of YEARS from new !! Worse yet--they do not normally just "go dim" like a normal tube--they like to KILL the board in the SET !! VERY low likelihood of finding a good one today.


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