Is there a such thing as a reliable tube color TV?

[andy]

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[Kamakiri]

Originally Posted by andy

The only tube color TVs I still find in working condition are GE Portacolors. I guess there wasn't much to go wrong.

Just about any 40-50 year old TV is going to need quite a lot of work. Often it takes several rounds of repairs before all the bugs have been worked out. Once everything is fixed, they settle down, but it's still going to need occasional service. I used a CTC38 for about an hour a day for a couple of years and never had to replace a 6GH8.

If you want trouble free, then a tube set isn't for you. Despite what people say, modern TVs are a lot more reliable than anything with tubes.

Well, yeah. In my basement office where my sets are located, at the moment I'm using either one of two identical 1974-75 RCA XL-100s, or a 1973 CTC-56, that all perform very well. I had been using a 9T246 regularly, but I need to do some work on a low HV issue. I like to rotate all of the working sets into the mix.

My CTC-36, well, it's just a problem child. Stinks too, because I love the damn thing.

Of course, for the main watcher in the living room is a 32" HD flat panel. Women, yanno?

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by Kamakiri

Well, yeah. In my basement office where my sets are located, at the moment I'm using either one of two identical 1974-75 RCA XL-100s, or a 1973 CTC-56, that all perform very well.

Of course, for the main watcher in the living room is a 32" HD flat panel. Women, yanno?

Picture of one of the XL-100s please.

Women and their lack of appreciation for anything other than the newest crap. If I were to marry, mine would have to at least have to accept the presence of all my old stuff and buy all this worthless gadgetry out of her own money, which means I'll probably never marry, haha.

[Kamakiri]

Originally Posted by KV-1926R

Picture of one of the XL-100s please.

Women and their lack of appreciation for anything other than the newest crap. If I were to marry, mine would have to at least have to accept the presence of all my old stuff and buy all this worthless gadgetry out of her own money, which means I'll probably never marry, haha.

My wife is amazing. She even picked out the 1941 Chambers stove in our kitchen . But for watching hockey games and other stuff, she'd rather go with a new set. Tradeoffs, yanno?

I will say that she never complains about anything I do or buy. We realize in each other that life is all about doing the things that make you come alive.....and this stuff makes me come alive. For her, it's road trips, good restaurants, and family....so we do that stuff too

Here's a REALLY old shot of one of them, when it was doing duty in my kids' room in a place I lived briefly during a divorce. I ended up getting the house back

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by Kamakiri

My wife is amazing. She even picked out the 1941 Chambers stove in our kitchen . But for watching hockey games and other stuff, she'd rather go with a new set. Tradeoffs, yanno?

I will say that she never complains about anything I do or buy. We realize in each other that life is all about doing the things that make you come alive.....and this stuff makes me come alive. For her, it's road trips, good restaurants, and family....so we do that stuff too

Here's a REALLY old shot of one of them, when it was doing duty in my kids' room in a place I lived briefly during a divorce. I ended up getting the house back

Sounds pretty good. A woman liking hockey seems rather unusual though, as does a man *not* liking sports (me). Seems like you scored a pretty good one that time. Old appliances are good too. Things I want are rarely found in stores.

Guys whose wives force them out of or severely limit their space-taking hobbies, that I have a problem with.

Good on you in regards to the house.

Originally Posted by etype2

I still have my Sony KV 1722 purchased in 1973. Only a very minor purity problem in the upper left corner which is not always visible. No service calls on that one either, 40 years of reliable operation.

My '87 Trinitron has the same sort of problem. Trouble with those though, if any semiconductors go, good luck finding a replacement, they have to be OEM.

[Sandy G]

[QUOTE=Kamakiri;3082162]My wife is amazing.

I will say that she never complains about anything I do or buy. We realize in each other that life is all about doing the things that make you come alive.....and this stuff makes me come alive. For her, it's road trips, good restaurants, and family....so we do that stuff too

Best thing I ever did was get hitched...But the WORST thing my wife ever did was get hitched-After all, she got stuck w/Moi....(grin) In all seriousness, Lauriann says I gave her something she never had-a HOME. She was an Army brat, lived a pretty nomadic existence. The stuff I've grown up w/& have had all my life-Going into shops, & they know you, knowing people on the street, not being concerned about talking to strangers, she never had that. I never thought much about it, but I guess if you never knew that, it IS a big deal.

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by andy

The only tube color TVs I still find in working condition are GE Portacolors. I guess there wasn't much to go wrong.

Haha. Before even opening this thread, my first thought was the all-tube Portacolors. This may sound bonkers but in terms of reliability, the Portacolors had it hands-down despite the cheezy-looking construction and low picture resolution.

With the narrow-deflection CRT and low B+, the deflection tubes were not stressed near as much as in regular sets. The resultant cooler running seemed to be the biggest factor influencing the Portacolors' longevity.

[DaveWM]

I have had good luck with portacolors. only one that really got me was one with an open pot in the color demod circuit, just jumped a resistor from the center lead. had one with a flacky cap in the vert both other than that pretty much prob free.