GE Portacolor Chassis AB-E

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by andy

I don't think that can be true because both of my 10JAs are from about 72-73 (based on component date codes). I have a tube based Portacolor which is full of 76 date codes. I don't know when the discontinued the 10JA, but this proves they at least made them concurrently.

Edit: Found data showing the 10JA was last made in 1976, so probably concurrent with the H-4 tube Porta Color.

1976, per GE's service subscription (included in early and late 1977 data as a 1976 produced product).

Most of my GE lore comes from a GE tube/semi rep that serviced Maryland and Virginia, "Tel" was his nickname, and a lot from a retired GE plant manager, Mr Purdy, that was by "backyard neighbor" - he was there until the retooling for the last sets. His job entailed final inspection/burn-in, 36 hours for some sets (winter?), 10 hours for most. Mr. Purdy had pulmonary disease, and died in late 1999.

Why, if you can make a solid state chassis, would you go back to tubes? Makes no sense in marketing, engineering, tooling, supply chain, you name it. Too many guesses - the answer is quite clear, the 10JA was probably the last Porta Color produced.

GE closed the OEM side of the Owensboro tube plant in 1976, producing a little under 4 million tubes. US production of OEM tubes in 1976 (the last year) was 5,827,000 total, so GE was the biggest producer by far. GE continued making aftermarket tubes until they closed the plant.

GE OEM tubes have a date code - 188 and the EIA date code.

The aftermarket (replacement or renewal)tubes have a 0.185" tall two-letter date of production code, used for warranty purposes by distributors. When I worked at Cain in the early 80s, we honored only "H" codes and later, meaning a tube with a "ED" code would not be accepted for warranty, where a EH, AL, etc would.

They had two date code systems to discern OEM and aftermarket, and to prevent the two supply chains from having to mix. If your tube product failed under warranty, you took it to an authorized repair center, and they filed a claim through Portsmouth. If you bought a replacement tube at a distributor, you dealt solely with the distributor, who dealt with Owensboro. We had gobs of tubes that were technically out of warranty (and thus couldn't sell them with a warranty), but sold them to repair shops with a deep discount. (sleeves of oddball series-string tubes going for 5 bucks a sleeve, for example.)

Oh, and your GE TV made in Portsmouth? 95% of them left the plant in a railroad car. Ethan Allen sets and some promotional sets went by truck.