Article about General Electric 15CL100

[jr_tech]

I have heard speculation that the 15 inch sets were originally meant to be demo/monitor sets only, but Westinghouse and Ge started selling them to retail customers, so RCA released the CT 100 in response, instead of wating for the 21axp22 line to get up to speed, as originally planned.

jr

[Steve D.]

RCA started production of the CT-100 on March 25, 1954. The earliest date I could find for retail sale of CT-100's in NYC was May 9th 1954. I assume shipping of these sets to distributors started sometime in mid April 1954. Westinghouse advertised their 15" color set on Feb. 28, 1954.

Here's an article from RCA Radio Age April, 1954 issue:
And a very early, Dec. 31, 1953 N.Y. Times article on Admiral color TV production.

-Steve D.

[benman94]

I think that pretty much settles it: Westinghouse was first, GE second, RCA third. GE claims in the article to have already started shipping sets by April 7th. They must have been manufacturing them prior to March 25. No company, even giant GE, could have concieved, built, and shipped a color receiver in 13 days or less...