Picked up another AC/DC Colortrak.

[Eric H]

Found another one of those mid 80's 9" RCA AC/DC Colortraks today.

It's actually been on the shelf of the Thrift for a couple weeks or more but priced at $14 I wasn't interested, today was 75% off day on Red grease pencil prices though so I got it for practically nothing.

Most of these are pretty beat up when I find them, I just returned a black one to the Thrift because it was too cosmetically challenged to keep, this one isn't bad really, a couple scrapes in the silver paint around the CRT but the rest is good, it's missing the paper labels off the back though.
I like to find sets like this that are a different color besides boring old Black or Silver.

It didn't have a cord as found so I didn't know if it worked, figured it would though, it takes an oddball four pin AC/DC cord, I have a couple other RCA dual voltage sets with the same cord so no problem, fired right up, tracking is a little green but the CRT looks strong, controls are dirty and stiff as usual.

Here are a couple pictures running a Pretenders Concert Video though a B-T Agile Modulator, it's really tough to get a good screen shot.

[radiotvnut]

Nice find. I see that's the one with the side mounted knob style varactor tuner. I saw one of these at a church rummage sale, about a year ago; but, it had been to heck and back. So, I left it. I think I remember the other one you had that was beat up and I have one of those sets that's missing the speaker grille. Otherwise, it looks good.

[wa2ise]

I have one of these, it's a CTC115, mine says "pilot run" on the chassis. Had it back when I used to work for the RCA Sarnoff Lab. It just keeps on going.

It's AC/DC in both senses, it's a hot chassis, and there's also a 12V to 120V or so DC DC converter.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by wa2ise

I have one of these, it's a CTC115, mine says "pilot run" on the chassis. Had it back when I used to work for the RCA Sarnoff Lab. It just keeps on going.

It's AC/DC in both senses, it's a hot chassis, and there's also a 12V to 120V or so DC DC converter.

Is it an old picture, or do you still use that old Hamlin cable selector box.

[old_coot88]

Oh my. I have that exact same set. Got it for free in '89, when a lady tenant gave it to me because it had intermittent sound. Fixed the sound and it's worked fine ever since (or did until the digital changeover). Have no more use for it, but hate to part with it.

[dieseljeep]

Rca outdid themselves on that model.
The ones I have, have scan tuning feature.
You have to look at the front to see the AC/DC designation, as the AC only ones have the same power cord.

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Rca outdid themselves on that model.
The ones I have, have scan tuning feature.
You have to look at the front to see the AC/DC designation, as the AC only ones have the same power cord.

Hmm, well it doesn't say that so maybe it's AC only, also it's missing all the tags from the back.
I don't know if I have a 12v plug for one of these so I can't try it. Oh well, can't use it in the car anyhow.

[old_coot88]

As a result of this thread, i dug mine out of storage and fired it up on a digital converter box, and it still works perfect, grey scale, convergence, everything. Dang controls aren't even scratchy. (Wunner if all the channel-preset pots are still good ).
All tags on the back are present, and indicate it'll run on 120VAC or 12V DC. The AC goes in on the two wide-set pins of the 4-pin plug. Manufacture date is June 1981, in Taiwan and distributed by RCA/Canada. So this sucker was sold in Canada.

[Eric H]

So if I put 12 vols DC on the narrow set of pins and it runs then it's a dual voltage set.

Wonder which one should be +

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Is it an old picture, or do you still use that old Hamlin cable selector box.

couple years old, when Comcast still had some analog channels on their system. I've since moved, and I haven't tried to see if Comcast at my new place has any analog channels. I'm only subscribing to internet service and phone service, and not TV, as I found I hardly ever watch cable TV anyway...

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by Eric H

So if I put 12 vols DC on the narrow set of pins and it runs then it's a dual voltage set.

Wonder which one should be +

I'd remove the back and see if anything is attached to the pins that would normally be used for DC input.

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by Eric H

So if I put 12 vols DC on the narrow set of pins and it runs then it's a dual voltage set.

Wonder which one should be +

Mine measures open circuit, infinite resistance on the narrow-set pins, in both directions whether the power switch is On or Off. Totally zippo. There's no "AC/DC" logo on the front either, even tho the tag on the back says 120VAC, 12V DC.
Interestingly, the wide-set (120VAC) pins measure 24 ohms in both directions, indicating a transformer primary, and it's switched with the power switch. The set's heavy enuff to contain a power tranny, tho i don't remember even looking at the power supply when i had it open 24 years ago to fix the sound.

[Geoff Bourquin]

Originally Posted by old_coot88

Interestingly, the wide-set (120VAC) pins measure 24 ohms in both directions, indicating a transformer primary, and it's switched with the power switch. The set's heavy enuff to contain a power tranny, tho i don't remember even looking at the power supply when i had it open 24 years ago to fix the sound.

I wonder if that 24 ohms is the deguass coil/thermistor

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by old_coot88

Mine measures open circuit, infinite resistance on the narrow-set pins, in both directions whether the power switch is On or Off. Totally zippo. There's no "AC/DC" logo on the front either, even tho the tag on the back says 120VAC, 12V DC.
Interestingly, the wide-set (120VAC) pins measure 24 ohms in both directions, indicating a transformer primary, and it's switched with the power switch. The set's heavy enuff to contain a power tranny, tho i don't remember even looking at the power supply when i had it open 24 years ago to fix the sound.

If you have the AC/DC set, there is a switching P.S. inside to convert 12VDC to 120v.
IIRC, it uses a combination of AC and DC pins to operate on 12VDC.
I'd have to look at the schematic.