There's an RCA CT-100 in Brazil!!!

[Captain Video]

An amazing discovery I made yesterday: reading the commentaries on an YouTube video, posted by a friend of mine, there was this guy claiming that he has a CT-100. Skeptically, I wrote a message to him, asking if it was REALLY an RCA CT-100, the world's first color TV set.

Here's a translation of his reply:

"My grandfather ( who is still alive ) was in the USA in 1954, and saw the Rose Parade in a CT-100 in a hotel. He was so impressed that he decided that he would buy one and bring it to Brazil. When he arrived he even had a party at his home, to celebrate the "inauguration" of color TV. He was very disappointed, however, for the TV would only show colored snow and regular black and white pictures. He thought that the set was somehow damaged during the long trip. It was only after he talked to an american friend that he discovered that there were no color transmissions in Brazil. The only color picture he ever saw on this set was in 1963, during an experimental color broadcast of "Bonanza". By 1970 the CT-100 was already retired, due to a vertical failure. By this time, he had an RCA 2000 ( bought in another trip to the USA ), and was able to watch the World Cup of 1970 in color* . Now I have both the CT-100 and the RCA 2000, and I am restoring both."

He says that when the restoration of the CT-100 is complete, he will put a video of it working on YouTube.

* In 1970 experimental color broadcasts were done on a regular basis in Brazil, and the height of those experiments was during the World Cup - they alterned broadcasts in NTSC and PAL-M ( the system that would win and be adopted in 1972 ). Very few brazilians saw the World Cup in color, most of those lucky few were officers of the military dictatorship that was ruling the country at that time.

[wa2ise]

Someone here is keeping a database of known existing CT100 sets. Serial numbers. So if you can find out the serial number, whoever can update the database.

[Sandy G]

Hope the CRT's still good...

[Captain Video]

I will see if he can give me the serial number.

[Steve McVoy]

The CT-100 database is kept by Pete Deksnis: http://home.att.net/~pldexnis/

[Pete Deksnis]

Intriguing good news indeed! Not only is this exciting information about a South-of-the-Border CT-100, it is only the second Merrill I know of that was actually purchased by a consumer. The other is B8003911; if you know of any I'd appreciate learning of it (them?).

With this set (and another two recently unearthed in New Jersey) the number of known surviving CT-100's is up to 130 -- and posted first here on Audiokarma!

Pete

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by Captain Video

I will see if he can give me the serial number.

It would be a great addition to the CT-100 data base if the owner can share that information. Here's a page with CT-100 serial number location information. There are four numbers with the chassis serial number the most interesting. Based on the history of this set as you have provided, this may be a set produced early in the production run.

http://home.att.net/~pldexnis/potpou...odedAreas.html

Pete

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by Captain Video

An amazing discovery I made yesterday: reading the commentaries on an YouTube video, posted by a friend of mine, there was this guy claiming that he has a CT-100. Skeptically, I wrote a message to him, asking if it was REALLY an RCA CT-100, the world's first color TV set.

Here's a translation of his reply:

"My grandfather ( who is still alive ) was in the USA in 1954, and saw the Rose Parade in a CT-100 in a hotel. He was so impressed that he decided that he would buy one and bring it to Brazil. When he arrived he even had a party at his home, to celebrate the "inauguration" of color TV. He was very disappointed, however, for the TV would only show colored snow and regular black and white pictures. He thought that the set was somehow damaged during the long trip. It was only after he talked to an american friend that he discovered that there were no color transmissions in Brazil. The only color picture he ever saw on this set was in 1963, during an experimental color broadcast of "Bonanza". By 1970 the CT-100 was already retired, due to a vertical failure. By this time, he had an RCA 2000 ( bought in another trip to the USA ), and was able to watch the World Cup of 1970 in color* . Now I have both the CT-100 and the RCA 2000, and I am restoring both."

He says that when the restoration of the CT-100 is complete, he will put a video of it working on YouTube.

* In 1970 experimental color broadcasts were done on a regular basis in Brazil, and the height of those experiments was during the World Cup - they alterned broadcasts in NTSC and PAL-M ( the system that would win and be adopted in 1972 ). Very few brazilians saw the World Cup in color, most of those lucky few were officers of the military dictatorship that was ruling the country at that time.

JUST A HISTORICAL NOTE ON THIS BRAZILIAN CT-100. The grandfather could not have viewed the 1954 Rose Parade on a CT-100. The only RCA color receiver used for that telecast was the prototype "Model 5." However, if the grandfather was still in the USA in April of 1954, he could have purchased a CT-100 when they went on sale to the public. If the gentleman has his dates confused even by a year, the 1955 Rose Parade was not telecast nationally in color. Only local Los Angeles station KTLA broadcast the '55 Rose Parade in color. It could also be that he managed to buy a "Model 5" in Jan. 1954 and shipped it to Brazil, which would really be an amazing find! Pinning down the purchase date and having the serial # are very important.

-Steve D.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Pete Deksnis

it is only the second Merrill I know of that was actually purchased by a consumer. The other is B8003911; if you know of any I'd appreciate learning of it (them?).

Pete

Pete:

The person that I purchased my CT-100 (B8002601) from, got it in 1970 from the Family of Bud Lynch, former announcer for the Detroit Redwings. It was his belief that Bud purchased the set new as it was in the Lynch house ever since he could remember and he was friends of the Lynch family since childhood.

It is, of course, also possible that the set was a gift to Mr. Lynch. Either way, he was the first caretaker.

[Captain Video]

I asked the guy for the serial number. Hope he doesn't take too long to answer.

[Captain Video]

I have the chassis number of his set: it is B8001150 and the cabinet number is 372.

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by Captain Video

I have the chassis number of his set: it is B8001150 and the cabinet number is 372.

Thanks! We'll add it to the CT-100 Living List with you as the contact person. This joins the 'foreign' corps along with one CT-100 in England, two in France, two in Germany, and two in Italy. Of course, any picture of this set would be much appreciated. Thanks again for uncovering this latest Merrill survivor.

Pete

[Captain Video]

I am trying to convince him to let me visit him when I go to his city ( I will have to do that until June/29 ) so I can take pictures of his TV.

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by Captain Video

I have the chassis number of his set: it is B8001150 and the cabinet number is 372.

Captain Video,

As Pete confirms, this is a CT-100. But the timeline for viewing the 1954 Rose Parade in color on a CT-100, as I pointed out, in my previous post, still doesn't pan out. When you visit this family could you find out more about the circumstances as to when and where the set was purchased. I still believe the grandfather viewed the parade on a "Model 5" in Jan. '54, which looks similar to the CT-100, and later that year purchased his CT-100.

Thanks,
-Steve D.

[Captain Video]

Yeah, probably his grandfather confused the two very similar sets. I sincerely hope that he agrees on let me visiting him; It is obvious that this is a VERY wealth family, so maybe they will not feel confortable on letting a complete strange from another state to visit their house.