Here I go again wanting to find another perticular RCA set. This time, Im willing to give $200.00 for a clean example of this ctc22 pictured. If anyone has one of these and is willing to sell, please PM me. Thanks- Doug

I thought this might be interesting. It's a scan from a 1969, or 1970 RCA catalog.

You have good taste in RCAs. This and the last set you were looking for are both near the top of my list of late 60's RCAs to look for. I'm not in a hurry for them though. I actually had one of these when I was a kid, but the CRT was very blurry. I didn't like the 3 or 4 position focus jumper they used instead of a pot.

Originally posted by andy
I actually had one of these when I was a kid, but the CRT was very blurry. I didn't like the 3 or 4 position focus jumper they used instead of a pot.

Wouldn't it possible to sub a pot?

Anthony

andy,

Thats a cool brochure you have. Ive only got the 1967 rca brochure. Seems like they are more rare than the TVs. Dont ever find them on ebay. I have the EJ505 ctc22 model, but Id like to find this one to have a "complete set" of ctc22's

These sets all use a low focus voltage CRT. The max focus voltage tap I think is around 400 volts. I just don't think they have as good of focus capabilities as the 5kv focus tubes.

The CTC-36 which uses one of these low focus voltage tubes does have a pot for focus adjustment.

One of the last sets made in 1974 using the tube type series string color chassis (CTC-66 maybe?) dispensed with the 3A3 and used a solid state tripler. This set uses a conventional high-voltage focus CRT.

since you brought up the ctc36, it does infact have a focus pot. Picture does not get very "sharp". Evidence of RCA cutting corners to make a cheap economy color set.

Although the focus isn't the greatest on these sets, I have found the CRT life to be exceptional. I've got a CTC-36, 2 53's and a 52, and the CRT's are very bright and all the colors are all there. I wonder if these are really long-life CRT's or is it just that these sets tended to be "second sets" like in the bedroom or kitchen that did not get used as much?

I've also noticed that most low focus voltage CRTs have poor focus. Ones that come to mind are the GE portacolor, most 15" tube portables a few 19" RCAs and Sony's up to the late 70's. GE switched to a high focus voltage CRT in the portacolor in the mid 70's. The best low focus voltage CRT I've see other than Sony is in a 70's Magnavoxhybrid 15". In fact, for focus, it might be a little better than the Trinitrons of the time. I think the CRT was made by RCA, but rebranded Magnavox.

If anyone is interested, I have scanned the entire RCA catalog into my computer at 600dpi and I'm inthe process of touching up the pages. I'd be willing to offer it for download to people with a high speed internet connection, or I could burn it to a CD.

Would those catalog photos fit in the AK photo gallery or are the files too big?

Chad, thats a great idea about the catalogs. What we need to do is scan a page out of every catalog thoughout our collections. I have a 1962,67,68,70 zenith catalogs and a 1967 rca catalog. There are not too many pages in these. I think it would be worthwhile to do something like this.

It's too big as is, but I could easily reduce the size to something like the page I posted. If anyone wants it in full quality, I can still do that too. I have about 2/3 of the pages finished.

Incidentally, I got this catalog when I was about 10 when I was pulling parts out of a neighbor's TV combo that they were throwing out. I still have a few of the parts from it. It was the top of the line CTC-40 combo in the old fashioned cabinet that you'll see listed first in the catalog when I have a chance to post it.