Saturday, I scored a Panasonic CT-397, Hybrid Color! I will attempt to attach a few photos, as found, before clean-up. The CRT Checks GOOD:yes: and on careful power-up, it worked fairly well, with all colors present, needs some caps replaced, only had power applied for about 1 minute. Fly looks excellent, and HOT and Damper were replaced at some time with new tubes, all the rest appear original, including VOT! Cosmetics dirty, should clean up nice, all knobs and badges present. Will post more progress pic's., and news later........."stay tuned", as they say!

Great score!! :thmbsp:That's one I've been after for a while. Other than roundies, the early Japanese sets are the only "newer" stuff I'm into besides a few Zenith sets. I look forward to more pics and to see it working:yes:

Neat Score ! I'm guessing, what, 1968-72 or thereabouts ?

Nice set! It's got the newer Panasonic logo; so, I'm thinking '73 or so. Probably one of their last tube color TV's.

These produce a nice picture when set up right. I'd like to find another one of these someday.

Many thanks, all, for your encouragement! I will certainly add updates as I progress, I forgot to add that the date code stamped on the orig. crt (label) is Nov. 1974. I do think this must be about Panasonic's last color set with any tubes! I hope to find a copy of either Panasonic's service manual, or Sams 1306-2, which I do not have.

Nice. At least now I know I am not the only person looking for that type of set.

I want to say that I've seen a look alike solid state version of that set.

What kind of picture tube does it have?

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=178527&stc=1&d=1367426132

Also, make sure it isn't one of those instant on sets that heat the tubes at all times. If it is, get an external switch, which you can get from any hardware store.

A solid set. Watch the mica caps in the hoz osc, they
eat up outputs. Also 'lytics in AGC. Other than that
not much went wrong with them.

73 Zeno

BTW get the Sams, Pana manuals tough to follow.

What kind of picture tube does it have?

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=178527&stc=1&d=1367426132

Also, make sure it isn't one of those instant on sets that heat the tubes at all times. If it is, get an external switch, which you can get from any hardware store.
If you look at the back, you'll see a vacation switch. leave it in the vac. position. :yes:

I remember that set...... Yes I think it was the last of their tube sets...

What kind of picture tube does it have?

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=178527&stc=1&d=1367426132


If you expanded the image of the chassis there is a DEAD GIVEAWAY to which type it is...The three leaf convergence yoke. Which is only found on delta gun sets.

Actually, I was not aware that only deltas have set-ups like that.

It is a delta gun CRT, a 510AEB22, and I think it has a slotted shadow mask, but I'll have to look closer with a magnifying glass! It does also have a VACATION SWITCH, which I would never leave in the Instant On Position, that's a fire looking for a place to happen, as well as shortening the life of the tubes, and components! In fact, a set like this I'd only plug in when using it! It has about 10 tubes in the chassis, not including the CRT. More later as I make discoveries!

Those TVs were very good sets in their day, and will work well today if restored and, of course, used with a cable box or a converter box. I knew someone in the '70s who had one; the picture, using only rabbit ears as an antenna, was excellent -- especially since the owner lived some 70-80 miles from Cleveland and its TV transmitters.

My parents had a Panasonic set with pretty much that identical hybrid chassis in the late 70s (bought used from a shop), except the cabinet had a built-in swivel where the base contained most of the controls other than the tuner. Made a great picture while it ran, I think it was junked in '82 or so due to repeatedly killing electrolytic cans (!)

I've never even seen a picture of the swivel-style cabinet since then. And yeah, the Vacation Switch was bad news. On ours at least there was very quiet but definitely there audio with the set off and that switch on, which seems potentially much worse than just instant-on. We quickly figured out to leave it off.

Might this have been among the last Japanese-assembled 19" Panasonics for the US market? Later ones I've seen looked like Quasar clones on the outside, with a Japanese chassis, bolted together in the US. Had a junker 19" "Quasar by Motorola" with a mfg date similiar to this one and a little paper label on the back referencing Matsushita. (edit: that was the old Motorola design, not like the posted Panasonic)

Hello, I recall seeing Quasars from the early 1980s which were assembled in USA of Japanese parts. I don't think I have ever seen a tube-based Panasonic chassis, however. Very nice TV!

Here's a "Progress Update" on the Panasonic, PanaColor, CT397! Got it working again, after replacing a burned resistor (1.8K, 2watt) and about a dozen electrolytic caps, on the deflection / video / sound board! A few of the caps were completely open, and the others of course, way-off-value! The color and picture are nice, and satisfactory, CRT emission and tracking acceptable, I didn't even need to clean the guns! I still have a slight vertical display "issue" to work out near the top edge of the screen, but that will be taken care of eventually, quite "watchable" in the meantime! A couple screen shots follow, also cleaned up the way dirty cabinet, lots of elbow grease was required!

That set has the STRANGEST tube lineup of anything I've ever seen... PY500A horiz output, 25HX5 damper, and some kind of weird-o Compactron vertical osc/out tube exclusive to that model...

Charles

42EC4 is the common equivalent tube number to a PY500

42EC4 is the common equivalent tube number to a PY500


YES, I couldn't remember the US number on that tube with a 42-volt filament :headscrat ...

Charles

Yes, it's a strange line up of tubes, there are two series strings of filaments, and the 25HX5, is the Vert. tube, 42EC4 is Damper, the HOT, is a 40KG6! The other tubes are 9 and 11 volt filaments, and something like a 16A9 Audio Output Tube. The HV Rect. is a 3CV3, there are about 10 tubes in all!

I had a time finding a 16A9 tube for one of these sets in around 1990. It took the company several weeks to locate one. Finally did, though, and the set played on.

Nice work!

The picture looks real sharp.

That set has the STRANGEST tube lineup of anything I've ever seen... PY500A horiz output, 25HX5 damper, and some kind of weird-o Compactron vertical osc/out tube exclusive to that model...

Charles
Panasonic used a lot of European type tubes in their earlier sets, like 6BX6, 9AQ8 and 29KQ6.
The 25HX5 was the vertical output. The vert osc was half of another tube.

Anyone know what damper this set uses? I've got a plastic cabinet version that is missing the damper and tube chart.

these sets were sold in only 2 places here in columbus,ohio.lazarus and jimmy rea electronics.both sold high end and quality goods.those were fine,fine sets and delivered sharp pictures.great score!