View Full Version : Vintage RCA Color TV commercial from 1961!


AlwaysLyceum
05-23-2006, 11:37 AM
Check out this beauty!

Oh my, the features!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mnXlWchvFdY&search=rca
:D

kx250rider
05-23-2006, 11:50 AM
That's a great commercial! There was some discussion on that among us a few weeks ago, because that TV and its remote has never been seen in person. I can't find any RCA service manual for it either. Dr. Dan and I believe it was a prototype. BUT........ If it's a real working prototype, what if an RCA engineer hauled it home and it's sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey? I've owned a few prototype TVs including a Hoffman color set, and they were all ordered destroyed but were sneaked out of the factories and "saved" by engineers :music:

Charles

colortel
05-23-2006, 03:42 PM
This set is the first commercial remote control color television.

It is the 1958-59 CTC7 "Worthington", Model 21RC899, available in Walnut or Mahogany. It is the first of the series of "top-of-the-line" really-deluxe RCA color sets (another example is the later first all solid state "G2000"). It is shown on the "Color Television History" web site in the collage of CTC7 sets at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/CTC7_Gallery.html
and in its individual product sheet at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/images/CTC7_Late/CTC-7_Worthington300.gif

I am pleased to have a Worthington in my collection.

Ed Reitan

jstout66
05-23-2006, 09:27 PM
I've seen one. A guy I know here in Omaha has one. It hasn't been powered up since he got it. The remote holder is velvet lined!

ceebee23
05-24-2006, 04:51 AM
This model is featured in the Doris Day movie "Pleas Don't Eat the Daisies" towards the end of the film ..the family sit down to watch TV on their beautiful RCA color set!! :)

The commercial is a hoot ....but where would they have shown it ...it runs nearly six minutes!!

kx250rider
05-24-2006, 11:15 AM
This set is the first commercial remote control color television.

It is the 1958-59 CTC7 "Worthington", Model 21RC899, available in Walnut or Mahogany. It is the first of the series of "top-of-the-line" really-deluxe RCA color sets (another example is the later first all solid state "G2000"). It is shown on the "Color Television History" web site in the collage of CTC7 sets at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/CTC7_Gallery.html
and in its individual product sheet at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/images/CTC7_Late/CTC-7_Worthington300.gif

I am pleased to have a Worthington in my collection.

Ed Reitan

Ed, I stand corrected! It sure is unusual though... BTW: Are you in town? Let's meet at the Apple Pan soon :yes:

Charles

frenchy
05-24-2006, 10:24 PM
Is that really a 'commercial'? It's pretty long, looks more like a kind of promo film. Wonder where they would have shown this. Or did they have some really long commercials back then?

Charlie
05-24-2006, 10:42 PM
Maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems I recall us following an RCA just like this one a couple of years ago on ebay.

Bobby Brady
06-23-2006, 01:32 PM
Do you know where your friend got that Worthington set from or any info about it?
Could you get a photo? Does he have plans for it?
I think that set is one of the coolest ever!

jstout66
06-23-2006, 06:47 PM
I could try and get a photo. The guy who owns it isn't really "into" tv's. He collects washers and appliances! He thought the set was cool, and I actually need to set up a time with him to look at it. (he would like me to check out condition) I'll find out what his plans are.

old_tv_nut
06-23-2006, 08:52 PM
As long as we're speculating:

I think this must be a promo piece rather than a commercial. The announcer is trying to be forceful, but is still just reading the text - something intended for the public should have had an announcer that came across as genuinely agog at the features. Also, the announcer doesn't have the "neutral midwest accent" typically looked for in commercial productions. Of course, commercials progressed from basic hard sell to more sophisticated soft sell over the years, so maybe... but it's just too long unless it played as the major or only sponsor for a special sponsored by RCA.

Steve D.
06-23-2006, 11:14 PM
RCA made several of these types of promotional/industrial films especially during the '50's. RCA would invite high volume dealers and distributors to new model announcement parties, wine and dine them, and show off their products via these well produced color films. Some included dancers and singers with elaborate sets and high budget musical numbers worthy of Hollywood.

-Steve D.

Bobby Brady
06-24-2006, 12:02 AM
I would fly across the country to see that Worthington if my budget would allow it. I suspect many of those Worthington's may have been originally owned by the rich and famous. Perhaps some super luxury hotels had them?
I wish one could trace the serial #'s back to the original buyer. I wonder if that model was offered in blonde wood?
Do we have anybody here that actually sold one new or knew anybody that had one when it was new?
Thanks

Pete Deksnis
06-24-2006, 08:12 AM
RCA made several of these types of promotional/industrial films especially during the '50's. Way back then these served as entertainment too. A church group, Boy Scout troop, or school function could get 16-mm sound color films like these for free rental.

Even into the '70's the big guys produced live productions to promote products. GE hired a bunch of Broadway singers and dancers then and produced a stage show that traveled around the country to promote silicon rubber stuff! They opened it in NYC figuring among other things that if it flew with a New York audience, it would work anywhere. They premiered it for the press at one of the Park Avenue South Hotels. At the end of the last number there was wild applause. You could see the relief come over the GE PR-guy.

Steve D.
06-24-2006, 01:23 PM
[QUOTE=Bobby Brady]I would fly across the country to see that Worthington if my budget would allow it.

Bobby and fellow AK'ers,

To follow up on Ed Reitan's wonderful RCA catalog pictures,
here's a link to a photo from my collection of early color tv ads. This photo is from a full page ad that included the RCA Worthington model from Sept. 1958. That was towards the end of production for this model. This set was not only expensive to buy but to produce.

http://community-2.webtv.net/Stevetek2/doc/

-Steve D.

old_tv_nut
06-24-2006, 06:28 PM
If I got this thing for my social group, I would feel ripped off, even though it was for free!

On the other hand, there were many industrial films that were really entertaining and/or educational. When Channel 32 (now the FOX station) in Chicago first went on the air, it did a cheap but wonderful program showing these films, introduced by Richard Christiansen, Chicago Tribune theater/film critic. Some of the best showed how something was manufactured, without words. Two I recall were Oreo cookies and Western Electric telephone cable. There was also the occasional commercial message, but with some redeeming humor. The most popular (yes, there were repeat requests) was titled "A John Is a John Is a John" and touted a ventilated toilet to remove foul odors from the bathroom.

Sandy G
06-24-2006, 06:57 PM
My, my, my...How things have changed....Can you see a Worst Buy or Circus Shitty displaying a lordly device like that '61 RCA nowadays ? i remember "Department stores"-a strange, outmoded concept nowadays-when I was a kid, & I'd always make a beeline for the TV dept...They'd have the big RCA/Zenith consoles-"entertainment centers" tastefully displayed w/lowered lighting, & they were always adjusted properly-no pink or green faces-and the salesMEN always wore suits/sport coats, & were usually pretty knowlegable about their wares. Lotsa times, they were older guys, as old or older than yr Dad, not some punk-ass kid looking for dope money. God, why did 1962 ever have to end ?!?

Pete Deksnis
06-24-2006, 07:08 PM
More speculation...

According to the narration, it's an "...electronic wireless wizard remote control" with seven functions. A few years after this design, some consumer remotes were made with ultrasonic chimes struck by a small hammer when the user pushed a button. The tone was detected by a microphone and processed in a transistorized base unit.
:scratch2:
Maybe this one gets its 14-functions with an ultrasonic transistorized tone generator in the remote ? and all or mostly tubes in the receiver/control unit? with plate relays driving dc motors?

It's gotta be an interesting schematic.

old_tv_nut
06-25-2006, 02:06 PM
I just watched it again, and in the one distant shot where you can see the front of the remote, it seems to have a central dark spot on the face, which could be an ultrasonic transducer.

Pete Deksnis
06-25-2006, 03:26 PM
It confirmed some speculation and provided more information.

Seven ultrasonic function blocks are clearly visible in the remote (tint, volume, on-off, etc.) and in the receiver, although there is an eighth in the receiver for the hard-off function. Only tubes (no transistors) are visible in the receiver, and it appears that dc motors are used. Can't decipher how the fine tuning works though.

There seem to be seven, not 14, ultrasonic tones used.

How then is the up/down function accomplished? Pulse/CW? Pulse/Pulse? (Either one with a simple f-to-V converter and threshold detector?)

In another email, Steve indicates that a transistor was not obvious in the parts list. Puzzle is still: what's the active device in the remote? There must be one there somewhere. :scratch2:

The drawing with relays and tubes showing is attached.

Steve Hoffman
06-25-2006, 03:30 PM
My, my, my...How things have changed....Can you see a Worst Buy or Circus Shitty displaying a lordly device like that '61 RCA nowadays ? i remember "Department stores"-a strange, outmoded concept nowadays-when I was a kid, & I'd always make a beeline for the TV dept...They'd have the big RCA/Zenith consoles-"entertainment centers" tastefully displayed w/lowered lighting, & they were always adjusted properly-no pink or green faces-and the salesMEN always wore suits/sport coats, & were usually pretty knowlegable about their wares. Lotsa times, they were older guys, as old or older than yr Dad, not some punk-ass kid looking for dope money. God, why did 1962 ever have to end ?!?
Such is life... :thumbsdn:

old_tv_nut
06-25-2006, 05:53 PM
Pete,

What leads you to believe that only seven tones were used?

Pete Deksnis
06-25-2006, 10:01 PM
Pete,

What leads you to believe that only seven tones were used?

Wayne,

The schematic is too course to interpret circuitry, but you can see concentrations of circuits, and they always appear in a group of seven, never fourteen. You can see it in both the remote unit and the receiver portions of the schematic .

If you look at the receiver assembly drawing posted above, you see the seven-in-a-set occurring there too. Take the seven circles along the bottom in line with the power transformer. There seems to be a frequency associated with each one. "OFF ON" COIL 43.32 KC and "VOLUME" COIL 28.2 KC or something like that. Hard to be exact and say for sure, but I assume they are the L in LC tanks used in circits that separate/detect the tones.

If each function used two frequencies, I'd want to see twice the coils...?

Bill R
06-25-2006, 10:17 PM
Active device in the remote is a 2N408 PNP transistor, and a sonic transducer. I am not sure howe the reverse function works but for reverse there is +6.5 volts on the emitter of the oscillator transistor q2001. What really looks like a nightmare is that only one motor with a series of slip clutches is used in the reciever to control the functions. The functions are plate driven relays from the 12az7 tubes. There is also a motor reverse relay. I'm glad I didn't have to service one.

Bill R.

Bobby Brady
06-26-2006, 05:59 AM
was around one when it was new. I guess all you guys are too young!
It would seem lke somebody would have an RCA manual for it.
Apparently information from a past that is not so far away is already lost?
For example; The technical info needed to reproduce or repair those 15GP22's. I am surprised this info is not available from RCA or somebody. It makes me wonder about all the other information that is being thrown away or lost as those who know die off.

old_tv_nut
06-26-2006, 01:12 PM
Is it possible the remote unit has 2 oscillators, one variable frequency to choose function and one devoted to "reverse"?

Pete Deksnis
06-26-2006, 04:18 PM
Well I can see the remote generating 14 tones easily enough. But what about detecting them in the receiver; there seem to be only seven inductors covering that function. I suppose a latching relay could be used to switch between function and "reverse."

oldtvman
06-26-2006, 08:01 PM
that's a late production ctc 9 the sets from 1961 had the new vista insignia on the picture tube bezel. that is possibly a late 1959 or 1960 commercial

old_tv_nut
06-26-2006, 08:45 PM
Well I can see the remote generating 14 tones easily enough. But what about detecting them in the receiver; there seem to be only seven inductors covering that function. I suppose a latching relay could be used to switch between function and "reverse."

I was thinking something like:

Any one of six tones, that function "up"
7th tone only, ON/OFF
Any one of six plus the "ON/OFF" tone simultaneously, the corresponding function down.
Requires the remote control to have one oscillator with 6 frequency selections plus one more with ON/Off frequency only.

Can someone post the schematics in addition to the receiver layout?

Bill R
06-26-2006, 09:34 PM
Looks like the base frequency of the oscillator is 43.25kc. This is the freq. used for on/off. The rest of the frequencies are as follows:
Channel 42.0kc
Fine tunning 40.75kc
Volume 39.5kc
Brightness 38.25
Color 37.0kc
Tint 35.75

I think old tv nut is right. looks like reverse is a combination of the function frequency and the base frequency used for on/off. There is only one oscillator.
It also appears that the reverse function is am versus fm for the other functions. In the receiver reverse is picked off at the microphone passes through the agc stages then to the reverse detector (Half of a 6aw8 wired as a diode), then to a buffer anad is rectified to drive the motor reverse relay.
I have the schematic in the field service guide, but right now my scanner is down.

Bill R

old_tv_nut
06-26-2006, 09:37 PM
Hmm? 'xplain some more about AM vs. FM??

Pete Deksnis
06-26-2006, 10:12 PM
the function and "reverse" implementation possibilities:

CW vs Pulse
Pulse vs Pulse
function vs latching relay+function
function vs function+On-Off
AM vs FM

and only a 2N408 in the remote.

Bill R
06-26-2006, 10:33 PM
Like I said I never had to repair one. So I was just basing am vs fm on the fact that only reverse function has a diode detector and the other functions do not. I never had to repair one so I am not really sure. Maybe someone can post a schematic. I would if my scanner and I were on speaking terms. Dad burn computers!

Bill R

Bobby Brady
06-26-2006, 10:45 PM
I like the multi-motor design but this system you guys are describing is amazing to me and something I would enjoy restoring. I guess everybody here would! I am very impressed that it has a transistor. That remote hand unit looks very cool in design. I guess the clear buttons do not light up but they are impressive.
I love the technology of the '50's!

David Roper
06-26-2006, 11:11 PM
something I would enjoy restoring. I can understand taking great joy in the restoration of one of these [past tense]. Restoring one [present tense]? That would probably be a major pain in the fritter.

Bobby Brady
06-27-2006, 06:09 AM
I like pains in the fritter!

old_tv_nut
06-28-2006, 10:11 PM
I talked to someone at Zenith who said they had a multi-function ultrasonic remote at one time that changed the function of a couple of the buttons to "TINT" when the sound was muted. Doesn't exactly apply here, because this one has no mute function, and has separate buttons for everything.

3Guncolor
06-28-2006, 11:45 PM
Zenith did have the SC600 system. It worked different by using the mute function. When the set was in mute it would switch the relays for channel up and down to drive a motor on the tint control. Unmuting the set would return normal operation to the channel up, down. Most poeple did not use it in fact I remember taking out the switch for a few customers that would keep forgetting about it and mess up their color.

jstout66
07-04-2006, 10:06 AM
Well.... I went to my friends house finally to look at his Worthington (CTC-7A, 1958 code dates stamped on the tubes) and see what kind of condition it was in. This one I can't figure out and is wayyyyyy beyond my repair abilities. The set does fire up with a picture and sound, but I can't get any of the funtions to work. On this set there are NO knobs for fine-tuning or changing the channel etc...... So I am unable to adjust anything to see what type of picture I'd get. You can hear relay clicks when hitting the buttons but NO motors kick in to do anything. I emailed a person I know who has one and hopefully he might be able to look at it. Has anyone worked on one of these systems?

Bobby Brady
07-04-2006, 11:01 AM
Wow, I can almost imagine being there! I think you are so lucky!
Based on what has been written in this thread by the topdogs here I would bet it is some bad connection keeping the control motor from getting power. Hearing that click probably says power is being sent. Or maybe the motor shaft is stuck from dry bearing grease and needs small fingers to spin it free.

Pete Deksnis
07-04-2006, 11:04 AM
The set does fire up with a picture and sound.... You can hear relay clicks when hitting the buttons but NO motors kick in to do anything.Sounds as though the electronics are in amazingly good shape. But your friend may need an electrician for the motor drive stuff...!

Chad Hauris
07-04-2006, 11:38 AM
Just like in jukeboxes and other old equipment with a lot of automated mechanisms
a big problem is likely gummed up grease in the mechanisms.
These early RCA's I believe used a single motor and then a clutch system to apply the motive power to the appropriate control function...cleaning and relubricating this mechanism is sure to help.