RCA CTC-9 Too much horizontal deflection

[lnx64]

Damnit, this morning got the text: Picture is fine, hum is back..

She's going to record the sound and send it to me..

Probably still gonna need a cap job..

[zenithfan1]

If the hum is present when the volume is all the way down and/or there is a slow crawling slight bend in the picture, that is a sure sign that the filter caps are bad. I would highly recommend replacing them no matter what it is doing, they are way past their expected lifetime. A dead short in one can blow the power transformer. These caps can also explode. I restored a '65 Zenith roundie that had one explode, it took over 6 hours to remove all the black goo off of everything. Luckily, the transformer and other parts were not damaged.

[lnx64]

Well the caps looked like they were replaced in the 90's, because they didn't look old at all, and were a matter of fact, very clean and new looking, just with some dust buildup.

Besides, as long as my old capacitor tester (2-tube tester) was working, it checked out fine..

The hum is volume controlled. Basically, at all the way down, no hum is heard, at a mid-position the hum is there, at all the way up, the hum goes away.. It's weird..

[lnx64]

Here's an audio clip I was sent.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/zj9cr6...2af/noise3.mp3

That's basically it..

[mstaton]

That is completely normal. Nothing to worry about. Intercarrier Buzz

[DaveWM]

agreed buzz not hum, no problems there. Prob worse with modern programming.

[freakaftr8]

Yep. you can try fine tuning the tuner and see is the sound gets better. Zenith's had an adjustment called Buzz. I dont know if RCA had some adjustmernt for this. Theres a slight possibility that the sound could get a bit better if you check the life of the tubes in the IF circuits if you have a weak one.

[DaveWM]

I checked, no buzz control on the cathode of the detector tube.

[lnx64]

Buzz, humm, aren't they the same thing?

Either way, ok, good to know it's normal.

[DaveWM]

no, hum is sine, buzz is not.

[mstaton]

If there was hum, it would be rather loud possibly overpowering the audio. It would be very obvious from the next room. What you have is completely normal and may not be able to be adjusted out. You can spend hours trying to adjust things but it will never be perfect. It's kind of like convergence trying to get that last bit out. The audio quality sounded pretty good to me. Even some newer sets will have some buzz if you listen close enough.

[freakaftr8]

Just heard that clip again on a real computer and not my iPhone. Yes that's completely normal. I get that especially when I play a VHS tape on the ctc-9 I have (before the CRT met uncertain doom). It's just the way the subcarriers demod the signal. Think a lot was to to with the power of the transmission signal or something. I even have that sound on my 50" pioneer plasma if I play a VHS.

[lnx64]

Okay good I'll just let her know to quit her yappin then, lol

[zenithfan1]

Sometimes a SLIGHT tweak of the AGC will help take away some of the buzz too. Glad to hear it's only intercarrier.

[DaveWM]

The one thing you should prob do is check the fuse its on the side of the chassis (very top, as its sideways mounted) and make sure it has the correct fuse. Its not uncommon for some one to put in the wrong fuse which could cause a meltdown if something goes wroing. Its an odd ball shape, you may have to order one special if its the wrong value, but they can be gotten.