The first all elctronic color tv

[Telecolor 3007]

What is the first all electronic color tv? Some say that it was "RCA CT-100", others that "Westinghouse H840CK15".

[Steve McVoy]

Depends on what you call first. Here is a link with 4 "firsts"


http://www.tvhistory.tv/advertising3.htm

[Telecolor 3007]

Si, in fact it wasn't Westinghouse, it wasn't RCA, it was Admiral.

Hi all, it's been a long time since I've been here. I thought I'd throw my two cents in on this topic. According to Zenith in their Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1953, they take credit for the first sale of an NTSC color television. Here's what the report says:

"Zenith made the first commercial sale of a compatible color television manufactured under the NTSC standards as approved by the FCC. This Zenith set was purchased by the Chicago Tribune's station, WGN-TV, in 1953. Production of similar sets will be limited, as explained in the President's message to stockholders."

"One of the primary reasons for building new color sets was Zenith's belief that they would be useful to help our distributor and sales organizations keep in step with the latest developments. They will also be of great value in the company’s program of training service personnel. This problem is national in scope and Zenith experts are preparing to handle it on a national basis.”

“Because it has been one of the pioneers in color TV, Zenith is in an especially advantageous position with regard to new developments. When a color receiver can be made with good picture size, simplified circuits, and popular prices, Zenith will be making that receiver. For the interim, no effort is being spared in the search for logical solutions to these problems.”

The set sold to WGN-TV was apparently one of the field-test prototypes, examples of which were present at all of the FCC tests of the NTSC system. A few of these sets have survived, one of which I own. Color broadcasts were being discretely transmitted for about three hours a week in Chicago throughout 1953, so Zenith could test their equipment and receivers in the field. I’ve been told that Zenith President McDonald wanted to beat RCA with the first NTSC color TV sold, and I guess technically he did, although it wasn’t a regular production model. Zenith didn’t market a color set until 1959.

I would like to thank Wayne Bretl for sending the Annual Report to me.
I just thought this might be of interest.
Mike

Hi Mike, thanks for that info. Is the set in your avatar that color Zenith you mention? Could you post a larger photo of it please? Can't recall where, but I've seen a photo of some sort of public display with a very early color Zenith tube and chassis. It was declared to be experimental but was being shown to illustrate how technically proficient the company was. The sad irony is that they also led the development of the new digital standard but once Gold Star took over that seems to all have gone out the window.

Anthony

Yes, the avatar is a close-up of the CRT escutcheon on my Zenith prototype. Wayne also sent me an old photo of the same set with a rectangular color CRT, from 1953!!! Here's a photo of my set:

Here's a scan of the rear view of the set. This photo is taken from the 1953 Zenith Annual Report. The wood cabinet panels have been removed.

[Sandy G]

Wonder if that bad boy is still around-somewhere? -Sandy G.

[Telecolor 3007]

Fourtnley for the collectors the roundies where manufactured untill the '70's. Roundies are cooler the the old rectangular color tv sets!

[Steve McVoy]

Hi Mike,

Could we have your permission to post those photos in the Color Gallery section of our website?

http://www.earlytelevision.org/15_inch_color.html

Thanks.

[bgadow]

Imagine, you are somewhere in a little used furniture store or flea market or antique mall, minding your own business, when you come across this unassuming tv with the doors closed. Hmmm, you think, probably a 16" or maybe 21", nothing special, lets open those doors & take a look...wow! Well, I'll keep looking! Maybe 2 survived?!

[Sandy G]

...or, you're in Seoul, looking thru a bunch of junk that got sent over when we bought Zenith from those hapless Yankee capitalists, & come across this strange television w/those funny tube thingies in it. Wow, this must have been something when it was new.... wonder if the boys over in R&D would like to play w/this thing.....wonder who this Cdr Eugene Mc Donald was...some sort of American imperialist, no doubt. Hmmmmmm....-Sandy G., grimacing at the thought of it all....

Steve, feel free to post the photos on your site. Here's a picture of my set with the doors closed.

I thought I'd share a scan of an old photo of one of these sets fitted with a rectangular color tube, from 1954. This scan comes from a collection of information sent to me by Wayne Bretl. Wayne has compiled information on these sets from collectors and Zenith employees, and has been so kind in sharing what he has learned with me. Thanks Wayne for your hard work in preserving the story of these pieces of history!

[Carmine]

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I'd kill for that Zenith set!

How far removed is that thing from working?? Who made the tube? Can we see a close-up of the controls? Can I have it?

BTW, I thought the first color Zenith was a late '61, '62 Model year. Who knows about a '59 Color Zenith???