got a 16 a couple weeks ago -25ap22 crt.recapped,rebuilt tuner,etc.crt is weak. let it cook for a few days and nothing different.didn t want to jolt it but i did on the beltron.no good! anyone have an old 23v or 25 inch crt out there? nice looking set-dark cabinet with the french provential design.any help is greatly appreciated.

Is it a ctc-17? The 16 is a roundie chassis only.

chassis number is ctc 16 xl! i thought it was a 17 also.did a double take when i saw it.same as a 17 .i can get a nib zenith 25xp22 crt om ebay. anyone ever done this swap? this will be one of my daily watchers.there is also a sylvania 23" nib listed.which one will be the best for this set? rather have a hi lite or colorama.any help?

I'm not sure what the difference is between the 'a' and the 'x' but it must not be much. I just checked some sub books and they are definately interchangeable. I would go with the Zenith as I have had better luck with them compared to Sylvania. (though I once had a rebuilt Zenith 21FJP22 that, according to the EIA code, was actually a rebranded Sylvania) If the Sylvania proved to be a later version, like black matrix, that would make it a nice update.

I haven't heard of this chassis variant, either! Must have really been the first of the RCA rectangulars.

thanks,bryan.sylvania is a black matrix.zenith is always desirable,but i like the sylvania look in an rca.did this swap along time ago in an xl100 and it was a fantastic picture.maybe buy both? still want a hi lite or colorama

I am sure I read that somewhere in here. I have read many times that the 17 was the first rectangular chassis for the 23/25" screen. I wonder if some super tech converted that 16XL to operate a rectangularie?

Ditto that, I was not aware of a CTC-16 with a rectangular screen. Is there any evidence of hacked in equip to support a CTC-17 convergence board?
Hey Sampson, can you send us some pics of this set, chassis, and CRT? I know it doesn't solve your weak CRT or finding one, but you peaked my interest to see this chassis! This could be a really rare very early production rectangular chassis!

would like to see pix. It has to be a converted set. No way did a 16 ever use a rectangular tube.

There's an "AP" at the ETF site, second ad down under parts:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/classified_page.html#parts_for_sale

jstout66 is absolutely correct. The CTC-16 was ONLY a roundie. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. End of story.

Initially when Rca introduced it's 25" crt there was a fairly high rate of failure on those tubes. I don't remember having any problems restored the 25axp22 tubes, but most of those types of fixes were short term and the crt's went down hill from there.

i think you guys are right. it has to be a converted set.a 16 was only roundie.i will take pics and post.some tell tell signs indicate it was converted. yoke wiring looks odd-all soldered under the chassis and the crt socket has been replaced,again soldering joints look disturbed.i checked it out and a ctc17 was the first rectangular set.oh,well,i have purchased a zenith 25xp22 and hopefully it will look good in this set. thanks to all for your comments and help!

There is a NOS Zenith 25xp22 crt on ebay right now..
ebay item number 220286243990

Good luck!

heh. given the bowed appearance of the box, I would definitely want to see what's inside ;)

i have a few 25 and 23 inch spare crts

The only difference between a CTC-16 and 17 as far as I can remember is that the 17 has the pincushion components installed to work with the rectangular tube. You might see if somehow a pin phase coil and pin amp control were worked into the circuit.

There are differences between the CTC-16 and 16xx. Cosmetically, the "early" 16's have seperated VHF/UHF selectors, and a greenish appearing face on the CRT. Depending on model, I've seen either the 21FBP22's or the 21FJP's. The later 16xx's had the single ganged channel selector and the "bluish" appearing face of the CRT..thats when RCA came out with their Hi-Lite series of CRTS..in my mind the best roundie tubes out there...besides the Rare Earth Phosphor Zenith tubes!
Chassis wise, they are somewhat the same. I remember recalling on another thread and that the flyback part numbers are different, and other changes..