I stumbled on this two-page ad for the CBS-Columbia color set in a 1954 Life Magazine, possibly familiar to some of you. These screen grabs are pretty small; here's the link to the ad via Google. I thought the chassis shot would be especially interesting.

http://books.google.com/books?id=pFIEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA41&dq=cbs%20color%20television&as_pt=MAGAZINES&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q=cbs%20color%20television&f=false

Years ago I came across a HUGE res posting of that advertisement online. When I say years ago, I'm thinking late 2002 or so. I've looked again recently and can't find it. I saved it then, but the computer I had at the time is long out of commission unfortunately.

That TV set has to be a daunting presence in any room, it's huge.

Familiar???

You'll notice in the first post photo of the rear of the chassis is a "CBS Columbia" tag hanging in front of the HV cage. It's missing from Charlie's post photo. I have the original Life Mag. ad and the tag is there. In other similar ads I have seen it's missing, but the push pin that the tag hangs from is in both pix.

-Steve D.

Here is what the real thing looks like from the back.....

Here is what the real thing looks like from the back.....

Hearts start tumpin' faster... and faster...

:D

That's freakin cool, John!

You'll notice in the first post photo of the rear of the chassis is a "CBS Columbia" tag hanging in front of the HV cage. It's missing from Charlie's post photo. I have the original Life Mag. ad and the tag is there. In other similar ads I have seen it's missing, but the push pin that the tag hangs from is in both pix.

-Steve D.

Interesting, if you look really close you can see it's been Photoshopped out, part of the string is still visible and there is some distortion in the hole pattern on the HV cage where it's been pasted over.

...That TV set has to be a daunting presence in any room, it's huge.

They were still trying to prove that a color CRT set was just as bulky as a wheel :D


Edit: BTW, this got me to look closely again at how much effort they put into lighting the cabinet interior for this shot.

BTW, this got me to look closely again at how much effort they put into lighting the cabinet interior for this shot. There's lot of Dodging and Burning too... check the halo-like glow around the left edge of the 19VP22 plywood base.

Pete

Imagine if they still had to make TVs that way...All the hand labor & assembly involved in that bad boy...TVs would STILL cost nearly as much as a car...

Apparently the key to their "Color Guard Circuit" is an upside-down convergence assembly.