First solid state color tv set
 

Hello,

please can you tell me which brand and chassis was the first solid state color tv set in the U.S.?

- Eckhard

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I don't know if it was first overall but there was the RCA CTC-40 chassis in what, 1969 or so? also the RCA 2000.

I think it was the Motorola.. I used to think it was the 1968 RCA CTC-47 in the G-2000, which actually predated the CTC-40. Not sure why they did that. In fact, the CTC-40 has a 3A3 in it. Magnavox had an early SS set too. Zenith, as usual, was late with theirs in '72 with the 25DC56.

Charles

My guess would be the 1969 RCA G2000 had the first 100% solid state chassis.
The ctc 47 had a quadrupler for the hi voltage instead of a rectifier tube.
The Motorola was the first with a solid state chassis but still had a rectifier tube for the high voltage. If you need the model #s, I can post them for you.
Ed

Aside from the rectifier the Motorola certainly won...when did they start using those solid state plug-in rectifiers? I'm pretty sure Sylvania had a solid state set on the market before the sixties were out but after the RCA.

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Thanks for all replies. I have asked because in Europe, the East German "Color20", made in 1969, was recognized as the first solid state color tv set. But as far as I know, the Motorola Quasar had to be the earlier solid state color tv set.
Every detailed information is wellcome!

- Eckhard

The model # on the RCA G2000 is G2000, Must have been a big deal in 1969 cause it really does have a nice picture. Some 38 years later, I am finding some really strange problems with the ctc 47 chassis. The silver foil caps are all bad and I had to replace them. 300 something pounds of trouble, But still worth it.

The Motorola model # is WL852EW and the chassis # is TS915. {Works in the drawer} Now here the interesting part on the motorola. The one I own is made in 1968 and I could swear that motorola made a solid state works in the drawer in 1966. IIRC I had repaired one in the 80's and thought it was made 66. Do any of the guys here have a works in the drawer made in 1966?
Could be I am wrong.
When I was a kid I thought the TV ads for the works in the drawer where so cool. I wanted one in the 70s but could never afford one, But did find a broken one in the 80s and still have it.
The picture is weird because I am still working on the 2000 and can not move it. Not to mention that I have the 2000 ripped apart.
Ed

GE also made a solid state high voltage rectifier. It was a big black thing that sorta looked like a tube. I pulled one out of a rca set thinking it was the wrong part.
Ed

I'm far from an expert on the subject; my experience begins with the mid 70s stuff, but I do remember working on a few of those early works-in-a-drawer sets, and I always thought the oldest ones were made in '66. And my feeble memory is telling me that they did use a tube (3A3?) for the HV. And they were built like a battleship.

Didn't the works in a drawer sets first come out as a solid state set for the first model year, then go back to a tube hybrid for a while before the second solid state attempt?

Bill R

The rectifier tube in the TS915 is a 3BN2, But in the early version it could have been a 3A3. You are right, The chassis is built like a battleship.
ED

Yes they did, But I think they made the solid state chassis for a couple years. IIRC The horz and vertical tubes where on the power supply chassis instead of in the drawer.
Ed

Here are a couple solid state rectifiers. The one on the left is a Motorola; I can't make out the numbers stamped on it. The other one is a GE; the box says it replaces 3AT2, 3AW2, 3BL2, 3BM2 & 3BN2. There is a warning on the side of the box stating that the HV must be adjusted after replacement.

I believe the same. I have heard that from more than one source, but I can't prove it.

Just to confirm; isn't the G-2000 a 1968 model? I have the book on it. I'll check.

Charles

Humm, I wonder what it does to the horz output tube current in a tube type set when you change the rectifier to a solid state one? A guess is, It would lower the current a bit. In the rca set where the rectifier tube is inserted into the fly back it may cool the fly down a bit too. {no heater}
I am going to look through my parts room and see if I have one for a 3A3.
Thanks for the picture.
Ed

I took a look at my service manual and the copyright date is 1969, Did they make the 2000 two years in a row? {Interesting}
I have three 1968 color sets, The Motorola, A zenith and a Magnavox combo.
It would be really cool if the 2000 is a 1968 since I have a 68 collection going already.
Ed

I don't recall noticing any major differance in ho current when using the solid state rectifiers. As far as heat, I don't know, but I suspect not much difference since the 3a3 did not normally run very hot.

Bill R

When I joined Motorola out of school in 1966, they were starting to produce the all solid state chassis with "works in a drawer", including the HV rectifier. It was the most expensive not only because of solid state, but because of all the wiring to connect many small modules. The later retreat to a hybrid chassis also involved using fewer and larger modules, if I recall correctly.

The Motorola rectifier in bgadow's post is one variation on shape for this type. The rectifier consists of a stack of dozens of low-voltage rectifier chips. Since there is capacitive current in each diode, the chip at the bottom would see all the capacitive current and blow out, if not for the flared shape of the package, which provides a capacitive path bypassing the chips near the bottom. Some models have a sort of exponentially flared pair of fins on the sides of the stack - providing some cooling as well as capacitive bypass. Varo semiconductor was one of the suppliers. Later solid state designs could use high-voltage solid state rectifiers, although they usually needed more than one in series. Some later designs used, say, three diodes, placed in between three flyback coil sections in series, and all potted into the flyback. This helps equalize the transient voltages and currents.

From what I understand (although I could be wrong) the RCA 2000 is a 1969 Model.

I will keep an eye out for a 1966 Motorola. I would think that a lot of them got destroyed because the Motorola crt was crappy. The instant on did not help either, But there is a switch on the power supply chassis to turn it off.
Last night I was thinking if you did change the rectifier in a tube type to a solid state one, The increase in the high voltage output could stress out the regulator circuit and flyback. Best to leave the roundies alone.
I am going to look around the ctc47 chassis and see if there is a date on it somewhere.
Ed

Hi Guys
I found more proof that the 1966 Motorola solid state did exist.
Here are some pictures of a video-agc panel, And as you can see there is a Motorola date code.{ M in a circle and 1966. } I took a look at the one in my 68 Motorola and it looks the same. I wanted to put it in the 68 but I could not find the panel # on the one in the pictures. There could be a chance something is different and the set works really well and I don't want to fry bag the set.
The next question I have is where did I get this panel? I think it came from a bunch of parts I bought last year but don't recall. There is a 1968 parts chassis in the cellar that I have been re capping the panels to have a spare for the one up stairs. I will go in the cellar again and see if there is a 1966 chassis.
Ed

Hello,

thank you for all your replies. I will stay tuned for further informations.

Eckhard

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Nice TV's at least the CRT hasn't started to slide or fall back into the Chassis yet! :thmbsp::drool::nono:

Thank you. The motorola has been a problem child, After running it about 20 hours it started having 2 white bars moving up from the bottom to the top of the screen.
I went and replaced all the electrolytics in the power supply and on the main chassis. And still, It did not correct the problem. After that I recaped and replaced all the panels in the set and Still it had the bars in the picture.
Then I got out the oscilloscope, Took a look at all the power supply voltages lines and could not see any ac in them.
When I went and took a look at the video signal you could see the bars running in the video signal. It was a strange picture on the scope, Kinda looked like a snake as it made its way through the video signal.
What I found was I had two leaky transistors on both of the video,agc panels I had replaced. After replacing the leaky transistors with nos transistors, The problem went away.
I had made the comment that the crt was crap, But I was wrong. This tv really has a nice clear picture. When I get the time I will remove the safety glass on the crt, Clean off the glue, And reinstall the glass to get rid of the yellow edges.

The problem with your crt falling back could be one of the mounts holding the crt in place is broken. Also I have seen sets where someone replace the crt and did not tighten the screws that hold the mounts to the inside of the bezel. If you take a close look at the crt from the back side with a flash light you should be able to see what is wrong. PLEASE be careful when working with a crt. It could go boom boom and hurt you.
What kind of set do you have and how old is it? Have you done repairs on vintage tvs before?
Ed

No I havnt done any real repairs on anything before. But I did see an old Zenith TV in my grandmothers house that has that problem.. It's probably just junk but I am curious! :D

But I did replace the tinny speaker in a toy keyboard once! sounds a lot better now :D

:lmao::lmao:
Well at least you are honest. Please do not mess with the picture tube in your grandmothers set.
You might want to post some pictures of it on here. One of the collectors here may live in your area and would want to buy it or fix it for ya.
The vintage zenith is a good set and has a good picture, b@w or color.
Ed

From my recollection(which ain't as good as it used to be), Motorola started production on the Quasar in 1966 but it went on sale advertised as a 1967 model. There were two different chassis numbers using the same modules, TS-915 & TS-919. The 915 went in the large floor model console (Works in a drawer) and the 919 went in the 21 inch table model cabinet (Works in a cage)( vacuum tube Hv rect.). In later years I have seen a lot of xstr leakage problems in the video i.f. and agc sections. They ain't real fussy about sub. types, 2n2222 seems to work well when replacing the NPN's and an equivelant PNP type for the other flavors. Moto started production of the QuasarII sets in 1969 and put them on sale as 1970 models. They were solid state sets except for tube type horiz buffer/vert osc., vert out., damper, & horiz out although they went to a solid state stick rect. for the Hv. These are chassis no. TS-929(table top-cage chassis) & TS-934(console-works in a drawer) with the same modules(all new & no carry overs from TS-915/919). Sometime around 1972, the QuasarII went all solid state with the addition of a switching Lv power supply module(now TS= TS-938). To make the horiz section ss they brought forward the F panel originally used in the TS915/919! This was already a reliable piece, Moto just updated the HOT(s). To make the vert. sect. ss, a new module was designed, the VA. This was carried forward into the next gen. of ss chassis, the TS-942. The TS-938 has the distinction of the first American production set to use a switching type power supply to eliminate the bulky power xfmr while still retaining the elec. isolation virtues of it. Now they're in everything from coffee makers to computers. The TS-942 chassis family, btw, were the last ones Moto designed completely before selling Quasar to Panasonic. Panasonic stayed with the works in a drawer concept for quite awhile putting more and more functions on ever larger growing (and expensive) modules until they too went to unitized chassis in the 80's like everybody else and finally in the end, Quarsar was just a re-badged Panasonic. It could have been worse, I guess? Thanx for letting me bore everyone with this over-extended Quasar-as-I-know-it story.

Its a color TV set and It actually was my Aunts TV. Its solid stare and I think its from the early 80's

This info is not boring at all. You ans many questions that I could not figure out. I am seeing two different dates on this set, 1966 and 1968.
One other thing you pointed out was Quasar was a name given by motorola not panasonic. I thought quasar came into play after panasonic took over.
Another interesting thing is there is a chassis coded F 23ts-915 that has a ac line regulated power supply that is connected to the primary of the power transformer. It makes sense to me cause when the air turns on in this house, The picture on my set would cave in. This must have been a correction for this chassis to calm down picture change when the ac line voltage would go lower or higher.
When I was trouble shooting the power supply in this set I did notice a vary strange design with the 35 volt supply line. There is a 35v tap off the secondary winding of the power transformer. The voltage from that tap goes through two choke transformers and two 500 uf caps and then on to the panels that use the 35 volts. When I was checking the voltage line with the scope, The wave form matched the picture on the schematic so I did not worry about it. My question is how can the ac be remove from this circuit with out some kind of rectfier-diode in this circuit. Would any one know the name of this design?
It is funny, I have had this set for many years and never thought what a cool set this really is. Do any of you guys own a 67,68 motorola works in a drawer?
If so I would really like to see it.
Thanks
Ed

Yes 80's tvs are not that collectable, But still, Some people on here really like them.
I never thought people would collect 70s tvs but as we can see people like them just as much as we like the tube type b@w and color. It must be a matter of taste and what the person likes to work on.
A guess would be that the mounts are broken on your aunts set. Could be from rough handling or the plastic on the bezel gave out. {Picture tubes are heavy.}
If you are intrested in repairing or collecting this stuff, Your aunts set may be a good way to start. Look for books on tv repair and roam around the internet. There is alot of info out there that can help you out.
Good luck
Ed

Theres a few 70's sets in that house too!

In about 1979-80 when I first started collecting a few old TV sets, I thought nothing about color TV was worth collecting because it was "too new"-after 1950. If I had only known, I might be able to retire on what I could have had then...

I would check them out and grab the ones that are in the best condition.
If you are a young dude and really interested in electronics, You will learn how to repair them. Solid state is not as hard to repair as tube type sets.
Give it a try, Just be vary careful and take your time.
Check out this 1985 magnavox, Chassis#20C601 This is a well made set and has a nice picture.

Ed

So many of the color roundies went to the trash and it is getting to the point of finding a needle in a hay stack when looking for them. Most of the ones I picked up in the last few years where in really bad condition and where trashed for parts. I wonder if the value on color roundies will keep going up.
Ed

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60 days ago i stumbled across a late 70's GE portacolor at a church sale, w/stand for $10!!!!!!!!! And of course, it plays. IKnow Iknow, it ain't solid state, but I love those little buggers!

Amen! This thread is not boring - keep those anecdotes coming!

My contribution - My Dad worked for a Motorola Dealer from 1966-1973, servicing audio. He bought one of the all solid state works-in-the-drawer Quasars from his boss in 1970 or so. Dad used to tell the story about how Motorola's "Instamatic" auto-color button created quite a firestorm with Kodak - they owned the trademark! I guess it was settled through royalties, because it was on sets through several years.

I got my hide tanned :tears: one Saturday morning for playing with the easily-accessible screen controls on the back of that Quasar console. Hey! Look! I can make the picture purple! I learned my lesson....

Cheers,