Old Trinitrons

[Telecolor 3007]

Someome owns an pre 1990 "Sony" <<Trinitron>>? Those sets offered a better picture than the other sets made back then?
If you got pcitures of some old <<Trinitron>> put them.

[Chad Hauris]

There are some photos of late 60's and 70's Trinitrons at our tv page:

http://www.retroaudiolab.com/tvphoto.htm

I have one, a 1970 or so model KV-1212. Missing VHF knob and only an inch of vertical deflection. I never got around to fixing it... Eventually I will:

[Jeffhs]

Those older Sonys were great sets. One of my great-aunts had two sets by Sony, one a 12- or maybe 15-inch late-'60s portable (I think it was an early Trinitron) which lasted her maybe 20 years, and the other a 20" Sony table model. Don't know the model numbers of either of those sets, but I do remember they had a great picture, even using rabbit ears (before cable). Those were the days. Those days are still here as far as Sony is concerned, as I've seen very few if any complaints about their TVs, either here or in any of the TV repair sites I've visited. Sonys have a much better reliability record than Thomson-built RCAs.

BTW, speaking of RCA TV and its inherent onboard tuner problems in the CTC185, et al., I had an RF port replaced on my now 6-year-old CTC185 a couple months after purchasing the set [it snapped off the tuner PC board] and yes, the tech who repaired this problem did in fact resolder every ground point around the tuner, in addition to reinforcing the bracket which holds the connector to the board. This is in answer to a comment made in response to one of my recent posts, in which I mentioned that the RF port had been replaced in my set. The respondent said, in paraphrase, that a CTC185 cannot be expected to operate six years or longer with the factory soldering job around the tuner; the ground points around the OB tuners in these sets absolutely must be resoldered if the TV is to operate normally. This is probably (likely) why my set has gone the last five years with no further tuner problems (or problems of any kind). Knock on wood. The tech who repaired the RF port problem also told me the jungle IC had some sort of problem, but I honestly don't know to this day what it is or was. The set makes a great picture on cable, using a cable box (I have Comcast digital cable), and has its original CRT which is still very strong for the set's age. I'll definitely hold onto this set as long as it works as well as it does. (I also have a 1995 Zenith Sentry 2 color set that still works well, but that's another story; suffice to say that I am keeping that set to replace the RCA when the latter eventually dies, as I don't intend to put any more money into the RCA--the extended warranty expires early next year.)


BTW (2), I was looking at Chad's RetroAudioLab site earlier tonight and saw the phrase "ESR meter" used several times. I've been interested in electronics most of my life, but never saw this abbreviation until I joined AK. I think they have something to do with testing capacitors, but I'm not sure by a long shot what this instrument really does. Is it a solid-state version of the old capacitor testers such as Eico's model 955, et al.?

BTW (3): Also on Chad's RetroAudioLab site, I saw a picture of a 1974 RCA "Lyceum" TV. The set pictured was a 25" b&w receiver. Seeing that set brought back memories for me, as when I was in high school, we had a four-channel CCTV video system which used a 1975 RCA Lyceum color set as a monitor for our only color channel at the time, channel 7 (the other three were b&w and between the three Cleveland VHF network stations, using Sony AV and CV series VTRs and Sony TVs as studio monitors, although our channel 2 monitor was a 1960s Zenith 19" b&w set). I was not aware until now that RCA made a b&w Lyceum. The set in our school's CCTV system had a black-out channel selector panel with illuminated selector drums; the b&w Lyceum on Chad's site has standard, non-illuminated selector knobs.

[Telecolor 3007]

At an tv repair shop they got an <<Trinitron>> that is more then 25 older. But they wouldn't sell it to me. They are keeping it there, waiting fot the day they will throu it. :deadhorse
By the way, old <<Trinitron>> are friednly to your eyes (if you stay too much with your eyes stock to the image provided by an old tv, after a time the eyes will heart you).

[old_tv_nut]

ESR - Effective Series Resistance --- should be low for a good capacitor, and may depend on the frequency or pulse width of the signal

[andy]

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[holmesuser01]

I found a 21" Trinitron this past weekend. Its in really nice condition, considering it probably sat in a damp basement for years. If I bypass the remote control circuitry, the set will turn on with a half-way decent picture. Its a KV-2145R.

[kx250rider]

Somebody say "Old Trinitrons"? Me likes old Trinitrons!

Here's a photo of my mini Trinitrons, and one of my KX-1901 Profeel monitor. I also have the KX-2501 and KX-1211. Note the baby brother of the Profeel series at the lower Left of the mini photo; the tiny KX-4200, which is perhaps the rarest of any of the Trinitrons except maybe for the very first one (that I don't have); the KV-7010UA. The other minis are: Upper Left, KV-4000 1981; Upper Rt, KV-5000 1972; Lower Right is a commercial PVM-4000 1990. I got all of them on eBay in nonworking order cheap, then fixed them. These are fun to have, and they don't take up the space of a fleet of DuMont Royal Sovereigns or Toyota Diesel cars (my other hobby and collection)...

There is no comparison when it comes to the picture on that KX series. And they are so reliable. The best, in my opinion, for quality would be Trinitrons up to about 1978. They started cheapening with the 43 series (ie KV-1943, etc). Those went to a 1-piece main board that seemed to have more stupid problems such as rotten rubber keyboards, that green 500-volt ceramic cap across the Horiz Output that would constantly short, burn and blow things. and I think the picture declined when they went back to the 90 degree CRT from the 110 that they had all through the mid 70s. I liked the picture on the mid-70s KV-1712 and its ilk the best for that decade. That was a 470FWB22 tube, then the KX series for the 80s.

But I have to say that despite the TERRIBLE service reputation and all the recalls, the KV-36XBR400 Wega of the late 90s might have the best picture of any big tube set I've seen.

Charles

[Eric H]

I've been a fan of Trinitrons since I was a kid drooling over the displays at Fedco in the 70's,nothing else at the time even came close to matching the pictures on those sets.

I posted a pic of a KV9200 from 1977 I found a couple weeks ago but it must have been on the temp server cause it's gone now.

Beyond that there are 6 more Trinitrons in the house, not particularly vintage except perhaps the KV4000:

a 27" XBR I got in 1989, still works but it's been relegated to the bedroom for the last year after it was replaced by a Sony RPTV

20" from 1991 or so, also a bedroom set.

13" from 1989 bought at a thrift store for $20, works like new and is used in the living room so I don't have to wear out the bulb in the RPTV.

KV4000 bought off eBay.

Two Computer monitors, not TV's but they still have the Trinitron tube and name.

[Telecolor 3007]

I'm curios, the first <<Trinitron>> had delta or in-line picture tube?

[andy]

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[Duane]

A friend of mine purchased the Sony console that had the first Betamax built into it back in the 70's.What a great looking set it was.From that point in time,I've always lusted after Trinitrons.I have had a few Sony's over the years,but only two remain today.One is a KV-1357r that I use in the garage and the other is a professional PVM-2030Q for the bedroom.The PVM is the best looking Sony I've ever owned,including the newer WEGA sets.
I'd love to see one of those older Sony consoles in operation again.

[andy]

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[Urizen]

My first Trinitron I bought new in 1986. Model KV-2080R. The remote got smashed during a move years ago. Wish I cound find another! This set has performed flawlessly for 20 years. My main TV is a Sony Trinitron model KV-32522 which I bought as a floor model around 1998. Great picture.