Early 1970's RCA portable.

[Robb]

Originally Posted by Phil R

You guessed that because of my poor English writing?!

You guessed right!

No, I saw the licence plates from your pics on FlickR.

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by zeno

Eliminating the hot-cold cycle was sold as longer tube life BUT
the constant heat baked the PCB's & dried up the sets so much
it shortend the life of the set. Nothin worse than an all tube
instant on set with high miles.
Later solid state sets probably benefited from it, you never see
a bad CRT in a flat chassis Zenith. They also came out with
fast warm-up cathodes. And yes it can be defeated quite easily
most the time.

73 Zeno

I was going to eventually ask how to defeat it in my flatty, but best to leave it alone I guess.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by tvcollector

These things don't exist here in So. Florida anymore.. I get an occasional late 40's early 50's console, or some mid-late 1970s combo or console sets.. Usually something overly BIG that someone is trying to unload..

That's interesting. I'm in northeastern Ohio near Cleveland, and nothing much shows up here either as far as vintage or antique electronics goes. When I moved here almost 15 years ago, I saw a few vintage sets, such as a 1980s RCA 12" portable and, some years later, two console stereos and even a couple large-screen CRT TVs down the road from my apartment. I didn't spot any more old sets until about six months or so ago, when I saw a 24" Westinghouse flat panel TV near the trash barrels in back of the apartment building I live in.

Haven't seen any TVs, radios or such since, except two very large CRT table model sets, one a Magnavox 23", the other a Sony that must have had a 35-36" CRT and that weighed the proverbial ton, being disposed of a week or so ago when two tenants moved out of the building. I almost took the Magnavox until I found out, from the maintenance man who was clearing out the apartments on behalf of the landlord, how much it weighed; the set probably would have caved in my TV stand in the blink of an eye, and so would the Sony. In fact, I was told the Sony set, with its large CRT and all, probably weighed every bit as much as a small car.

[Phil R]

Originally Posted by Robb

No, I saw the licence plates from your pics on FlickR.

I didn't think about that!

[tvcollector]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

That's interesting. I'm in northeastern Ohio near Cleveland, and nothing much shows up here either as far as vintage or antique electronics goes. When I moved here almost 15 years ago, I saw a few vintage sets, such as a 1980s RCA 12" portable and, some years later, two console stereos and even a couple large-screen CRT TVs down the road from my apartment. I didn't spot any more old sets until about six months or so ago, when I saw a 24" Westinghouse flat panel TV near the trash barrels in back of the apartment building I live in.

Haven't seen any TVs, radios or such since, except two very large CRT table model sets, one a Magnavox 23", the other a Sony that must have had a 35-36" CRT and that weighed the proverbial ton, being disposed of a week or so ago when two tenants moved out of the building. I almost took the Magnavox until I found out, from the maintenance man who was clearing out the apartments on behalf of the landlord, how much it weighed; the set probably would have caved in my TV stand in the blink of an eye, and so would the Sony. In fact, I was told the Sony set, with its large CRT and all, probably weighed every bit as much as a small car.

To go off subject, Sorta like here in So. Florida.. Up until a year or 2 ago, there was nothing.. Now I'll see the occasional antique.. They've all mostly been floor models or combo units... Only thing table top that ever pops up are usually 80s sets.. Never anything tube or hybrid that's color..

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

There are different kinds of 'instant on' wiring depending on the year and maker. Most tube/hybrid instant on sets ran the heaters at ~half voltage when the set was turned off....There would still be warm up time, but it would be much shorter and would be called "instant on". I've never seen a set that had instant on where that term was literal, though it would not surprise me if some of the solid-state era sets with that feature left the CRT heater on full blast all the time.

I have some 'instant on' sets (proclaimed to be so in the manual) both tube and hybrid, they keep the tubes lit at half voltage when the set is off, and they have a warm up time (a short one).

It is common practice on this forum to refer to any set that, by design, keeps tube heaters lit to some degree while the set is turned off, as an 'instant on' TV set regardless of actual warm up time.

I HAVE seen a pretty much "instant" instant on set. The RCA vertical SS chassis of the early 1970's, such as CTC 48,58,68 and such. As SOON as you turned the set on, in maybe ONE second--the raster appears. NO warming for HV--since they use a tripler. In fact--you could usually see the end of the degauss action--they were so quick. (this of course is assuming the set had been plugged in for several minutes at least, before being turend on, to give time for the tube to warm up).

[Phil R]

Originally Posted by rca2000

I HAVE seen a pretty much "instant" instant on set. The RCA vertical SS chassis of the early 1970's, such as CTC 48,58,68 and such. As SOON as you turned the set on, in maybe ONE second--the raster appears. NO warming for HV--since they use a tripler. In fact--you could usually see the end of the degauss action--they were so quick. (this of course is assuming the set had been plugged in for several minutes at least, before being turend on, to give time for the tube to warm up).

How about mine? Is it normal that the tubes stay on on a CTC-53?

Also, do you own a RCA 2000? That's my dream TV! I'm not even sure they ever sold in Canada but I could drive to get one!

[rca2000]

Yes--I have TWO RCA2000 sets. Obviously my screenname came from the set. I drove a good ways to get mine too.

I MAY be willing to work out a deal to part with one of them....if you really wanted it..and could come for it.

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Haven't seen any TVs, radios or such since, except two very large CRT table model sets, one a Magnavox 23", the other a Sony that must have had a 35-36" CRT and that weighed the proverbial ton, being disposed of a week or so ago when two tenants moved out of the building. I almost took the Magnavox until I found out, from the maintenance man who was clearing out the apartments on behalf of the landlord, how much it weighed; the set probably would have caved in my TV stand in the blink of an eye, and so would the Sony. In fact, I was told the Sony set, with its large CRT and all, probably weighed every bit as much as a small car.

A "Smart car" probably. I'd be afraid to ride in one of those. They look like I could pick them up and crush them between my hands. A 32" Sony CRT set I handled once, I could barely handle it in a two-person team lift.

[zeno]

Originally Posted by Phil R

When I first sat that the tubes remained lit, I thought that there might be something wrong as I didn't think it was an "instant on". The chassis number is CTC-53S.

Let me know what you find about it.

Thanks!

I looked at 3 out of 4 manuals for this set. They cover abt 15
varieties of the chassis not including the -S.
They use an autottransformer to step down for filaments with
a separate isolated winding for CRT.
None are instant on, but the -S may be.
I see now way the filaments can light while off unless someone
modified it or the -S has it.
BTW nothing wrong with your english, better than mine & we
have been hear since 1635 !

73 Zeno

[Phil R]

Thanks for the info.

I'll take the back cover off and try to see what's happening.
I'm pretty sure that the CRT doesn't remain lit but other tubes do.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Phil R

Thanks for the info.

I'll take the back cover off and try to see what's happening.
I'm pretty sure that the CRT doesn't remain lit but other tubes do.

The earlier models of the CTC53, has low focus voltage CRT. They always seem to lacking in focus clarity. I remember seeing a later model that had the high focus voltage CRT, probably, the last of the run. The picture seemed to be a lot clearer.
IIRC, one VK member, recommended to rejuvenate the CRT, at the lowest setting, even if the CRT has high readings on all guns.

[Phil R]

I guess I should have looked more carefully at the back cover before starting this thread. I looked again today and there's a master switch there. And the CRT also remains on but dimly. So it's an instant-on or almost!

I took a few pictures:


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr

Something was repaired there...

RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr

[Phil R]

Here are a few more, sorry some are of poor quality.



RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr


RCA CTC-53S by PhilR2, on Flickr

[Sandy G]

Originally Posted by Jon A.

A "Smart car" probably. I'd be afraid to ride in one of those. They look like I could pick them up and crush them between my hands. A 32" Sony CRT set I handled once, I could barely handle it in a two-person team lift.

Try manhandling a 36" Sony... Yrs Trly did THAT trick-Once. Saw moons, stars, lightnings... That was when I was about 40- 45, before the stroke, before boogerin' up my knee. NOT fun !