Looking for Advice on an RCA Set

[Console User]

I, just yesterday, scored yet another RCA Console Set. This is the Model G27647. It has the Chassis CTC203AX. It was called the Entertainment Series and had on it the GuidePlus+ Gemstar feature back in the day. I did not know this set had such a feature. However, when going through the Menu and I selected Time. I ran onto the feature called the Warranty Time Check. This Set was Manufactured in May of 1999. It has 34,481 on the CRT. I was wondering if that would be considered High Hours or not considering it's age. Also, wondering if anyone had any insight as to how many hours the CRT on this particular set will or would go before eventually failing? Also, does this set still have the problematic soldering connections such as cracked solderings, etc. on the tuner board? I notice a little pronounced red color on the backscreen on this particular set. It to me still has good coloring and B&W shows still look a true Black and White with not green or blue or red tint to them. It has a lot of different options to set your Picture Quality settings to. For example can choose Bright, Normal, or Soft lighting. Also, Color warmth of Cool, Normal, or Warm. Anyone have a preference on which settings would give one the best picture on this set? My other two RCA Console Sets of this same style were not from the Entertainment Series as one of the other sets is a 1997 and the other one is a 1998 I believe.

[old_tv_nut]

Life of CRTs can vary widely with quality of manufacturing and how hard the chassis drives it, how bright the users set it, etc. A TV set from the big two (RCA, Zenith) was expected to have an average life of 10 years with 5.5 hours use per day, or 2000 hours per year. So, depending on all the factors, that might be the original CRT still strong at 20,000 hours or original plus one replacement in ten years. Crappier brands like Admiral or off years for Zenith could be worse.

So, I would say 34,000 with still a good picture is doing well, and if it's not showing it's age at that point, it probably has quite a few more years left.

[Alex KL-1]

+1 for that having a real possibility for some more hours of enjoyment. That said, is interesting to adjust in the menu, the cutoff for each color, and re-balance white. Even being strong, a "hours" CRT will not have absolutely same balance as a new.

[Console User]

I need help getting into the Service Menu on this Set. I push Menu, then Power, and Volume+. It takes me into the Service Menu. The problem I have is can't remember how to adjust the P number up and down instead of the V. I want to get into the Bias or Drive and adjust the setting. I am getting too much red color in the black screen/ back screen on the TV. Thank You.

[Blast]

Originally Posted by Console User

I need help getting into the Service Menu on this Set. I push Menu, then Power, and Volume+. It takes me into the Service Menu. The problem I have is can't remember how to adjust the P number up and down instead of the V. I want to get into the Bias or Drive and adjust the setting. I am getting too much red color in the black screen/ back screen on the TV. Thank You.

This video is horrible (and just as bad as my help) and doesn't fully get you there. But, it's a start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-4OwalgWFk

You have to raise the value (number on the right side) up to 76, or 77, or 78 (depends if your chassis is a CTC 176, 177 or 178, if memory serves) to advance to the next set of parameters (number on the left).

I'm not sure if the bias and drive controls are in the first level, or the second.

Stay out of the third level of menus- those are tuner adjustments.

Sorry I'm no more help than that. It's been 25 years!

[Blast]

Or, maybe this is better:

https://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/bran...rvicemenu.html