Canadian RCA CTC-39X "Instant-PIC"

[Electronic M]

Generally the cheapest meter that can do 250mA or higher will work fine. I used to have the cheapest Radio Shack VOM (bought shortly before they closed most stores) as my main H out cathode current meter. Eventually I got a vintage Seco tester that has inline tube sockets that you plug in between the tube and chassis to connect the meter and that supplanted the shadio rack meter.

[ronl]

Hi Hyperlag.I just read your posts and looks like the service info I sent you is correct for that set.your chassis number ctc 39xz is covered by my RCC manual.I was worried it wasn't close enough.clean set for a barn find. RonL

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by maxhifi

RCA Canada was originally in Montreal, and then moved to Ontario. Back before NAFTA, Canada had locally made products in pretty much every category. The Canadian sets were often inspired by US sets, but there were also unique models, and some parts differences. For example, I have a 12" B&W new vista which is Japanese made by Sharp. My Canadian CTC 38 is full of Japanese made RCA branded tubes, and the picture tube was made in Canada. The cabinets are assembled with square drive Robertson screws (a tell take sign of a Canadian product). And the record changes are almost always Garrard or sometimes BSR. They never used the US built RCA changers.

I agree with your statement that modern Korean, Japanese, etc.-made radio-phonographs or even three-way devices used Garrard or BSR record changers. (I knew someone years ago who had a very low opinion of BSR record changers.) Some years ago, I had a Zenith four-function (AM/FM stereo, cassette, phono, 8-track player) entertainment unit which had a BSR 3-speed record changer. The changer in mine did not play 16 RPM records, as by the time this system was made and marketed the old 16-RPM records had been obsolete for many years.

BTW, eight-track stereo tapes had been obsolete for decades as well by the time these Zenith systems came on the market; in fact, I don't think I used the 8T in mine more than a small handful of times, if that many, in the 17 years I owned the system. In fact, again, IIRC, I only owned one (!) eight-track tape in my entire life, even though I am old enough, at 65, to remember 8-track tapes (my former, now late, stepmother had an 8-track tape player in her 1972 Plymouth Duster automobile).

[Popester]

Others already chimed in about a meter but I agree an old style analog meter VTVM or VOM are best done with a meter that you can see the dip happen as Zeno mentioned. Digital meter will do the job but they are slightly harder to interpret the result. I think us old guys just prefer analog. Still wearing a old fashioned watch on my wrist too lol ��.

[hyperlag]

So I got dug into the set again and have discovered a broken bracket on the yoke. As a result, my convergence and purity are all out of wack. I played around with it and the magnets but no real luck. Basically every picture setting was also played with by the previous owners as well, so I guess I'm doing a full setup on it.

Anyone have any tips? Sam's is a little cryptic and the shango066 videos I've watched don't explain connecting resistors to the grid and how to move the tabs. I'm kind of hoping to just get it good enough to play with a little, as the bracket looks like a longer term project to get out and replace...

Thanks!

[damen]

That broken bracket looks like the yoke clamp. When they would corrode and break they would sometimes damage the fine wires going to the convergence coils. Broken wires on those coils would cause certain convergence controls/coils to have no effect when you adjusted them.

[zeno]

Its just the yoke clamp. Just be sure the missing piece is not
laying on the chassis ! The clamps on RCA yokes & blue lateral , purity
ring ass's tended to rot away. Replace with any clamp from a
90 deg delta CRT. Dont use an OTC clamp for a car etc. It may be
magnetic.

For CRT set-up follow the Sams til you get stuck then ask. If you
mark where things were you can go back to the start if needed.
Remember a few things.
1) Most of the adjustments are for the CENTER of the screen.
2) Ignore the 12 adj on the conv board till the end.
3) On big sets its better to lay across the set & look directly at the
screen.
4) For your first few set-up jobs a DOT pattern is best. After a few you
can do it by eye.
5) Be sure the TV is getting the best B&W pic you can get first !

enuf fer now
73 Zeno
LFOD !

[hyperlag]

Originally Posted by zeno

Its just the yoke clamp. Just be sure the missing piece is not
laying on the chassis ! The clamps on RCA yokes & blue lateral , purity
ring ass's tended to rot away. Replace with any clamp from a
90 deg delta CRT. Dont use an OTC clamp for a car etc. It may be
magnetic.

For CRT set-up follow the Sams til you get stuck then ask. If you
mark where things were you can go back to the start if needed.
Remember a few things.
1) Most of the adjustments are for the CENTER of the screen.
2) Ignore the 12 adj on the conv board till the end.
3) On big sets its better to lay across the set & look directly at the
screen.
4) For your first few set-up jobs a DOT pattern is best. After a few you
can do it by eye.
5) Be sure the TV is getting the best B&W pic you can get first !

enuf fer now
73 Zeno
LFOD !

Thanks for the tips. Are there any online sources for test patterns you recommend? I'm stuck feeding them in from a computer/VCR for now.

[Telecolor 3007]

"Instant PIC" meant that the filament of the C.R.T. was kept in permanent heating?

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Telecolor 3007

"Instant PIC" meant that the filament of the C.R.T. was kept in permanent heating?

On a set like that where the chassis uses signal tubes those signal tubes would need heater power too.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by Telecolor 3007

"Instant PIC" meant that the filament of the C.R.T. was kept in permanent heating?

Yes, permanent heating, but at reduced power.

Motorola wanted "instant on" for their first small-screen all-transistor black and white TVs, but didn't want to buy the multipole power switch required. I came up with a scheme where one of the power transformer windings would buck the main winding when the set was "off." It worked, but unfortunately, the channel number back light was an incandescent bulb that came off the same transformer. So, my idea was adopted only after some executives took prototypes home to satisfy themselves that the channel light was not visible in a dark bedroom after your eyes had adjusted.