Any luck finding small CRTs ??

[AiboPet]

I was given a set that is real cute. It's some weird name "MECOA mtv-05", almost a knockoff of the little tiny Magnavox "Shadow" sets, but she needs a CRT for sure. The little focus pin is broken off right at the glass.

The little tiny set was a "basket case" and needed almost ALL the traces around the flyback restored because of a BIG circular crack in the board. Then after the set lived again....had to trace where the audio was not making it to the audio amp. This ALSO ended up a trace with a crack in it.

Just as I thought the set was doing okay, I noticed the focus would go "in and out". The little neck board was off in the back when I first opened her up...but I didn't SEE anything wrong and just put it back. I traced the focus RIGHT up to the CRT socket....and then found the little CRT pin was broken off and stuck in the socket. This little 4.5" CRT is WAY too small to be trying to recover the little pin in the glass.

Do we have some secret place we FIND these little CRTs at besides just parts sets? I tried to Google the "EIA 1240" that I saw as a part number. Did find some obscure reference to the tube itself, but no source to find one. I'll likely run across one at some point from some other basket case 4.5" set (I could probly take one out of a Shadow if I had one I didn't wanna KEEP)

[Einar72]

What you have there is probably the EIA manufacturer code. I have no idea who made that TV or the CRT you are trying to fix, but, over on AK is a list of them, courtesy of another member. Lotsa luck...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91886

Edit: Never mind, the list is from 1958, and stops before 1100. Chances are you couldcontact the EIA and ask them, perhaps.

The sad fact in play is many collectors don't consider these collectible, and walk right past them at the thrift store. Depends on one's taste. I have to balance my junkin' junkets with an occasional piece of Corning Ware or a bath towel to keep my better half pleased. If it ain't round, it better be tubed, or it won't be comin' home with me. Again, good luck on your quest.

[AiboPet]

Interesting list.....had to dig a bit to find it.

Seems the "1240" just refers to a "Clinton" electronics. This set is obviously from somewhere around 1986 or thereabouts (just a guess). I could find no actual date. I guess after work I'll hafta look again and see if I'm missing an actual part number. If this was one of my little "cheap chinese Coby" sets....I would have three or four complete parts sets to grab a CRT from. I have no parted out of these little 4" sets.

This set was just some cute thing someone gave me, but was QUITE obviously dropped or something. Weird how dropping these tend to bust up the PC boards pretty good, but tend to leave the plastic cabinet pretty much untouched. This is like the fourth time I ran across a little set that LOOKS perfectly fine...but is all busted up inside.

I decided to go through it since it was an odd brand...and a nice tidy little set. It's almost exactly like the little Magnavox Shadow except the tuning thumbwheel is way down in the right corner. I got it to go for nothing but the time it sat under the knife on my workbench...and then I saw this focus problem.

It's no BIG deal really. The set is now perfectly running except this little pulsating between focused and not. I stuck the little pin back in the CRT socket and put the board back. I'm likely getting a buildup of focus HV...and then a small discharge to the broken pin that brings the focus back for like a second. This would be alarming on a BIG set, but is merrely annoying on a little one.

[Einar72]

Well, there you have it. Clinton Electronics has a storied history here, do a search in VK and you will see. My previous employer (1987-2002) used to get 12-inch green-o-chromes from them. They had the old Sylvania logo on their pin separators, but they were shipped in the Taiwanese carton the envelopes came in, marked " TINTED GLASS BLUB" (not a typo on my part). They were recently bought by Video Display Corporation, and are of little use to us collectors, IMHO.

[CoogarXR]

Couldn't your just take the old pin, heat up a blob of solder on the end, and hurry up and stick it to the broken piece in the CRT? It wouldn't be a great joint, but it'd be better than an arcing gap. If it makes enough contact to pop in and out of focus, it must be sticking out at least a tiny bit...

[AiboPet]

Yeah.... I'll likely just live with the little set the way it is, or one day get REAL adventurous and try and see if I can somehow get to that pin without letting all the magic out

I'm just not used to these little micro sets "stumping" me in any way. I'll obviously at some point make the mistake of buying some Magnavox Shadow or similar 4.5" set that will be FUBAR but have a CRT. I do that ALL the time with those little 5" chinese sets...and end up with LOTS of parts to fix like four others (I have a little sub-collection of those in different color cabinets)

I just like these little "Shadow" sets because they are almost cubes. I like that little high-deflection 4.5" tube for some odd reason. The set itself ends up MUCH shallower and looks nicer on a shelf than the big long 5" sets you see every day. I also have about four of the little Sony "paddle" CRT sets just for fun

[AiboPet]

Yup Coogar....

Saw that just after posting this last reply.

The "if I get real adventurous" part means getting a good magnifying glass and taking a REAL good look at the end of this little CRT. For these little sets, I'd even be okay with just jumping a WIRE across to the neck board. It's not like a little late '80's plastic mini TV set is any real restoration.

It would be a chance to do something "weird" to get a set going again.....OR.... The thing ends up in a shoebox because I took a DREMEL to the back of that little CRT trying to chip in to that pin (and then do EXACTLY your solder idea)....and cracked it.

If I can see even a LITTLE metal showing and can just solder a resistor lead to it or something with a REAL small soldering tip....it would probly work at least just to reassemble the neck board at least once. I'd worry just pulling the board off again would just break the new pin. Again....it's not like I'm ALL bent outa shape because this happened to one of my old Sony sets or anything. It's just one of those "I'm GONNA get this to work again" projects.....because the little thing was like 30 seconds from being thrown in a dumpster when I told him I wanted it

[jr_tech]

Sort of expensive, but I have used conductive epoxy with success on CRT pins:

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-C...ref=pd_cp_hi_0

Auto parts stores generally stock inexpensive kits of "silver paint" for repair of window defroster and antenna connections, but I have not tried these products on CRT pins.

not affiliated,
jr

[AiboPet]

Probly wouldn't be a bad thing to just have in a toolbox though. Expensive if it was just for the one fix...but not really as a tool. I'll hafta go look and see if they have something like this at Fry's. It would be a decent idea if I wanna sorta lightly "build up" a couple millimeters above the break. I trust the focus voltage on a 4.5" set must be VERY low current. I do know it's high enough to bite me pretty good though (don't ask)

I gotta get me a high voltage probe someday. My finger makes a pretty good DIGITAL (hehe!) reading though

[Eric H]

I'm not sure what a Magnavox Shadow Set looks like but I have some 4.5" sets made by the likes of Rhapsody, I think they might be similar.
I think I have a spare tube from one.

Can you post a picture of your set?


Like this maybe?

[AiboPet]

I'll post one later after work....but I can already see this is an IDENTICAL set you posted a pic of. has that same thumbwheel tuning at the extreme right and everything.

I was suspecting it was the same as the "Rhapsody" sets...but I don't own one (yet). The Shadow is pretty much the same cabinet but the tuning thumbwheel is more like a "barrel" and not a dial. I bet they are nearly identical inside if I took one of the Maggie Shadows apart.

I like these little sets. love their "cube" form factor BECAUSE of the little CRT they use. I know nothing about the CRT itself, but it has a nice flat face...and appears to be a high deflection unit to keep the depth small. They fit in "weird" places like on the toilet tank in the bathroom where a big long "Bentley" 5 inch would never fit

I like this one in particular because I had NEVER seen a "Mecoa" branded set.....and it was another one of those I rescued from being gone forever, and then of course I like this form factor. There is likely no real other redeeming factor. This "Mecoa" is no doubt just some rebrand of whoever ACTUALLY builds the Rhapsody sets.

I'll post a pic of THIS set (white)...one of the "unmolested" Magnavox Shadow (also white), and of the one I customized to be BRIGHT red with a redone front bezel. These bezels are nothing but real thin lexan or something. The red one came ALL banged and scratched up, so I had to make sort of a new one. You'll notice these three sets look ALL the same except the Maggies seem to have a nicer version of the same two switches...volume slider...and a "barrel" version of that tuning knob.

[AiboPet]

Here they are....Two Magnavox Shadows, and the little MECOA set.

The red one and "creme" one are both Magnavox Shadows. The creme one is all original. The red one was sort of a complete customization because the shell was REALLY beat up when I got it.

The set I'm having the issue with...is the little white one. I have not decided to pull the backs off the MECOA and one of the Shadows...but almost CERTAIN these are almost identical sets. The MECOA is likely to be "real identical" to your Rhapsody set.

For some reason the MECOA set with the broken CRT appears to be NOT acting out for the time being.....but it's sorta obvious I have not dialed it in yet, and that focus problem will SURELY return once I've touched it again

[Eric H]

Those look the same as the Rhapsody sets.
Funny thing is it seems like no two are ever exactly alike, same basic set but there are lots of small differences in parts and layout.

I swapped Flybacks in one of my 5" sets, looked the same but the holes were just ever so slightly off, enough to make it a pain to do.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I have a CRT stashed away somewhere, i'll take a look tonight.

[Sandy G]

They ARE Cute L'il Guys...I sorta remember 'em-Or ones VERY similar being for sale NIB for something like $9.95, right as the curtain fell on analog sets..They had stacks 'n' stacks of 'em at checkout counters ar grocery stores, drug stores, variety stores, quickie marts 'round here.

[compucat]

I remember when these sets were new and I wanted to buy one but always passed because of the thin flexible screen cover which I thought would scratch easily. It seems it would have been cheaper to leave the front of the CRT exposed. I have never seen the Magnavox Shadow in person. Does it have a solid plastic front? I saw one on Ebay today and it looks like it does whereas the Rhapsody ones have the thin flexible screen cover. How is the build quality overall on the Magnavox? I may put one in my collection.