Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

[120volts]

You guys Remember the Vacuum Tube Era.
No swapping out boards.
Troubleshooting to the component level.
And the thing I hated the most, 20,000 VOLTS on the CRT!!!Arrrrrrr LOL
Boy times have change. I enjoy troubleshooting to the component level.
Board swap is not as rewarding.

Well just rambling...........

[budm]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

My first electronics project was 5-tube super-het AM radio at age 14.

[mockingbird]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

I think you might enjoy this Youtube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/joernone/videos

[barryra]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

I collect tube radios & have a few older TV's... Zeniths are my favorite 1936-39 Philco Predicta TV's had a lot of power supply problems.

[freakaftr8]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Dont get me started. Thats my other passion. I am currently restoing an RCA CTC-16 roundie color console. And I have a 1966 magnavox color combo and a 1970 zenith color that I think has a bad yoke. But have the old sencore tube tester, crt rejuvenation unit and 3 bins full if vacuum tubes.

Lol.

[goontron]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

i collect and restore valve radios and im only 16
as for (C)rapy (R)adioactive (T)rash i couldn't care less if it went the way of the flppydrive!

[mockingbird]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

10 years after the phasing out of CRT, and still, nothing can compare...

LCD is too slow.
Plasma is too sensitive.

I wish they'd bring back projection sets. Last I heard Mitsubishi and Pioneer were discontinuing them. The only decent TV is the Panasonic VT50/VT60 and those cost a fortune and are difficult to source outside the US. And then even if you have onw you have to be constantly vigilant that you don't leave it on a channel with a corner logo or else the image burns in.

[Caleb]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Yes I remember well at about the age of 12- I was given a tube radio left over from a garage sale. Didn't work so I took it apart and found a loose wire and got it working again. Quickly found out about capacitors too after getting the crap shocked out of me when I didn't leave unplugged for long enough before tinkering.

[goontron]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Yes I remember well at about the age of 12- I was given a tube radio left over from a garage sale. Didn't work so I took it apart and found a loose wire and got it working again. Quickly found out about capacitors too after getting the crap shocked out of me when I didn't leave unplugged for long enough before tinkering.

my current project has a boost circuit that bring up the voltage to 375v, imagine getting hit by that on the otherhand the cap belongs in the Good capacitor thread so i cant complain to much......

LOL. notice my sig in my first post!

[freakaftr8]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Gettin whacked by flyback in a '68 zenith brings back memories. Fear rhe the red anode cap. Lol

[johnboy1313]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

freakaftr8, do you have any pictures of the projects you're working on? A friend of a friend found out I work on TVs and asked if I could help him get some older TVs working. I know nothing about them but that they'll kick your butt if you're not careful.

[freakaftr8]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

freakaftr8, do you have any pictures of the projects you're working on? A friend of a friend found out I work on TVs and asked if I could help him get some older TVs working. I know nothing about them but that they'll kick your butt if you're not careful.

im sure I could take some pics. What are you worjing on and whadda wanna know?

[truep]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

My room mates bought a used RCA CTC-16 back in '70. Took us two weeks, a dot bar generator and a lot of patience to get a decent color picture. One guy would get stoned once a month and sit and watch the color snow!

[johnboy1313]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

im sure I could take some pics. What are you worjing on and whadda wanna know?

Really, my post was two thoughts combined. I just wanna see pictures of the sets your working on. They sound like theyre pretty cool looking. I'm not sure what he wants me to work on. I told him I didn't work on older TVs. I don't mostly because I don't know enough about them to not hurt myself and I've heard some pretty crazy things.

[freakaftr8]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

There just about taking your time and using your noggin. Lots of high voltage in there. Every chassis is hand wired and sams schematic is your best friend. By now lots of out of spec resistors and capacitors cause the strangest symptoms. Ill post some pics. Might make a new post in this.

[freakaftr8]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

My room mates bought a used RCA CTC-16 back in '70. Took us two weeks, a dot bar generator and a lot of patience to get a decent color picture. One guy would get stoned once a month and sit and watch the color snow!

Ah yes color snow. Rudementry demod circuits.

[momaka]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

10 years after the phasing out of CRT, and still, nothing can compare...

Indeed.
I have yet to find an LCD with the color linearity of a CRT.

[truep]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

My first HD set was an RCA 38" direct view crt. Had a great picture in HD, but crappy in SD. I think it had the best HD i have seen. It kept dying, and circuit city took it back and replaced it with a 51" Hitachi projector. That was a great set too, until it got burn in!

[Clydeuk]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Not quite vacuum tube (valve) era and will mean nothing to you guys across the pond, but I'm still looking for a 1970's 22" Philips G8 (550) my all-time favourite colour set, back when Philips was a quality brand you could trust.

We rented one in the 70's, It never once gave a hiccup and outlasted it's CRT. I remember restoring one in the 90's for someone that had taken great care of it, at that time a lot of work was needed but it was a labour of love. They don't make em like this anymore sadly

[Sam64]

Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

Looking at these posts, Is making me laugh. I have many old tube TV's stored at my home. And Clydeuk, when I get a change I will check to see if I have that Philips your speaking of.