Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

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  • 120volts
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2013
    • 57
    • USA

    #1

    Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

    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...........
    Dan "TV Tinkerer"
  • budm
    Badcaps Legend
    • Feb 2010
    • 40746
    • USA

    #2
    Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

    My first electronics project was 5-tube super-het AM radio at age 14.
    Never stop learning
    Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
    http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

    Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
    http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

    Inverter testing using old CFL:
    http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

    Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
    http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

    TV Factory reset codes listing:
    http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

    Comment

    • mockingbird
      Badcaps Legend
      • Dec 2008
      • 5484
      • -

      #3
      Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

      I think you might enjoy this Youtube Channel:

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

      Comment

      • barryra
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2013
        • 107
        • USA

        #4
        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.
        Attached Files

        Comment

        • freakaftr8
          Badcaps Legend
          • Oct 2012
          • 3743
          • USA

          #5
          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.
          Did I leave the soldering iron on?

          Comment

          • goontron
            5000!
            • Dec 2011
            • 4108
            • US

            #6
            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!
            Things I've fixed: anything from semis to crappy Chinese $2 radios, and now an IoT Dildo....

            "Dude, this is Wyoming, i hopped on and sent 'er. No fucking around." -- Me

            Excuse me while i do something dangerous


            You must have a sad, sad boring life if you hate on people harmlessly enjoying life with an animal costume.

            Sometimes you need to break shit to fix it.... Thats why my lawnmower doesn't have a deadman switch or engine brake anymore

            Follow the white rabbit.

            Comment

            • mockingbird
              Badcaps Legend
              • Dec 2008
              • 5484
              • -

              #7
              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.

              Comment

              • Caleb
                Smokin IC's
                • Feb 2013
                • 645
                • USA

                #8
                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.
                Liberating magic smoke one part at a time

                Comment

                • goontron
                  5000!
                  • Dec 2011
                  • 4108
                  • US

                  #9
                  Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                  Originally posted by Caleb
                  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!
                  Last edited by goontron; 10-29-2013, 11:20 PM.
                  Things I've fixed: anything from semis to crappy Chinese $2 radios, and now an IoT Dildo....

                  "Dude, this is Wyoming, i hopped on and sent 'er. No fucking around." -- Me

                  Excuse me while i do something dangerous


                  You must have a sad, sad boring life if you hate on people harmlessly enjoying life with an animal costume.

                  Sometimes you need to break shit to fix it.... Thats why my lawnmower doesn't have a deadman switch or engine brake anymore

                  Follow the white rabbit.

                  Comment

                  • freakaftr8
                    Badcaps Legend
                    • Oct 2012
                    • 3743
                    • USA

                    #10
                    Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                    Gettin whacked by flyback in a '68 zenith brings back memories. Fear rhe the red anode cap. Lol
                    Did I leave the soldering iron on?

                    Comment

                    • johnboy1313
                      Badcaps Legend
                      • Nov 2012
                      • 1959
                      • USA

                      #11
                      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.

                      Comment

                      • freakaftr8
                        Badcaps Legend
                        • Oct 2012
                        • 3743
                        • USA

                        #12
                        Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                        Originally posted by johnboy1313
                        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?
                        Did I leave the soldering iron on?

                        Comment

                        • truep
                          Badcaps Veteran
                          • Aug 2010
                          • 373
                          • USA

                          #13
                          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!

                          Comment

                          • johnboy1313
                            Badcaps Legend
                            • Nov 2012
                            • 1959
                            • USA

                            #14
                            Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                            Originally posted by freakaftr8
                            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.

                            Comment

                            • freakaftr8
                              Badcaps Legend
                              • Oct 2012
                              • 3743
                              • USA

                              #15
                              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.
                              Did I leave the soldering iron on?

                              Comment

                              • freakaftr8
                                Badcaps Legend
                                • Oct 2012
                                • 3743
                                • USA

                                #16
                                Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                                Originally posted by truep
                                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.
                                Did I leave the soldering iron on?

                                Comment

                                • momaka
                                  master hoarder
                                  • May 2008
                                  • 12168
                                  • Bulgaria

                                  #17
                                  Re: Remember the Vacuum Tube Era

                                  Originally posted by mockingbird
                                  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.

                                  Comment

                                  • truep
                                    Badcaps Veteran
                                    • Aug 2010
                                    • 373
                                    • USA

                                    #18
                                    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!

                                    Comment

                                    • Clydeuk
                                      Senior Member
                                      • Jan 2012
                                      • 193

                                      #19
                                      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

                                      Comment

                                      • Sam64
                                        New Member
                                        • Mar 2014
                                        • 2
                                        • USA

                                        #20
                                        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.

                                        Comment

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