Hawes Mechanical Television Archive |
|
Choose a Host TV for Col-R-Tel® |
|||
---|---|---|---|
By moving the Col-R-Tel inputs, you might make a narrow-IF set work. The signal takeoff point doesn't have to be at the CRT. For instance, you could acquire chroma and burst just after the video detector. Also, you can add a bandpass amplifier with a curve opposite to the IF. Colordaptor and Spectrac converters include such an amplifier. This amp reverses the attenuation and permits the converter to find the chroma and burst. I've just uploaded a schematic for such an amplifier to my Col-R-Tel Enhancements page. Consider the Picture TubeThe maximum TV picture size is about 14 inches. The Col-R-Tel disc can't convert larger screens. Instead, Col-R-Tel comes with a size box that reduces the video image to 14 inches. Yet screen size reduction with the Col-R-Tel size box is risky. (Isn't everything that's fun a little risky?) The size box doesn't work well with all sets. Even the Col-R-Tel manual indicates that you might need to experimet with the wiring. My guess is that low-current yokes would function better than high-current yokes would. No sense in overheating an antique coil! I'd guess that the low-current types tend to be series-wound yokes. Take care. Check the yoke and size box for excess heat. Some CRTs use a series-wound vertical coil and a parallel-wound horizontal coil. Deflection type. The size box presumes electromagnetic deflection, rather than electrostatic deflection. Electrostatic sets aren't completely out, though. Most electrostatic sets have small screens. If the CRT face is small enough, you don't need the size box. In that case, deflection type doesn't matter. Tube brightness is also a factor. Col-R-Tel and other converters seriously dim the picture. For this reason, some collectors swear by aluminized screens. Some electrostatic sets are very dim. Such sets require a different filter type than brighter, electromagnetic sets use. An electrostatic filter set passes more light. A bright set would wash out the colors. For a dim set, though, the special filters work surprisingly well. Consider The ElectronicsTV electronics. Besides deflection type, consider another electronic issue: Whether your set uses tubes or transistors. Color Converter, Inc. designed Col-R-Tel for tube TV electronics. I don't know what effect Col-R-Tel would have on transistor TV electronics. Such an experiment probably isn't a good gamble. Steer clear of transistor sets. Consider The CabinetCabinet style. Cabinet style is very important. Obviously, projection sets are out. Your candidate TV might have a rounded top. The Philco 48-1001 is such a set. (See my links, below.) On some round-tops, mounting the disc would be difficult. Still, you might be able to shim up the disc mount. Some sets include doors that might get in the way of the disc. If the cabinet has a raised center portion, you might have to build a support for the disc. For instance, such is the case with the Andrea model 1-F-5. Otherwise, this set might be a good bet. Many sets with small picture tubes will probably work, but you'll have to build a platform to bear the disc. Certainly a platform would be appropriate for a "scope set." Scope sets are tabletop units with tall, narrow cabinets that resemble oscilloscope cases. Sentinel, Tele-Tone and others made scope sets. Where are the TV controls? TV control position is important. In front of the TV, the Col-R-Tel disc takes up a lot of space. Viewers watch the TV image at the lower-right corner of the Col-R-Tel disc. The viewing window is at roughly five o'clock. On some TVs, the disc might block the TV controls. Maybe you should consider a TV model with side-mounted controls. At least, look for a TV with the picture tube on the left. Ideally, the controls should be on the right. Some suitable sets might have controls well below the picture area. The controls must clear the bottom of the disc enclosure. Pilot® ModelsCol-R-Tel expert Cliff Benham prefers some Pilot models. Here is an edited version of Cliff's Pilot set description. Cliff used the Pilot with his original Col-R-Tel installation in 1960...
Classic Sets That Might Host Col-R-TelOther sets that might support Col-R-Tel. Here are some sets that might be good choices for Col-R-Tel installation. I've located many of these sets in Morgan McMahon's A Flick of the Switch...
Photo links. Here are some sites with TV restoration photos. See the models that I list below...
Value of the Restored SetA note about value. After you recap the Col-R-Tel, install it and get everything working, what's the set worth? Harry Poster. Harry Poster's 1994 price guide lists a complete model 100-1 at $600. The color wheel alone is worth $400. Other kits or homemade wheels are only worth $75. Harry Poster collects and deals in vintage television sets. Apparently, his commercial interest isn't restoration. Instead, he rebuilds sets for TV, radio and advertising purposes. He also authors and publishes appraisal books. His Web site offers free appraisals. You can't beat that price. Harry's definitely the one to contact. Click... Harry Poster Audiokarma. At the Audiokarma forum, I read that one Col-R-Tel set sold on eBay for $4,000. To my way of thinking, that's a very inflated price. I can't believe that all such sets are worth anywhere near that amount. Maybe the unit was exceptional in some way. I've seen other eBay Col-R-Tel auctions that closed in the low hundreds of dollars. These lower prices are more in line with the Poster book. By the way, here's the link to the Audiokarma Col-R-Tel pages. Go to Page: 1 2 3 Next |
|
Copyright © 2006 by James T. Hawes. All rights reserved.
•URL: http://www.hawestv.com/mtv_color/colrtel_tvtype.htm
•Webmaster: James T. Hawes
|