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Summary: we got the monitor working (using a signal generator from the Seattle Living Computer Museum (thanks!)), but the display is very dim, probably due to t

by kens 10y ago

Summary: we got the monitor working (using a signal generator from the Seattle Living Computer Museum (thanks!)), but the display is very dim, probably due to the old CRT. Does anyone in the bay area have experience with CRT rejuvenation?

crististm 10y ago
Back in the days, folks used to slightly increase the filament voltage, from 6.3V to 7V or more. Sometimes you could even recover the CRT and it would work with the nominal filament voltage. This is a really unique piece of hardware and of course you might want to try this technique only if you have no choice.
userbinator 10y ago
There's other things that could cause a dim display, not necessarily just a worn tube. Low anode voltages is another possibility that comes to mind. The various television/electronics forums may have people willing to assist with troubleshooting. If it's really the tube, and it's a truly rare custom tube and not just something you might be able to find a suitable replacement for, maybe these guys can help: http://www.earlytelevision.org/crt_rebuild.html http://www.earlytelevision.org/crt_rebuild.html
- Animats 10y ago
  I was about to post a link to them. Full CRT rebuilding is a reasonable option for a B/W tube. (Color requires very precise electron gun alignment so the shadow mask lines up with the dots, and that's hard to do as a repair.) The last commercial CRT rebuilder for ordinary TVs in the US closed in 2010.[1] But there's still a company that does it for military display devices that need to be kept going.[2] "We are your obsolescence solution now and in the future." It really is a custom tube. PARC built the first tubes in-house (PARC was also a copier R&D facility, so they could build precision optoelectronics) but then sent the job out for production. [1] http://www.tvtechnology.com/miscellaneous/0008/last-lone-wolf-crt-rebuilder-closing/206279 http://www.tvtechnology.com/miscellaneous/0008/last-lone-wol... [2] http://www.thomaselectronics.com/ http://www.thomaselectronics.com/
mikejmoffitt 10y ago
If you wait for half a year, I own two rejuvinator units and have used them to restore some tunes. Once I move to the Bay Area I'd be happy to lend them out.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

by kens 10y ago

crististm 10y ago

Back in the days, folks used to slightly increase the filament voltage, from 6.3V to 7V or more. Sometimes you could even recover the CRT and it would work with the nominal filament voltage. This is a really unique piece of hardware and of course you might want to try this technique only if you have no choice.

userbinator 10y ago

There's other things that could cause a dim display, not necessarily just a worn tube. Low anode voltages is another possibility that comes to mind. The various television/electronics forums may have people willing to assist with troubleshooting. If it's really the tube, and it's a truly rare custom tube and not just something you might be able to find a suitable replacement for, maybe these guys can help: http://www.earlytelevision.org/crt_rebuild.html http://www.earlytelevision.org/crt_rebuild.html

Animats 10y ago
I was about to post a link to them. Full CRT rebuilding is a reasonable option for a B/W tube. (Color requires very precise electron gun alignment so the shadow mask lines up with the dots, and that's hard to do as a repair.) The last commercial CRT rebuilder for ordinary TVs in the US closed in 2010.[1] But there's still a company that does it for military display devices that need to be kept going.[2] "We are your obsolescence solution now and in the future." It really is a custom tube. PARC built the first tubes in-house (PARC was also a copier R&D facility, so they could build precision optoelectronics) but then sent the job out for production. [1] http://www.tvtechnology.com/miscellaneous/0008/last-lone-wolf-crt-rebuilder-closing/206279 http://www.tvtechnology.com/miscellaneous/0008/last-lone-wol... [2] http://www.thomaselectronics.com/ http://www.thomaselectronics.com/

mikejmoffitt 10y ago

If you wait for half a year, I own two rejuvinator units and have used them to restore some tunes. Once I move to the Bay Area I'd be happy to lend them out.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]