RCA Experimental Flat CRT

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Postwar Television

RCA Experimental Flat CRT

Early Television

This tube is apparently an experimental flat CRT, probably color. Maybe called a "Lollipop" tube.

The tube was in the collection of the Sarnoff Library and was donated to the Early Television Museum when the library closed. Thanks to Dave Sica and John Tyminski for rescuing it and delivering it to the museum.

Bill Gallas wrote:

As a new associate joining RCA labs in October of 1982 I worked on uProcessor based TV tuners, IR remotes, CED disc games and apps, Digital video, and Home PC projects. Approximately mid 1983 I saw a demo of a "flat" CRT TV system. There was a large (42u) rack of equipment driving a Flat CRT lollipop tube that was hand manufactured at RCA lab's model shop. The video was sharp and of very good quality for a developmental system. There were both color as well as monochrome tubes of differing diagonal measurements The demo was of the mono-chrome version of the Flat CRT.. On the back of the tube (opposite the viewing screen) was a magnetic coil assembly and a yoke was fitted to the tube neck. The yoke was used to sweep the electron beam and the back magnetic assembly bent the electron beam 90 degrees to hit the screen phosphors at right angles to the screen surface. The tube glass was a funnel assembly and a front and rear flat screen assembly. The internal display elements (phosphors) were affixed to the front screen and the two halves were cemented together. The funnel assembly with the electron gun was then cemented to the screen carrier. The small stub to the right of the gun neck is the second anode connection. A vacuum port at the pin end of the neck was used to pull a high vacuum to enable CRT operation. In late 1983 or early 1984 I heard that the entire project had been cancelled and all the equipment destroyed. Sorry I don't have any pictures as cameras were forbidden, only corporate sponsored photography was allowed in those days.