Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3. No. 11 TELEVISION DIGm— 7 • • MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, HNANCE RCA TO MANUFACTURE KIMCODE TUBES: New Kimcode picture tube has now made nearly complete sweep of OEM picture-tube industry — to extent that 5 out of 7 tube makers now are set up to make it and ore currently offering it or will soon make it available. RCA Electron Tube Div. will announce to set makers within next 2 or 3 weeks that it will offer the new type picture tube in 3 black-<&white sizes — 16-, 19 & 23-in. Already in production or prepared to produce it are tube makers Sylvonia, National Video, GE & Westinghouse — which together supply about 85% of set makers picture-tube requirements. Kimcode tube, originally developed by Owens-Illinois Glass Co., uses steel tension band around faceplate, fiberglass coating around funnel, requires no implosion glass or plastic. RCA is understood to have developed new secret manufacturing process for Kimcode-type tubes. Company spokesman denied any plans for "immediate" production of Kimcode tubes. Nevertheless, RCA is seeking UL approval for its new tube in all 3 sizes. Although UL listing already has been granted for 19 & 23-in. Kimcodes, it's understood new approval is required because of difference in manufacture of RCA tube. This could mean RCA plans to use different type of epoxy resin to fasten fiberglass sleeve to funnel. Two resins — made by Dow Chemical & Union Carbide — ore now UL-approved for Kimcode. Two other resin systems have been proposed — by Ciba, and more recently by Shell Chemical, the latter claimed to permit curing at lower temperature and in half the time required by others. If tube makers are getting excited about Kimcode, set makers ore still reluctant — but curious. Only one known to be using new-type tubes in existing sets is Curtis Mathes, although Westinghouse is imderstood to be shipping Kimcode tubes to imdisclosed customer in Germany. All set makers ore looking into Kimcode — and, although it's unlikely that many will appear in spring-summer lines, it's good guess there'll be Kimcode-equipped drop-in models by many manufacturers next foU. RCA Tube Div.'s entry into Kimcode market will naturally give rise to speculation that RCA Victor Div. may be interested in process for drop-in models. Picture tube engineers are still experimenting with Kimcode modifications. One tube maker is hoping to offer tube with moimting lugs, which he maintains will add further to savings he soys ore inherent in Kimcode. He claims that Kimcode tube in 19-in. version can "save set manufacturers at least $1 compared with any other type." NEXT U.S. PICTURE-TUBE SIZE — 11-IN.: You can now chalk it up as definite : Next new size in American TV picture tubes will be 11-in. In essence, this will be squored-off version of old 10-in. size, as for as picture shap>e is concerned. This size will be even more controversial than 16-in. Most TV manufacturers will ignore it — at least for while. There are 2 schools of thought among U.S. set makers : Ignore tiny imports, or try to beat importers at their own game. It now is definite that 2 manufacturers will offer 11 -in. sets this summer. As we suggested 2 months ago, these set makers will be GE & Admiral. It's good guess that both will cdm at attractive lightweight personal-type set which can be sold for less than $100. Whether either will make it at this price still remains to be seen. Sets will not be transistorized or battery-operated, although such versions could come in about a year. GE & Admiral developed their tubes independently. Different glass makers ore involved — Lancaster