CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Posted this in HD Fury thread by mistake, sorry.

My blue crt is much dimmer than the others. When I display color select in setup with the grid, the red and green patterns are very bright, the blue is dim. So much so that it is hard to do the Blue Green convergence cuz I can hardly see the blue. Does this indicate I am reaching the end of life on the blue crt? Or could I increase the intensity somehow? I tried playing
with color balance, but it doesn't help.

Any ideas ?

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

When was the last time you adjusted the G2 on the CRTs ?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:18 am Post subject:

Swap the CRT sockets/video neck boards between tubes. I've had those go bad, causing low output. I've got spares here.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Swapped the green and blue neck boards, blue crt still dim. I have never gone thru the G2 adjustment procedure but even if I max out the blue P2 pot, the trace lines are still dim. Run time on pj shows 7292 h. Red and Green are still very bright.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:23 pm Post subject:

unusual (but possible) that the blue tube is bad. Are they Sony or MEC?

Sony tubes each ahve a red wire going from the CRT socket to the G2/focus block, and are prone to low emission more than the MEC tubes.

Did this happen overnight, or over time?

If you ahev the large black cased CRT sockets/video amps, swap the RCA video input lead from the blue to the green and see if that dims the green tube.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

They are Sony tubes. I believe that it gradually got dimmer over the last few years and I didn't notice till now that the picture was darker. Whites seem dingie and yellowish.

I already swapped the neck boards. Is that the same as the "black cased CRT sockets/video amps" ?

I will try to swap the RCA video input leads between green and blue tonight.

Hey also, I'm having trouble finding the brightness and contrast controls on the Universal remote you gave me with the unit. Do you remember how it's programmed?

Thanks.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:26 pm Post subject:

Yes, volume and channel up and down is brightness and contrast.

If they are the Sony tubes, then you might not have the RCA connectors on the top of the video amps, as you have the later style.

Also, if it did this over a long period of time, then it is most definitely the tube.

There is a way to install MEC tubes into that set if you want, the catch being that it's probably cheaper finding you another set than selling you all three tubes plus mounting brackets.

I _might_ have a decent Sony blue tube. I have about three BG808s that use the same tube, but they have some wear. One tube is about an 8, but has a narrow width wear pattern, I'll bet it will be a huge improvement over what you have though. Emission is excellent. Others have slightly uneven wear, I can check if you want.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

I tried swapping the green and blue RCA connectors on the top of the neck boards. The green still displayed, but blue did not. In fact, I could barely read the menu as it was trying to display on the blue crt.

I guess low emissions is not necessarily the same as phosphor wear? Does blue typically go out before than red and green?

How much do you think it would cost to get another blue CRT?

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Hey Curt. Didn't you just recently get a Sencore? Here's your first victim..... Laughing

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Well, I now have a Mitsubishi HC6800 in my theater. It's a 3 chip LCD. Looks great. I still have my Barco 1208, but the blue crt is low emission. In some ways, I like the 1080p from the Barco better if it were just a little brighter, which I think it would be if I had a better blue crt. Plus the Barco is a lot more fun to "tinker" with. Smile

So, I may keep the Barco, too, if I can fix it cheap. If not, I will probably look for a buyer, someone who would want to fix it right.

Curt, how much would a blue crt run me?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:11 am Post subject:

If you want to send me your blue tube, no charge but shipping to see if I can 'zap' it. I do want to see if the Sencore can bring that to life.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Cool! I'll need to look into how to do that. I assume it's fully documented on your site.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Curt,
I am going to try to pull that blue CRT from the Barco 1208 this weekend. Do you think I can leave it on the ceiling or will I have to pull it down to do it?

Also, I have a RGB Switcher board that wont pass the Red or Blue signal, only green makes it through. Is that something you could repair?

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

Anyone tried to replace a Barco 1208 CRT while still mounted on the ceiling? Should I try it?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:35 pm Post subject:

You can, but I wouldn't. It's too tight a space behind the neck, there's a good chance you'll snap it (or the new tube)

Yes, I can repair (or swap you) for a working switcher board.

jask · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 10187 Location: kamloops BC

I just did mine on the ceiling, you can do it but the fit tolerances on the tube housings is very tight. With the weight of the tube assembly trying to line up the overlapping tabs and slide the pivot pin into place is frustrating with less than three or four hands.

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

I'm looking for a new BLUE CRT for my Barco 1208. It is a Sony Tube. Anyone have one they want to sell?

wellborn2001 · Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 35

PS. I'm looking for a "working" Blue CRT Smile

Ile · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:57 am Post subject: