CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[tye3333]

Hi Everyone
Im trying to find some replacement tubes or equivalent types for, Hitachi 180cgb22(R), 180cgb22(G), 180cgb22(B). my tubes work but have very Very bad burn.
Any help or info would be good.

Thank you
Tye

[tschaeikaei]

Hi, there are 8" panasonic tubes called 180DMB22 or 180DVB22, it may be that they could fit.
Also, they made 180DYB22 and more like that.
Is this a Hitachi projector? Which one?
I don't think these tubes were made by Hitachi, seems they relabeled Panasonic tubes like other projector manufacturers did, to.
There are guys with more experience than myself, but try to find technical data sheets and pinouts of you existing tubes.
That may help.
Regards, Julian

[tye3333]

Thanks for the quick reply, I'm impressed you can just remember that stuff off the top of your head.
The tubes are from a rear projector tv from an arcade game, thus the really bad burn.
I could list the pin outs and volts ect If that would heap people identify a replacement

Thanks for your help
Tye

[Curt Palme]

Tye, no they won't fit. You won't find replacement tubes for any consumer or arcade TV set, as they haven't been manufactured in years. All you can do is google them, or look on eBay, as there are lots of sellers for video game units. VDC was the last company manufacturing consumer tubes, and they shut down about 7 years ago.

[Curt Palme]

Tye, no they won't fit. You won't find replacement tubes for any consumer or arcade TV set, as they haven't been manufactured in years. All you can do is google them, or look on eBay, as there are lots of sellers for video game units. VDC was the last company manufacturing consumer tubes, and they shut down about 7 years ago.

[cmjohnson]

If they're from a rear projection set then they're probably quite different from the 180DMB or DBV series tubes.

It would be helpful if you can post pictures showing the tubes you need to replace.

Those pictures should show the tube from all angles. It would help to place a ruler near them when taking the pictures
so we can see if the tubes are even physically similar.


My suspicion is that the tubes you seek are short neck tubes and they may be electrostatic focus.


Here is a Hitachi 180CYB tube, my guess is that yours is a lot like this. I was not able to find a picture of a 180CNB type but I believe they are very similar.





Here's the more usual types of 8" CRTs that are used in front proijection equipment which is what this particular subforum is all about.




As you can see, the neck on the Hitachi tube shown is considerably shorter.


With very, very few exceptions, RPTVs use tubes that have shorter necks on them and are not compatible with CRTs used
in front projection systems.


I found that Hitachi 180CYB tube picture on ebay. There are some tubes on ebay that may be close enough to work.

[tschaeikaei]

Yes, that tube (180CNB22 R, not CYB) is a lot shorter than front projection tubes used in our projectors.
Would you tell us the overall length of your burnt tubes, tye333? But glass only, without the cooling/optical attachment on the front face.
I'd bet they run on lower (<30kV) anode voltage, maybe there is some stamp or sticker on your machine?

But for final answer, follow Curts advice. He has the experience, I don't know much about RPTV or arcade stuff.
But guys, is my guess about these tubes being Panasonics right?

Regards, Julian

[cmjohnson]

Actually Hitachi made most of its own CRTs as I understand it. If the label says Hitachi, it was probably made in a Hitachi factory.

[Curt Palme]

Good point CM. I think your only option is eBay. My guess also though is that perhaps a number of RP tubes do interchange, so it may be possible that a Panasonic would work, although the pinout of the tube base might be different.

[Curt Palme]

Good point CM. I think your only option is eBay. My guess also though is that perhaps a number of RP tubes do interchange, so it may be possible that a Panasonic would work, although the pinout of the tube base might be different.

[cmjohnson]

Well, we know that most CRTs could be adapted to run in a great variety of sets, with the modifications needed being anything from close to nothing to major adaptations, but pretty much a CRT is a CRT.

I would suggest taking a trip to your local electronic recycler's and checking out some RPTVs that have been sent there to be recycled. If you can find one that has similar tubes that are in good shape then you may be able to adapt and retrofit some or all of that RPTV's guts to run with your existing unit.

My first projection TV experiences involved retrofitting and upgrading my 45" Mitsubishi RPTV to a newer, higher performing set of tubes
that were never originally intended for that model set. But since the change was from one Mitsu model to another, it was all pretty much a plug-and-play retrofit. A few adjustments to G2 and focus voltage, and then a full convergence, and it looked very good indeed.

So, with that in mind, if you can figure out what company made your chassis, then I'd be hunting for an RPTV with good tubes that
was made by the same company and then the odds of being able to retrofit the new tubes or tube rack become pretty good.


Actually I just remembered...my old Mitsu RPTV originally had the silicone gel coolant system. Which had the virtue of being leakproof.
I retrofitted it to true liquid cooling using parts and tubes from a later model. Never had a problem.

[tschaeikaei]

Hm ok, did not know about Hitachi making their own tubes.
Is there an explanation for the Panasonic-like naming?

[cmjohnson]

There are some industry standard tube identification schemes that are used by most if not all manufacturers.

It's common practice in the industry to try to standardize parts identification.

You can buy a 6L6GC vacuum tube from any manufacturer and get tubes that are very similiar and will run
interchangeably. Or you could when we had multiple active tube manufacturers.


Some companies do use proprietary part numbers but mostly it's so that the customer buys the factory part
instead of one made by another manufacturer, even though it will work.

An example is the P19LPB tube. Sony calls it an 09MEX.something. (2, I think.) . I have a Lexel tube that carries both ID numbers.


Look at the shape of the bell glass on that Hitachi tube. It's characteristic of Hitachi tubes, and quite different from the shape of
the bell glass on Panasonic tubes. Sony tubes are still different again.



Hitachi certainly ran its own CRT plants. Here's news of one closing back in 2003: One that made PROJECTION CRTs.

http://www.glassonline.com/site/news/topic/Sector-trends/id/6536/Hitachi-Electronic-Devices-jobs-go-at-CRT-plant

[cmjohnson]

Oh yeah, you might just try checking ebay for a Hitachi rear projection TV (tubed) near you. If it's a running unit,
you will probably be able to retrofit its chassis into your arcade machine with a little creativity. Or it might be a good parts source.


There are some Hitachi RPTV CRTs on ebay right now. P16 somethings. That's an 8" tube and it may be close enough to work without a lot of work.

I do expect that you're going to have to invest some effort into adapting different tubes into your set if you can't find exact replacements.

[tye3333]

Hey thanks guys, I didn't think I would even get a reply and its sparked a whole conversation . Attached is a photo of the tube, any replacement tube will do me, my biggest problem I live in a small city and can not find any RPTV that I could pull tubes from and hoping I could buy from someone?
I have a set of Sony tubes (in photo) that won't fit and are no use to me, are they worth anything to anyone?
Thanks again guys.

[tye3333]

Also added tube info

[tye3333]

Sorry having problems with uploading a photo, just look on my dropbox

Tubes:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/buu22itrqslhjxi/File%206-06-2016%2C%205%2009%2008%20PM.jpeg?dl=0

Info:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7gujo3wy05fcop8/File%206-06-2016%2C%205%2009%2040%20PM.jpeg?dl=0

[cmjohnson]

Hey, CRT is fun. Especially for those of us who like to try to figure out ways to run tubes in sets that weren't originally intended to run that particular type.



Sometimes we may get a bit worked up over a difference of opinion, but this bunch generally is about the fun of a picture delivered by the "primitive" vacuum tube known as a CRT. Doing a lot with just a LITTLE bit of technology.

[tschaeikaei]

Hm, your 180CNB tube seems to be a EM focus, but the SD187 is ES focus.
Even if did get it to work, it would be a significant downgrade.
I measured the legth of a 180 DMB22. It is about 40.5cm.
So if you can arrange space for those 4cm longer necks, you could possibly use the tubes.
I did not check the electrical characteristics yet.
Regards, Julian

[cmjohnson]

You might want to look at the tubes currently available from Mikado Maybe something matches up well enough.

http://www.mikado-seisakusho.com/04_ecrt.html

VDC in Georgia is a Mikado dealer. They MAY carry every kind of tube Mikado currently makes. NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.

[cmjohnson]

You might want to give these guys a call, too. They may have a tube that will work in your application.

http://www.tvserviceparts.com/Hitachi_Picture_Tubes.html