Replace the tube or chuck it?

With repairs one has to start by determiing the cause of the fault. Otherwise nothing else one does is of any use. This is why we have repair people. It does not sound like you have a tube fault.

NT

A simple NO it is not cost affective, plus 15 years WOW the rest of the comps are most likely getting tired as well

but since that cant be the fault anyway...

NT

i'd start by changing the cap on ther RGB 200v line, often on the crt's circuit board.post results.

Not necessarily a tube problem you know . . . Usually there's some "blooming" (think that's what it is called) as the CRT gets weak - emission dropping. Lack of contrast as the scene brightens. Colors not right - isn't necessarily the tube either. So troubleshoot it with an open mind - all the other components are 15 years old.

Don't they still make/sell picture tube restorers or rejuvenators? May not be practical for one tube, but a service shop, or arcade game repair shop may do it for you.

I worked TV repair a zillion years ago and we'd tell the customer the bad news and give them the option - do it right there in the house if it was a road call or on the counter if they brought it in. In theory, some tubes die when restoring but I never saw it. I think they work by ripping some of the coating off the cathodes exposing fresh material.

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________________________ You have unwittingly answered your own question. Factory torched contrast settings are a sure way to sell TVs, but are sure to kill CRTs like yours and CRT projection sets early. Turn down the contrast as far as you can and can still see the picture. 15 years the phosphors on the tube face are probably toast. You may also bring up the "brightness"(dark shadow details) a little. This will bring out the light-gray pinstripes on a darkgray suit. _________________________

___________________ Color maligned - is it too red, too blue, or oversaturated in general? Turn color down until it just appears b&w - then turn it back up until color reappears. Think: Do the colors on that NASCAR paintjob really bleed into each other like that?? It's time to get the overbright, cartooney image of TV imposed by manufacturers out of your mind - NOW.

As for tint - trust me on this - tune to History Channel or C-Span when a closeup of a speaker is on. In the absence of blue bars or test patterns - simply adjust the tint until people look like...well...people!

These contingency settings will get you a vieweable picture while you evaluate your options. P.S: These lowered settings will after a while reveal the ringing and artificial lines the sharpness control is no doubt adding to subjects on screen - turn it down a little on a daily basis - you will start to see details previously lost when color and contrast were set to guide planes into municipal (laugh).

regards and happy viewing!

-CC

Tube replacement is not worth it, that doesn't sound like a tube fault to me though. The fact that it's bright when you first turn it on sounds like the tube is nice and strong.

Yes, I'm still puzzled at the replies discussing tube replacement, as I dont see how it could be that.

NT