R.C.A. CUTS PRICE OF COLOR TV SETS (Published 1964) (2024)

In an attempt to broaden the market for color television, the 1965 RCA Victor line will have a starting price of $399.95, or $50 below 1964's lowest list price.

This was announced here yes­terday at a press conference sponsored by the RCA Sales Corporation, a division of the Radio Corporation of America. Four of the sets, it was said, will have retail prices below $500 — the approximate starting price until a year ago.

Also displayed was a labora­tory model of the new 25‐inch diameter, 90‐degree, rectangu­lar color TV picture tube. This is expected to be in actual pro­duction late this year. Present color TV picture tubes are 21 inches, 70 degrees, and round. It was estimated that the new tubes would he inches shallower than the existing ones and will have a screen area of about 300 square inches. The new tube, with a depth of 20⅞ inches, will eventually enable R. C. A. to offer a slim­mer color set.

Automatic Degausser'

One of the features of the new color TV sets, known as the Mark 10 line, is an exclusive RCA automatic “degausser.” This is said to cancel magnetic impurities in the color picture, allowing the moving of the set to various parts of the home without a serviceman. The de­vice, known as the automatic color purifier, is used in all but three of the 23 new color models. It is also said to be able to remove unwanted color areas from black and white pic­tures.

Raymond W. Saxon, presi­dent, noted that the company did not increase prices with the addition of ultra‐high frequency tuning, which previously meant price increases up to $30.

By Federal decree, all tele­vision receivers made after April 30 must provide for both VHF and UHF, producing all‐channel television capable of receiving pictures originating in both color and black‐and­white on Channels 2 through 83.

Also shown were new 19­inch and 23‐inch portable TV sets with new tubes that re­quire no safety glass. These are lighter in weight than this y'ear's models and less costly, it was said.

The 1965 RCA Victor radios

“Solid state” means the use of a solid substance, such as silicon, in a small transistor­type device that performs func­tions similar to that of a vacu­um tube. The result is said to be a longer‐lasting and much smaller package.

All of the 1965 models will go on sale this fall.

Mr. Saxon estimated that 1.3 million color TV sets would be sold by the entire industry this year. This compares with 750,000 sold in 1963.

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