[old_tv_nut]

This question of resistor tolerance reminds me of the question of whether the major brand TVs were actually better quality than second tier. In terms of component tolerance the answer is yes, since the high volume of Zenith or RCA meant that they could get parts cheaper. At Motorola, standard practice was to use 10% resistors in designs unless 5% was absolutely necessary, while Zenith used 5% as the default until analysis showed 10% would not reduce final yield. When I moved from Motorola to Zenith I was surprised to find the lab stocked with 5% resistors instead of mostly 10%.