CBS Chromacoder

[John Hafer]

Hello All:

I am an early color TV buff and am trying to find out more information about the early CBS Chromacoder system.

It is my understanding that when the FCC finally approved the NTSC color system in 1953, CBS came up with a system that could convert the output from their original color wheel color cameras and convert them to an NTSC signal.

I would think that this would have been a very cost effective system since these cameras were B&W single tube cameras with a mechanical color wheel mounted in front of the pickup tube, i.e., like the flying spot scanner systems, versus the more complex 3-tube (RCA-TK-40/41) cameras of their time.

It apparently did not work well since CBS ended up purchasing some RCA cameras back then.

See the link:
http://www.earlytelevision.org/chromacoder.html

Anyone know of this system or have any more information on it?

Thanks.