Patent GB-1022685-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to direct-current coupled transistor amplifiers for television signals
IPC: H04N5/14
Filed: 1962-09-11
Abstract: 1,022,685. Television. PHILIPS ELECTRONIC & ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES Ltd. Sept. 11, 1962 [Sept. 14, 1961], No. 34694/62. Heading H4F. The collector of the transistor 10 in a directcurrent coupled television amplifier is connected to supply a signal to the cathode of the picture display tube 14 via a contrast control potentiometer 20 and a voltage stabilizing element 12 is connected between the negative supply terminal (-54 volts) and the collector load resistor 11 for the purpose of providing a potential difference which serves to permit a variation of the brightness of the reproduced picture. Thus, in the example described, element 12 provides of potential drop of 15 volts so that the maximum negative potential which the cathode of tube 14 may assume (corresponding to peak white with the collector current of transistor 10 at a minimum) is 39 volts. For maximum picture brightness the brightness control potentiometer 18, which is connected (in series with a resistor 19) between the negative (-54 volts) and positive (+12 volts) supply terminals, is adjusted so that the grid of tube 13 is just negative (say 0À5-1 volt) of the cathode. A reduction in picture brightness may then be obtained by adjusting the tapping of potentiometer 18 towards the negative potential end, the maximum range of adjustment available corresponding to the potential drop across element 12, namely 15 volts. Contrast control potentiometer 20 is arranged so that the brightness adjustment remains independent of the contrast adjustment. To this end the potentiometer is connected to a potential divider 21, 22 which is arranged to provide a potential equal to that at the collector of transistor 10 during black level. By this means the picture black level and brightness becomes independent of the adjustment of potentiometer 20. Element 12 may comprise a resistor formed from sintered silicon carbide or a Zener diode. Series or parallel resistors may be associated with element 12 for the purpose of causing a shift in black level with mean picture brightness. This may be used to compensate for black level errors which are introduced by the transistor amplifier due to capacitance associated with the emitter and collector circuits. Alternatively a shift towards black for a reduction in picture brightness may be introduced for the purpose of compensating for dark adaption in the eye. To. allow for the time for dark adaption a large capacitor 28 is connected in parallel with the circuit including element 12. The capacitor may be dispensed with if the element has a temperature dependent characteristic and a suitable time constant. To avoid long leads from the cathode of tube 14 to contrast control potentiometer 20 (normally mounted at the front of a television receiver), the potentiometer may be formed of a normal resistor and a photo-sensitive resistor exposed to a light source. The combination may be mounted near to tube 14 and the current for the light source controlled by a resistor mounted at the front of the receiver. Tube 14 is blanked by separate pulses applied via thermal 16 to the grid, the synchronizing components being eliminated from the signal applied to the cathode by a black level limiter 25 connected to the collector of transistor 10. The base of transistor 10 is supplied from a common collector stage 8 (as illustrated) when no signal inversion is necessary or a common emitter stage when signal inversion is necessary. In a modification the brightness adjustment is effected by varying the cathode potential of the cathode-ray tube the grid being maintained at a fixed potential by the use of a fixed potentiometer 18 or by connecting it to the negative terminal of the supply. The circuit is otherwise modified as shown in dotted lines by the provision of a brightness control potentiometer 32 which is connected to the ends of the contrast control potentiometer by resistors 30, 31. The values of the resistors are selected in conjunction with the values of resistor 13 and 22 and the emitter-collector resistance of transistor 10 so that for black level zero potential appears across the contrast potentiometer 20. The brightness then remains independent of the adjustment of the potentiometer and is determined solely by the potential applied from potentiometer 32 to both ends of the potentiometer 20 and thence to the tube cathode. With this arrangement, it is stated, the potential drop required across element 12 may be reduced. This modified arrangement forms the subject of Specification 1,022,686.