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Studio263 · 3rd Nov 2011, 1:31 pm

I don't think the Starline name was ever used on a C2110 series set, it was for the in-line models (20AX / Hitachi PIL).

I'd rank them:

1) G8. The massive resources of Philips always seem to yield a good product, they made all their own components (tubes, semiconductors, passives, wound assemblies) too so in effect they could have whatever they wanted. Nice styling on the whole as well, especially the Nouveau 22. I always liked working on them, it all seemed very carefully thought out.
2) C2110. A poor-man's G8 in many ways but the decoder and IF sections are good and when did you ever have to change a dropper resistor in one? Only the timebases detract, that silly arrangement with the 47V zener in the emitter circuit of the line output transistor was a constant pain and the frame circuit was far from trouble free either. My other moans are that when the big electrolytics leak goo it ruins the power supply PCB and that stupid plastic cabinet that the C2111 had. Nice Hitachi tubes in the later ones though.
3) A823. Clever (it was one of the first solid state colour chassis) but flawed, those ICs in the decoder were far too fragile and the IF strip never seemed to quite work properly. The LOPT was good but replacing the line output transistors or the tripler was a chore. I've never seen a really good picture on one either, unlike the other two. I found them awkward to work on, thick cable forms covered in sticky residue from gaffa tape didn't help much and you couldn't easily get to both sides of the panels without dismantling things, unlike the GEC and the Philips.

3rd Nov 2011, 1:31 pm	#6
Studio263 Octode Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,578	Re: GEC2110 G8 A823, which is top? I don't think the Starline name was ever used on a C2110 series set, it was for the in-line models (20AX / Hitachi PIL). I'd rank them: 1) G8. The massive resources of Philips always seem to yield a good product, they made all their own components (tubes, semiconductors, passives, wound assemblies) too so in effect they could have whatever they wanted. Nice styling on the whole as well, especially the Nouveau 22. I always liked working on them, it all seemed very carefully thought out. 2) C2110. A poor-man's G8 in many ways but the decoder and IF sections are good and when did you ever have to change a dropper resistor in one? Only the timebases detract, that silly arrangement with the 47V zener in the emitter circuit of the line output transistor was a constant pain and the frame circuit was far from trouble free either. My other moans are that when the big electrolytics leak goo it ruins the power supply PCB and that stupid plastic cabinet that the C2111 had. Nice Hitachi tubes in the later ones though. 3) A823. Clever (it was one of the first solid state colour chassis) but flawed, those ICs in the decoder were far too fragile and the IF strip never seemed to quite work properly. The LOPT was good but replacing the line output transistors or the tripler was a chore. I've never seen a really good picture on one either, unlike the other two. I found them awkward to work on, thick cable forms covered in sticky residue from gaffa tape didn't help much and you couldn't easily get to both sides of the panels without dismantling things, unlike the GEC and the Philips.