Last month I stumbled upon a batch of Minolta CA-100 CRT Colour analysers, for $39,- each. so I thought, what the heck, let's order some and perhaps I can build one working unit out of the 3, since they looked Used with a capital U, obviously production floor units.
Once they got here they looked horrible, very dirty, full with stickers, and obviously not taken care of very well.
The stickers indicated these units used to be in an LG factory, and the units are date-coded on internals as from 1992. OK fun facts, let's clean them up. so I did, took it all apart, removed all the dust, grime and so on, and after scrubbing and removing all the stickers, labels and grime they look pretty mint now, with exception of the CRT probes, as one would expect for their age and use, but the units turned on, and seemed to function. after finding that the switches had some mechanical damage, and some did not work I replaced them and now all 3 units work!
I did however find something interesting stuck to one of the CRT probes, a small Apple logo from a Colour Classic! (or at least, the logo types they then used, also for the LC's and other computers) very intriguing, as we know that LG made machines for Apple in those days! I have the sneaking suspicion that I have found a CRT tester from the Apple production line, because how else can that logo be stuck to the test probe!
These units test CRT colour accuracy and brightness, with the x-y-Y method (I yet have to learn some more about that) and can also do R-G-B measurements IF you have Minolta's expansion card and those unfortunately did not come with the machines. so if anyone has Minolta CA-A15 or CA-A16 cards laying about, do let me know~!
Just thought it would be a fun thing to share!
Arjen.
Once they got here they looked horrible, very dirty, full with stickers, and obviously not taken care of very well.
The stickers indicated these units used to be in an LG factory, and the units are date-coded on internals as from 1992. OK fun facts, let's clean them up. so I did, took it all apart, removed all the dust, grime and so on, and after scrubbing and removing all the stickers, labels and grime they look pretty mint now, with exception of the CRT probes, as one would expect for their age and use, but the units turned on, and seemed to function. after finding that the switches had some mechanical damage, and some did not work I replaced them and now all 3 units work!
I did however find something interesting stuck to one of the CRT probes, a small Apple logo from a Colour Classic! (or at least, the logo types they then used, also for the LC's and other computers) very intriguing, as we know that LG made machines for Apple in those days! I have the sneaking suspicion that I have found a CRT tester from the Apple production line, because how else can that logo be stuck to the test probe!
These units test CRT colour accuracy and brightness, with the x-y-Y method (I yet have to learn some more about that) and can also do R-G-B measurements IF you have Minolta's expansion card and those unfortunately did not come with the machines. so if anyone has Minolta CA-A15 or CA-A16 cards laying about, do let me know~!
Just thought it would be a fun thing to share!
Arjen.
