4501

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Tektronix 4501
Scan converter
Tektronix 4501

Produced from 1969 to (?)

Manuals
(All manuals in PDF format unless noted otherwise)
Manuals – Specifications – Links – Pictures

The Tektronix 4501 is a scan converter, an analog memory device with readout in the form of a composite TV signal. The R4501 is the rack-mount version.

It contains a Tek-produced 5" bistable storage tube. Effective resolution is 125×100.

The 4501 has a differential X/Y and intensity (Z) inputs and can produce either 525-line/60 Hz or 625-line/50 Hz video (monochrome).

The 4501 was designed in Chuck Gibson's group, which was a small group exploring new products using Tek technologies, principally CRTs. George Edens, Chuck Gibson plus one or two others in the group worked on the design. Dan Denham may have helped, but he was new to the group at the time and did not do any significant engineering design on the 4501.

The goal of the 4501 was to use the Tek bistable storage CRT as a memory device from which an image could be displayed on a much larger CRT display for group viewing. The 4501 was a scan converter using the same CRT as the 601. Once an image was stored on the CRT phosphors, the electron beam energy was lowered and the screen was scanned at NTSC rates and specs. The signal was obtained from the CRT screen, then sent to a monochrome display. Any image such as graphs could be stored and displayed. There was no gray scale capability; it was all black and white on a TV type screen. The 4501 could be placed on a desk, or rack mounted.

The 6 inch Anderson storage tube was used. It was a ceramic envelope, flat glass faceplate CRT manufactured by Tek.

Key Specifications

  • please add

Pictures