Summary

GE 27" Remote Stereo Color TV. 500 lines of high resolution (video in). Super VHS connector. 36-key GE TV/VCR unified remote with on-screen picture adjustments plus clock, sleep timer, alarm timer. Walnut finish.

Mid-range set with s-video input and huge 8" x 3" stereo speakers.

Manuals

• Schematics and troubleshooting are accessible in the book Servicing RCA/GE Televisions: Tips and "Trade Secrets" From CTC130 to the CTC195/197 Series which can be borrowed online for free
• Sam's for purchase

• Profax schematic in October 1991 issue of Electronic Servicing & Technology (yet to be made freely available)

  Media & Promo Materials

• Consumer Reports March 1991 includes ratings for this set's predecessor the 27GT609
• 1992 Ad in The Time News, Idaho
• 1993 Ad in Cohasset Mariner, Massachusetts

Notes

• AV input is channel 91, and s-video is channel 90.
• After pressing the power button, the unit pictured would initially show a flat blue line as if vertically collapsed, but then a relay would click and it would disappear and then the raster would draw full size with the channel number indicated on-screen.

This General Electric 27GT610 uses the same "Very High Performance" tube series as early 27" D-series - and it likewise has erratic horizontal linearity. Although AEG tubes have a more advanced focusing system (and slightly finer pitch), they are also much flatter, having a non-spherical 1.7R curvature as opposed to the standard 1.0R of cheaper ADT tubes. But, flatter tubes require more sophisticated circuitry in the chassis to maintain consistency across the whole screen unless the manufacturer skimps in this area.

Note the corner circles in the circles test pattern - they're shaped like eggs. The grid pattern lines up with the edges of the screen okay, though that doesn't indicate whether the lines are squeezing and stretching across the screen by just looking at the edges. Linearity issues are much more conspicuous with the circles test pattern, but it was taken out of later versions of 240p test suite (so it's good to have an earlier release as well).

Predictably the scroll test looks like a funhouse mirror - just like on the first two years of 27" D-series. This D-Series linearity issue has been documented by various others besides myself, including prolific RGB mod guide writer Sunthar.

Later 27" D-Series dropped the flatter more expensive AEG tubes, and they accordingly don't have that wonky horizontal linearity any more (a set cannot be judged by tube specs alone).

Pros:

• S-Video input
• Huge 8" x 3" Stereo Speakers
• Woodgrain + Dark Gray aesthetic (subjective though many find woodgrain more charming than plain black or silver)

Cons:

• Unusually bad linearity

Verdict: Expect wonkiness on sidescrollers, but fine otherwise with nicer sound for a TV