Advent VideoBeam 1000 (1975)
A plug-and-play CRT-based home video projection system with a fixed 7-foot diagonal screen and rear-projected sound.
Overview
The Advent VideoBeam 1000 is a CRT color television projector system developed and manufactured by Advent Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Introduced in 1975, it was the first of its kind, pioneering home-video projection with a plug-and-play design requiring minimal user adjustments. The system uses three RGB cathode ray tubes with Schmidt optics, where the phosphor is deposited on an internal plate in front of a spherical mirror, and projects both picture and sound from the base toward a curved screen, which reflects the image and audio back to the viewer. Audio is produced by a permanent magnet dynamic loudspeaker mounted in the projector base. The projector and screen are sold as a matched pair, with a fixed projection distance of 100 inches.
Specifications
| Production Year | 1975 |
| Screen Size | 51.5" x 68.5" (7-foot diagonal) |
| Projection Distance | Fixed at 100 inches |
| Number of Tubes | 3 (RGB) |
| Wave Bands | VHF including FM and UHF |
| Tuner | Single knob VHF/UHF tuner with AFC |
| Remote Control | Available as an option (described as "big boxy") |
| Power Supply | AC 120 Volt |
| Power Consumption | 180 W |
| Projector Weight | 140 lbs |
| Screen Weight | 68 lbs |
| Audio Output | 5 W |
| Audio Frequency Response | 80 - 12,000 Hz |
| Construction | Solid state with semiconductors; multiple boards on swing-out chassis |
| Standard | US FCC NTSC |
Design
The VideoBeam 1000 features solid-state construction with a swing-out chassis housing multiple circuit boards and includes protective circuitry that blanks the tubes in case of deflection failure or anode over-voltage. It uses Advent’s proprietary "LightGuide" projection tubes with Schmidt optics and includes a built-in cross hatch generator for convergence adjustment, which users had to calibrate for up to two hours after startup. The projector cannot be refocused—its distance to the screen is fixed. A "Normal/External" switch is located next to the volume control, and the system includes a scratchy potentiometer prone to wear over time. The CRTs were manufactured in-house at Advent’s Cambridge factory.
Context
The VideoBeam 1000 was developed in-house at Advent under founder Henry Kloss, who aimed to pioneer home-video projection. It was succeeded by the VideoBeam 1000A about a year later. Advent lost money on each unit sold, offsetting losses with profits from its speakers. The company discontinued production in the early 1980s as competitors entered the market and sales declined. The system saw commercial use, including in Gatti's Pizza restaurants, where units typically lasted 3–4 years before replacement.
Market
Original price was $2,500. Common failures include damaged screens—any contact can ruin reflectivity, requiring full replacement—and degraded CRTs, which are now unobtainable. Electrolytic capacitors often fail and should be checked, and RGB video output transistors may need replacement. Cleaning the screen improperly was a frequent cause of damage. Parts are scarce, though some service replacements were provided by Advent during its operational years, and limited supplies of unused components surfaced as recently as 2014 and 2017.
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