Parts From an Old Hickok TV Pattern Generator

Had picked up a high voltage probe from a freecycler but the box also contained other random electronics including a little black box. When I opened the black box, the label said "Hickok Model 239 MOS LSI Color Bar Pattern Generator". As old CRT TVs are pretty much gone, I would have no use for what must have been a very handy device to check your TV. I quickly took it apart (tear down is shown in a youtube video) to see what parts I could use.

In addition to a nice power switch, 3 way slider switches and a sliding potentiometer, the single circuit board showed 3 ICs, two of which were socketed so easy to remove.

Step 1: Useful ICs From an TV Pattern Generator

There was a metal can IC, a CA 3053 op amp for RF frequencies (DC-120MHz) which would be useful for RF instrument amps and of course for radio stuff which I am not into right now but that could change. So worth keeping.

The other IC was a transistor array, CA3086, with 5 transistors, again for DC to 120 MHz. So another useful chip. The third image shows a snapshot from a datasheet with a layout for a broadband amplifier.

Step 2: Pattern Generator IC

The heart of the Hickok pattern generator was of course a pattern generator IC. The web provided the datasheets for the NM5322 pattern generator IC. This was surprisingly easy to use. Four switch settings (On or OFF) provided 12 different video patterns. Intriguing.

No idea how if ever I would use it. Maybe can get some suggestions from the folks who read this instructable. Or one of you guys might want to get your hands on the NM5322 pattern generator IC.

Anyway, I kept the whole PCB as is - it was small enough to store - and it would be very easy to pull a part from the PCB when (if ever) I needed it.

So, a nice little learning exercise by taking apart an piece of our past.