This is a quick reference guide I originally wrote on May 29, 2007 regarding the different CRTs in compact Macs. I am posting it here so it can bolster our knowledge base. Having worked inside of dozens of compacts, I became quite familiar with the CRTs used and the variations between the tubes and boards used in the 1984-1993 black and white machines. I have done some updates to the original post.
The Macintosh 128K, 512K, Plus, and variations of those machines used the same CRT, which was typically manufactured by Clinton (a Taiwan-based company), although LCGuy found a Samsung in a 128K a few years back. Samsungs seem to be the definite minority here. Early Macs use Connector Type A (see below).
The SE, SE/30, and variations of those machines used the same CRT. Many were manufactured by Clinton but Samsung (based in Korea) made a number of CRTs for these machines as well. There has also been one example of a Toshiba CRT found in an SE manufactured in late 1987. SEs use Connector Type A (see below).
The analog board design for the Macintosh Classic changed sometime in the first half of 1991. The original is referred to as Revision A on most parts lists. It used Connector Type A (see below). Sometime around the spring of 1991, Classics began to roll off the assembly line with Revision B boards installed. These persisted throughout the Classic II series and were produced until the demise of the line in 1993.
Of the CRTs with a Type B connector, the vast majority are Clinton-produced. Samsungs are less common and, for some reason, seem more prevalent in Classic IIs.
I term the connectors Type A and Type B after the analog boards they are used with. Connector Type A is clear and relatively boxy. It fits itself into another clear plastic connector on the analog board. To remove it, one must hold in on a tab on the side of the connector. Connector Type B, on the other hand, is white and significantly smaller. The connector isn't bulky and is slightly rounded around the edges. It has four holes on its end and fits over four pins. Type A connectors are the same as those found in pre-Classic Macs.
These two display types are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.
It is entirely possible to swap out the analog board and CRT between older and newer Classics. A Classic II will work fine with a donor board and CRT from a Type A Classic.
Since many good machines these days are built from combining other computers, be sure to actually open the Mac to check the analog board, even on a Classic II.
NOTE: All Classic notes assume original CRT and analog board.
There is no functional difference between the two, although Samsungs tend to have a different hue of white to them than their Clinton counterparts; it seems the slightest bit bluer to the very observant human eye if put side by side. Clintons were made in Taiwan, Samsungs in Korea.
In April 2013, I bought a Macintosh SE which appeared extremely ordinary on the outside. Inside, I was in for a surprise. The CRT was neither a Clinton nor a Samsung, but a Toshiba. The circle of red paint around the anode cap was far greater in diameter than either a Clinton or a Samsung. The CRT had model number E2728B4-TCOISDHT and was manufactured in Japan.
I believe this CRT to be either a replacement or a short-lived deal if supplies from Clinton or Samsung were low. Functionally, the Toshiba CRT is identical to the Clinton/Samsung in every aspect.
WHY THE SWITCH BETWEEN ANALOG BOARDS?
Another theory is that Apple wanted to use up older connectors from Pluses and SEs. The SE was actually still in production through the first few weeks of 1991 despite having been formally discontinued (I once had an SE with a 1991 date to verify this and have seen several other SEs from January 1991). They may have been in production to use up older parts. At the same time, Apple was still producing the SE/30. Since the SE/30 was going to be on its way out and replaced by a more cost-effective machine (the Classic II), Apple may have been using up parts like the CRT connectors on the SE with the eventual intent to switch to the newer design, which is believed to have been cheaper.
The short answer: it won't fit.
The long answer: modify like none other.
Good to have this here as well. But yeah - my 128k is back at my parents place up in Queensland, provided I fly home for Christmas this year I'll pull the back off and get a pic.
Very nice, love the write-up. I try to learn new stuff every day, it's great to start doing it more here!
I'll snap some pics of that Toshiba CRT next time I'm at my mom's place where it's currently being stored.