Compactron
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Compactron is a 12-pin vacuum tube family introduced in 1961 by General Electric in Owensboro, Kentucky with the express purpose of keeping tubes in the market for a few more years during the solid state revolution. Television sets were a primary application. Compactrons are comprised of electronic vacuum tube units such as a diode, triode, or pentode in multiple combination arrays, or high-voltage and high-power types such as television sweep tubes.
A distinguishing feature of most Compactrons is the placement of the evacuation tip on the bottom end, rather than the top end as was customary with "miniature" tubes, and a characteristic 3/4" diameter circle pin pattern. Most Compactrons ranged in glass envelope diameter from 1 1/8" to 2 3/4" depending upon the internal configuration . Variations of the Compactron design were made by Sylvania and by some Japanese firms. Manufacture of Compactrons ceased in the early 1990s.
Examples:
