[sdiy] monoliths and how we got to 2001

[Rob]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Tillman" <don at till.com>
To: <goddard.duncan at mtvne.com>
Cc: <synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl>
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2001 12:04 AM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] monoliths and how we got to 2001


>    From: "Goddard, Duncan" <goddard.duncan at mtvne.com>
>    Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 18:45:18 -0000
>
>    > I could never understand why it was almost twenty years before
>    > such devices were in common use for this purpose- did the tube
>    > manufacturers have big sicilian friends or something?

Yes, actually, they DID! RCA, zenith, et al actually had a LOT invested in
tube manufacture and no *WAY* did they want to switch over! Between the very
strong unions and the guys at the top about to be forced to take on new
technology, it was a hard sell initially.

There are rumors that RCA actually lobbied congress to slow the introduction
of silicon with various schemes, like taxes and such. Even though they
invented much of it, such as the coveted CA3080.

Back in the day, RCA had so much power it could be *very* scary to would-be
opposition, legally, financially, etc. I mean, everything from the
Farnsworth tragedy to the various tech that was stolen, borrowed, etc..
Kinda like Sony is today! ;))

Rob