Shown here is Popular Science author Robert Gorman upgrading his 10-inch television to a “big screen” 16-inch set. He owned a 10-inch RCA 630-type circuit (which he had built from a kit). That circuit was widely distributed, both by RCA and other well-known brands. It had enough power to run the larger picture tube, and an article in the March 1950 issue of Popular Science showed how to make the conversion.

The new tube had the same pin configuration, and only a few small changes to the circuit were required. The larger tube required adding some wiring to the socket, and the article warned of the importance of using wire insulated for the high voltages involved.

The larger tube required a new cabinet. An accompanying article showed how to make one. The cost of the cabinet was a significant portion of a TV’s cost, so even if you were buying a new TV, you might save money by just buying the chassis and putting it into a cabinet of your own making.