In older video cameras, prior to the 1990s, a video camera tube or pickup tube was used instead of a charge-coupled device (CCD). Several types were in use from the 1930s to the 1980s. They operate in a somewhat similar manner to cathode ray tubes, which display pictures, but are instead used to capture images that are projected onto them through the camera lens system.

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	Method for extending cathode life in vidicon tubes - Patent 4018489 (1139 words) By heating as many of the electrodes as possible in a vidicon tube during and after the cathode activation, the potentiality for gas contamination of the electrodes is greatly reduced and the life of the tube is extended. The cathode life in vidicon tubes may be extended by heating at least some of the electrodes in the vidicon during and after the cathode activation. In this case, the heater 26 cannot be employed to heat all of the electrodes in the tube satisfactorily, since the heat from the electrodes close to the target might cause the seal to melt. Vidicon - definition of Vidicon in Encyclopedia (130 words) A vidicon tube (sometimes called a hivicon tube) is a video camera tube in which the target material is made of antimony trisulphide (Sb The terms vidicon tube and vidicon camera are often used indiscriminately to refer to video cameras of any type. The principle of operation of the vidicon camera is typical of other types of video camera tubes.
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