Introduced in March 1954, the RCA CT-100 was the first consumer color television set.

With 36 vacuum tubes, the CTC-2 chassis within the CT-100 ("Merrill", to the marketing department) was (in its day) arguably the most complicated device sold to the general public.

The introduction of the CT-100 ushered NBC's "Living Color" Saturday evening programming and the famous NBC Peacock. An animated black-and-white peacock would appear on the screen. As it started spreading its color tailfeathers, NBC programming would announce "Ladies and Gentlemen, the following program is being brought to you in Living Color". Early NBC Color programs included An Evening With Fred Astaire.

• Ed Reitan's CT-100 Page (Note: Reitan is a noted collector and restorer of early television equipment.)

Television technology | RCA brands