A Saticon pickup tube, manufactured by RCA.

RCA created the vidicon, a charge-storage cathode ray tube, in the 1950's, as a cheaper, simpler alternative to the expensive, and massive Image Orthicon tube, that was the defacto broadcast tube at the time. The Vidicon itself was evolved further, first into the Plumbicon, by NV Philips of the Netherlands, and then the Saticon, by Hitachi, in 1973. RCA began licensed manufacturing of both the Plumbicon (as the Vistacon), and Saticon in the 1970's.

The Saticon II sports the improved photoconductive target of selenium-arsenic-tellurium. By better manufacturing techniques and stricter quality control, the Saticon II featured improved resistance to image burn-in, lag, and comet-tailing memory effects from highlight overload. This was further improved in both Saticon III and IV type targets. This specific Saticon is a pin compatible type that could be a near drop-in replacement for 2/3" Plumbicons in cameras like RCA's TK-76 and -760 studio camera. When swapping Plumbicons for Saticons, the target and gun voltages have to be adjusted, along with the camera's flare suppression, as an improper flare suppressor would create weird effects with the white and black levels.

While a good tube in itself, Saticons never surpassed Plumbicons, which sported higher burn-in resistance, and a overall 80% market share in the broadcast industry. Saticons found a niche in the consumer, and industrial markets as their lower overall cost and longer gun life worked to its advantage.