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All problems with the 8-inch set were resolved, and the improvements were incorporated into the design of the new 5-inch set. The biggest problem with the 8-inch model was its temperature characteristics.
The temperature characteristics of the transistors, ferrite, iron core, in addition to that of the coils, all vary in accordance with the set's overall temperature. Additionally, heat diffusion naturally gets worse as the set gets smaller. The 5-inch set had to be redesigned countless times with alterations made to the new transistor.
The Semiconductor Department ran a secret trial production run of the cathode-ray tubes. If news of the size of their new tube were to have leaked out, Sony's rivals would have realized what they were doing. Besides, conventional cathode-ray tube glass manufacturers would not consider producing a tube with a 70 deflection angle, something which the Sony staff had decided on after taking into account all aspects of the new set from transistors and the cathode-ray tube to the size of set. After all, their primary concern was mass production of a single standardized tube.
While the deflection angle had been set, difficult problems involved in shortening the electron gun and down-sizing the diameter remained. All components were designed and trial manufacture took place time and time again.
The outer design was also reworked countless times. In the highly selective process, many designs did not get beyond the sketch phase, while some were no more than conceptions in the minds of the designers. Needless to say, all suggestions from TV8-301 model owners were taken into account.
In November 1961, just before mass production, intermediate trial testing on prototype sets was completed. Project staff were told to try the sets out during the New Year's holiday.
The staff had taken extra precautions in testing the new TV. They were determined not to repeat the same bitter mistake they had made with the 8-inch set. This set had gone on sale in May, and as summer set in, rising temperatures altered the transistors' characteristics, and ultimately the synchronization went awry.
This time around, the transistors were rigorously tested for high temperature tolerance. Sony engineers were confident that they had overcome the problem. They had built a plastic hothouse on the factory line, raising internal humidity by boiling water inside. They raised the temperature even further with an electric heater.
The staff's evaluation after returning from the holidays, however, came as a shock.  The picture comes through fine at night, but when you turn it on in the morning, it's out of synch. The engineering staff was so engrossed with high temperature tolerance that they completely overlooked low temperature tolerance. Back to the drawing board.
The set was also tested on the road to see how it would stand up against vibrations. These tests were run secretly on a 600km stretch of expressway. First a TV8-301 set was conspicuously placed high on the jump seat to make it appear as though they were testing the 8-inch model. The TV5-303 was snuggled on the backseat floor so as not to be seen from the outside. There were some hair-raising experiences, however. Truck drivers would peer down into the car. The Sony staff was caught for speeding while testing image deterioration at high speeds, and the police got a good look at the TV5-303. The test results, however, were acceptable.
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 This television is based on an entirely different concept than conventional console sets. It is expressly for the pleasure of the individual. Forget this, and the set is nothing more than a miniaturized novelty, the pride of the engineers who worked on it. Such was the concern of Ibuka and Morita.
The staff gathered to select a name for the TV5-303. Over thirty suggestions, including mini-TV, pico-TV, and my TV were brought up. Ultimately the candidates were narrowed down to the hand-held TV and the micro-TV. Finally, Ibuka christened it the micro-TV. And after much heated debate, it was decided that the catch phrase would be the transistor that revolutionized TV, rather than the revolutionary televisions through transistors, originally proposed by Morita.
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