View Full Version : Remote for B/W Space Command?


kbmuri
03-29-2008, 01:01 PM
Just found this one on the curb.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=84821&d=1206812956

Model number is A3011E. Veneer on top is shot (it was left in the rain). Otherwise it seems solid. Clean inside.

Script along the top is "Space Command 4". Script along bottom is "Zenith" and "High Fidelity". Two knobs at the bottom are Bass and Treble. The big knob on top is the channel changer -- it has positions for channels 2-13, and "UHF", but I don't immediately see any UHF channel numbers, nor any way to tune them if there were. Curious...

Can anybody tell me (preferably show me a photo of) the proper remote for this? I'd like to find one. Anybody have one? Thanks.

Old1625
03-29-2008, 02:03 PM
By the looks of that set it is certainly apt to be pre-1964--the year UHF was mandated on all models. The VHF tuner may have had a position for UHF (IIRC Zenith was cutesy with this and it looked on the knob like a siamesed-together U-F.) but the UHF tuner may not have been included. A '59 model I had was like this. I did try to incorporate a built-in tuner but ended up instead opting for a UHF converter that operated through CH 3.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=zenith+space+command&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi shows an assortment of space command controls of the time.

bgadow
03-29-2008, 09:46 PM
drh is the Space Command expert and should chime in on this. Note, I am fairly certain that this is actually a "Space Command 400" but the zeroes broke off. (like the way many old Silvertone radios became "Silverton's")

Zenith had its act together on these sets. They were producing a very good chassis by this time. One thing I have noticed is that the crt's they were making at that time were'nt all that great-every one I've had in a Zenith was weak.

Tubejunke
03-29-2008, 09:59 PM
I'm glad someone else has one of these. Perhaps I can learn from kbmuri's experience with this one. I got stumped with mine and put it to the side with all new caps going to waste. I have heard that these sets were good performers as well, but mine seems to be the exception. With a SUPER clean chassis and nearly all stock Zenith tubes my guess is that my set developed its problem early in its life and again was pushed to the side. So I have one nice looking, non working, piece of furniture with a SUPER strong 24" CRT...

I posted a few threads on my battle so I won't go into the details of my Zenith problem unless anyone is interested. I don't have a remote for mine either so I will be interested in any info on that, although my set is a bit different, so the remote may be different. Actually the difference with my set looks to be only the cabinet. The hardware in the middle looks pretty much the same...

kbmuri
03-30-2008, 04:20 PM
drh is the Space Command expert and should chime in on this. Note, I am fairly certain that this is actually a "Space Command 400" but the zeroes broke off. (like the way many old Silvertone radios became "Silverton's")

Aha. Yes, I think there's evidence of the missing 00's in the dust marks. I was having a heckuva time finding a Space Command 4 remote. I'm seeing some Space Command 400 remotes though! Thanks bg.

I've lost count of all the Capehart table radios on eBay that were "apeharts". Same story.

I'll tear it down sometime soon & figure out the UHF tuner and test the CRT. Still stuck in the middle of the philco on another thread, gotta get that one strightened out first.

drh4683
03-30-2008, 11:24 PM
Good save. Its a shame it got stuck out in the rain. That set is a 1958 model and should have the 19A20Q chassis. The correct remote is the piano key space command 400. Those are kind of hard to come by.

kbmuri
04-01-2008, 09:17 AM
Thanks drh.

I put a bid on http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330223873934 but am already outbid. I wonder if it would work (do earlier/later 400 remotes work interchangeably?). At least to check out the receiver circuitry, until a correct remote can be found...

A photo of an early one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320215194760

Anyone have a photo of the 1958 "piano key" one? Thanks.

polaraman
04-01-2008, 11:03 AM
Here it is!

kbmuri
04-01-2008, 01:20 PM
Thanks Polaraman!

bgadow
04-02-2008, 08:53 PM
Snazzy looking remote! I think most any old Zenith 4 button ultrasonic remote will work. Some of the buttons may be reversed. I have a similiar vintage SC 400 and have always used it with what I assumed was the correct remote but it is actually off by a year or more. Even a 70s color remote would likely do okay.