It's time for another roadside rubbish collection in my area and despite my space problems I can't resist having a look around. So far I've been good this time and have only brought back these 2 TVs.

The first is a Kriesler "Rambler 20" (model PT248, chassis 49-7) 20" from 1972.

http://65c02.org/images/ak/rambler20.jpg

The handle suggests they intended this model to be portable, but that's being generous.

http://65c02.org/images/ak/rambler20service.jpg

This one is completely solid state with a locally made Miniwatt CRT.

The second is a Philips TA122 12" portable, from around the same time.

http://65c02.org/images/ak/philipsta122.jpg

Another solid state set, but this one has a Japanese Hitachi CRT.

http://65c02.org/images/ak/philipsta122inside.jpg

I don't hold out a lot of hope for this one as there are visible burn marks on the mains transformer.

Not as interesting as the tube and hybrid sets I found last collection, but I'm still surprised to see so many B&W sets still coming out. I left behind quite a few generic 12" B&W taiwanese sets and another Philips in a mouldy cabinet (actually I'll probably go back for that one now in case I can use the transformer). The last area I was in everyone had already cleared out their B&W sets years ago.

Kewl finds !

I suppose you've been asked a few times, but can you give us some hints
on the Australian channel numbering plan, with 5 and 5A? Thanks in advance.

Channel 0 is at 46.25MHz. I don't think it was part of the inital allocation when TV started as I've seen ads in 60s magazines for companies offering to convert tuners to receive the then new channel. Initially used by the ATV network before their move to channel 10, later used by SBS before they moved to UHF Channel 28. No longer used.

Channel 1 is at 57.25MHz. Usually used for the modulated output from VCRs, early game consoles and home computers. Channel 1 is as low as most modern tuners will go, some TV tuner cards can't quite make it. Used by the ABC network in some rural areas

Channel 2 is at 64.25MHz, used by the ABC network in capital cities.

Channel 3, 4 and 5 occupy 86.25MHz to 107.75MHz and are no longer in use. The allocation of these TV channels delayed the introduction of FM radio here. Some rural areas where channel 4 was used as an ABC repeater didn't have any FM radio until the repeaters were eventually moved to UHF in the 90s. This is also the reason the the "A" version Australian models of some 60/70s receivers (eg, Sansui 210A) are AM/SW rather than AM/FM.

Channel 5A is at 138.25MHz, I don't know when it was added. All the sets I've seen recently have had it, I don't remember if the older sets I've seen in the past had it. Still in use in some rural areas.

Channels 3, 4, 5 and 5A are oddballs that put us out of step with the rest of the world. Most VCRs and multisystem TVs can't tune them. Most imported european sets (Grundig, Normende, Luxor, etc) couldn't tune them.

When analog broadcasts are turned off there will be no TV at the lower end of the VHF bands.

Channels 6 to 9 occupy 175.25MHz to 201.75MHz. Digital broadcasts start at channel 6. Analog broadcasts are at channels 7 (HSV network) and 9 (GTV network) in capital cities, channel 8 in some rural areas.

Channel 9A at 203.25MHz has been allocated for digital TV.

Channels 10 to 12 occupy 209.25MHz to 228.75MHz. Channel 10 is used by the ATV network in capital cities. Channel 11 is used in various rural areas by different networks. Channel 12 is used for digital.

UHF is pretty standard with channels 21 to 69 from 478.25MHz to 819.75MHz.
When AMPS analog mobile phones were in use you could often hear them by tuning to the top of the UHF band. The continuous UHF tuners on some sets could get up a bit further than intended.

Well done on your latest finds. It's interesting to see these sets "in the flesh" instead of looking at 35 year old schematics.

The Kriesler 49-7 chassis was the companies first all solid state large screen chassis as far as I'm aware. The Philips TA122 uses the 12P chassis which was a rationalized (simpler to make) evolution of the of the earlier modular range chassis with its complex array of completely modular construction.

Over the next few days I'll post some pictures of the Philips Modular 17" hybrid I got off you.

To add to dr.ido's excellent post on the channel allocations, the initial channels set aside for the introduction of TV was channels 1 to 10 (10 channels).

Around mid 1961 the allocation was increased to 13 channels by adding channels 0, 5A and 11.

The extra channels coincided with the loss of availability of the internationally recognized FM radio broadcast frequencies which had been in use on a experimental public broadcast basis from around 1951 to 1961. There was a fair amount of outcry over this at the time, however the opinion at the time was that TV was more important than high quality radio reception.

It was not until the mid to late 1970's when colour TV was introduced that the FM radio band was reclaimed by moving the offending channels (3,4 and 5) onto UHF repeaters.