Rescued a 27" console tv model SB2777P from 1986 with no video or audio. Just a pop sound through the speakers when clicked off and on. Nothing else except for the same popping sounds when using the channel up and down buttons. Volume can even be increased or decreased but that's it. I want to do a restoration which will include some cabinet work as well. Where should I start looking? Ive worked on many sets before but this one has me puzzled. Seems like the high voltage is out and only getting the low end.

I had one where the voltage regulator circuit for the 12 volt DC line failed. IIRC, Zenith used several parts which I bypassed and just used a single 3 lead solid state voltage regulator.

I second the loss of 12v line. Never did much component level
on these as the were always done in home so cant help beyond that.
The portables were also done board level as we didnt have time
back then to troubleshoot most of them.

This chassis brings back great memories. We sold tons of them.
Stereo was hot & the economy was good so lots stepped up
from the lower end Zeno's. List was $850 & got $800 (or 775 cash)
all day. Sales were so good owner would take us for
Chinese food & unlimited drinks every friday & deep sea
fishin with unlimited drinks every few weeks.

We were junking perfect running & mint cabinet examples up
til the shop closed a few years ago. Most had never seen
a repair............

Good luck with her !
73

Thanks for the tips. I'll check into that. Any additional help in the future is always appreciated. I'll post more pics of the inside when I get to it.

Still haven't got around to this tv yet but haven't forgotten. Been too busy lately.

I never knew Stereo really was such a hot feature. Always kind of got the impression the consumers was lukewarm on it. Certainly I've never observed anyone's setup to actually be properly wired for it, unless they were feeding analog basic directly to the RF input of the set.

SONY KV2729R, circa 1987, had an optional outboard multiplexer for MTS Stereo broadcasts. otherwise it was a 4" monaural speaker. We had this set when i was a kid, with MPX unit fed into a Pioneer SX-838 stereo receiver feeding Advent bookshelf speakers. MUTING Could be enabled by the Sony TV handset.

Just picked this up. This is a 25" Zenith Advanced System 3 built in February 1985 model SA2577P. I'm looking for an original remote control. I hope you have good luck repairing that set. With a little work it will be a beautiful TV.

SONY KV2729R, circa 1987, had an optional outboard multiplexer for MTS Stereo broadcasts. otherwise it was a 4" monaural speaker. We had this set when i was a kid, with MPX unit fed into a Pioneer SX-838 stereo receiver feeding Advent bookshelf speakers. MUTING Could be enabled by the Sony TV handset.


Hey there zenith2134, would your sony look something like that?

http://quebec.kijiji.ca/c-acheter-et-vendre-equipement-electronique-televiseur-meuble-W0QQAdIdZ492910274

They say that the TV has 4 speakers, sure looks more advance that your run of the mill mid 80's console.

Nope, mine was a tabletop 27" with only a single speaker, but with an auxiliary multiplex adapter which fed a stereo preamp..
My neighbor across the street had a 1981 26" Sony console which looked like that though..minus the stereo sound. It weighed a LOT when we carted it away in ~~2002, still working.

I've seen (what I think was) a Magnavox with an MPX out.

Will a regular FM stereo unit work?

No. Different audio carrier frequencies

Anyone remember the Recoton F.R.E.D.? It was a third-party stereo decoder box for TVs. It came out in the mid-80s. It could be fed from the MPX out jack (Stereo Ready!) where available, and it also had a suction cup pickup for TVs without the jack.

Just picked this up. This is a 25" Zenith Advanced System 3 built in February 1985 model SA2577P. I'm looking for an original remote control. I hope you have good luck repairing that set. With a little work it will be a beautiful TV.

Very nice set with the pop out controls. Remote was probably the J battery
type, tons of them made. Just have to keep the contacts clean,
they would grow crystals. Batts lasted 3-5 yrs.
You can also get a matching Beta Zenith VCR they sold the
same one rebadged.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Just picked this up. This is a 25" Zenith Advanced System 3 built in February 1985 model SA2577P. I'm looking for an original remote control. I hope you have good luck repairing that set. With a little work it will be a beautiful TV.

Same cabinet huh? looks great. Yeah, i'll get this one running eventually and rework the cabinet. Still have the remote that uses the j battery.

Same cabinet huh? looks great. Yeah, i'll get this one running eventually and rework the cabinet. Still have the remote that uses the j battery.

Your set looks like it has hinges at the speakers. Maybe I am seeing things but does that open?

I wish you could post a pic of the remote. Hopefully I can find one like it. I got a remote the other day that had the "space phone" button but after I got it I found that it was an ultra-sonic remote instead of infra-red. Oh well, I can add it to the collection.

Anyone remember the Recoton F.R.E.D.? It was a third-party stereo decoder box for TVs. It came out in the mid-80s. It could be fed from the MPX out jack (Stereo Ready!) where available, and it also had a suction cup pickup for TVs without the jack.
I bought the stereo decoder for my philco console tv back in 86 it worked great.

I got a remote the other day that had the "space phone" button but after I got it I found that it was an ultra-sonic remote instead of infra-red. Oh well, I can add it to the collection.
An ultrasonic Space Command remote with Space Phone? I had never heard of such a thing, must be a very early model.

Any kid with a toy xylophone anywhere near one of the sets that remote goes with could end up inadvertently calling Japan.

Yes, there was an ultrasonic Space Command system-3 Zenith with Space Phone. 1979ish. Mine had Zoom as well, which applied a boost voltage of 500-700Volts via a relay on a daughterboard.

Just got my new Fluke meter. where should i begin testing on this set as far ad components go to track down the failure based on what was mentioned above?

Unfortunately I dont have a manual for it. Lets narrow things
down & maybe someone can help.

Do you get OSD ?
When you try off air do you get snow or a blank raster or
no raster at all ?
Have you tried running something like a DVD through the
RCA jack inputs ?

BTW you are gonna love that Fluke, nothing like working with
a quality meter.

73 Zeno

I haven't tried it lately but last time, all i got was a click of a relay when turned on. changing channels causes a brief pop in the speakers. no static, no pic or anything. the gun doesn't appear to be lit either. no change from dvd players etc.

Anyone got a pic of the needed remote? Junked a few zeniths awhile back, remember the remote using that weird battery.. May still have the remotes...

SR

OK you got to get the HV going. Almost everything runs
off it inc the CRT filament. Most had a strange start up
design. You may need more than a meter on this one.
Start with the hoz output transistor ( HOT )& see if its shorted.
If not see if you get 120-150 VDC on HOT collector, use the
metal on the HV board as ground.
If there is a small board on the HV board assy see if a
resistor burned IIRC a 2 K 1W. If burned there is more wrong.

73 Zeno:smoke:

OK you got to get the HV going. Almost everything runs
off it inc the CRT filament. Most had a strange start up
design. You may need more than a meter on this one.
Start with the hoz output transistor ( HOT )& see if its shorted.
If not see if you get 120-150 VDC on HOT collector, use the
metal on the HV board as ground.
If there is a small board on the HV board assy see if a
resistor burned IIRC a 2 K 1W. If burned there is more wrong.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Will check and let you know.

Will this need to be plugged in and turned on or just plugged in. not seeing a burned resistor on the small board.

Sears sold a ton of these sets when I worked there. I never did anything more on them than replace the whole module and do a quick set-up on them.

Any idea which module (s) your set uses? It's on a sticker somewhere, and written on the module, too, probably.

Label on the insife of the cabinet shows high voltage horizontal sweep module as 9-454. If that's not it, let me know.

I'll look and see what I have tomorrow. (It's dark here.)

Anyone remember the Recoton F.R.E.D.? It was a third-party stereo decoder box for TVs. It came out in the mid-80s. It could be fed from the MPX out jack (Stereo Ready!) where available, and it also had a suction cup pickup for TVs without the jack.

ARF!

I remember seeing a bunch of those things being peddled at the 1988 Texas Show for next to nothing! If I'd had room in my suitcase I would've brought back a few. As it was, my parents "gifted" me with one for my birthday. They found it at the Andrews AFB BX. It was the "high-end" version with a lot of useless bells and whistles.

As for the "pickup" it worked in a fashion... But, unless the broadcast signal was perfect, it was noisy as hell.

I still have the box somewhere in my laundry room as I've not used it since buying the house in 1995...

I'll look and see what I have tomorrow. (It's dark here.)

Ok, i'll be on here again tomorrow.

I dug out the manual for the cheep model
of that year. Same basic design but lacking features
like comb filter, jack pack, better audio etc.

Start process.
Relay closes, applies 150 VDC to HOT & that little board.
The little board has a multivibrator that drives the HOT base.
This gives some HV.
A winding on the flyback ( FBT ) is rectified by CR3473 &
gives 25 volts to the hoz drivers.
Also goes through R3464 12 ohm 10 W to Q3437 the 12V regulator.
As the 12 V comes up it starts the hoz osc & the set
is in the run state.
If any of the chain breaks that 2 K resistor usually will burn.

Like most sets this one has two grounds for measuring DC.
HOT GROUND used for HOT & multivibrator. Use the anode
of CR3205 on HV board for measurements.
COLD GROUND use the CRT ground or IF shield for measurements.
This is for almost all other DC grounds.

For now check for 150 VDC at C of HOT using the hot ground.
Then turn off set, wait a few minutes, hang the meter on cathode
of CR3473 & cold ground. Turn on WHILE WATCHING meter.
It will either go up & stay up, never go up, or go up then
quickly down.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Label on the insife of the cabinet shows high voltage horizontal sweep module as 9-454. If that's not it, let me know.


I had this module, but used the last one I had in a set that sat unused for almost 25 years. The CRT tested like new, so in went the module. Set is working great.

Sorry I can't help you. I also checked my used stash.

I found CR3205. I should hang off that to check for 150 vdc at c of hot? What is c of hot? Sorry, just can't think straight. Also, i can't locate CR3473. Wanted to mention a blue wire coming down from the yoke with a red wire has burned at the end where it plugs onto the HV board. red is fine. trying to test today and smelled burning.

Yes for 150V use anode of CR3205 as ground.
CR3473 on main board ( 9-214 ) ??? Left of main filter cap
& a stand-up power resistor. Use cold ground for that.
Fix zorched yoke wire now, if you are lucky its causing shut-down.

73 & merry Christmas
Zeno:smoke:

I found CR3473. Clipped off that and metal corner mount of crt and got from 0 to 4 but realized i had left the ribbon cable off the main board that runs up to the crt board. when i put that back on, meter never went up at all. as for the blue yoke wire, i had to relocate that on up the trace to another location on the back side of the HV board as it had burned the board around that immediate area and the pin where the cable used to mount on had fell off. the smell i get now is just from the instance where i first turn the set on. it sparks there at the burnt area one second. what next?

Blue wire is low end of yoke. If you havent cut out all
the burned PCB & replace etch with wire. Also remove the
burned connector & be sure the red wire is clean.
Path of yoke is through LX3262 lin coil,
LX3261 width coil, C3261 coupling cap, then TX3251 pin transformer.
Also give the board a real good visual for bad PC cons etc.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Ill let you know what happens. would this be why the 12v loss?

The arc hopefully is causing the shut down circuit to kill
the set. Everything but the 150 V goes dead.

good luck
Zeno:smoke:

Well, last time i worked on this, i placed that blue wire on the back of LX3262. Why is it arcing out at the old location? It burned a hole big enough for maybe a pencil to go through. how do i correct this? Everthing else looks ok including the 2 K resistor.

The arc is due to carbon build-up there at the contact point. You've got to get rid of the carbon. Cut it away, as necessary.

The arc is due to carbon build-up there at the contact point. You've got to get rid of the carbon. Cut it away, as necessary.

Ah, ok. then everything should work afterward? I'll clear away the bad area and post again.

Success! All it was carbon buildup whete it was arcing. apparently, the whole failure was the blue yoke wire arcing and causing the burned area. i had fixed the wire last year and didn't know about the carbon causing this. cleaned with a brush and cut away the affected srea and she started right up. been running about 10 minutes now. gonna hook up a vcr and see how we look. thanks to all those who helped. awesome people on here. ill also pist up ics when i can and update on the cabinet repairs as well.

Yay! Zenith!!!

The knowledge on this website is fantastic!

The knowledge on this website is fantastic!

It sure is. Zenith is tough!

Nice work, I knew you could do it ! If that CRT is good
you will be treated to a real fine pix.
Now go get another set & we can have more fun !!!

73 Zeno:smoke:

Congrats! Those 80's set deserve to be saved as much as those of the 70's or the 60's in my opinion! Be sure to keep us posted about your cabinet restoration also! :)

Big thanks to Zeno on this one also!

I Agree. They should be saved. :) colors seem a bit rich though. especially, red and blue. all colors show up well on everything and the clarity is good. watched several movies on it last night. Hopefully, i'll start on the cabinet after spring.

I don't have any other non working sets other than a Sony Trintron Wega 24" from around 2002 that has an issue with the bottom half of the screen pulled up. looks like its folded. bottom half is blank. upper half is normal with lines. check out my post on it snd its model number.

Here are 2 remotes i have. Both use the j battery. One is for this tv.


http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy287/OlderIsBetter/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00089_zpsd8eca32d.jpg (http://s800.photobucket.com/user/OlderIsBetter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00089_zpsd8eca32d.jpg.html)