A while back I was given a small collection of portable vintage TVs. This is one of them... It's an early 70s solid-state Panasonic with the flip-up top. Looks like a briefcase with handle when the tv is in the 'down' position.

It had no 12vdc or mains cords so I pulled out a Pyramid brand 12VDC, 5 ampere supply I had once used for a phono preamp project. It worked well on that supply after determining the correct pinout on the TV,
have not tried it with batteries.

The pattern on-screen is just some bizarre noise which always seems to be beaming on UHF 82 around here.

Last night, I had a small get-together and showed Hellraiser-Hellseeker(straight to video movie) on this tv..along with my '83 G-E color 19"AA. Ran it over the air from my agile modulator--will post better screenshots.

The radio does not seem to function on this unit but I could care less since the tube is very strong and sharp and it is a very 'cool' looking piece. People get most impressed by the oddball TVs usually!

Those are pretty good runners. I have another version of this set in all working order. I'm not sure if this one you posted is older or not, but I have the more square looking one referred to as the "Blade Runner". I keep hearing my model appears in the movie Blade Runner....but have yet to see exactly WHERE in the movie you see "my" set.

I've heard it is mounted "upside down" in Decker's apartment in the movie or some somesuch.

They also made a 3" version that I've only seen like one or 2 of in all the years I've been looking on Da Bay...The 5" aren't all that uncommon, but after 40-odd years their ranks ARE being depleted pretty well. These things were pretty portable, & were advertised as such, I think a lot of 'em lived hard lives..

That's known as a "pop-up" TV by Panasonic. Their "flip-top" model was the Panasonic Bi-sider.

https://www.google.com/search?q=panasonic+bi-sider+tv&client=firefox-a&hs=Dvn&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=j9OvUvztJIz8yAGhhoC4DQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1287&bih=848

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It's here too, I have the TR-603A AKA TR-005 'flying saucer'. TV also pictured in the link:

http://my.reset.jp/~inu/ProductsDataBase/Products/Panasonic/POPMECA/NATIONAL%20POPMECA%20personal%20TV.htm

I have one of those pop ups in my collection.I got it years ago from the shop.

I dont recall what was wrong with it but I got working at the time.

I have the model below in the photo.not my set .ebay photo

I found a TR-425 at a local goodwill store some time ago and bought it because I didn't want it to get thrown out. I do not have the batteries or an ac power cord to test it. Other than the antenna, it is dirty and will need a good cleaning.

Panasonic also made a "Sideways" model that projected the CRT picture 90 degrees offset to the way the CRT was mounted.... And then there was the 3" model w/AM/FM that kinda looked like a TV camera... There were the pop-ups, & the teeny-tiny 1.5" sets.. They CERTAINLY couldn't be accused of ignoring ANY segment of the small TV market..

Panasonic also made a "Sideways" model that projected the CRT picture 90 degrees offset to the way the CRT was mounted.

I don't believe that I have ever seen one of those... anybody got a picture that they can post? Panasonic really did make some cool looking stuff, among my favorites are the little "panapet" and "toot a loop" radios and the "tnt" handle 8 track player.

jr

I don't believe that I have ever seen one of those... anybody got a picture that they can post?

They aren't actually projector sets, they are mirror sets.


Edited to add this better URL:

http://neovideohunter.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/panasonic-desktop-tv-fmam-radio-model-no-trf-438p-1984/

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You gotta wonder if they made money off this BEWILDERING array of weird, wacky, WONDERFUL sets.. They only made the 1.5" color set 1984-85, I think... No WAY they could have recouped their development costs..And while they aren't terribly rare, the world isn't exactly swimming in them, either..

I've got a Panasonic Pop-Up and Bi-Sider. Cool sets, but a pain in the a** to use now.
I'm still cussing about the loss of analog.....

So am I. It has gotten very difficult to even demonstrate these portable TVs to someone who is interested in hearing about TVs. I run a few Blonder agile modulators but still. I have a small sony b/w that runs off of 12vdc in my car, and it's fun to see the signal fade away as you leave your driveway HAHA.

I guess I should take more pics (ummm....AND come to VK more than twice a YEAR or so). I have the...I think "TR-3000" that looks like a camera. That unit is so funny. You have to be RIGHT in front of it pretty much if the magnifier is on it (This is what MAKES it look like you are staring into a movie camera).

I also do have that clock/radio/TV unit that has the funny transverse mounted CRT. It makes the set nice and shallow with the view being a 90" mirror you are looking at. They also take advantage of that to superimpose a tiny blue VFD clock display in the corner of the TV picture (and of course on when the TV is off). That set bugs me in that it stays quite warm 24/7....and the audio section appears to be on all the time whether the TV/Radio is on or not (for an alarm maybe?).

The little Panasonics are fun...but the REALLY small (1010,1020 and 1030) sets, always turn into basket cases every time I have opened one up. I have been able to correct some minor problems before, but usually I get my big 'ol sausages in there and stuff something up. Usually I end up tearing one of the flexi ribbons and it all goes South from there. I do still have a 1020 and a couple 1030s that I have NOT had to open up for any reason yet....so they still live.

Panasonic doesn't seem to be real big on "more than one person" audiences. Almost ALL the small sets have magnifiers or other oddities that don't allow you to watch the set if not RIGHT in front of it.

The only way I've really reliably been able to display these small sets (remember I am the "micro and quirky" guy), is with a little inhouse digital "HLLY" 50mw transmitter into a set of rabbit ears in the corner of my flat. This is good to show off pretty much any little Analog set for about 300-400 feet around that can tune to "just above channel 13". Adding a switcher before that transmitter allows me to use a media player (vintage playlists), or the A/V out from a converter box.

I decided to CUT the cable about six months ago, and I now do most my TV with a Mohu Leaf antenna, Netflix and Hulu on a Roku. I find that having a few small vintage sets around the flat that I use to watch whatever is on in the front room.....somewhat nostalgic compared to cable.