Okay, admit it, everyone does this :yes:

Went to an estate sale, hoping to score a Halolight that was pictured in the listing. Since the listings were 2 weeks old and everything was now 75% off, it seems that I missed out. But in a dark corner of the basement sitting on the floor, was this set.

I would have left it at the original $25, but now reduced to $6.25, I figured, what the heck, it'll only get tossed out, and it either probably works as it is, or close to it. It's a KCS171E chassis, making this set a 1969. Picture tube is a 20SP4.

Haven't powered it up yet, it really needs a good bath and some tube testing first. There's also a big honkin .22 uF @ 600V ceramic cap that is going buh-bye before it gets plugged in.

Good deal.... I would have taken it too.... But I would have turned it on by now....
'69 They were a little better by then..... I would have cleaned it out inside first though...
And I have seen yer office, you got more sets than me, and more room...
I would like to get more into smaller sets too...

There are quite a few sets I feel sorry for. I go to Goodwill here, and typically leave with a tv from them. Here they are only $1.00. I'm even getting into the 1980 sets.

That is a nice tv you got. For the price, I would have grabbed it as well.

I felt sorry for this little Philco from '78. For $2.50 half price day, I couldn't go wrong. Seems to be made in the USA since i could not find a "Made in ****" anywhere on the back and has a Batavia NY address. Yes it works and has a fantastic picture

Batavia NY is about 20 miles from me. There was a huge Sylvania plant there at one time.....the Halolight I just finished up was made there.

Good deal.... I would have taken it too.... But I would have turned it on by now....

I probably would have too, but when something's been on the basement floor underneath a workbench for God knows how long (barely saw it, had to move a disassembled bed frame to get it out), I figured it wouldn't hurt to see what's inside first. That, and the cheater cord was cut off, so I had to remove the back anyway.

I've just had bad experiences with ceramic caps going off like a firecracker....since I happen to have that value here, what the heck, yanno?

My 1991 Sears 12" color set I guess. It's newer than what I would normally go for, but I figured most wouldn't want a non-remote set, and with the little cash I needed for it on hand I wasn't about to allow such a unique piece to go to the shredder.

Well, went through the tubes, found a shorted 4JC6. Didn't have one, but had a 3JC6 and a 6JC6. Went with the 3.....the set assumes you've got 120 VAC and mine reads 118. Close enough!

Replaced the cap, the tuner was dirty as hell....when it first powered up it had zero vertical sweep, but a little playing with the controls and re-seating tubes yielded a pretty darn nice picture :)

I hear ya. I would have saved it, too, if for no other reason than to show kids what we had to watch before there was color...W/my Porthole, I've found out that an amazing number of kids have never seen a B/W TV, except for a "Little" one, 5" or smaller..

That's a nice set Tim!

I felt sorry for this 59ish RCA that was at a local auction, it was missing most of it's knobs and someone had started to paint it pink.

It's been overhauled, pink removed and some knobs from a later set installed, it works pretty well now.

I felt sorry for this little Philco from '78. For $2.50 half price day, I couldn't go wrong. Seems to be made in the USA since i could not find a "Made in ****" anywhere on the back and has a Batavia NY address. Yes it works and has a fantastic picture
Thats built by Sylvania E08 chassis IIRC. Very good little sets.

73 Zeno:smoke:

That's a nice set Tim!

I felt sorry for this 59ish RCA that was at a local auction, it was missing most of it's knobs and someone had started to paint it pink.

It's been overhauled, pink removed and some knobs from a later set installed, it works pretty well now.

Ooooh. I like that 59 RCA set.

That's a nice set Tim!

I felt sorry for this 59ish RCA that was at a local auction, it was missing most of it's knobs and someone had started to paint it pink.

It's been overhauled, pink removed and some knobs from a later set installed, it works pretty well now.

That model still used a 5U4 and a 6BQ5 audio output. :thmbsp:

Well, went through the tubes, found a shorted 4JC6. Didn't have one, but had a 3JC6 and a 6JC6. Went with the 3.....the set assumes you've got 120 VAC and mine reads 118.

But the 3JC6 wants 600ma heater current and the 4JC6 wants 450ma. The 3JC6 is likely barely functioning. I'd use the 6JC6 (300ma) with a 42 ohm 1W resistor connected across its heater pins. That makes up for 150 ma to make it total 450ma.

That model still used a 5U4 and a 6BQ5 audio output. :thmbsp:

Yep, but the nice sound is causing the cabinet to resonate because the plastic channel that's supposed to be between the metal and the plastic was shot, it vibrates so badly it's not watchable. I'll have to find something to substitute it. It's not something that shows, it just tightens up the interface between the metal and plastic.

But the 3JC6 wants 600ma heater current and the 4JC6 wants 450ma. The 3JC6 is likely barely functioning. I'd use the 6JC6 (300ma) with a 42 ohm 1W resistor connected across its heater pins. That makes up for 150 ma to make it total 450ma.

....or I could just spend under $5 shipped and buy a tube on eBay :D

I needed something to power the set up with to see where I was at, and it's at least working. I'll pick one up the next time I find I need tubes, from an eBay seller that has all the numbers I need. I don't suspect it's going to get used a lot right now.

Thanks for clarifying that for me though. Shows that the 4JC6 is a 2nd pix IF. Risking any long term damage by leaving the sucker in there?

I've got a Philco-Ford 12" b/w set and a late 60's Zenith b/w portable that were literally buried under 3 feet of debris in a house I recently tore down. They're sitting under my workbench out in the shed now. Most people would've probably tossed them, but then again us TV guys aren't like most people, are we?

I've got a Philco-Ford 12" b/w set and a late 60's Zenith b/w portable that were literally buried under 3 feet of debris in a house I recently tore down. They're sitting under my workbench out in the shed now. Most people would've probably tossed them, but then again us TV guys aren't like most people, are we?
For sure. I've got a lot of stuff most people would have tossed.

I've got three 19" BW sets, two Admirals and a Zenith, from 1969-70.
Of course they work OK and the CRTs are fairly bright, just emailed another friend who likes old stuff, fishing for a new home.

Yep, but the nice sound is causing the cabinet to resonate because the plastic channel that's supposed to be between the metal and the plastic was shot, it vibrates so badly it's not watchable. I'll have to find something to substitute it. It's not something that shows, it just tightens up the interface between the metal and plastic.

IIRC, the cabinet surround and the back is metal, but the front is plastic.
I just wonder if you could find some of the smallest plastic tubing and slit it to fit. If it's not visible, it could be in shorter lengths. Maybe wire insulation? :scratch2:

the 4JC6 is a 2nd pix IF. Risking any long term damage by leaving the sucker in there?

Not really for the short term. But that IF stage won't have much gain, but that's not really an issue today with no more over the air analog NTSC stations.

Kind of a moot point, right now :(

http://www.videokarma.org/showpost.php?p=3091288&postcount=4

I have a 1972 20/19" Zenith that became the only TV "save" cause (a relative told me it would be thrown out if I did not take it).

I replaced most of the tubes (cheap enough), but could not quite get rid of the vertical stretching at the top, the horizontal foldover, the buzzing when anything white was in the picture, and the poor alignment.

I tried to tweak the alignment, but the ferrite fell out of the coil, and it's in a "surrounded" part of the chassis that could only be accessed but cutting the chassis apart. Not worth the effort.

I had pity on this little guy today. Samsung from 1984. Found it sitting in the snow upside down by an apartment building dumpster where I was doing a service disconnect. Got it home and cleaned it up after baking in my truck all day. Static from the speaker, but no raster or even audio if I give it a signal. There's a big 470uf 200v electrolytic bulged out at the top begging to be changed.

Nice looking little tv..... Let us know how she turns out.....
I think it's really bad that people don't gain some appreciation for something that has served them well for years, and that might just need a minor repair for it to do so for many more years....

Will do. Model number is CT-333KA if anyone has a schematic. The voltages printed on the board near the flyback are all off from what they test at.

I had pity on this little guy today. Samsung from 1984. Found it sitting in the snow upside down by an apartment building dumpster where I was doing a service disconnect. Got it home and cleaned it up after baking in my truck all day. Static from the speaker, but no raster or even audio if I give it a signal. There's a big 470uf 200v electrolytic bulged out at the top begging to be changed.
Dang... the 200v caps on two of my junk boards are both 680uf. The third board I don't even see a big cap on. Hopefully you have a replacement already.

Anyways, this 1991 RCA-built Sears console came into my store, I figured it would be recycled if I didn't buy it. It's just retro-looking enough for my decor, and I figure using it most of the time will save wear and tear on my older sets.

I would use the 680uf.
The junk boards are probably from a larger screen set.

Several months ago I came across a Craigslist ad for this guy who sells repurposed radio cabinets. I called him and asked what he does with the componets. He stated that he normally gets the cabinets with them already removed. He also said that if he came across any he would let me know. Last week he notified me, that he had an old Westinghouse TV that he just removed from the cabinet. I went over to his place and got the tv componets. He showed me the cabinet and it was beautiful. He said he gets $350 for the cabinets and that if I wanted it, he would sell it to me for that price. Anyways I left with the TV and phonograph. I might get it working and use it as a work bench TV.

I would use the 680uf.
The junk boards are probably from a larger screen set.
Yup, both were 27" screen sets. Why would a 680uf 200v cap work in a smaller set that was made with a 470uf 200v cap?

Yup, both were 27" screen sets. Why would a 680uf 200v cap work in a smaller set that was made with a 470uf 200v cap?

I would do it, without reservation! A little extra filtering never hurts.
They only used that capacitor because the current demands weren't as high.

Well one new 470uf cap and we're in business! Picture is a little dim, right now brightness and contrast are cranked up full, but watchable.

Well, I did it again...Brought home a G.E. Venturer III 12" B/W portable that a friend of mine who deals in used furniture had. The set looks good but it's missing the VHF tuning knob and the fine tuning knob. Anyone got these laying around? I powered the set up and I have no HV, so I'll be digging into it when I get a little free time.

That's a nice set Tim!

I felt sorry for this 59ish RCA that was at a local auction, it was missing most of it's knobs and someone had started to paint it pink.

It's been overhauled, pink removed and some knobs from a later set installed, it works pretty well now.

Eric,

Your orphan RCA portable reminded me of the 2 portables my folks bought new in 1959. One was that exact model RCA, the other was a Westinghouse. The RCA outlasted the Westy by many years. Found this photo of the RCA shortly after it was purchased.

-Steve D.

Eric,

Your orphan RCA portable reminded me of the 2 portables my folks bought new in 1959. One was that exact model RCA, the other was a Westinghouse. The RCA outlasted the Westy by many years. Found this photo of the RCA shortly after it was purchased.

-Steve D.

Little wonder, about the RCA. Full power transformer and higher performance design. :thmbsp:

I took pity on an RCA XL-100at a local flea market, it had been there for months and this time it was sitting on it's stand with tools, boards and drywall piled on it. I have a three on it.

This past week I tossed 3 TVs.. a 90s Sharp 25", a 1987 Sony 27", and a 1985 Mitsubishi 19". All perfectly working.. If I don;t have the room, no one else wants them. They all had their remotes. Need to make room for older made-in-USA sets.

Well one new 470uf cap and we're in business! Picture is a little dim, right now brightness and contrast are cranked up full, but watchable.

That's pretty cool you got that working agin after finding in a snowdrift! I would like to find a little set like that for my Atari 2600.

Eric,

Your orphan RCA portable reminded me of the 2 portables my folks bought new in 1959. One was that exact model RCA, the other was a Westinghouse. The RCA outlasted the Westy by many years. Found this photo of the RCA shortly after it was purchased.

-Steve D.

I had an RCA set like that in high school. It was battle wagon for sure. Only two things ever went wrong. Filter cap and the CRT wore out after 16 years of hard labor. Still had all of its original tubes IIRC. I still have the power xfrmr and some of the tubes.

Well, this DuMont is far less spectacular than the last few, but it was either I save it or the owner was thinking of making it into a dog bed :yuck:

Drove out to a farm in the country and brought home this ugly but saveable DuMont RA-312 "Winsted". Picture tube is an RCA replacement, and everything seems like it's there. Going to need to find some knobs and a control door, at the very least.

What the heck, it was only $20, and I'm totally out of ugly looking sets :)

I think she's not bad looking.....

Ugly looking? It looks about as generic "1950s console TV" as you can get I'd say. I personally think some of the Philco sets with knobs on the top and side are much uglier.

Ugly looking? It looks about as generic "1950s console TV" as you can get I'd say. I personally think some of the Philco sets with knobs on the top and side are much uglier.

I second this.... I don't like the knobs on top of the set, under a door on top
not so bad, Sides I don't like either..... Put them out front where you can easily
see what yer doin' and so you can put it up against something, or put some
inappropriate decorative crap on top....

Eric,

Your orphan RCA portable reminded me of the 2 portables my folks bought new in 1959. One was that exact model RCA, the other was a Westinghouse. The RCA outlasted the Westy by many years. Found this photo of the RCA shortly after it was purchased.

-Steve D.
Thats normal. I never met a Westinghouse I liked. The only one with
a cool factor was the first instant on 19" B&W. It had a dark sun screen
& when off had a still modern look being a totally black. The only
colors I remember were the ones with the Saturn 5 HV cage.
Right down there with Emerson, easily worse than even GE or
early all tube Jap sets.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Ugly looking? It looks about as generic "1950s console TV" as you can get I'd say. I personally think some of the Philco sets with knobs on the top and side are much uglier.

Well, I meant condition wise, not style wise. Style wise I think it's pretty nice :)

I recently took pity on a 1960s HMV Rangemaster. The condition is so rough, I was regretting picking it up and planned on stripping out the chassis and CRT. I've since decided to undertake the massive project of restoring it, as it'll be a great experience and good challenge.

Chris

I've got a Philco-Ford 12" b/w set and a late 60's Zenith b/w portable that were literally buried under 3 feet of debris in a house I recently tore down. They're sitting under my workbench out in the shed now. Most people would've probably tossed them, but then again us TV guys aren't like most people, are we?

No doubt, but at least the stuff you guys save is gaining in recognition as collectible. The stuff I collect ('80s and '90s Sony and Casio things, even TFT ones and Hi8 and 8mm camcorders and VCRs) really makes everyone I know scratch their heads.

Oh well.

No doubt, but at least the stuff you guys save is gaining in recognition as collectible.

Very true I guess. When I formerly collected sets from the 1970s-80s, people would often ask me why I wanted to collect something so new and bland, as I guess most people don't consider them as being particularly "vintage" or stylish (despite other domestic items of the era being considered vintage and collectible). Now that I collect 1960s console televisions, one of the questions I get asked is "Where the **** do you store them all!?". :scratch2:

Chris

Very true I guess. When I formerly collected sets from the 1970s-80s, people would often ask me why I wanted to collect something so new and bland, as I guess most people don't consider them as being particularly "vintage" or stylish (despite other domestic items of the era being considered vintage and collectible).
The 70s sets are the most stylish to me. I go into the 80s as well but I get more picky with sets from that time. If it wasn't for Zenith dragging their feet with technology and styling I wouldn't have my '88 console.

Here's one I'd like to save, been reduced to $20...:sigh: (no affiliation)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271535437983&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:1653

Had family friends in the '50s that had one of these RCA consoles. I recall being just tall enough to look straight into the pix tube and fiddle with the radio controls.

Later about 1963 they gutted it and installed a Sherwood S-5000II amp and matching FM tuner, and a Garrard record player.

Later about 1963 they gutted it and installed a Sherwood S-5000II amp and matching FM tuner, and a Garrard record player.

Ah, so now we know who to blame for the whole "Flat panel retrofit in a vintage television" trend... :nono:

Chris

Here's a Sony KV-1830AS I picked up the other day. It was laying on its back in a puddle. I don't think I've seen a KV-18xx with a good CRT in more than 20 years - I doubt this one will be the exception, but I couldn't just leave it there.

It has been drenched in the heavy rains we've had recently. The UHF tuner is frozen solid and the volume knob is missing, but considering where and how it was found it could have been worse.

I doubt I'll get to it anytime soon. Once it dries out I expect it will power up with a dim green or purple raster. Anyone remember that post from a while back where someone successfully rejuvenated a Trinitron?

Dr.Ido That is a nice Sony, I would have picked it up too......

Well I picked up a 13" Combo tv DVD tv today. An Emerson EWC13D4. Not entirely
surprised it Worked Just fine ! ! It was going to rain and I wanted to get in a quick
bike ride before hand. 16 miles down the street and around the block. At the corner
was a tv sitting on top of a steel fish tank stand. I thought, wow I can always use some
extra steel.... And the tv, well the wife wasn't home and its small enough to hide
somewhere..... I thought it would be a nice one for my office.... And something to play with
if it don't work... But she works fine.... Kinda disappointed.... well not really....
I gotta get a remote someday now....


http://www.amazon.com/Emerson-EWC13D4-Inch-Silver-DVD/dp/B0006V2JFM/ref=pd_sxp_f_i

I'm happy I saved the tv from the rain that came less than 1 hour after I
picked up the tv and fish tank stand. They both have a good home now....

Now I feel bad about the 5 others I didn't pick up over the past year just as close.....

made in Malaysia, Nov. 2004

Picture from amazon.com

I got suckered into two I felt sorry for, last night :sigh:

Actually, I gave the guy $20 for both because I felt bad that he carried them up from the basement and brought them over!

A mid-50s RCA Super B&W....someone cut the pins off the picture tube and the safety glass is missing. The other is a 1952 Admiral 21F1. My guess on the Admiral is that very very long ago, someone fell asleep with the set on, and during that time it lost vertical sweep. That's about the only thing that would explain the ion burn in a straight line in the center. Picture tube actually tests very good too.

I might actually restore the Admiral, simply because not too many people ever restore bakelite rectangular Admirals, and I have the missing knobs and I think I might even have a pencil box door that will fit.

The RCA? As I remember those are actually good chassis in those. Maybe I'll test tubes and power it up on a variac just for grins and see if it's got any HV left.....

What size is the RCA? I'm looking for a 21" set in that style cabinet, with the Super chassis and the controls on top of the set. I had one years ago.

It's a 21". Picture tube is a 21AMP4. This one's pretty beat up, but if you want it you're welcome to it....

I dunno; You can name ANY era & find "Collectable TVs from it. Take the Eighties. Too new, nothing exciting, right ? Well, Bunky, don't be so hasty. Panasonic put out all manner of interesting sets then, you can have a pretty decent collection, just focusing on the myriad of those "Teeny-Tiny" 1 & 1.5" "Paperback Novel" size sets. They also made a SLEW of 3" sets, I like the one that they made to look like a TV camera, it also has an AM/FM radio. Most of the ones I've run across seem to be either lightly-used, or beat-to-shit, for some reason. But they're still plentiful, & most of the time, quite cheap. They even made COLOR versions, the unreal 1.5" CT-101 goes for SILLY money now, but its bigger brother, the 2.75" CT-3311 usually isn't as expensive, but MUCH harder to find. You gotta hand it to an outfit that would shell out the developmental bux like Matsushita did in engineering a color TV than was basically the size of a summer potboiler crime novel, never really expecting the product to re-coup much of its developmental costs.

You gotta hand it to an outfit that would shell out the developmental bux like Matsushita did in engineering a color TV than was basically the size of a summer potboiler crime novel, never really expecting the product to re-coup much of its developmental costs.

You have to remember that Japan Inc. was in full "employment for life" mode, and they might as well give all those engineers something to do.

Less likely they were just "finding stuff to do" than in competition with their fellow
countrymen in the other Japanese companies inventing new niche areas within their
field to fill..... Japan had many innovations in electronics over the years. The 1 1/2"
color tv was pretty neat though..... I like the little cassette stereos, takin' tunes wit
me while ridin' my bike.....

Sandy is right there are plenty of sets from the 80's well worth collecting even if only
for your own personal reason. I'm slowly getting a nice little collection of Sharp tv's from
'79 on up to '87. I may even end up needing more room for them, and eventually sell off
some of the sets that will be more trouble like my ctc5, and Zenith Roundie.

I can see a day when I get down to a few 80's Sharps, my '58 Emerson's, maybe a few
other 50's metal sets still yet to be found, I would like a 4 tube hybrid Zenith again, keep my
'72 Zenith 20CC50, and the CRT sets from the late 90's and early 2000's we use daily in the
living room, and my office..... Gunna keep my 25" Sharp in the bedroom as long as she keeps running...


.

My '88 Zenith console isn't one of the most exciting sets, but it's not CTC157-common and it made it this far with so few hours and is in near-perfect shape, so it's not leaving my possession.

Panasonic/Matsushita "Won" the "Littlest TV" game, as Sony never made, or at least SOLD in this country, anything smaller than the KV-4000, the 3.75" Trinitron. And I DON'T think they got into the REALLY "Teeny-Tiny" 1.5" game in either B/W or color. Panasonic MUST have sold a fair number of those Bad Boyz, 'Cause there sure are a BUNCH of 'em still around. Closest they-Sony- got were the "Lollipop" sideways CRT "Watchman" models. One of THOSE in color woulda been a REAL neat toy, though..

I inherited my Aunt's 1976 KV1800AS .. fairly common set ..and it is still in fine working order except for the normal frozen UHF tuner issue...