These little buggers are underrated as they were nice TVs back in the day, and the thing that old Rank Arena did was if you saw a better picture than them you'd get your money back. These buggers are like the Zenith of the Aussies!

These little buggers are underrated as they were nice TVs back in the day, and the thing that old Rank Arena did was if you saw a better picture than them you'd get your money back. These buggers are like the Zenith of the Aussies!

It looks like the sets sold here, that were Japanese or Korean sourced.
Samsung, Goldstar or NEC? :scratch2:

I dunno, but this set is definitely a beauty!

Are you using a camera from 1920 ? :scratch2:

Nah, my laptop's camera.

Most Rank Arena sets were NEC. Some were assembled locally from imported kits.

I see. Mine must be one of the kit ones but I'm not entirely sure.

Were there any TVs produced under the Stromberg-Carlson brand in Australia? I know of radios and fans.
Thanks!
Kevin

@ Kevin!
Yes, you are right, Stromberg-Carlson made TVs in Australia (not only radios).

Stromberg-Carlson Australasia Pty. Ltd. was placed at 118-124 Bourke
Road, Alexandria, close to Sidney.

They started with a 17"/90° set in December 1956 (model: 517 Olympic/ table
set and Pembroke with long legs, aussis called them low boys).

In 1957 they offered a 17" (model 717) and a 21" (model 521 called Royal).

At the end of 1957 to the beginning 1958 they sold the models 817 (17")
and the 821 (21").

In the 60s they offered the 110° sets called: 4A-002, 4A-004, 4A-005/4A-005/1,
4A-091, 4A-092, 4A-311, 4A-312.

That was the news from a german "down-under-TV"-fan, who called 7 aussis
his own.:finger:

TV-collector :stupid:

I see. Mine must be one of the kit ones but I'm not entirely sure.

Yours would be entirely Japanese. The kit sets would've been the larger sets (like my Rank Arena C-2014), where NEC supplied the CRT and chassis, and a local Australian firm would supply the cabinet.

Chris

the thing that old Rank Arena did was if you saw a better picture than them you'd get your money back.
That is a very interesting "guarantee". I wonder how many people really returned their Rank Arena sets-and, how many shops agreed "yes, that other set you have is better"?

There are a lot of disagreements on what makes a picture "better" than another, even.

Here's a Rank Arena C-1416. This was one of those "felt sorry for it" sets, but I thought it fit this thread more than the other.

Found in the alleyway behind the local shops all I had to do was replace the power lead that had been freshly cut (probably a scrapper). Otherwise it is completely as found - dust, yellowed cabinet, faded decals and all.

It was made by NEC. Internally it's marked as an NEC PWC-1014. I guess there's a related US model as it's basically a 115V hot chassis set with a built in 240V to 115V isolation transformer.

Amazig isn't it .. theyw ere so common ..and then they just disappear and you realise you need to save what ever you find... Rank had reputation of just working and working and working... and reasonable Japanese style colour

NEC used to use the slogan "AccuColor" on their North American sets.

I've seen AccuColor on NEC branded sets here, but not on the Rank Arena branded NEC built sets.

I'm sure when the Rank Arena - NEC associated ended or under what terms. I'm sure I've seen a couple sets in both NEC and Rank Arena branded versions.

. I guess there's a related US model as it's basically a 115V hot chassis set with a built in 240V to 115V isolation transformer.

Heavy expensive transformer is ridiculous, they could have just redesigned the hot power supply input.