[UPDATE] - Here's a video I decided to make to show a demonstration of the TV in action -> hxxps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUTq2pP39E
Thought I would share my story on how I acquired this television set.
In my City like many now, you can't just simply throw away old tv's in the garbage. You have to take them to a desinated drop off recycling centre. In some ways this is a good idea since you don't have to drive around looking for something special on garbage day, you can just simply drive to your local recycle drop off centre, I assume many do the same thing when looking for old sets to salvage. As usual i was on my way to do just that, when I got there I admittedly noticed the old wood grain paneling on two tv sets they had there. I assumed they were probably from the late 70s early 80s but I had no idea what make they were till i got a closer inspection. Upon closer inspection they were two 19" I believe the first one was a 1983 or 1982 RCA with the digital number panel but I didn't get the model. The other one was the one I salvaged the 1983 Zenith Z1926W manufactured at the Springfield,Missouri plant. It was a little dinged up and very dusty, but after some brief cleaning it looks pretty good now. I was actually pretty surprised it powered up with no problems!! not even any static from adjusting the volume pull knob! for a 31 year old tv :) Also I was quite pleased to learn that apparently this was before Zenith moved production to Mexico. One thing I I would like to learn is what the Choromatic switch is for? and also what the Redi plug is for as well? Did it have a remote? I have supplied a photo below it was taken on a Blackberry so I apologies for the quality but you get the idea. P.S The Clock radio was also salvaged it's a Realistic Chronomatic 117 from 1974 I beleive. Hopefully someone out there has some knowledge of this model.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2luzb0o.jpg

Nice set! Sadly it's not remote, but at least it has digital tuning. The Chromatic switch was just an auto color preset for all the color controls. The Redi-plug was just a plastic knockout to add a module for future use (such as Zenith's cable boxes, stereo), there isn't anything behind it and as far as I know nothing was made that would utilize it.

You made the right choice in saving this one. Not a remote set. I'd like to know what the redi plug is for myself, the Zenith console I just got has one. I'm sure that Tom (zeno) will be along soon enough with more info.

Took too long typing my post. I moved my console away from the wall to double-check for a redi-plug. I'd like to know exactly what add-ons were available though.

This was the EXACT set that my parents bought new in 1984! Our living room GE console with VIR that my dad bought in '77, bought the farm in Feb of 84, and we ended up downsizing to this exact set.

It was a decent performer until the flyback went in '90. They gave it to me, and I had a flyback installed at a local shop. It worked fine for a couple years, then it had this super loud high pitched squeal coming from the speaker, which would sometimes go away. Not knowing how to repair them at the time, it went to the curb.

I remember the salesman telling us that the only change for Zenith for 1984 was the color of the LEDs. He said in 1983 they were red, and the '84 models were green. Dunno how accurate that was, but that's what he said :)

Nice save.
The set is not a remote. The ready plug is a knock out to add
a connector for accessories. The ones I remember were an antenna
switcher & a stereo adaptor. Places with Zenith cable systems may
have used it or a built in added "box", I am not sure cause there
were no Zenith cable systems in our area.
The chromatic button is an auto color switch. For the best picture
turn it off & adjust the set for the best pix. Now all you need is to find a
door !
The set has seen a LOT of use looking at the wear on the buttons
& chrome. Its a testament to just how well things electronic were
made in the past. You could not sell unrepairable short lived junk
back then, now its the norm:thumbsdn:

73 Zeno:smoke:

@ Kamakiri, I find that interesting what that salesman said about the 83's having a RED LED. Just looking at mine now, it says Manufactured October 1983 and it does have the green display, maybe the 84's had the RED LED, it would be interesting to know if they did. I also found an old commercial on youtube and the 1984 model was selling for $348! Zenith was even giving away a brand new 1984 Chrysler Laser Turbo that year as their grand prize! As to zeno that's really interesting about the antenna switcher and stereo adapter and yes I would love to find a door for it...sigh....maybe I'll get lucky on Ebay. My next step is to hopefully get a RF Modulator so I can watch the old shows like All In The Family on it, I got a 46 inch Toshiba DLP but it just isn't the same for watching Welcome Back Kotter on. ;)

Great find. Ive had a couple of these in the past. I have an 84 zenith with a green display right now.

@ Kamakiri, I find that interesting what that salesman said about the 83's having a RED LED. Just looking at mine now, it says Manufactured October 1983 and it does have the green display, maybe the 84's had the RED LED, it would be interesting to know if they did. I also found an old commercial on youtube and the 1984 model was selling for $348!

Sounds about right on the price. But if yours was manufactured in October of 1983, like cars, it would be considered a 1984 model :)

C'mon, ME not remember a television? :D

I find that interesting what that salesman said about the 83's having a RED LED. Just looking at mine now, it says Manufactured October 1983 and it does have the green display, maybe the 84's had the RED LED, it would be interesting to know if they did.
My understanding is that a red LED channel display indicates that the set is not cable ready, whereas a green one says it is. Perhaps they all went cable ready in '84.

A non-cable ready set with a pull-on/volume knob and a numeric keypad would have been kind of a pain to use with one of those old CATV converter boxes as the set could be powered on and off via the converter remote, but would default to channel 2 as the channel memory requires standby power. That is unless, the converter happens to output on channel 2. At least one of mine does.

I believe Zenith introduced LED channel readout in '79 and those sets were cable ready (up to channel 36), with green LED readouts. All of the ones I've seen with red LED's were non-cable ready and there were even 12" and 19" B&W Zeniths with non-cable ready keypad tuners with red LED channel display.

there were even 12" and 19" B&W Zeniths with non-cable ready keypad tuners with red LED channel display.
Only Zenith. Got to keep my eyes open for one of those as well. I seek the unusual, and they delivered.

All Zeniths with true RAT were cable ready EXCEPT the B&W's cited
by RTVNUT. IIRC the first RAT set was L-line 2nd gen (9-160) System 3.
1st gen K-line System 3 ( power transformer ) had presets.
They MAY have dropped in rats at end of K-line like there are a
few J-line System 3 25" top of line that did not say System 3. The early releases were often limited distribution area wise eg only in L.A. etc.

73 Zeno:smoke:

OOPS there may have been a 13" with up / down not
cable ready but its been tooooo long:scratch2:

73 Zeno:smoke:

I had a 19" non-cable ready Zenith color TV with the 9-181/-186 chassis that had a standard pull on/volume knob, RAT tuning, and red LED that was not cable ready. I also had a 25" floor model that was the same way.

I had a 19" non-cable ready Zenith color TV with the 9-181/-186 chassis that had a standard pull on/volume knob, RAT tuning, and red LED that was not cable ready. I also had a 25" floor model that was the same way.
I knew I should have said IIRC !
The 13" I think I remember was that vintage.
They were probably the odd-ball R, S, & T lines sold to big stores.
We never got spec sheets for them except the rare case when they sold
them to regular dealers. Usually almost identical to the regular line
but often looked cheaper & was missing something.

73 Zeno:smoke:

I had a 19" non-cable ready Zenith color TV with the 9-181/-186 chassis that had a standard pull on/volume knob, RAT tuning, and red LED that was not cable ready. I also had a 25" floor model that was the same way.
I suppose converter use was a moot point back when these sets were made as cable still wasn't all that popular. Look at how quickly the popularity of cable exploded and then took a steep dive. I was told that my '88 Zenith console was never hooked to cable, and it shows. Looks almost showroom fresh inside and out. There's also the owner-added knife switch on the back for antenna selection.

I suppose converter use was a moot point back when these sets were made as cable still wasn't all that popular. Look at how quickly the popularity of cable exploded and then took a steep dive. I was told that my '88 Zenith console was never hooked to cable, and it shows. Looks almost showroom fresh inside and out. There's also the owner-added knife switch on the back for antenna selection.
In our town back then the basic cable abt 30 channels were unscrambled.
Cable ready sets were popular for eliminating the box or adding
extra sets for free. Could also record anything while watching basic.
Basic cost abt $6 back then + $3 if you wanted remote. We made
a fortune selling Jerrold 400 & 450 handunits. Cost $5 and sold
them for $30. The Jerrold 400 box could also be modded in 2
minutes to get all channels by we never did it. That would get a
lot of attention !!!


73 Zeno:smoke:

In our town back then the basic cable abt 30 channels were unscrambled.
Cable ready sets were popular for eliminating the box or adding
extra sets for free. Could also record anything while watching basic.
Basic cost abt $6 back then + $3 if you wanted remote. We made
a fortune selling Jerrold 400 & 450 handunits. Cost $5 and sold
them for $30. The Jerrold 400 box could also be modded in 2
minutes to get all channels by we never did it. That would get a
lot of attention !!!


73 Zeno:smoke:
Funny, my flatty came with a Jerrold 400 box that I still have. Got to find my 450 remote one of these days to find out if it will work with the 400.

Found it already, sweet.