Once in awhile as with my $65 Toyota Camry, eBay will cough up an unbeatable deal.... Got one tonight :banana: !!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300004470385&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fse arch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D300004470385%26f vi%3D1

I was tight for cash a couple weeks ago, and had to sell my other KV-5000, and was upset that all I got was $285. Wow, what a great comeback! This one sounds like it needs some TLC, but it's one of the best deals I've gotten on eBay in a long time!

Charles

That's way cool, Charles! I Never even knew a trinitron portable was that small. It also appears to display a somewhat decent picture. I can't believe that a TV like that would fetch 285!

What's the scoop on that lil' sony?

Thanks! It was the first "micro" color set, and was actually first shown in '72. They were $595. Also it was the first battery-powered color set. I've had a few of them. There is a nearly identical one that shows up all the time, and is not near as collectable; the KV-5100. It was from 1978 plus or minus, and has the same cabinet and knobs, just a different power supply board inside. This one I just got is missing all the accessories such as the battery case, travel cover for the front of the TV, and seems to have no box or paperwork. But hey; for $40 I won't complain!

This is a link to the one I just sold. (I had a friend list it for me because I was too busy). I said I got $285, and now I realize that included $35 shipping & special packing per the buyer). I guess I was trying to make myself feel better saying $285 sale, because I think I had paid over $300 for it including the accessories.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6285588507&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fse arch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D6285588507%26fvi %3D1

Charles

when I was in high school in the 80's
I had a girl friend with a battery operated sony tv.

I seem to remember that it had a 5 inch crt but it was a pop up crt - any one know the model niumber of this set ?

Wow, early as 72?! That must have been something in its day. I'm sure the buyer will be thrilled to own that piece of TV history in the condition he got it from you.

I would have been very disappointed in that sale also. Especially after having rebuilt it!
Nice you found another. I am sure you could get more acessories.
I looked inside one when I was a kid and thought it seemed very hi-tech and way beyond my ability to test at the time. It was loaned to the man I worked for to repair by another experienced TV man who didn't want to try to fix it. I only saw it briefly years ago. Funny how fresh the memory is.
I wonder how much that set was in '73? I guess about $400.00 or more but I have no idea.

I would have been very disappointed in that sale also. Especially after having rebuilt it!
Nice you found another. I am sure you could get more acessories.
I looked inside one when I was a kid and thought it seemed very hi-tech and way beyond my ability to test at the time. It was loaned to the man I worked for to repair by another experienced TV man who didn't want to try to fix it. I only saw it briefly years ago. Funny how fresh the memory is.
I wonder how much that set was in '73? I guess about $400.00 or more but I have no idea.


I think it was $599, PLUS the cost of all the accessories (battery pack, charger, carry case, etc etc)... They were an executive toy. I think that even the last generation of 5" genuine Trinitron was still around $450 in the late 80s. Then in the early 90s, Sony started buying the 5" sets from Korean makers and rebranding them :thumbsdn: Those were in the $225 range, and had a cheap non-Trinitron tube.

The KV-5000s can be hard to work on physically, but the circuitry is typical Sony. Not too bad to work on except for the small size. Usually it's a problem with many, many leaky caps.

Charles

Wow! I wonder how many units were sold at such a high price. I guess worldwide selling in the first year could have been like 30,000 units but that's a wild guess. I suppose it would be hard to get such info except maybe from some Sony exec. It probably cost like $10.00 to produce from raw materials to the showroom floor based on labor rates, etc. When I attempt to think of the numbers and how quickly they add up, especially the profit figures my mind starts to fry with some sort of dimented envy. I keep thinking we little people can get in the game somehow but I guess the bigwigs got everything controlled quite effeciently.
It is really cool to get info like that the Sony sets became Korean without the Trinitron tube. I guess those sets did not say Trinitron on them? I would think not but it would not surprise me if some loophole allows them to say Trinitron when it is not.

Good question on whether the Korean ones used the Trinitron name... The one that comes to mind is this one now on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-COLOR-WATCHMAN-FDT-5BX5-AM-FM-RADIO-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ230006652532QQihZ013QQcategoryZ11 074QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I can't see any "Trinitron" badge with that seller's single not-so-fine photo. :scratch2:

After that model, they went to all LCD for small portables. I think those may be real Sonys, but who can tell anymore?

Charles

Want another parts KV-5000? I have one with wierd color issues

Want another parts KV-5000? I have one with wierd color issues

I am interested in cosmetic parts, so I might buy your set for those if they're presentable (carry handle, cabinet with good paint & labels hopefully, bottom stand, antenna, front plastic lens, etc)... I am also DEFINITELY looking for accessories, such as the black plastic "lid" that fits over the front of the TV, and I would be interested in a BP-50 battery case (fits on the bottom of the TV). My eMail is motocrossKXrider@yahoo.com

Charles

I think Sony was trying to do w/the KV-5000 what they'd done w/the 5-303 series 10 yrs before...My dad got me a 5-303 in Xmas '62, & I remember him saying it was like $300 then, a fair amount of coin for '62.

The antenna for the 5000 was still available from Sony as of a year ago. It was expensive (about $25), but in stock.

The antenna for the 5000 was still available from Sony as of a year ago. It was expensive (about $25), but in stock.


Thanks for the tip on that... I wonder if the replacement has the correct fat tip on it though? I've seen a lot of those sets with the wrong thin tip, which is the same rod as the twin rods on the AN-16 antenna. They fit, and are the correct length, but wrong diameter and wrong tip to be original on the KV-5000 & 5100.

If they still have one in stock at Andrews, maybe I'll put it on will call and go see it.

Charles

I am interested in cosmetic parts, so I might buy your set for those if they're presentable (carry handle, cabinet with good paint & labels hopefully, bottom stand, antenna, front plastic lens, etc)... I am also DEFINITELY looking for accessories, such as the black plastic "lid" that fits over the front of the TV, and I would be interested in a BP-50 battery case (fits on the bottom of the TV). My eMail is motocrossKXrider@yahoo.com

Charles


cosmetically the set is pretty good and it does work but has the color issues that seems to point in the direction of Y/Q phase errors. I got the set from a video junkie (photographer for the local FOX affiliate) with no goodies and it has an additional BNC on the back in the traditional "drill till it fits" fashion.
Was going to keep it around for spare parts for my KV5000 I bought new but never needed to do anything to mine other than batteries and lots of them! Bought it new in Jr High school but dont remember the plastic cap that fits over the front, maybe mine was lost before it got to the store... The antenna rod and plastic swivel is still in good shape as is the front faceplate and cabinet cover, only the pop-up latch seems to have been removed in the past so the set lays down all the time over the control pod.
Was a damn expensive TV in its time and I remember having to take on another paper route and lawns to pay for mine! Paid $485.75 in june of 1983 at Team electronics as an overstock. Wow Im getting old!


109

Thanks for the tip on that... I wonder if the replacement has the correct fat tip on it though? I've seen a lot of those sets with the wrong thin tip, which is the same rod as the twin rods on the AN-16 antenna. They fit, and are the correct length, but wrong diameter and wrong tip to be original on the KV-5000 & 5100.

If they still have one in stock at Andrews, maybe I'll put it on will call and go see it.

Charles

I'm pretty sure it's identical to the original one on a second 5100 I picked up. The mounting hardware was slightly different, but looks identical once installed. It came with parts to allow it to fit several different TVs.

It's on eBay and in Beverly Hills.
#290006442899