View Full Version : Zenith Chromacolor on eBay


jstout66
09-03-2003, 12:15 PM
What a great set! The seller wants a bit much for an opening bid, but this is one of Zenith's best sets ever, and what a great cabinet design. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2190413709

rca2000
09-03-2003, 09:35 PM
I prefer to own the set that the Zeniths cabinet was designed after-- My rca G-2000.It is FAR more rare, and advanced than that Zenith.

captainmoody
09-04-2003, 11:18 AM
The G-2000 is cool, And I love mine, But the Zenith in my opinion has a nicer picture and is much more reliable.
Plus, It can still be found on the curb today for collectors free of charge and in working condition!

jstout66
09-04-2003, 01:47 PM
Just my opinion, but I don't think RCA was advanced over Zenith in anything. Ever........ Don't get me wrong, I have RCA sets that I collect as well, and I think they were a great company, but Zenith always put more quality into their sets. Also, when you do a side by side picture comparison with ANY other brand, you can't beat the picture on a working Chromacolor set. What's the opinion of you other members out there? Am I 'full of it"?? LOL

rca2000
09-04-2003, 02:02 PM
And, I ageee, that the chromacolor sets( ESPECIALLY the chromacolor II) had a much better picture than RCA, or anybody else at the time, and EVEN NOW, the II's can rival some of the best sets on the market for picture-- EVEN SONY!! I also love the Zenith chassis, both tube and Chromacolor solid state. The build Quality is SUPERIOR to anyone else on the market(then-- let's not talk about "modern Zeniths"--1990-present-- they are JUNK!).

However the RCA G-2000 is unique.(so unique, and special to me, I used it for my screen name) While the picture is not up to chromacolor standards, it has some features ten or more years ahead of its time, and is VERY rare!! So, to me ,it is more collectible than chromacolors,( which i do love to find, by the way) even though the picture, and realibility, may be inferior.

jstout66
09-04-2003, 03:04 PM
Now I am curious! Can you post a picture of your RCA G-2000?? I'll look further on this site to see if you have one posted already, but would LOVE to see it! And I agree about the fate of Zenith. When they were "going down the tubes" they put out some bad junk (can you say picture tube problem) and once they got bought out..... forget it.

captainmoody
09-04-2003, 04:05 PM
I have my G-2000 posted in this forum under "got the G-2000 today", There are pics of front, Back and owners nameplate.

drh4683
09-04-2003, 10:27 PM
over a year ago I found that exact zenith chormacolor model on the curb in my nightborhood. My 66 zenith console had bad convergence coils (plastic spools all cracked apart when I attempted to converge it!) and that set was the parts set to get it going again. Had I known about this site then and that people actually liked it I would have saved it for you guys! Im sure anotherone is around here. This is zenith land and thats all I will ever find
9 in 10 tvs I find will be zenith, the other 1 would be an rca. I guess its good to be in chicagoland if your're a zenith nut like me. Never ever found the other brands like magnavox, philco, sylvania. What ever happened to those? Poor sales or junk?

Carmine
09-04-2003, 10:38 PM
DH, Captain Moody and I were just saying the same thing... You must find nothing but Zeniths in Chicago! Lucky you!

Similar thing exists here in Detroit area... Eastside=Chrysler, Westside=GM, Downriver/Dearborn=Ford.

Let me officially invite you over next time you're in the area.

jstout66
09-05-2003, 09:22 AM
Captainmoody, I saw your pix of the RCA 2000. That is a cool looking set. I guess I never knew about that model. We were so involved in selling Zenith, that I wasn't much aware of what other companies were doing. Do you still have it? And rca2000, Lucky you as well! That is a RARE set. The CTC-46 is a good chassis. Do you use yours as a "daily" watcher? I wonder how many of the 2000 are left? Probably quite a few if they were that pricey..... The most expensive set I sold ran in the $1200 range and that was for a Zenith 25"Chromacolor 2 Remote /Stereo Combo unit. I remember how pretty the inlaid wood looked on the cabinet. Anyway...... You RCA 2000 owners are lucky. Hold on to em' and keep them running!

captainmoody
09-05-2003, 02:12 PM
Yes, I still have it but only turn it on every now and then. The two main sets I use in the basement are a 1997 36" RCA which I was told was one of the last out of the bloomington plant and a 1980 Zenith system 3 with the curved cabinet.

drh4683
09-05-2003, 06:12 PM
Hey jamie,
whats your daily watcher since youve got your chromacolor in service? I havent got the big rca remote set as a daily watcher yet. I need to find a proper sized table or stand to support. It will crush the ordinary tv stand. Im estate saleing this saterday and hope to finally come across something that will do the job and look right

jstout66
09-05-2003, 06:51 PM
Doug, Moyers sent a defective part so I'm still waiting on the part!For now the "daily" watchers are my boring CTC-185, and in the bedroom an old Sony KV-1543R. Looks mighty small on the stand the RCA used to be on! Good luck at the sales, but if you don't find anything I got that stand from Oak Express (it's a chain so maybe you have one in your area?) and the CTC-31 "just" fit on it, and the top swivels which is a bonus! Once I get moved (if that ever happens) I've got a 1967 Maggy in storage (remote with the sliding doors on the front) along with an old Sylvania "roundie". What are you using for a "daily" watcher? Heck, you could rotate with your supply!

jstout66
09-05-2003, 06:54 PM
Captainmoody, I can still remember those System 3's on our sales floor! How's the picture holding up?

captainmoody
09-05-2003, 07:44 PM
The original crt is bright with no smear even when driven hard!
It was a curb find that I got from the original elderly owners.
The 9-160 module had a bunch of cracked solder connections that drove them nuts with shutdown problems!
I repaired a lot of those sets and sold them when new, The last being an SE 2795W (Digital Sys 3) I sold it new in 1990 and it came back to me in 1999, Still in excellent working condition with original crt!! That model was very unreliable and somehow this one held up with NO repairs.
You say you have a 1967 mag with remote and sliding doors?
Did you see mine in the "ugly color sets" thread?

jstout66
09-05-2003, 08:24 PM
captainmoody, I did see your Magnavox! (I kinda liked it!) Mine is the same, but in a more traditional cabinet. Mine is the same style, but with a dark wood. I haven't serviced it and it needs some minor touch up. But still works pretty good. The picture tube was changed in the mid 70's with an RCA Hi-Lite matrix type. The remote functions need some attention. I wondered how the early System 3's were holding up. My uncle closed shop in 1986 and I am most familiar with the first generation System 3's. I see a few at some shops but the picture tubes haven't held up in the ones I've seen. What did Zenith call them? Was it Tri- focus or EFL?? The 90 degree Chromacolor tubes seem to be holding up well tho! I had a Chromacolor 2 in the curved cabinet, but sold it because I couldn't find an electronic tuner. The tuner would go out once the set heated up. I should have kept it, but didn't have alot of storage....... I'm glad your System 3 still has that perfect Zenith picture on it!

captainmoody
09-05-2003, 08:37 PM
I strongly felt at the time that Zenith was the best set to have and enjoyed the sales and repair aspect of the business. Things have changed a lot since I sold my last new Zenith in 1990 and closed my shop though.