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-   -   Unisonix XL 990 (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=269300)

Sandy G 07-16-2017 01:54 PM

Unisonix XL 990
 
Rummaging thru my basement the other day,I found this l'il guy. Don't remember or how much it was... It is a 3"B/W TV w/AM/FM built in. Think of those Panasonic 1.5" from about 1980 or so. It "Works", but really, REALLY needs a Deoxit bath. HEAVY l'ill Salami. It has a TOLIBLE picture, & the radio section-Well it AIN'T an R-390A...(Grin)

lnx64 07-16-2017 02:19 PM

I have Unisonic XL-900 series TV, but it doesn't have a radio at all.

http://i.imgur.com/CHTeria.jpg

And apparently looks nothing like the 990.

Sandy G 07-16-2017 02:31 PM

Lord, NO.. My widdle guy is rather like the size of a good. trashy, summer potboiler novel..

lnx64 07-16-2017 03:07 PM

Lol yea I know what you mean. I saw a few pictures of it, looks like it supports a magnifying lens on it too.

zeno 07-16-2017 05:22 PM

Every collector should have a Unisonix combo !
I remember the brand but not any perticula model.
They were on the "what the hell is that? " list. Idea was NOT
to take them in for repair. Some of these odd ball sets were pure
garbage & others were surprisingly good. Panasonic made more
of this type TV than anyone. But they were in a class of there own.
I kinda like working on this stuff. Nice to toss one on the bench
when you have been working on 50LB Zenith portables all day.

73 Zeno:smoke:
LFOD !

compucat 07-16-2017 06:42 PM

I have two of these. One is a Realistic with AM/FM radio and the other is a Broksonic with AM, FM and shortwave. They are well built and good performers. They also came with a generous amount of accessories such as a case, magnifier, earphone and carry strap. They were even made in Japan. The two inch tv screen is such a novelty. Although quite compact inside, I find them to be serviceable. They are definitely not junk despite being sold under several off brand names.

Sandy G 07-16-2017 07:55 PM

I've had quite a few of 'em thru the years, I get the feeling that a LOT of 'em-Maybe Most are low time sets. My 990 is a rather "Substantial" little critter. I dunno what they sold for new-I honestly don't remember ever seeing one for sale. They had that mysterious quality of being "Cute" which I'm sure sold a few of 'em. The 1st REALLY successful Sony, the 5-303 had the same sort of quality. Elderly women, especially the "well-Heeled" variety, prolly bought a BUNCH of 'em, & the idiot grandson/.nephew had to Put Forth a reasonable effort to kill one.

KentTeffeteller 07-16-2017 07:59 PM

Was this the Unisonic known well to vintage calculator fans?

Sandy G 07-16-2017 08:52 PM

Dunno, Kent. Changing the subject, he said-I was lucky enuf to have picked up my BELOVED WFLI Wore a big silly, horsey grin on my fugly mug the next day or so.

centralradio 07-16-2017 09:19 PM

2 Attachment(s)
I have this set from.Unisonic .XL990 2 incher and and the XL980 3 incher with cassette recorder silver case version which I got for 1980 Christmas from my late dad. I never heard of Unisonix.I have the manuals here somewhere or both sets..Also have their 5incher set here somewhere.

The Ratshack had their version of the XL990 around the same time.

compucat 07-17-2017 08:10 PM

The Radio Shack version sold for $199.95 in 1983. I wanted one so bad but at 16 years old, two hundred dollars might as well have been two thousand.

Sandy G 07-17-2017 08:29 PM

Yeah,its"Unisonic", NOT w/the "X". My misteak...Too bad the CRT wasn't color-THAT would have REALLY been something.

centralradio 07-17-2017 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compucat (Post 3186894)
The Radio Shack version sold for $199.95 in 1983. I wanted one so bad but at 16 years old, two hundred dollars might as well have been two thousand.

Yes .The Unisonic was the same as the Shack price at Woolco around 1981 and 1982.They still had the set in 1983 when the store closed down as Woolco was going out of business.Somebody beat me to it and got before I got there.I cant recall were I got the XL990 from but it was not full price at the time.The set still works good.So does the XL980.I remember in my junior and senior year in high school I had a running joke with my friends and a couple of teachers about the 2 inch TV.I think they did not believe me on the small size TV set.

From Franks handheld TV site.

http://www.guenthoer.de/e-tube.htm

The XL990 has alot of brothers and sisters along with the Shacks Realistic 16-103 and others TMK TMK-717,Emerson VR22,ORION TVR-7120,Broksonic CIRT-2097T,Nordmende TR 101 and maybe other clones that we forgot about.They were hot sellers at the time.Especially around summer time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G (Post 3186896)
Yeah,its"Unisonic", NOT w/the "X". My misteak...Too bad the CRT wasn't color-THAT would have REALLY been something.

Hahaha .No problem.I agree. A color set. A couple years later the Panasonic CT101 caught my eyes .At that time I could not dish out the money for it but a few years later I end up finding one for $75 bucks in the Bargain News paper.

Now its broken with a line from up to down on the screen as a screw came loose and blown something out.

Sandy G 07-18-2017 09:11 AM

The little1.5" color set is truly AMAZING. The only real complaint I have w/it is its "Rikki-Tikki" case... If you hsve a CT-101, you MUST be extraordinary careful w/it-The case is Very fragile,& easily broke...This Bad Boy was sort of a "Flagship" type product, & why Panasonic wouldn't spring for a case that offered at least a smidgeon of protection, is a mystery to me...

centralradio 07-18-2017 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G (Post 3186914)
The little1.5" color set is truly AMAZING. The only real complaint I have w/it is its "Rikki-Tikki" case... If you hsve a CT-101, you MUST be extraordinary careful w/it-The case is Very fragile,& easily broke...This Bad Boy was sort of a "Flagship" type product, & why Panasonic wouldn't spring for a case that offered at least a smidgeon of protection, is a mystery to me...

Yes .I agree.They are like the last made VHS tape cases from China .Real thin. The cases are cheap.I figure they would be better made since the set was made to carry around like the XL990.I dont know how the cases are with the Panasonic small B/W sets are since I dont have any here.


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