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The 1965 Motorola "Cadet" Portable TV!
Here is a 1965 Motorola "Cadet" 12" portable TV which uses the TS-454 chassis. This is the very first generation for this particular cabinet design with the handle on the side. This particular set is housed in an attractive "Mandarin Orange" cabinet which I have not seen until acquiring this set. I have the original 1965 Motorola product technical training manual for this set and it lists this particular model with that color name. The introductory paragraph in the manual states that this was essentially a "return" to small screen TV due to increased market demand for personal-portable sets. This is a higher end model as it features illuminated channel dials which is somewhat unusual to see on a 12" set. It also came with it's original Gusdorf stand that was specially designed for this set as it has a little factory clip on the stand to hold the set in place. I appear to be the first to ever have the back off the set. It's low hour and was in a clean home it's entire life and still has all of it's original Motorola tubes. Except for some of the tubes, this set is entirely made up of American components and the tuner used in this set appears to be an interesting Motorola design exclusive to the TS-454. The CRT is EIA code 836 and was by made by Motorola's right hand supplier: National Video Corp. Like most B&W sets, they produce sharp crisp pictures!
This set was built in April, 1965 at the Elgin, IL plant, which was just opened at that time. The Motorola Elgin plant was a short lived operation, so it's nice to have a model that came from there. The Elgin plant was opened up as a feeder plant and also B&W TV production was shifted there (and to the Quincy, IL plant) so that the main plant in Franklin Park could have more space for increased color TV production. After the color TV boom slowed down, Motorola was able to consolidate operations and closed the Elgin plant in 1970. At that time, personal portable B&W TV production was shifted over to their new plant in Taiwan which was the happening thing with most of the domestic manufacturers at that time. Here's the interesting part: Even though Motorola closed down the Elgin plant, they still had plenty of other plants in the Chicago area in 1970, so everyone was given the opportunity to take transfers to other nearby facilities hence no layoffs! So here's a nice little piece of Motorola history... https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1514/...9e864305_h.jpgDSC05293 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1549/...f6f10fe7_h.jpgDSC05299 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1679/...103c6ea6_h.jpgDSC05297 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1543/...e319e2e6_h.jpgDSC05303 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1576/...1650c46e_h.jpgDSC05304 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1515/...ab535838_h.jpgDSC05313 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1530/...f6ed54f9_h.jpgDSC05310 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1649/...5f492f47_h.jpgDSC05316 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1581/...2889b583_h.jpgDSC05319 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1476/...340581ee_h.jpgDSC05364 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1496/...5aae23a7_h.jpgDSC05362 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1543/...e5e31806_h.jpgDSC05363 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1688/...e3392c9f_h.jpgDSC05275 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1513/...652ce5ef_h.jpgDSC05266 by drh4683, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1485/...5671b878_h.jpgDSC05271 by drh4683, on Flickr |
That's a neat little set! It's in spectacular condition!
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Another great find and beautiful pictures. Thanks!
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There's someone at the local "Antique Market" (that's what they call it but it's really just a flea market) selling a set that looks almost exactly like this for ~$50, although I could swear when I looked at it that I saw the GE logo on it. I keep passing it up because I assumed it was solid state and wasn't interested in a solid state set for $50, but if it's actually built like this one, maybe I should give it a second look.
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As much as I like Motorola products, I always considered the set as a "Rat's Nest". Wires running all over the place. I worked on a few, but they only needed repair when several years old.
There was a problem with the monopole antenna breaking out of the mounting place, because of the strong spring used and careless handling. IIRC, Motorola parts made a kit that could be used to replace the antenna, without having to replace the entire cabinet front. I had a larger 15" Cadet for a few years. That model used a voltage doubler power supply and one more stage of IF, a great DXer. Of course, they antenna was broken out. :sigh: |
Wow, you really did a great job of photographing this set, the colors are so vibrant, and the room setting... It's TV nostalgia art at it's finest.
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I swear, that the HV rectifier isn't a 1X2, it looks larger. It's been 30 years ago, since I repaired one. I think, the only time they were discarded, was when the CRT got so weak, it couldn't be watched. :D |
Yes, I agree. His photography skills are second-to-none.
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Neat set. It reminds me of a similar 12" Zenith I briefly owned.
There is something about orange, and cream color with that side handle that makes me think "this is a toy". Quote:
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The stand doesn't do a lot for me! It seemed to be more of a gimmick, than practical.
With the handle and antenna as it is, it was intended to be used on a bookshelf. The Cadet line was discontinued for a short time and was reintroduced a few years later. It was a hybrid using 4 or 5 odd-ball tubes and rather hard to work on. From the Taiwan plant. |
My first new TV was the 1968 version of the Cadet. At the time, I paid $90 for it, and a solid state version was available for an additional $10 (I'm not sure if the 12" solid state version was called a Cadet model or not). Since I was a high school kid on an allowance, $10 was a lot of money for me, so I went with the tubed version. The set saw daily use through 1985, and was never serviced. The sound went out at that point, but the picture was still good. I ended up giving it away, as I didn't want to put any money into an "obsolete" tube-type B&W TV.
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WOW That tv looks perfect ! Like New ! Like he got in his time machine and went back
in time and just picked it up at the store new......... makes me think..... Doug has a Time Machine ! ! ! Another nice post ! ! Thanks ! . |
All 82 channels.
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