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Old 09-23-2006, 12:12 PM
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Arkay Arkay is offline
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Phillips Astronaut-helmet "Discoverer" score!

This is my first post in the TV forum; I'm more of an audio guy, partly since space is limited here (apartment in Hong Kong) and TVs take up more space, but I have a soft spot for really vintage TVs, and would collect them if I were still back in the States with plenty of space.

That said, I bought a TV today that isn't a REAL oldie, but more of a semi-old oddity: The Phillips "Discoverer", ostensibly made in Italy to celebrate the first launching of the Space Shuttle (according to what I found online). It looks like an astronaut's helmet.

I can't post pics of mine now, but the model is the same one as in this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Philips-Discover...em220028957313

Mine is intact, including the visor-pivot cover missing from that one in the auction. However, the original remote control is missing. They had another Phillips remote that works with it, though, and as rare as they must be, I might still be able to locate a remote from one of a couple of sources here.

I really got this for the unusual looks more than anything else. I've seen a few sold in decorator shops here, usually for around $300 to $500. I got mine for $50 from a wholesale place, so I'm not worried about losing money on it. Except for a little dust and some fingerprints on the visor, it looks to be in excellent shape. Don't know how well it works yet; I'll bring it home in two days and find out then. <gulp!>

Anyone here know this unit? I'm pretty new to TVs except for lurking here sometimes, so am not sure if I got a good one or just an oddity. Searched the site, but didn't find it mentioned. Comments and info welcome.
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Old 09-23-2006, 08:29 PM
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Phil Nelson Phil Nelson is offline
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A remake (or should we call it a color tribute?) of the 1970s JVC VideoSphere:

http://antiqueradio.org/jvc01.htm

Does Hong Kong use the same video standards as Italy (or the UK)?

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html
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Old 09-23-2006, 10:10 PM
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Sandy G Sandy G is offline
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Well, I think you done GREAT !! Kewl TV ! If they re-launched it today, it might do better-the 80s are so retro....<grin>
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Old 09-23-2006, 11:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy G
Well, I think you done GREAT !! Kewl TV ! If they re-launched it today, it might do better-the 80s are so retro....<grin>
God hated the eighties and so did I. Long live the Seventies! Nice TV though.
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Old 09-29-2006, 09:13 AM
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Well, I plugged it in and tried it out today... I hear a weird, low moaning sound. No pic. I think this astronaut got eaten by some alien, that is slowly dying inside!

I don't know all that much about TV repairs. I have succesfully repaired a few of them over the years, but those were all earlier discrete-component things that I could "get my head around". This thing has a remote control and some programming capability, so I'm assuming it has ICs and digital stuff inside. [Yuck!] The only thing I know to do with that stuff is just replace chips or even entire boards (no fun at all), when they are available. I rather think parts for this will be scarce, unless the insides match a more common model. I'll try to find a repair manual for it, somewhere, but if it isn't an easy fix, I'll have to turn it over to a more qualified repairman and hope.

IF it turns out to be a total bust [CRT Tube gone beyond help, for example.. although I doubt it] and only good for parts, then (I know, this may be sacrilege here...) I might stick a computer inside and turn it into a cool-looking music server. But I promise, it will NEVER become a fish tank! I don't think it will come to that, though: given it's generally excellent condition, I'm optimistic it is repairable.
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Old 09-29-2006, 09:30 PM
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Old 12-13-2006, 07:34 PM
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Arkay Arkay is offline
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Well, my THIRD "Astronaut Helmet" Phillips Discoverer TV is now sitting in my home... the first two BOTH make the weird alien moaning noises ...

Will the third one also suffer from the same disease? Do all these things "die" in a similar way? I'm guessing that certain key capacitors have simply aged too much after so many years. Just hope it isn't some unobtanium component, or if it is caps, that they haven't taken out some unobtanium with them.

Third time a charm? Or is there a weird curse at work that says I'll never find a working one? I'm waiting to try turning it on in a little while... Will I finally have one that works? Ah, the anticipation...stay tuned....

Meanwhile, I've started looking for the service manual. Only one of the TVs is truly complete, with both hinge covers and a remote, but still, I'd like to get these all working again.
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Old 03-15-2007, 01:38 PM
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Got a fourth astronaut-helmet TV today!

Just to update this thread: I got a fourth Phillips Discoverer "astronaut helmet" television today. This one was the cheapest one yet, at just $25. Each one has been cheaper than the one before. Maybe by next year they will pay me to haul one away? I'm assuming it has the same problem with failing caps that two out of three (so far) seem to have.

Do I need this many? NO. I'll probably sell this one onward to a decorator shop., after repairs. Still like the idea of turning one into a music server, but just can't bring myself to "gut" an otherwise repairable survivor.

I still need to get the service manual for these, to repair them beyond the obvious steps (DeOxit, check resistors and transistors and replace electrolytics in any case)... I guess now more than ever!
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Old 03-15-2007, 01:49 PM
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Sandy G Sandy G is offline
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How many of 'em have you managed to bring back to life ? Any dead CRTs ? Watch out, TVs have an insidious way of "growing" on you...You get a couple of one model, then another one lifts its skirt & shows you its cute l'il ass, then another, then another...1st thing, you have a HOUSEFUL of the damthings...An' they're STILL showin' you their Cute l'il Asses...<grin> I gotta go take my meds now...The voices are 'specially loud today for some reason...
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