1970s? GTE Sylvania 25" color Console TV just picked up at a Garage Sale near me

[vortalexfan]

Hello everyone today I just picked up a 1970s vintage GTE Sylvania Color TV console that looks to be a 25" for $5 and it says it's solid state on the front panel but I'm not sure if that's referring to the whole TV or just the Tuner section (as I'm aware that some of these TVs from that time period had solid state tuner sections but tubes for the high voltage and vertical and horizontal sections).

It's a model CL4267DA and it has a knob style tuner, that is backlit.

any information about this TV would be appreciated

Pictures of the TV posted below.

[freakaftr8]

I believe by that time it may be solid state tuner, IF and color demod. not sure of sweep circuits but quite possibly all solid state. the sylvania GTE on the back may be a giveaway.

You could always remove the back and look and see if there's any tubes on the chassis

[freakaftr8]

Actually now that I took a closrt look, that looks like an inline CRT. Definitely all solid state by that time. But interesting how it still has mechanical tuners. Could be a replacement CRT. Looks alot like a Zenith Rauland CRT black matrix inline. Popular in the mid 80s

[Electronic M]

IIRC the D16 chassis was the last hybrid color Sylvania, and this looks a good bit newer than that.

[Jeffhs]

I remember seeing ads for the Sylvania GT-Matic TVs when they were first introduced in the 1970s. Some of those sets had a control panel behind a front-panel door which could be locked after the controls were set to the viewer's liking. The TV owner kept the key; once the door was locked it was impossible to change the control settings. The TV probably had circuitry which monitored the picture, and would correct the settings if they drifted for any reason.

GE went one step further with its "VIR -- Broadcast Controlled Color" system, which used a signal in the vertical blanking bar to adjust and correct the color settings if necessary. However, one drawback of the GE "VIR" system was that the TV station or network to which the set was tuned had to be transmitting the VIR signal in the blanking interval; without that signal, the VIR system could not and did not work. I had a great-uncle who owned a GE VIR TV, but he never used the VIR function; in fact, I don't think he was even aware that his TV had the feature in the first place.

[freakaftr8]

I did not know abour GE's VIR system. Ove seen it, but just assumed it was like RCAs accucolor. Learn something new every day!

[vortalexfan]

This TV does have a control panel that does seem to have a locking mechanism on it. But have no idea if the owner has the key for it. The owner is my next door neighbor who bought it brand new and had it in their basement.
They are holding it for me until I can get my workshop put back together, because I was planning on moving my workshop into a bigger room in my house but that room had black mold in it so my landlord had to have the mold abated and is now getting the room put back together.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by freakaftr8

I did not know abour GE's VIR system. Ove seen it, but just assumed it was like RCAs accucolor. Learn something new every day!

There's been discussion of VIR in other threads here. A major problem with it was that proper use was not mandated by the FCC and was seldom adhered to by the broadcasters. It should have been inserted at the studio and then not touched all the way through the final transmitter. However, stations sometimes inserted it down the line, so it was then unrelated to the video. Some stations inserted it just before the transmitter feed so it could be used to correct any distortions on the studio transmitter link and in the transmitter. The result of all this is that VIR had a good chance of making the color worse when you turned it on in the set. TV manufacturers that looked at it often decided that without regulated use, VIR would be on average a detriment to their product line.

It's too bad. It could have gone a long way towards fixing the variable color performance of analog cable TV systems.

[Popester]

I believe VIR stood for "vertical interval reference" and by the way that Sylvania looks pretty nice. You will have to put a picture of it working so good luck with it.

[zeno]

Its a mid 70's GT-Matic 100% solid state. Probably the 3
module chassis. They were the first sets to use a master osc for
the horz & vert. That went on to be industry standard. A basic
set to work on so easy.
Other thing is it uses the "Dark Light" CRT & it looks OEM. If it has
a strong CRT it can give a fantastic pix BUT the CRT's were a weak
point. When anything black was on the screen you saw BLACK. Not
greys but BLACK ! Super high contrast if you like it that way.
BTW the key was a sales gimmick. You can open the door with a screwdriver.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[AlanInSitges]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

GE went one step further with its "VIR -- Broadcast Controlled Color" system, which used a signal in the vertical blanking bar to adjust and correct the color settings if necessary. However, one drawback of the GE "VIR" system was that the TV station or network to which the set was tuned had to be transmitting the VIR signal in the blanking interval; without that signal, the VIR system could not and did not work. I had a great-uncle who owned a GE VIR TV, but he never used the VIR function; in fact, I don't think he was even aware that his TV had the feature in the first place.

Quasar also made sets with VIR, for about two years in 79-80. They were introduced during the transition from SuperModule to DynaModule chassis. The main difference between these and the GEs is that if you had VIR turned on (it was a slide switch) on the GEs and the station wasn't broadcasting the VIR signal, the TV would interpret whatever else was in there as a control signal and use it to adjust hue and color levels all over the place. We had a GE that regularly showed bright blue faces, etc. on the local ABC affiliate.

The Quasar sets would disable VIR when the reference wasn't detected on the 19th line, delivering a "normal" picture.

I think everyone just turned it off after a short time.

[sampson159]

this looks like the first solid state sylvania set.consumer reports rated it the best picture
that year.has the "dark matrix" crt that produces a stunning picture.fine,well built sets that s only weakness was the crt life.i have one of these sets as a garage watcher.my crt bit the dust so it has a zenith chromacolor jug in it.very good score!

[zeno]

What year was that ? Sylvania also had an earlier all SS set that was not
modular but had plug in semis ( like the latter modulars). I would guess
that was abt 1970. Only saw a few but a nice set. The dark-Lite CRT was a black matrix CRT like the Zenith Chromacolor with a very dark face plate.
I think the CRT's didnt hold up because they had to over drive them to
overcome the dark face plate but I have no proof. After "G-T Matics"
came "Super Sets" also with dark-lite. The CRT's were built down to 13"
in lines and they all could throw a spectacular pix IMHO.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

Originally Posted by sampson159

this looks like the first solid state sylvania set.consumer reports rated it the best picture
that year.has the "dark matrix" crt that produces a stunning picture.fine,well built sets that s only weakness was the crt life.i have one of these sets as a garage watcher.my crt bit the dust so it has a zenith chromacolor jug in it.very good score!

[vortalexfan]

This TV from what my neighbor told me still works well yet and they were using it in their family room in their basement up until just recently, it does have a repair shop tag on the back so it could very well have had the original picture tube replaced on it.

My neighbors said they were the original owners of the set.
They bought it brand new in the early 1970s.

Do you know if these TVs ever came with some sort of remote? The push-button style power switch makes me think this might of been a remote control TV.

[zeno]

I dont think this one is remote. IIRC the remotes used varactor tuners.
To be sure see if there is a motor on the tuner & extra remote reciever
chassis.