Zenith Rounide FINALLY working... NICELY!

[kx250rider]

Here's a happy followup to a thread I started here last Christmas http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=53246 when I found this set with a busted tube on CraigsList in Hollywood... After getting two additional (BAD) CRTs for it, I finally got a REALLY nice government-version HR21GVP22 in apparent NOS condition!

I slapped it in last night, and the set works! I changed a couple of black beauty caps in the convergence panel, which were causing terrible edge convergence. Otherwise, no hitches! Two minor things that I'll look into will be that the Vertical Height is maxed out, and not quite filling the screen. Also the color is too strong, and the color killer isn't working either (color snow on no signal). Both problems are likely caps.

Anyway, I touched up the purity and convergence this morning, then hooked it up and tuned in Bonanza in COLOR!

Charles

[jpdylon]

Most Excellent!

I can't wait to see it again totally finished. WHere did you manage to find the industrial strength CRT?

[3Guncolor]

Good job on the Zenith. Glad you were able to get a CRT for her. I have one just like it it has been in the family since it was new. I'm a bit older then you and I remember watching Bonanza on it as a little kid. It is a SC400 like yours. It still operates but it has never been recapped I fire it up now and then to keep it in running order. In the last 20 years I have only had to change one cap in the vert output. I believe I got into electronics because of that set. I also like your D line Zenith you have. I have always been a big fan of the 25EC58 chassis from the E line. I think it was the best Zenith ever made.

Steve

[old_tv_nut]

Very nice - if you were my neighbor I'd walk over and bring the beer!

[Charlie]

Is the 21GVP22 something like a black matrix tube? I've seen the number listed, but never seen an actual 21GV in a set.

The pic with the TV pulled apart in your living room sure does seem familiar! I wonder if you have as many solder burns in the carpet as I do??? I'm sure only us guys that aren't married can get away with working on a chassis on the floor in the house! For you guys that ARE married... don't even think about trying it!

[Bill R]

My wife wouldn't have a problem with it at all. As long as there is a tv somewhere to watch Braves baseball, UT Football, or NASCAR she doesn't care. In fact she finds more of them on the curb and tells me where they are. She called me at work the other day to let me know the neighbors put out a lawnmower for the trash, she thought I might need parts. Yeah, I think I'll keep her!!!

Bill R

[veg-o-matic]

That's a mighty sweet set you got there, Chuckster!

Nice work

veg

[kx250rider]

Hey, Thanks for all these compliments

(Jordan) I got the tube from Dr. Dan, who had it around. This is definitely a black face tube, as it is even blacker than the Sylvania 25VDMP22 in my D line Zenith that I use daily. I guess the "HR" prefix is high-res? Also, I sure noticed how much easier I was able to do the setup on this tube compared to other roundies! The purity was so easy to get, that the yoke could be moved any which way and it stayed! And the convergence was easy to get too, as soon as I changed the two black beauty caps in the convergence panel.

(Steve) You're right about occasional use keeping the set in usable shape even without recapping... I think that was the case with this set too, because I got it from a kid in Hollywood who had gotten it recently from the original owner. It had been in occasional use up 'til about 2 years ago, then the kid tried to get the TV into an apartment through an insufficiently-wide door . You noticed the other Zenith... You're right about two things, but I have to let you in on a secret: That's actually an E-line set (E4740W) in disguise I put a D line SC300 remote off a junk set and has the D line speaker grille to allow for the mic grille.

(Old_TV_Nut) Hey; sounds like a plan! Make it a 6-pack of Hamm's Beer, and we'll really be in the 60s!

(Charlie) That tube was sold to the public, but it's really rare. By the time they came out with it, all the roundies were out of style and I doubt if many people wanted to pay to have an expensive AA tube installed. That TV happened to be in the livingroom, but usually I work in my workshop. But Nancy can't complain even if I DID solder in the livingroom... She has clumps of horse manure falling off her shoes and gets horse hair all over the place

(Bill R) Nancy will occasionally tell me about old TVs in the trash, and she even hauled home a nice 2-year-old Sony WEGA from a house sitting job a few weeks ago. All she wants is one nice TV to see Smallville with all those young guys in better shape than I am

Charles

[Adam]

Good to hear you finally got a CRT for this, looks good, I do like those Zenith roundies.

I live in a 1 bedroom apartment, and my livingroom IS my workshop.

They still make Hamm's beer?

[OvenMaster]

I'm amazed someone's still showing Bonanza!
Nice work, Charles.
Tom

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by Adam

They still make Hamm's beer?

Hamms Brewing at Beer Collections
Address:http://www.beercollections.com/Brewe...mm_Brewery.htm


-Steve D.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by OvenMaster

I'm amazed someone's still showing Bonanza!

Tom

Someone is. TV Land still has reruns of Bonanza and Gunsmoke on weekends. This is probably where Charles picked up the program now showing on his newly restored Zenith roundie, though I don't see a cable or a converter box anywhere on or near the set. (BTW, that picture looks great on a TV made some 35+ years ago.)

Adam: I too live in a one-bedroom apartment, where my living room is also my workshop. I have to watch it, however, with the soldering iron. If I put solder burns or holes in the carpet here, I'll be in deep trouble if or when I move (I intend to stay here awhile, but I am talking about unforeseen circumstances which would force me to leave). I ordinarily put newspapers on my kitchen table and on the carpet beneath to catch such things as solder splashes, wire clippings, etc. Been here almost seven years and haven't had one incident yet of solder burns, etc. anywhere on the rug (knock on wood).

[OvenMaster]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Someone is. TV Land still has reruns of Bonanza and Gunsmoke on weekends. This is probably where Charles picked up the program now showing on his newly restored Zenith roundie, though I don't see a cable or a converter box anywhere on or near the set. (BTW, that picture looks great on a TV made some 35+ years ago.)

Adam: I too live in a one-bedroom apartment, where my living room is also my workshop. I have to watch it, however, with the soldering iron. If I put solder burns or holes in the carpet here, I'll be in deep trouble if or when I move (I intend to stay here awhile, but I am talking about unforeseen circumstances which would force me to leave). I ordinarily put newspapers on my kitchen table and on the carpet beneath to catch such things as solder splashes, wire clippings, etc. Been here almost seven years and haven't had one incident yet of solder burns, etc. anywhere on the rug (knock on wood).

1. I keep forgetting that the other 70+% of the US has cable TV. Time to change my tag line.
2. Now that you mentioned no solder burns on the carpet, you do realize you've jinxed this, don't you?
Tom

[kx250rider]

It was TVLand Saturday morning at about 9:30.... I have Comcast cable, and the box is hidden behind the TV for photo. Heck; if the box could be seen, that would ruin the shot like when you see a jet plane crossing the sky in a Western movie supposed to be in 1850!

Charles

[wa2ise]

To complete the effect, you'll need to edit out the TVland logo in the bottom right part of the TV screen.


As for solder burns on the carpet, if that ever happens, just carefully snip out the discolored threads of the carpet. Landlord probably would never notice it, especially that yours is "sculptured" style. Been there. Had enough apartments to have figured out what bothers landlords and what they never care about. Change a switch to an outlet/switch combo, they don't see or care. Dirty bathtub or toilet, they freak. Go figure....