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  #16  
Old 06-20-2004, 12:12 AM
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Jeff,

After checking closer, I figured out the little tabs you mention to make the Space Command skip or stop. This is my first set using a remote, so I am learning a few new things here.

Here is a shot if the emblem lit up as well as the volume level indicator...
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  #17  
Old 06-20-2004, 12:18 AM
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The other set...

Here is the 2nd set of the two. This one uses the 25MC33 chassis. Looking inside it showed that this set was in the home of a HEAVY smoker! Wow it is covered in there with major dirt and tar/nicotine!

I have not tried anything with this set as of yet. I have too many pulled apart in the garage as it is!
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  #18  
Old 06-20-2004, 02:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Charlie
Jeff,

After checking closer, I figured out the little tabs you mention to make the Space Command skip or stop. This is my first set using a remote, so I am learning a few new things here.

Here is a shot if the emblem lit up as well as the volume level indicator...
Yes, that's about the only thing I can think of which would cause the tuner to skip channel 4, yet stop on all the other local channels. The tuner in that set is the conventional strip turret, and the SC system is the same as Zenith used for years in its remote sets, so there is really nothing else much that can cause problems of this nature. About the only other things that can go wrong with this system are the drive gears becoming stripped or broken (this often happens when the owner or viewer attempts to operate the channel selector manually, against the resistance of the gear train--which of course is a one-way ticket to big trouble in a mechanical power tuning system, as these are not ordinarily meant to be operated manually except by a manual channel selector knob at the back of the set, to be used in case of motor drive failure), the tuning motor binding up or outright burning out, or a problem occurring in the SC chassis or even the remote hand unit itself. The solid-state SC remotes do not usually give much trouble unless they are dropped or otherwise abused; the only real problems I've ever heard being reported with these remotes are weak or dead batteries, or sometimes the contacts for the control buttons themselves becoming dirty, tarnished or otherwise contaminated.

The same thing happens with today's stock and universal remotes as well after years of use, but the new ones are the dickens of a thing to get apart to work on the buttons; the best thing to do in case of major trouble with unresponsive buttons, etc. in this case, assuming that new batteries don't remedy the problem, is to junk the old remote and get a new universal unit. Most TVs, VCRs and cable boxes with IR remote systems will work with universal remotes, so you won't have much trouble finding one which will work. I use an RCA 3-function universal remote with my 19" Zenith in my bedroom; it works perfectly, giving me the same type of control over all functions as the original full-function remote would have. The remote that came with the set, however, was a bare-bones unit with on/off, mute, OSD display on/off, volume up/down, and channel up/down; the original full-function remote would have cost much more--it was much cheaper to get a universal full-function remote, even if it is a different brand. Heck, if it works, who cares what brand the uni remote is, right?

BTW, I like how that Zenith emblem lights up with the SC chassis energized. Very unusual, IMO, to have a remote receiver on/off indicator, though; Zenith is the first manufacturer I've ever known to have such a feature on its older color sets.

However, I noticed in your picture of the volume indicator that the display looks as if it is in the shape of a letter H. Is this a moving bar type of display, with the middle of the H traveling vertically between the two long bars at either side of it as the volume was adjusted? I was under the impression, from having read another post in this thread, that the volume indicator in this set was three small incandescent lamps behind colored lenses, for low, medium and high volume, respectively.

BTW (2): I took a look at your website. You have a very fine collection of old TVs of several makes, including Magnavox and Sylvania (liking consoles as I do, I especially like the looks of your Maggie three-way unit; the Sylvania looks great as well).

As to your Halo-Light Sylvania TV, I agree with you; it is extremely unusual (almost unheard of, really) for the fluorescent HaloLight tube in these sets to last anywhere near five decades (most of these burn out or otherwise go bad within about five years, more or less). The only halfway legitimate explanation I can come up with for the exceptionally long life of the tube in your set is that the previous owner did not use the HaloLight function very much, if he/she used it at all.
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  #19  
Old 06-20-2004, 05:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jeffhs
I was under the impression, from having read another post in this thread, that the volume indicator in this set was three small incandescent lamps behind colored lenses, for low, medium and high volume, respectively.
Yes, that is correct... there are three individual lamps that light up an L, M, or H. The little window was somewhat dirty when i took that picture, but i've clean it up and looks much better now.

Quote:
Originally posted by Jeffhs
The only halfway legitimate explanation I can come up with for the exceptionally long life of the tube in your set is that the previous owner did not use the HaloLight function very much, if he/she used it at all.
Surprisingly, the HaloLight does not have an On/Off switch. There is, however, a knob on the front panel that can turn the brightness of the light up and down (like a volume control). The only way the light can be turned off altogether is to get in there and pull the plug on it. When I found the set, it was still plugged in.
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  #20  
Old 06-20-2004, 05:56 PM
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Charlie,

Your Curtis Mathes set is truly fab!








Stevehoffman.tv
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  #21  
Old 06-20-2004, 05:58 PM
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Charlie, I really like the Zenith! Very elaborate cabinet, it must have set someone back a bundle in it's day!

Eric
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  #22  
Old 06-20-2004, 06:30 PM
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Charlie,

I have added your site to the links on mine.
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  #23  
Old 06-20-2004, 11:51 PM
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Thanks, guys, for all of the thumbs up. I hope this Zenith turns out well in the end, and I feel that with everyone's advice, pointers, and moral support, it will.

As Eric mentioned, this set cost someone some serious coin back in '62. I was kinda curious of whether or not this set had an original price tag reaching $1000.00? Correct me if I am wrong, but seems the average color set in the early 60's was about 600 dollars. Throw in the fancy cabinet, remote, and HI-FI sound, and I'm sure that price tag could really get up there. The only option not included on this set is a UHF tuner, and if I am not mistaken, it actually was not offered on this chassis. None of the paper work i have here mentions a UHF tuner. Does anyone happen to know how much extra was the Space Command feature for these sets? I was speculating that the SC would add at least a hundred bucks by itself.

As far as the little website I put together, it's not fancy looking by any means, but it is someplace where I can gather my goodies so share with others. Actually, it was Carmine's site that made me look into this 50megs.com. He had mentioned in his site that it was a freebie, and had plenty enough for what he needed. Of course, "free" is always a plus. So thanks to Carmine for bringing my attention to a site that I could work with (especially considering that i am in no way HTML oriented). Yeah, you might have to deal with the annoying pop-up ads, but now days it seems that many browsers have pop-up controls that take keep people from having to be bothered with pop-ups.
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  #24  
Old 06-21-2004, 06:30 AM
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Charlie, is it actually a 9-pin socket? 6JE6 is 9-pin; 6JS6 is 12-pin.

The set that I have that is like this (Space Command) uses the 6HF5 output tube. It is the slightly later model that uses silicon diode rectifiers. This appears to be a rare tube as I have not seen it used on other sets.

Your set appears to be among the very early models as it uses rectifier tubes rather than silicon diodes.

Last edited by Chad Hauris; 06-21-2004 at 07:15 AM.
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  #25  
Old 06-21-2004, 11:53 AM
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Chad,
Yes you are right... that is a 9 pin, not 12. Geez I can't even coun't without using fingers!

Yes, as Jack mentioned, this was Zenith's first regular production color set from 62 (other than their earlier prototypes). It was the only one using LV rectifier tubes... two 3DG4's.
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  #26  
Old 06-21-2004, 12:27 PM
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Hey Charlie:

That second Zenith looks exactly like the one I got from Doug! Mine's got the 24MC32 chassis, though.

Hope you get yours working as well as mine does. It's a real treat watching vintage TV on a roundie. And the sound kicks some serious butt! These new black plastic sets just can't compare.

Bob
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  #27  
Old 06-21-2004, 02:37 PM
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Re: The other set...

Originally posted by Charlie
Here is the 2nd set of the two. This one uses the 25MC33 chassis. Looking inside it showed that this set was in the home of a HEAVY smoker! Wow it is covered in there with major dirt and tar/nicotine!


I'd clean that chassis thoroughly before powering it up. If it's covered with cigarette tar and nicotine, not to mention ordinary dirt and dust, it could create a fire hazard. Frankly, I'm amazed it didn't catch fire long before you got it, as filthy as you say the chassis is.
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  #28  
Old 06-21-2004, 03:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by veg-o-matic

That second Zenith looks exactly like the one I got from Doug! Mine's got the 24MC32 chassis, though.

And the sound kicks some serious butt! These new black plastic sets just can't compare.

Bob

Bob, are you sure about that? The 24MC32 only has one speaker, a small oval unit. Unless you are referring to the 24MC32's audio channel, are running the sound output through a stereo outfit, or have retrofitted the set with a larger speaker, I don't quite follow you. I once had a Zenith 23" console with a single-ended 6BN6-6BQ5 audio system, tone control and a large speaker; this sounded so good I eventually patched an FM tuner into the audio (across the volume control, with blocking capacitors of course).

The prize for the set with the absolute largest loudspeaker I ever saw, however, goes to a GE console I once saw here on AK which had an oval speaker some 12 inches in diameter; the magnet must have weighed five pounds as well. Those sets must have had incredible bass response--enough to blow the roof off a house with the volume control not even at the halfway mark, and audio plenty good enough to listen to music or to feed an FM tuner's audio output through.

As to the sound quality of today's sets, you are right on the mark. Today's black plastic cube sets, all of which are manufactured offshore these days even though they may still bear American brand names such as GE and RCA (I understand Goldstar is not using the Zenith brand or logos on its televisions any longer), do not sound anywhere nearly as good, with their cheap speakers (the so-called "stereo" televisions are even worse in this regard; hardly worthy, IMO, of the extra circuitry required for MTS stereo) and low-fo audio channels, as the older sets with near-hifi audio and large speakers (in consoles; even the cheaper portables from the '60s and '70s, as well as today's 5" cheapies with AM/FM radio, had cheap transistor radio speakers, with sound channels to match).
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  #29  
Old 06-22-2004, 01:01 PM
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There sure was a long dry spell in the tv business when sound was crap. I have a 25MC33 (have never put up a photo of it) and the sound is superb. It has a minor defect in the picture, when I finish with it the sound & picture should be a great match.
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  #30  
Old 06-22-2004, 01:14 PM
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The 25MC33 and earlier chassis use the 6BQ5 for sound. Seems everyone is usually pleased with the audio using this tube.

IIRC, the comments on sound coming from the later chassis using the 6Z10 output tube are not as good. In fact, seems I remember people saying it flat out sucked with the 6Z10.

Guess they should have stuck to the 6BQ5 tube
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