1992 Zenith J0920X Portable Color TV - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Robb · #1 06-30-2013, 03:24 PM

Found this this Rare 1992 Zenith J0920X Portable Color TV at a garage sale today for $10 bucks.
Works like new. color, Assembled in Mexico. 9" screen
The CRT is made in Japan though.
Good cosmetic shape.
Anyone have more info on these sets ?

holmesuser01 · #2 06-30-2013, 04:38 PM

I have the same set in black in my mom's kitchen getting regular use instead of turning on the 46" PTV just for background noise.

I picked it up at the thrift for, I think, $10 also.

I did open it up when I got it home, outside, and checked for little hitch hikers. No work anywhere on the PCB's.

It has a very nice picture for it's size.

Robb · #3 06-30-2013, 04:39 PM

I read these were used in Hospitals back then ?

radiotvnut · #4 06-30-2013, 05:47 PM

Zenith made a bunch of those 9" sets in many case colors during the late '80's-early '90's. Some were AC-only, while others were AC/DC. Fortunately, I don't think the CRT's were actually made by Zenith; so, you should be safe in that respect.

dieseljeep · #5 06-30-2013, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

Zenith made a bunch of those 9" sets in many case colors during the late '80's-early '90's. Some were AC-only, while others were AC/DC. Fortunately, I don't think the CRT's were actually made by Zenith; so, you should be safe in that respect.

I have a few sets simular to that model. Different colors and one remote. One is branded "Heath". I think that one is ac/battery.
The CRT is Japanese. Good performers.

Robb · #6 06-30-2013, 06:13 PM

Does anyone know the remote model that goes with it ?

davet753 · #7 06-30-2013, 06:38 PM

I sold a few of those models, but not many as that was one of Zenith's most expensive small sets. They are a pain to work on (everything's crammed into a small space), but fortunately, they were really good sets. I don't remember working on that chassis very often.

I do remember those being especially popular in commercial applications. The old clubhouse at Hazel Park in Detroit (harness racing) had tons of those models, mounted on every table in the clubhouse.

Robb · #8 06-30-2013, 06:52 PM

Just found out that this set isnt remote capable.
J0923X had remote cabability and no On/off button.

Celt · #9 06-30-2013, 08:48 PM

Heathkit offered that model in a black cabinet as a kit. This was of course after Zenith purchased Heath.

Robb · #10 06-30-2013, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celt

Heathkit offered that model in a black cabinet as a kit. This was of course after Zenith purchased Heath.

Never seen a black case one..
Heres some earlier models with aluminum front.

radiotvnut · #11 06-30-2013, 10:05 PM

Sometime around '87, we had an early '70's Japanese-built Truetone 14" tube color TV in our motorhome. Once, we were in a town about 30 miles away spending the week with some relatives. Soon after we got there, the TV started giving vertical trouble and we took it to one of the local shops. They didn't really want to fool with a tube set; but, agreed to look at it while we waited. They replaced the vertical output tube, adjusted the vertical controls, charged my Dad $38, and sent him on his way.

As we were leaving, this dealer had several models of those smaller Zenith TV's and he was trying his best to sell my Dad one.

The next day, our tube set started rolling after it got hot and Dad took it back to the shop. The next day, they called to say it was ready and that they replaced some resistors in the vertical circuit. Dad asked how much and the guy said, "Nothing, it's not going to last much longer and you need to go ahead and let me sell you one of those little Zenith sets." I don't remember the exact cost of those TV's; but, I'm thinking in the $300 range and my Dad certainly wasn't going to spend that much for a motorhome TV.

The Truetone set limped along until we got back home and I used it in my bedroom for a little while, before the vertical started losing sync after it warmed up. When it first started acting up, the roll could be stopped with the vertical hold control. After the set got hot, the control did no good.

My Dad took that set to every shop in town and none of them would look at it because it was a tube set. After he carried it to the last shop and got the same statement, my Dad said, "I'm tired of lugging this heavy thing around and will you throw it away for me." They did and that was the last I ever saw of that TV. Had it been a few years later, I could have probably fixed it.

He still didn't buy one of those expensive Zenith's. He bought a 13" knob-tuned Emerson for $149.

Robb · #12 06-30-2013, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

He still didn't buy one of those expensive Zenith's.

Why were they so much money for such a small CRT TV ?

radiotvnut · #13 06-30-2013, 11:23 PM

One reason was probably because the ones being shown to us were from an independent dealer; which, tended to be higher than a "big box" chain store. Another reason was likely because they were cable ready; which, added more money to the cost. The Emerson that my Dad ended up buying for $149 was a basic knob tuned TV from Service Merchandise; and, at the time, $149 was a cheap price for a color TV. The next model up was a remote set with a 13 position varactor pushbutton tuner (the type tuner that had a thumbwheel for setting whatever channel you wanted for each position) and I believe it was $199. Color TV's had gotten cheaper by the late '80's; but, it would still be a few more years before the bottom fell out of TV prices. Towards the end of the CRT era, I recall some 19" TV's for under $100 and some 13" TV's in the $69 range. Of course, the quality of those later TV's was lacking in comparison to the older ones.

dieseljeep · #14 07-01-2013, 09:08 AM

The 14" Truetone was made by Sharp.
They always had a problem with heat related issues.
Sharp also made a Midland 14" set, that was sold in the late 60's for under $200.00. I also see them branded Wards Airline and even Motorola.

radiotvnut · #15 07-01-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

The 14" Truetone was made by Sharp.
They always had a problem with heat related issues.
Sharp also made a Midland 14" set, that was sold in the late 60's for under $200.00. I also see them branded Wards Airline and even Motorola.

From what I remember of that set, it had an MIC model number prefix. Once, after it started acting up, I slipped off the back just to look inside and I remember it being full of NEC branded tubes. The set was in a black metal cabinet with slide controls for color and tint, with the rest being rotary controls. When I was getting stuff from that closed TV shop several years ago, I picked up a '73 Teledyne/Packard-Bell 14" color portable that has a different control layout; but, the chassis looks just like what I remember the one in our Truetone looking like.

I actually remember when my Dad got the Truetone. He bought it used in the early '80's for $75 from an older lady that our family knew. Later, he said that he knew that he paid her too much for the TV; but, he knew that she needed the money. Of course, back then, most any color TV would still bring a high price on the used market. Now, one can't hardly give one away.

The same lady also had a 19" solid state Truetone Sharp-built color TV from around '76-'77. It lasted until around '92, when a cap failed in the vertical circuit. I fixed it and she got another year or two out of it before the flyback went belly up. At that point, she replaced it with a 19" RCA CTC175 and I eventually had to fix the tuner connections in that set.