Well, my friend just called me up, asking if I want a big huge console TV. All he told me was that it's around 30 years old, it's got knobs, the cabinet is very nice, the picture is very nice, and it's about 4 feet wide.

Even though I don't have room for it, I'm gonna take it anyway LOL, I'm gonna have to clear a hell of a lot of space though haha, and hopefully it doesn't screw with my limited floorspace.

Does anyone else jump at the oppritunity to have at a vintage TV (or any other electronic) despite not having any room for it?

I do it all the time and often catch hell for it in the process. Seriously, I really need to slow down some and not try to "save" everything over 30 years old that comes my way.

Me too Bryan..........

My three most recent stunts:

1. Bringing home a late '60's Magnavox Astro-Sonic console stereo in a somewhat beat up cabinet because the price was only $10. Now, I need this like I need a hole in the head; but, it would have gone to the dump otherwise. I hope to at least be able to fix it and pass it along to someone if I can't cram it somewhere.

2. 1949 Amdiral TV/radio/phono combo. It cost me $125; but, round CRT B&W's are almost unheard of in my area. And, I've finally found a TV of that viintage that has some hope of working again.

3. An RCA 98K2 console radio from '39. It was only $45; so, I couldn't let it stay at the flea market.

Now, I'm going to have to let a Zenith CCII console and an RCA XL100 console go to make room for the new toys. I've already donated a half dozen beat up console radios to the SA over the last few weeks in an effort to make room.

I probably won't be buying much during April because State Farm will be getting my "play money" for insurance premiums.

I have enough projects to keep me busy for a while in all honesty. But I do keep my eyes peeled as there aren't a whole of vintage TVs that survived down here - I felt very lucky to find my '65 Magnavox last year.

I have the room for it, but I'll have to do something about the TV cabinet I built. When I worked in the cabinet shop, I built a very nice TV cabinet from scrap materials. It's maple veneer, with a very, very dark brown (almost black) spraystain on it (that was the reason why it was rejected, because the sprayer sprayed the spraystain too dark, and then to top it all off, some mild cracks formed in the veneer LOL), complete with some vintage chrome 1950s cabinet pulls... those big round concave ones.. aaah nice!
But I'll have to set it aside.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of set you've found. Could be anything!

I was listing a couple things on freecycle the other day and decided to put on another post asking for "ancient TV sets". I had forgotten that my wife recently signed up to the group, so I get a call later that day: "What do you mean, old TV sets wanted?!" Well, dear, you see, um....

Well, Wilkes, I see the Disease is progressing nicely in yr case...(grin)

It'll be interesting to see what kind of set you've found. Could be anything!

I was listing a couple things on freecycle the other day and decided to put on another post asking for "ancient TV sets". I had forgotten that my wife recently signed up to the group, so I get a call later that day: "What do you mean, old TV sets wanted?!" Well, dear, you see, um....

Yea, not knowing what exactly this TV is gonna be, it's really exciting! I hope it's an RCA. wait, I hope it's a Motorola Quasar works in a drawer... wait, I hope it's a...

Well, Wilkes, I see the Disease is progressing nicely in yr case...(grin)

yea haha... next up, I gotta locate a nice Magnavox console stereo hehe

The affliction spreads! AHHHHHHHHH :D

I got it! It's awesome. Guess what? IT'S AN RCA!! (obviously my favourite brand name lol), the cabinet is in awesome condition. It's got a nice glossy finish on it.
It's from about 1981 or 1982, and it's an XL-100.

The picture needed a bit of adjusting, but I got it looking good. I just gotta get up in the middle of the night so i can fine tune the colour bias, vertical height, focus, etc. to the retro test pattern that CTV uses (I know I'm an oddball haha).

Pictures coming when I can get a new battery for my camera.

Mr. Wilkes: Congrats. You are very lucky to have a station nearby which broadcasts a test pattern. I sure don't. Sucks, I had to make a knockoff Video Essentials DVD with crosshatch, pluge, NTSC, etc.

So, what chassis is it? Should be in the CTC-101 to 117 timeframe. Good sets indeed. :yes:

Mr. Wilkes: Congrats. You are very lucky to have a station nearby which broadcasts a test pattern. I sure don't. Sucks, I had to make a knockoff Video Essentials DVD with crosshatch, pluge, NTSC, etc.

So, what chassis is it? Should be in the CTC-101 to 117 timeframe. Good sets indeed. :yes:

Well I battled with the colour bias for an hour yesterday, but i couldn't get it right.
I sorta understand how do to that, I switched the service switch, and adjusted the colour bias until the line was white, but the colour was still screwed up.
(By the way, who designed these things so those adjustments are at the back so you can't see the picture?! LOL I had to use a mirror haha)

Waited 'till the test pattern came on, and I got the colour absolutely perfect almost immediately.

One problem is that if I try to get the screen brighter, the images will bleed. Oh well, I got the picture looking perfect to my eyes.

I'm not sure about the chassis though, i forgot to look when I had it open, and the stickers on the back have fallen off.

When I had it open though, I was greeted with not only a brown shag carpet of dust, but also a great big piece of foam LOL... some disgruntled employee no doubt lol

As far as bias is concerned.....when using the set-up line, display an all white image or use snow, with the color turned down, tint at half, autocolor off, bright and contrast at half.

The least amount of bias/drive necessary to get a bright white line is the way to get this done. Too little drive and it'll look washed out; too much and it'll burn away the CRT quicker.

Use of a mirror is key...also helps to make sure you don't get zapped when you're back there, trying to lean over the set to see the screen.

And so the sickness starts. I've brought home 8 bakelite radios this week, and I'm picking up 3 console t.v. sets this weekend. A mid-60's Silvertone, a Curtes Mathes of about the same age, and a RCA XL-100 from the mid 70's. I just can't resist any old electronics, especially consoles.

As far as bias is concerned.....when using the set-up line, display an all white image or use snow, with the color turned down, tint at half, autocolor off, bright and contrast at half.

The least amount of bias/drive necessary to get a bright white line is the way to get this done. Too little drive and it'll look washed out; too much and it'll burn away the CRT quicker.

Use of a mirror is key...also helps to make sure you don't get zapped when you're back there, trying to lean over the set to see the screen.

I tried adjusting the colour bias that way, but the picture is still horribly green. I got my other RCA right next to it, on the same channel as a guide, and I can't get it to look half diecent.

Is this just a sign of a worn out CRT? This TV is 28 years old, after all.

Sounds like the CRT is dying.

Sounds like the CRT is dying.

That could probabally be it. I'm comparing it to a 13" XL-100 about the same age. The 13" has perfect grayscale, but the best I can do with this 25" is get it sepia-toned. I just can't get the grayscale right.

I didn't think to compare it with another TV before. I thought I was crazy to think that everything still looked green lol

But I guess this ol' thing has had a good run. I'll still be watching it up until it goes completely. Then I'm gonna set it aside, and if it's possible by then, I might even get a new CRT installed in it lol, because even when it stops working, it's still got some nice woodwork on it.

Even if the tube is bad, a good used one should not be hard to find. '80's XL100 consoles are still a very common find. There are 2 of the single knob tuner type at my local SA right now.

Well, its worth a shot, but check the video output amps (most likely on the neckboard on this set) but if both red and blue are weak then its probably a toasted crt indeed.

Another thing. Is a coloured blotch in the screen after the set is turned off, a sign of a bad CRT as well? My grandma has a 25" XL-100 console as well, and when you turn it off, this coloured blotch stays on the screen for over half an hour. But you can only see it in the dark.

This blotch is mostly pink, with a blue and green border. It's located at the centre of the screen, just to the left.
I've seen this on consoles with bad CRTs. I was gonna buy a big Hitatchi console years ago at a second hand store, and I turned it on to test it, and all there was was this coloured blotch.

My 1979 Philips displays that splotch when i turn it off, but its CRT is as strong as it can be, it's simply a quirk of this particular Philips chassis (KT3), here's a vid of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NijEGMxUEOU

I think it has more to do with the lack (or failure) of HV bleeding circuits and/or beam killer circuits in some designs than with the conditions of the CRT.

My 1979 Philips displays that splotch when i turn it off, but its CRT is as strong as it can be, it's simply a quirk of this particular Philips chassis (KT3), here's a vid of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NijEGMxUEOU

I think it has more to do with the lack (or failure) of HV bleeding circuits and/or beam killer circuits in some designs than with the conditions of the CRT.

WHOAA!! I wish my TV did that LOL

I used to have a TV that done the very same thing. matter of fact, i believe it was an old 70s solidstate portacolor. it also randomly lost focus at times. never knew why.