I picked up a couple nice '80's sets today. A friend bought 3 TV's at a yard sale for cheap. He wanted to keep an '89 13" GE for his use and asked me to program the channels into the TV. After doing that, he asked if I wanted the two older TV's. He said they both played.

One is a 13" Zenith color set from 3/84. It was built in Springfield, Missouri and uses the 9-181/186 type chassis. The picture tube is the older tri-focus inline style that was used on the older system 3's. It plays but will need a greyscale touch-up. The cabinet is in good shape. Actually, I've seen this same basic cabinet style on the 9-160 based sets and the CCII sets.

The next one is a 12" Emerson from 12/83 and was built in Korea. I used to see a lot of these under the Emerson, GoldStar, and Midland brand names. This is, however, one of the few that I've seen that had a strong CRT. I was hoping it would be one of those cheap '80's B&W sets that I've heard about that used a 117JZ8 tube; but, no luck. It's also clean.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/2009_1017tv0001.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/2009_1017tv0004.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/2009_1017tv0002.jpg

Two sets that will likely play with no issues for a long while. The 80s sets are very rugged IMO.

I still have one of those 1984 Zeniths, in daily use with a converter box. They have a great tuner. Before digital, the rabbit ears could pick up a station 60 miles away.

I've got a 1987 12" emerson B & W that looks very similar. The knobs are identical to mine. My emerson seems to have an ok tube.

I have a Zenith just like this one (but with black plastic case rather than simulated
woodgrain), but IIRC it is made in Taiwan. Works fine as found on the sidewalk
about two years ago, only flaw is a bad scratch on the screen.