Hello to everyone, my name is Marco and I'm an Italian guy. I'm new one on Videokarma and I'm the happy owner of a very fine Zenith Parkhurst 5231U, perfectly working.
I'm curious if anyone of you know some details of the RCA CTC7 Worthington 21RC899. Has anyone ever seen one of these tv sets? Or maybe that anyone has some picturese of it? It is the multifunction remote control tv set that appear on the RCA ad movie on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8BPvBElDZHo . Does anyone know if other RCA models had this particular type of remote control? It's very interesting, I've all the schematic diagrams of the RCA production between the years 1956-1966 enclosed the remote control schematics, but on this book there is only the chassis type and there isn't signed the cabinet style or model.

Hello Marco. I am sorry that I don't have any information for you. But I do want to welcome you to the VideoKarma website. Hopefully, you will find lots of help here. Please do not forget that we love pictures!

Ok, just I'll be able to find the time, I'll post some pictures of my prefereed tv sets. If you want see something of my works, you can see my Youtube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/radiomectube/videos?view=0&flow=grid

I have a CTC9 that uses a similar remote control. It's 7-button unit smaller than the one used on the Worthington. I put some pictures of the tv here: http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=256801&highlight=kenbridge

Hello Adam, very nice the RCA CTC9 tv set! Yes, I've also the schematic diagram of your tv set and it's really interesting. It share the same way of working with the Worthington CTC7. I'd like to find for sale one of these tv sets!

Hi Marco,
I don't have info on it, but I did see one. I had a friend that got one of those at an estate sale. He listed it on eBay, and the bidding went nuts, and I think he got a good amount of money. I posted a link here when he sold it, and there was a bit of contraversy as to weather the legs were shortened on his. His set looke like it sat lower than the one in the film.
Anyway.. I think it was expensive when new, and I've never heard of anyone here that has one, so they must be kind of rare.

Oh Yes! I also think that it is very rare! However, if you one day would find another one of these tv set, let me know! :) I'm a good woodworker, so I'm not worried about rebuilding of legs etc... :)

will do, but that is the ONLY one I ever saw. Interesting story....
That set and a blonde CTC-5 came out of a house on his block.
Kind of a "ritzy" neighborhood, but the original owner was a HOARDER, and hand't lived in the house for a few years. He said the house didn't smell bad, but... there was stack and stacks of newspapers and magazines, bailed with twine, stacked from floor to ceiling. He said there were just small paths to walk, and it was a chore to get the CTC-7 out. Both sets looked like new tho, and I think he got both for like 20.00.
Talk about the find of a lifetime!
What I liked about the 7 was the built in, velvet lined storage for the remote.

Really interesting story, and it is a fortune that those sets are not gone in the trash! Yes the storage for the remote control of those tv sets is very nice! And also the controls very similar to the remote control unit on the right! Only a motor drive all the controls, there is a solenoid with a clutch for every potentiometer or the channel selector that must be driven and the motor turns clockwise or counterclockwise the controls. It would be nice to see how this unit was built.

Hi Marko, and welcome to VK.

I can't say that I've ever seen a CTC7 Worthington, but I do have a CTC7 Grenoble which also has a remote. I would guess that it's the same remote that would be found with the Worthington? Here are a few pictures of the set shortly after I acquired it a couple of years ago. It's in beautiful condition except for the typical missing "D" in the word Deluxe.

http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/ampico-kid/GrenobleFront.jpg





http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/ampico-kid/GrenobleRemote.jpg


Here's the remote neatly tucked into the front of the TV set.





http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/ampico-kid/GrenobleRemoteControl.jpg

A close up of the remote...





I'm planning on restoring it sometime later this year. I've got too many other projects in the works that need to be finished up before I can start this one.

I hope you find a nice Worthington to restore, it should be a beautiful set when you're finished with it........good luck with that.

Bob

Thank you Bob! Your pics are very nice, you've got a great tv set! About the remote control receiver and transmitter the thing is really strange. I don't know the cause, but on my RCA schematic diagrams, in the section of the remote control units there is that the CTC7 chassis used the CTP6A unit, that is the 14 buttons - seven function type (7 for increase and 7 for decrease the controls), this is also the remote control that appears on the movie on Youtube. But your CTC7 has evidently only 4 buttons, as well my Zenith tv set has. Probably the RCA manufactured other types of remote units that on my book there aren't.

The Worthington my friend had, did have the 14 button remote. ( the same as the RCA film)
I'm going to guess that the "Worthington" was a top of the line set, which probably used its own, special remote.

Here's a pic of some of the early RCA remotes. The one on the right is the one I fixed and use with my CTC9. The remote CTC10 I sold back in September also used the same style remote as the CTC9 (and I think the CTC11 does as well). The two remotes on the bottom of the picture I think are newer.

Yes these are just the remote controls built for the CTC9-10-11. They correspond perfectly to my schematic diagrams for that very nice sets. The remote control receiver works exactly as well the Worthington unit. It has only less transmission channels. If I don't get wrong, they use a strange battery, what type do you use?

I couldn't find a battery that fit exactly and was the right voltage, so I taped two batteries together in series. The longer one on the left is 3V, the shorter one on the right under the tape is 1.5V.

On my schematics is written that the unit works with a 4,2 battery. Probably they were mercury battery or similar, if not they would be 4,5 Volts. For the 14 buttons type they wrote 6,5 Volts... Strange voltage for a battery...

It is supposed to be 4.2V. One of the remotes I have still had the old 4.2V mercury battery in it. But with 4.5 volts my remote works fine.

On my schematics is written that that unit use a 4.2 Volts battery. Strange voltage for a normal battery. Instead the unit of the Worthington used a 6.5 Volts battery. Probably they were mercury battery that are not longer manufactured.

I'm sorry, I wrote two times the same post because I cannot see it.
However yes, I think that 4.5 or 4.2 is not a great difference. I hope that these battery have a longer lifetime.

Wonder how a CTC-7 made its way to Italy ?!? I never fully understood WHY the western European countries took SO long to introduce color...Its not like they were lacking in electrical/electronic engineering talent.... Anyhow, Welcome To VK !

Not to mention it would not work in Italy unless some warped-mind collector knew what to do.

For you Sandy and Dave, I can say that in Europe the color television was late for a lot of reasons. In the US the thing went ahead better because some engineers, and David Sarnoff too, realized how much it could be important. Then in USA the people could work without to think at the rebuilding, that in Europe was essential after the 2nd ww because of the stupidity and maliciousness of Hitler, and here from us, Mussolini too. In Italy the b&w tv broadcasting started in 1954, when in the US started the color tv. In Europe many engineers worked to make the color television a bit better of the NTSC system, and in the first years of the sixties, the PAL system came out. It worked very well and has not trouble due to the phase of color. In fact our tv sets (here in Italy where the PAL system was used) had not the tint control, because it wasn't necessary. But in France, they didn't want to use a system that the Germany worked out, so they studied another system, the SECAM, that is quite an absurd system. So, for absurd politic problems, we were fixed to wait some enlightenment... A lot of company had huge economic problems, because they couldn't start the production chains that were ready with the PAL system. In Europe the color television started after the middle of the sixties, and in Italy (where since 1968-70 we made test transmissions with the PAL system) we finally achieved to the color television in 1977.
I was always fascinated by the electronic devices since I was a baby, but here the people never saw a "roundie" color tv set. I saw the first time one of these tv set in a american film when I already had the color television at the age of 20-25 years (I was born in 1964). Finally, with computer and internet, I was able to study all the story of the color television, and five years ago I bought a wonderful Zenith Parkhurst 5231U roundie on ebay. A very kind woman in the States sold it to me, in those years I didn't know how to manage the shipment and this very kind person worked a lot for arranging everything. When this tv set arrived in Italy, I could see only some films on DVD because the DVD players have the double system NTSC/PAL and I built a suitable RF modulator, but the broadcasting was only with the PAL system and i couldn't use the tv set. Now, with the digital system, every decoder has the double system and I do have no problems. However I'm a collector... so I'm always looking for "new" tv sets. The RCA sets are now the right piece that is missing in my collection, and the Worthington is all along my fovourite. :) Bye, Marco.

Marco,

It is very pleasing to know that someone your age has an interest in the history of early color television that you do. I applaud your efforts.

:) Yes, it's pleasing to know that some people are interested to our passions and bring ahead the story of the electronic technology. The same thing has happened to me too. Last year I knew a guy, that collects vintage television sets and has the hearth's desire to learn all these things, that I thought could interest only to my strange mind...
However for greater precision, that wich I said yesterday about the Italian people that didn't know the old "roundie" tv sets, is not totally true. Near Florence here in Italy, a very particular person, Mr. Montagni, imported a batch of new unsold Zenith tv sets. In the laboratory of his company, he modified the color circuits and the accord frequency, for making them suitable for our tv system and PAL color. In fact, aside the "flip-flop electronic switch of the color phase, the PAL system is very similar to the NTSC. Only the carrier frequencies are different. Here we have the intercarrier audio frequency at 5.5 MHz instead of the 4.5 MHz of the USA system, and the color carrier at 4.43 MHz instead of 3.58 MHz. The same type of modulation are used and the color is almost alike until the electronic PAL switch. Instead the french SECAM is based on a complicated system and the number of lines changes depending on the wave band. Furthermore the audio signal is modulated in AM and the video polarity is positive instead of our negative modulation.
Mr. Montagni sold a lot of these Zenith tv sets in the first years of the seventies, when in Italy the color tv broadcasting there wasn't, for receiving some color broadcasting televisions coming from Switzerland and France, repeating their transmissions and converting them in PAL system. Some people, in Tuscany, maybe remember those "strange" tv sets with a roundie cathode ray tube.
Unfortunately, a lot of these tv sets still wrapped, were destroyed because unsold. It's a really shame! They were still new! :(

I, too, am a recent new member to Videokarma. I have been interested and involved in radio and television electronics, since I can remember, I was born in June 1960, and started my career as a TV Repairman, in the late 1970's. That ended for me in the mid 80's, as the economy here turned bad, and sets began to become more disposable. That is a very nice Zenith you have pictured there, as your Avatar! I have one that looks identical, but is in a very nice blonde cabinet, with Space Command 600 Remote Control! I have two other roundie's, a 1961 RCA, and a 1962 Philco. I would like to find out the Model Name for my Zenith, I'll have to post the model number, and see if anyone has some early sales literature on the Zenith models. The chassis in mine is a 25MC43. There are photos of some of my sets in my photo album, in my member information "spot." Anyway, best wishes in your search for a Worlington!

Easiest way to display PAL:
Convert to Vid/Aud In and make a PAL Ident detector (Flip Flop running @ H to identify alternate PAL lines). Then use this 1/2H trigger to mute "PAL" lines and display only the "NTSC" lines (around 300 lines) will look good .

BigDavesTv, very nice your tv sets! Really interesting! Your Zenith set is so similar to mine! I have a lot of Zenith ads, if you tell me the model number I think that I could find the right ad.

NewVista, for converting a color PAL signal in NTSC, it needs to turn upside down the color signal of the even lines and to let unchanged the odd lines, with a flip flop as you said. For convert a NTSC tv set in a PAL one, it can be useful to use last IF stage of the color signal connected directly to the flip-flop. Of course the accord of the color IF transformers and the video IF must be changed and also the quartz must be substituted with a 4.43 MHz one. Furthermore the PAL tv sets have a color delay line that delays the color signal for the time of one line and then the delayed signal is added together the normal one. Another problem is the horizontal frequency at 15625 Hz instead of 15750 and the vertical frequency at 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz, also if normally all the tv sets can be adjusted with these frequencies. However this is not longer important to make it, because digital decoders make this conversion without problems. So to use US tv sets here in Italy is quite simply. We have to had only an RF modulator with the audio intercarrier frequency at 4.5 MHz.

Digital conversion to NTSC-3.58 like with a Plextor ConvertX would be easier then employ an Nth American standard modulator as you say.

Yes I understand, but I was telling about the system that was used from the italian importer of those Zenith tv sets in the first seventies. Today no device is longer necessary because whatever digital decoder or DVD player has the video output available with NTSC or PAL system. A RF modulator with 4.5 MHz intercarrier frequency is necessary for the US TV set, because if you don't want modify the cicuits, you only can connect them with the antenna RF input.

I own a 58'RCA Grenoble Deluxe,..with a remote control the power tranny was bad,and got a new one from Moyers in Sunbury.Penn..it was the last one they had in stock..the cabinet/original picture tube is in mint condition:banana::banana:

Great! The Grenoble model used the same CTC7 chassis as the Worthington that I said. It's a very beutiful set!

Hi Marco

A little off-topic. Just wanted to say your jukebox restorations are great!

:zoom:Thank you wkand, yes! vintage tv sets are not my sole passion, and I make these restorations as job too. I work also in Hammond organs, and the greater restoration that I ever made is my Hammond Novachord! 163 Electron tubes in a wonderful instrument! If anyone of you is registered, you can see it at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=492001067478183&set=a.590129214332034.1073741825.100000048828143&type=3&theater
I know also that in many countries the movie on Youtube that I made about the restoration of a AMI H-120 is blocked for copyright. You can see it at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=421474407934875&set=vb.127917720623880&type=2&theater
However my first fall in love has been the radio and TV sets, especially "roundie" and color models.

:Hammond Novachord! .
I have seen one, Who is your favorite Hammond player?

As the owner of a Clavioline and a Solovox, I'm very envious of the Novachord. I wish I knew someone who could translate those videos from Italian to English!

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

:) NewVista, I like a lot of musical kinds and I don't have a true favorite Hammond player. Of course players as Jimmy Smith or Tony Monaco or Joey DeFrancesco are great musicians, but I love also the Hammond Organ sound of old songs or pieces of Ethel Smith etc...
:) Phil, you're right, I'd like to make a DVD with the story of my restoration in English too. I first must finish the text that I'm writing and to record other movies, then I'll assemble all pictures that I pick up to my "beast" during the restoration. I rebuilt over than 700 capacitors in their original tinplated-brass tube casings! For the time being you can hear the sound of my Novachord in the second part of my movie preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwHc6hofTm4
Me too own a very nice Hammond Solovox, furthermore other organs BCV, C3, Concert E, A100, H100, M3 and a very nice S chord organ.
However I enjoy your wonderful radio and tv sets in your very nice site. I knew it since several years ago! :)
Now I hope to find a nice RCA color tv set, and the Worthington would be perfect! :boink: But I think that it won't be easy! :wave:

:) Ethel Smith etc...
:

I was hoping you would mention Ethel [Gold]smith. I like her arrangement of Kalmer & Ruby's 'Three Little Words' (http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0036077&) (1930) - with her clever C6/9? decent at the end.

Yes, very nice! I'd like to find the wonderful Hammond Organ promo movie "Building Organ Tones", with Ethel Smith. It is also on Youtube, but unfortunately it's in very poor state. It show Ethel at beginning and at the end of the film and show the production of the Hammond generators.
Then, very nice is also the film "Bathing Beauty" with Ethel in very good shape!

..with Ethel.. also on Youtube, .. also the film "Bathing Beauty" ..!

I just uploaded one of her tunes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RftRy0_R5w) (perfect registrations & countermelodies)

Yes, very fine! :)
She was a great organist!

Does anybody know what other models were made from RCA with the big 14 function remote control, with the CTC-7, CTC-9 and maybe others chassis?
Thanks!

Hello to everyone, my name is Marco and I'm an Italian guy. I'm new one on Videokarma and I'm the happy owner of a very fine Zenith Parkhurst 5231U, perfectly working.

I'm intrigued by the fact that a Zenith made it to Italy! Do you know any of the history behind it? :scratch2:

Chris

I'm intrigued by the fact that a Zenith made it to Italy! Do you know any of the history behind it? :scratch2:

Chris

Hi, my Zenith Parkhurst wasn't made for Italy, I bought it in 2005 from the US, a very kind lady sold it to me. In those years I couldn't use it for the normal tv stations, because we had the PAL system. I could use it only with dvd players NTSC setted. Today, with every digital decoder I can see the normal tv programming.
However in Italy a lot of Zenith tv sets were sold in Tuscany, because an electronic laboratory converted them with PAL system for foreign tv stations that arrived in Italy before the normal italian color transmissions in 1977.