finally found a Dimensia
 

I have been searching for an RCA Dimensia set for a while now, and found this one on St. Louis CL.
From the information I can gather this was the first of the Dimensia console sets. This one was manufactured in June 1987 and purchased new on January 09, 1988 at a Best Buy Superstore in Bridgeton, MO for a whopping $849.99. Quite a chunk of change for a television in 1988.

This set has been very well cared for. The 25 year old cabinet is near flawless. The original owners manual, remote and bill of sale came with the set.
The picture??? Well it is superb. It rivals in color saturation and definition my CC2 set, and we all know their legendary picture quality.

The only downer is the original remote is non-functioning and impossible to repair without breaking the plastic holding the circuit board secure. Of course virtually any RCA remote manufactured in the last quarter century will operate the basic features of the set, but there are menus not accessable without an original remote.

In cases like that, all you can really do is repair it in such a way that visible damage is minimal. Unfortunate, but of course, as a consumer, you're not meant to be meddlin'...

try ebay for a new remote? seems to be a couple up

Awesome!!!!! You are so lucky! I would kill for a Dimensia set like that!! I have a 1986 Colortrak 2000 (with the Dimensia-style "control" jacks on the back), but yeah, I love your console! You enjoy that!

Nice find! I have a CTC-136B Colortrak 2000 in the family room that still provides a great pix. I put a rebuilt tube in it about 12 years ago. Wondering about the chassis number sequence for the Dimensia series, older than my 136?
Kevin

Just don't tell people that "I've got Dimensia"... :D

"Dimensia" was a marketing name screw up. An old friend of mine, an advertising company owner, mentioned to me that everyone at the news conference when RCA first presented the Dimensia line to the world, whispered "Isn't that a kind of mental illness"?. :scratch2:

I have a better one thsn that! I have one that has the cabinet with the spaces for stereo components. I took everything out of the cabinet and put it in the table model so it would fit in my cabinet. It was a left over wwhen I was selling them. You can't beat the CTC140. There arre 2 types of remotes that will work that model. One is the black one that will also operate the stere components. The other came with the 26inch table models. (FPR2622)

I sold a lot of them. Made $$$ as there weren't many dealerships that had them at first.

The set I have has the CTC 140 chassis, which version A thru F I haven't figured out just yet.
Still amazed at just how good the picture is on this set.
Would really like to find a replacement original RCA remote for the set. I see them on ebay ocassionally, but they are usually the flat models - the proper one for this set is the wedge shaped one. When I get time gonna go ahead and break into this remote and see if it is salvagable - if so, probably have to re-secure the board into the remote with rtv or similar.

Anyone remember when RCA sold out to Thompson???
Was looking at the owners manual and the tags on the back of the set - all of them read RCA - no mention of Thompson on this set.

I think RCA was sold to GE in late 1985, and then GE sold the consumer electronics parts to Thompson. Don't know when the last receivers were actually manufactured in the USA.
Thanks for the info on the Dimensia chassis numbers. Now I just have to find one lol.
Kevin :yes:

...

Hey all you chassis know-it-alls! Which chassis is this one?? Is this the table top version of the console above??

Forgot the link—

http://www.rossauction.com/topics/07...imensia_tv.jpg

I have 2 of those remotes. One, I repaired years ago. The other is virgin but needs to be fixed. You can fix them ONE time. You grind off the flattened tabs with a dremmel tool. Clean the pads with the solvent (I use rubbing achohol) clean the board with an eraser. Let the rubber dry. Put together and while holding it together, melt the other tabs and hold until cooled.

I'd say this set is worth repairing. For 10 years from 1987-c.1997, this model never really changed much in appearance. I can see why it was so expensive over 20 years ago.

I was there, worked at the old RCA Sarnoff Lab. :thumbsdn::sigh::grumpy::yikes::dammit::pity::wtf: :puke::dunno::cry::nono::tears:

The Thomson labels might not show up until '88? Or maybe late '87. They had sets assembled in the USA well into the 90s.

Lyceum,

Have never seen a Dimensia set with those logos - they appear to be reversed - maybe someone knows more than I do.
Definately not the same near flat crt used in other Dimensia sets I have seen - that one has a lot of curvature.

you are seeing the result of the unique faceplate on the crt.its quite flat but has a dip in the middle.there is a gull wing correction adjustment to fix what you see.

I have a version of that set but it is badged Colortrak 2000 as is the wedge remote.

I wonder if there was any real difference?

My grandmother has the modern "CTC167" version of this one. uses it as a daily watcher, unfortunately the CRT is about dead. and i had to replace the main IC twice because it lost the green, then it lost the red.

Other than being an early 90s CTC167, it looks nearly identical.

I am still a n00b to the vintage tv world, so pardon my ignorance... But, what is so special about this TV?

...

You may have had the CTC131. If you thought the yoke or horizontal output transformer was bad, all you'd have to do is run it on the test fixture.

Looks alot like the set on the left from this magazine ad...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c4...CA_12_1986.jpg

Sure does. Looking at old ads/literature form RCA I think they used that cabinet style for a few years. Certainly a very '80's looking cabinet.

google/bing/search RCA Dimensia

Wow! A square, flattest CRT?? RCA also had less flatter but square CRT as well and I have not seen those early RCA Dimensia because we were authorized to repair these RCA TVs. The closest CRT form factor is proscan CRTs.

I only worked for shop for just 9 years and still do but no more CRT era except for occasional CRT TVs.

Cheers, Wizard

Wow, I really like it!

IMO, all the high-end 80s RCA's are impressive in some way.

You aren't the only one who noticed that! I had an RCA Dimensia set (great picture) and ironically, I purchased it at an estate sale in Sun City, AZ (retirement community). Only the short-lived Insignia Alzheimers Y2K was a bigger marketing screw-up. :yes:

You couldn't have said it better!

My favorite has been the CTC130 chassis with AV inputs on channel 91-93, MTS stereo and OSD.

Are you still looking for a remote? Have something for you.

just found myself this nice 27" colortrak

Model: G26239TK
CTC157B chassis

http://goput.it/str/c9y.jpg
http://goput.it/str/9cy.jpg
http://goput.it/h3j.jpg

Its never been serviced, and according to the couple I got it from, was never moved since it was purchased. Picture is nearly perfect for 22 years old.

Need a proper remote for it, appears CRK52A is the correct one?

LOL! That model of ColorTrak brings back childhood memories.........of 3am when it would turn it's self on at full blast and not respond to the power button. I had to deal with the loud static until I moved it out and unplugged it. This happened with no warning and maybe a few months apart, just enough time to forget it does it.

Goodwill had a couple of those 25" light wood table sets, I was debating getting the last one I found, but I waited too late. I do have a beautiful table 19" System 3 for $8.99 though. I love Zenith color, and RCA too. My Colortrack XS Stereo console is near death, had a beautiful picture.

We had a tabletop '87 model that did the exact same thing, usually in the wee hours. Don't think it lasted past '94.