Free TV Sets Available at the Museum
 

Free TV Sets Available at the Museum

We have many 40s and 50s TV sets that we need to get out of our warehouse. They are available at no charge, but you must pick them up during our normal hours. Here is a list of the sets.

https://earlytelevision.org/free_tv_sets.html

such a shame you are so far away from here. :tears:

Dumont Royal Sovereign
 

Available in the Atlanta area for free. If you're unfamiliar with these they have a 30 inch round metal CRT.
It is complete except for an HV transformer. BUT, this should be easy to cook up. Unlike conventional TV's this uses an autoformer (only 3 connections. The HV oscillator is not part of the horizontal circuit. I think even an old ignition coil from a car would work.
I inherited it with the transformer missing. I think it burned up. (typical.)
They are easy to transport in an Econoline van. Take out the top latch, put in the TV and re-install the top latch. I also remove the chasses to make it lighter, then re-install them at the destination.

How does the CRT test?

.

Good, the last time I checked it. Five years ago.
Its been stored inside its whole life. Cabinet is in fair shape.

Not to burst your bubble, but I don't think an ignition coil would work. The resonant frequency is way too low. The Dumont transformer operates at 15,750 Hz. On an ignition coil on a V8 engine operating at 5,000 RPM, the operating frequency is only 333 Hz.

This transformer really is made out of unobtainium.

Thanks for the info.
Alternatively you could use a tube type color flyback to develop the HV. Probably have to experiment with this.
Pictures to follow.

Now you are talking. Since the CRT only needs a maximum of around 1 mA @ 20KV, you might be able to buy a ready made power supply. The biggest problem I see is the varying current load due to picture content. Don't know how good their voltage regulation is.

If originality isn't a big concern you could use a flyback from a BPC, a power FET and a 555 timer and make your own HV supply. I built a plasma speaker (an HV arc that reproduces audible sound from a signal source) with such a setup. BPC flybacks also produce low voltage power supply feeds and those taps are affected by HV loading so if you used one of those taps as a feed back reference you could probably regulate the circuit that way (or just use a 6BK4 if that's easier for ya).

The idea of a 6BK4 in a monochrome DuMont is the ultimate feature for such a rare giant.

Give it a try once you're making HV, driving grid with an HV control and consider using a copier's HV power supply or another form of "tripler" circuit. 20kV is not hard to make this way.

Only in a DuMont would the Horiz sweep-only drive the yoke and provide the necessary blanking and keyed AGC :)

Pics
 

This sets original owner was WCSC. They also had a Dumont transmitter (before they went color). The Dumont transmitter was vapor phase (water cooled) as I recall. Vapor phase cooling is unusual for a VHF transmitter.
Anyway, when the HV coil went bad, they chose to just replace the set with a new rectangular set.

I wouldnt take one FREE,I dont like taking advantage like that..... I would give probably $100 if I had it to give......

Do you still have the set?

Do you still have the set?
[email protected]

The last 30" model they made was built to use up the last of the cabinets and CRT's. It had a single chassis that looked like one used in a 21" model.
It was sold to John Folsum, the collector in Florida.
He thought it was a Frankenset, but I replied that it was original because of the tube location diagram matched the chassis.
Naturally, the CRT was a rebuilt and weak, with a britener.
He probably still has it to this day.

That was the model RA-119B. Super, super rare. There were some
subtle cabinet differences besides the electronics within. I have
both the DuMont RA-119A and RA-119B models. In these pictures,
the "B" model is on the left, the "A" on the right.

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment...1&d=1626889599

Crosley also produced a TV set using the 30BP4 CRT. (not mine)

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment...1&d=1626889688

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment...1&d=1626889773


.

Yes its still sitting in my kitchen.
What we need is another TV museum. Maybe one on the west coast.
On CRT_Test2 it does show that the emission is low. But its been off for quite a long time and it might come up after an hour or so.

The same guy that had the 30" Dumont, had a Crosley 30" set. He sold it to a tavern keeper as a novelty. He referred my name to the people that bought it.
It was a Frankenset! Marked on the back was a notice, "There is an Admiral chassis in this Crosley cabinet! Naturally, there was a britener on the rebuilt CRT.
The Admiral chassis came from one of the first 27" Admirals, CA 1953.

How about central Texas? Like say... the Austin area? :D :yes:

How about at your house?
The problem for museums is that they operate at a loss. Even the government ones.
If you could get your land and building free, you would still have to convince the local government for property tax exemption.
And then there's electric and gas (heat) bills you would have to deal with.

Back in like 2018-2019 a fellow (IIRC he goes by telecrusier here on VK) put on a presentation about a museum of IIRC TV broadcast equipment he opened in an old car dealership in Texas. That and the Texas antique radio club are probably your best bet for local-ish

The Texas Broadcast Museum, which is in Kilgore, TX , about 265 miles away ( 4+ hours there & back in good traffic), is something worth seeing yes, but not like ETF, which has tons of televisions, and auctions for one to get them, parts and so on, major difference T_T


EDIT,

for example.

If,,, IF the ETF was as close as Kilgore, TX, I would not hesitate to steal a pickup from someplace, an releave Steve of some of those free TVs he has to offer, no matter what condition, but as I mentioned, Hilliard, OH is a weeee bit too far for me. :I

So what are we going to do about all these antique sets? There are guys in CA. who are into antique cars etc. Shouldn't be too hard to find one whose into TV's There's Chuck Pharis. But I think he's loaded up.
http://www.pharis-video.com/
I sure hate to see them end up in a landfill.

There's a couple of sets at the museum that I have CRTs for(looks like the CRTs are bad in all the free sets), and happen to like a little, but right now I am already probably beyond capacity. I need to have some things work out so I can get my own house and some out buildings for storage so I can take advantage of the increasing number of situations like this.

A solution to the transportation problem...
 

is UShip.com. They even have a TV show about this called Shipping Wars on the Quest channel.
Its about private individuals who bid for shipping jobs all across America. Many of their items are much larger than an antique TV set.
Just an idea.

Did anyone take the Royal Sovereign, or is that still looking for a home?

I am having trouble with the private messaging on this forum.
Well, so far, no.
There is a guy who is coming up from Augusta GA. to check the CRT but he hasn't arrived yet.
He said he was going to have to make space in his storage rental. He has another chassis with the coil in it.
I think he is on this board.

Keep us up to date on what happens. If no one takes it, I might be interested, but only if the CRT is good after a "cook-in." I have a suitable HV coil that I think I can make work for it. Cabinet would have to be free of any wood or veneer damage. It would be very expensive and somewhat risky to ship out here, but I'm willing to look into it.