Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffhs
Yes, 1975 was the year detented UHF tuning (to make UHF as easy to tune as VHF) was required in all new TVs. I guess too many people complained about how difficult it was to tune in a UHF TV channel properly.
BTW: Today's flat screens, with all-electronic tuners (no knobs or dials to be seen anywhere, just up/down channel buttons) are even easier to tune--all you do is select the channel you want to watch and enjoy the show. No fine tuning required, ever. I don't remember if the detented UHF tuners had fine-tuning controls, though.  |
Most detent UHF tuners I have seen had a fine tuning ring coaxial with the tuning shaft, just like the VHF tuner. The difference was that, if one turned the UHF fine tuner too far, it actually changed the channel (up or down, depending on which way one was turning it.
I almost can't believe that they mandated detent UHF tuners because they were easier to tune. The non-detent tuner on our GL759 (CTC-38) was far easier, just twist the dial, and it was there.
Using the detent tuner annoyed everyone in the room with its clicking noise, and my mom insisted it would "break the set". Of course, not everyone lived in a TV market where Going from channel 20 to channel 62 was a common occurrence.
UHF detent tuners didn't "track" as well as the VHF tuners did. If I tuned channel 20 correctly, turning the dial to 50 didn't take me straight to 50, I had to retune.