Is this an RCA Direct Address set?(If so...I MUST have it!!

[rca2000]

Take a GOOD look at the RCA tv in this posting. I Am ALMOST SURE it is "one I have been looking for", an RCA "direct address" set, from about 1976 or 77,one that is only controllable with a remote. I CANNOT see ANY controls on the front and I DEFINITELY see a remote sensor!!

IF it IS one of these....I wonder if someone in the Akron area could pick it up for me, and either bring it to the ETF convention next month, or perhaps meet me near columbus or so. I could make it worth the while!! I have a CTC-16 I would be willing to trade for the pickup of this set, and perhaps a few other things. I replied to the post, but got NO answer so far. IF it IS a direct address set...I WANT IT!! I have TWO remotes for them.



http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/zip/1625439563.html

[radiotvnut]

It may be what you seek; and, the owner sounds like they could be a bit of an a$$hole.

[Jeffhs]

[QUOTE=rca2000;2968936]Take a GOOD look at the RCA tv in this posting. I Am ALMOST SURE it is "one I have been looking for", an RCA "direct address" set, from about 1976 or 77,one that is only controllable with a remote. I CANNOT see ANY controls on the front and I DEFINITELY see a remote sensor!!

IF it IS one of these....I wonder if someone in the Akron area could pick it up for me, and either bring it to the ETF convention next month, or perhaps meet me near columbus or so. I could make it worth the while!! I have a CTC-16 I would be willing to trade for the pickup of this set, and perhaps a few other things. I replied to the post, but got NO answer so far. IF it IS a direct address set...I WANT IT!! I have TWO remotes for them.

I cannot imagine a console like that being direct-address, as this type of television was mostly used in hotels/motels. Moreover, almost all hotel/motel TVs are table models; I can't imagine hospitality establishments putting console TVs in the rooms, except perhaps ritzy areas such as Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood or Los Angeles, New York...that have hotels/motels in which the televisions are consoles in fancy cabinets.

As to home TVs having direct-address tuners, I don't know. Are you possibly referring to "direct access", where the TV has a keypad by which channels are selected directly by pushing two buttons (03 for channel 3, 42 for channel 42, etc.)? Many of these sets had the same keypad on the remote; it wouldn't surprise me a bit if today's flat-panel TVs have remotes with direct-access keypads as well, since this design is now pretty much an industry standard for FPs and was for most remote CRT sets as well. (I have never seen a CRT TV with a remote that didn't have a keypad; most had them, plus channel up/down buttons.) My GE four-function universal remote has such a keypad that lets me go directly from one channel to another, without having to scan through vacant or unwanted channels; moreover, this remote, as well as most universals and original TV remotes, can be programmed to skip vacant channels or channels you do not watch. This is the function of the channel up/down buttons on the remote; when you initially set up the remote, you can program it so the buttons will cause the TV to scan to only the channels you select. That's how I have mine set up. Time-Warner Cable in my area, near Cleveland, has channels 3 (NBC), 5 (ABC), 8 (FOX), 4 (CBS 19), 23 (ION), 10 (PBS 25), 9 (CW 55), 6 (MyTV 43), 18 (61) and 20 (PBS 49). I don't watch 61 (18) because it carries Spanish language programming from Univision, so I programmed my remote to skip that channel as well as all the cable system's other special-interest channels, so all the channel +/- buttons let my set scan to are the locals. However, should I want to watch (for example) C-SPAN 1, which is on TW cable in my area on, IIRC, channel 22, I can select it directly via the keypad; the same goes for all other cable channels not in the TV's programmed scan list. Makes it a lot easier to find the channel I want to watch.

[rca2000]

But in THIS case...the set is a bit different. It was the FIRST direct address set RCA made, and the most unusual thing about it is that it had NO controls on the set to turn it on or off, or change channels. The large remote(and ONLY the remote), did all of that. And they were NOT hotel sets, either, just the top-of-the-line RCA sets at the time, with OSD when that was pretty much unheard of. They have the CTC-81AD chassis, the first "colortrak" version. yes, the remote has a keypad to directly enter the channels, as you say...but ONLY the remote. The Magnavox STAR,out at the same time frame, DID have controls on the set too.

[radiotvnut]

Wasn't that the big upright chassis that was built like a tank and folded down for service?

Anyway, I hope this one works out for you. Keep us posted.

[rca2000]

Yes, it is. Mostly a vertical chassis, and the last one RCA made with a transformer, and this one is a ferroresonant one. modular, with BIG modules.

Take another look at the post. On the left side, on top of the set....I THINK I see one of the DA remotes, that black, oblong thing. Is that not a direct address remote??. I am almost SURE this is a DA set!!

[kx250rider]

The posting is gone, but by all the discussion, I'd say it's probably the CTC-81 with no controls on the set. I have a couple of those remotes; the ones with soft black vinyl upholstery on them. Great TV, but heck-of-inconvenient when the remote isn't in hand!

Charles

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

The posting is gone, but by all the discussion, I'd say it's probably the CTC-81 with no controls on the set. I have a couple of those remotes; the ones with soft black vinyl upholstery on them. Great TV, but heck-of-inconvenient when the remote isn't in hand!

Charles

"Inconvenient", IMHO, is an understatement. Without the remote and with no controls whatsoever on the TV itself, the set is utterly useless. To be perfectly honest, I don't see why RCA designed this set so that there is no way to use it without the remote--unless this was an advertising stunt or just an idea they wanted to test to see if it would sell. I have a lot of respect for RCA, since the company pioneered color TV in the 1950s; I have one of their sets (made by Thomson but bearing the RCA block logo), not to mention that my folks' first TV was a used 1954 RCA Victor console and that I myself owned at least one RCA Victor TV (I had a metal-cabinet RCA Victor 17" table model I rescued from the trash; the set worked right away and lasted several years), and a stereo phonograph by the same manufacturer. However, I cannot imagine for the life of me why RCA would even think of designing and marketing a TV that was only usable with the remote. If you had the remote, fine and dandy. You could use the TV and activate all its functions, and all was well. However, if the remote got lost or broken, or the batteries went dead, you now had a TV that, as I mentioned above, was worse than useless for anything except, perhaps, as a storage area for knick-knacks and the like. I wonder how many people thought the TV was broken beyond repair when the remote went West, and simply bought a new 19" (or whatever size) table model, setting it atop the cabinet. This was a very common practice in the '60s and '70s when a very old TV finally bit the dust and was found to have a serious and/or expensive problem, such as a bad flyback, power transformer or CRT. I had an uncle who did just that when his 23-inch Sylvania b&w console TV went West--he purchased a new (at the time, late-'60s-early seventies) Admiral color portable, put it atop the Sylvania, and enjoyed it for years afterward. I don't think he missed the old Sylvania b&w one bit after seeing the picture on the color set, which was very good even with rabbit ears (he and my aunt lived in the city of Cleveland, not far from the city's three [at that time, late sixties-seventies] TV stations).


However, if it is possible to use these direct-address TVs with a generic universal remote, you can get some use out of the set, so all is not lost even if you do lose or damage the original remote. Even though this TV has a "direct address" tuner, I am almost sure any universal remote can operate the set's basic functions--on/off, channel +/-, volume +/-, and mute, which is all most people need anyhow. You may not have access to some or all of the TV's fancy features, but at least you will be able to use the set as it was intended to be used.

[andy]

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[radiotvnut]

I think the oldest IR remote set that I've seen was a little 13" Sampo from around '79. Zenith and RCA still used the ultrasonic remotes until around '80-'81.

Maybe those control panel-less RCA's were an early attempt at "parental control". If you didn't want your kids watching TV, just hide the remote from them.

[rca2000]

I was only able to get hold of the poster ONCE. They told me "there are controls behind the door, but i am just SURE they mean the ones for the time and programing. I just KNOW this is a DA set. I let them know I was sure it was what I want....and I wanted it. a couple of days passed....no response....So, a couple of days ago ...I wrote once more to the only email I got from them...and inquired as to if the set was still available, I wanted it, and might even be willing to pay a bit, if that was necessary. Still......nothing!!!!

At least...I saved a picture of it........

[rcanewvista]

could you post a pic of the set? the craigslist ad is down, and I would like to see what this type of set looks like. it sounds pretty novel if the tv didnt even have an on board on/off switch =)

[rca2000]

Well...here is the one I was able to save. It does NOT seem to come through well, but THIS is the set I am nearly SURE is an RCA "direct address" tv. Notice how there are NO controls or such on the tv, notice the remote pickup....and the VERY thin "control door" next to the CRT bezel. It is WAAAAYYY to thin....to have ANY sort of display or even channel controls behind it. This set is OSD. Not too mention..... I HAVE the RCA technical manual for the CTC-74/81 including the DA version....and aside for ONE VERY SMALL thing, this set looks EXACTLY like the one in the manual, other than a somewhat different cabinet design, but STILL very 'upscale" like the one in the manual.

The ONE thing different about this one...the "RCA LOGO" is in a different place, in the manual, it is over the remote pickup, on THIS one--it is about 2/3 from the top of the control panel, which should only hide time set, channel fine tuning programming, and master power controls, as well as "secondary" controls like brightness and contrast. Color and tint are NOT on the front--remote only-same with channels, power and volume.

ALSO--try and take a look near the front left top of the set. I THINK I see the large, padded, oblong RCA direct address remote there!!

[sampson159]

there is one of these sets right here in columbus ohio.it is still in operation.heavy vertical chassis like the colortrak,solid wood cabinet that is just beautiful.the crt went in the early 90s.we replaced with a sylvania and it is still going strong.the owner has the remote strapped to his chair!other than the crt,no repairs!i tried to purchase this set the last time i saw it,(a year or two ago),but no dice!i can see why this one is so desirable.might be the best rca solid state ever made.i like the osd.orville said if he passes on,i get it in the will.healthy as a horse.80 years old and can outwork any young man.i ll pass away first!

[jeyurkon]

I wonder if you were to make contact with the local Best Buy delivery guys if you could get them to watch out for a set like that when they do their delivery/haul away runs.

John