Philco Prewar Console Television

[vts1134]

I took a road trip this weekend and picked up my first Philco TV. The set came from a collection in Philadelphia and the owner told me he purchased the set from the son of a Philco engineer who was cleaning out his father's home after he passed away. He said the engineer took it home, installed a postwar 12 channel, and used it as his bedroom TV. The engineer must have used it for a good number of years as the CRT (originally a 10AP4) was replaced with a 10BP4 in 1952. The cabinet is in amazing condition. The collector from whom I purchased the set had only very clean sets in good or better condition. He said he turned down a 7" Philco tabletop with a five push-button tuner because it had gotten wet at one point and the veneer had begun to separate. He said he was the only person at the home interested in televisions and it was almost certainly pitched in the dumpster after he turned it down. He said some time later he regreted turning down that set. It was hard not to cry after hearing that story .

[pendulum]

very cool. I see philco liked using loctals even back then. I assume this was a prototype set right. The cabinet is very cool looking as well.

[rca2000]

I assume this has line-powered HV_-but does it come from the main tranny--or is there a separate HV tranny?

[Gregb]

Very cool set! Great condition.

Gregb

[Jon A.]

I'm not sure what you mean by postwar 12-channel. Was it just the tuner that was replaced or the entire chassis?

[decojoe67]

What a rare treat to see that set! It's so rare to see any Philco television produced before the 48-1000. I have seen that console in early promotional pictures only and never knew one actually existed. Very cool piece.

[vts1134]

Originally Posted by Jon A.

I'm not sure what you mean by postwar 12-channel. Was it just the tuner that was replaced or the entire chassis?

Just the tuner and associated components... this is pretty common on pre-war sets that were used in the post-war period. I've seen it most often on RCA TRK-12 sets. Chuck A's prewar Philco also had the original tuner swapped out for a post-war 8 channel unit.

[vts1134]

Originally Posted by rca2000

I assume this has line-powered HV_-but does it come from the main tranny--or is there a separate HV tranny?

There is only one chassis in the set. I haven't pulled it to inspect yet. It's a heavy son of a gun and I just wanted to get it in the house for now.

[ChuckA]

Originally Posted by decojoe67

What a rare treat to see that set! It's so rare to see any Philco television produced before the 48-1000. I have seen that console in early promotional pictures only and never knew one actually existed. Very cool piece.

There's at least one more of this model surviving.


Chuck

[ChuckA]

Originally Posted by vts1134

Just the tuner and associated components... this is pretty common on pre-war sets that were used in the post-war period. I've seen it most often on RCA TRK-12 sets. Chuck A's prewar Philco also had the original tuner swapped out for a post-war 8 channel unit.

John

When you get to looking at the chassis, see if the IF tubes are the original hard to find 1231 (1938) or the common 1232 or 7G7/1232 (1940).

Also did they still use a 6V5 for audio and 6AH5 for H sweep?


Chuck

[vts1134]

Originally Posted by ChuckA

There's at least one more of this model surviving.


Chuck

I've written the museum where the other set is supposed to live, but haven't heard back from them. I'm hoping they can send photos of theirs. Does any one know if the set at the Philadelphia History Museum has the same cabinet as mine, or is it the other style with the wooden slats over the speaker?

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by vts1134

There is only one chassis in the set. I haven't pulled it to inspect yet. It's a heavy son of a gun and I just wanted to get it in the house for now.

It looks like to me, that the HV transformer is the potted block style Behind the HV rectifier.
I wonder what they did to the audio circuit, as the Philco's didn't use an audio output circuit. They transmitted the audio to a Philco radio, around 8mhz. They must've converted the AM audio to slope detection.
Looking forward to more information on this set.

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by vts1134

Just the tuner and associated components... this is pretty common on pre-war sets that were used in the post-war period. I've seen it most often on RCA TRK-12 sets. Chuck A's prewar Philco also had the original tuner swapped out for a post-war 8 channel unit.

Oh okay, not bad at all. Congrats on your find.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I wonder what they did to the audio circuit, as the Philco's didn't use an audio output circuit. They transmitted the audio to a Philco radio, around 8mhz.

Check out the schematic on ETF (scroll down to 10" Philco) looks to me like a 7B5 driving an electrodynamic speaker in the set:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/tv_sc...ms_prewar.html

jr

[Steve D.]

From the ETF site:

-Steve D.