Picked up my first Color Tube set-for only $1!!!

[Olorin67]

the best way to date these sets is to look for date codes on the tubes, my portacolor seems to have nearly all original GE tubes, and they all had '67 date codes. some other parts such as speakers and caps can have date codes also. I suspect yours is a fairly early set since the small knobs are all on the far right, and there are exposed screws on the front. the first few model years were like that, with minor color/styling tweaks. Maybe not the first couple model years, but probably 68-69-70ish. In the 70s they started moving knobs around.

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by Olorin67

the best way to date these sets is to look for date codes on the tubes, my portacolor seems to have nearly all original GE tubes, and they all had '67 date codes. some other parts such as speakers and caps can have date codes also. I suspect yours is a fairly early set since the small knobs are all on the far right, and there are exposed screws on the front. the first few model years were like that, with minor color/styling tweaks. Maybe not the first couple model years, but probably 68-69-70ish. In the 70s they started moving knobs around.

That is a very good point. 1974 is a guess based on chassis numbering, N-1 and N-2 were 16" sets just a step up from porta-color and they were introduced in 1971.

The channel knob type on this set was first used in 1966 IIRC but those flat knobs the squirrel refers to were more common on the 1970 and later 16-19" sets.

Of course Im going by a few brain cells myself, probably compromised by all those griplets I soldered on the later small-screen GE's

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

That is a very good point. 1974 is a guess based on chassis numbering, N-1 and N-2 were 16" sets just a step up from porta-color and they were introduced in 1971.

The channel knob type on this set was first used in 1966 IIRC but those flat knobs the squirrel refers to were more common on the 1970 and later 16-19" sets.

Of course Im going by a few brain cells myself, probably compromised by all those griplets I soldered on the later small-screen GE's

H-3/HC were 69/70, so 1971/72/72 is the H-4/10HD. The 10JA PortaColor came out in 1974, followed by the 10QA in 1976 or 1977. We know that 10HE tube PortaColors were made as late as 76/77 - Andy has one....

[zeno]

I goe with older date for 2 reasons. Dont remember the switch overs but
they eliminated the 3 screws in the front & changed them
to 2 in the back. Newer ones had a HV focus & and looked
much different.
I remember the N chassis. Didnt see many but never saw one
that worked right even at a few yrs old. Probably the biggest POS
ever built. Makes the portacolor look like a Rolls.

73 Zeno

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by zeno

I goe with older date for 2 reasons. Dont remember the switch overs but
they eliminated the 3 screws in the front & changed them
to 2 in the back. Newer ones had a HV focus & and looked
much different.
I remember the N chassis. Didnt see many but never saw one
that worked right even at a few yrs old. Probably the biggest POS
ever built. Makes the portacolor look like a Rolls.

73 Zeno

Isn't that the one with the 15MP22 CRT? I heard a lot about that jem.

[zeno]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Isn't that the one with the 15MP22 CRT? I heard a lot about that jem.

Dont remember the jug but it was an evil set. First thing
that went was gears in the tuner indicator. Real Rube Goldburg
stuff. Plastic was crap just like the tuner mounts on the 18/19
sets that would break up. So bad we wouldnt fix that. Dont
know why they didnt sell more, Zenith did well with its 16" sets.
Not a good memory but I would take a free one now.

73 Zeno