My New Keeper - '83 Sylvania E34-53

[zenith2134]

I generally try to turn off the auto-brightness/photocell feature. I like setting it once and leaving it alone from there.

About the small chassis-- once TVs became more reliant on ICs and all-solid state designs, they could make the chassis very small like this. In this set, the cabinet is large so the chassis just appears tinier.

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by zenithfan1

That looks like a light sensor that controls the auto brightness depending on room light.

That's what it is. My '65 Magnavox has one too.

[julianburke]

These were built about 30 miles from where I live. Several of my friends were engineers there. I used to have many parts for this set but no more. That is a non-remote set. There is a IC chip in the tuner (plug in) that would fail-it is no longer available except for cannalbalzation. I used to know every problem in that chassis but have forgotten most of it by now. They were also notorius for flybacks esp the E31 chassis. At one time I did several hundred repairs for motels with the E31. (mostly flybacks)

[bgadow]

My wife has a distant cousin in Kentucky; they have a Philco console from the mid-80s which always catches my attention. I always saw lots of the Magnavox models, fewer of the Sylvanias, never the Philcos. I know it is just a nameplate but still, neat to see. A good running set, anyway.

[Sandy G]

Yep, I live about 30 miles on the OTHER side of Greeneville-I know where that set was made. I have some friends who worked there, too-at one time, it had the highest quality rating of any of the North American Phillips plants, & they had a pretty sizable engineering staff there.

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by julianburke

These were built about 30 miles from where I live. Several of my friends were engineers there. I used to have many parts for this set but no more. That is a non-remote set. There is a IC chip in the tuner (plug in) that would fail-it is no longer available except for cannalbalzation. I used to know every problem in that chassis but have forgotten most of it by now. They were also notorius for flybacks esp the E31 chassis. At one time I did several hundred repairs for motels with the E31. (mostly flybacks)

I'm trying to remember the E31 and can't place it and can't find it in Sams, either. Did you really mean E32? If so, that's not good news about the high flyback failure rate. I've got an E32 19" with a million hours on it and the flyback looks original. In some respects, I think they would have been better off to have stuck with the seperate flyback and tripler. It seems like flyback failures became much more common in solid state sets when they went to the IHVT design.

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by bgadow

My wife has a distant cousin in Kentucky; they have a Philco console from the mid-80s which always catches my attention. I always saw lots of the Magnavox models, fewer of the Sylvanias, never the Philcos. I know it is just a nameplate but still, neat to see. A good running set, anyway.

Here's an '88 Philco console for you - it's going to a friend of mine who's TV is dying rapidly.

I held onto this set for two months for a "needy mother," was going to give it to her. When she finally showed up last week, she says it's way too big for her daughters' bedroom. My wife asks if she could use it in her living room. "Oh no, we have two flat-screen TVs already. Got them with the FEMA money after the storm." I told her she could improve her "desperate" circumstances by selling the two flat-screens and BUYING this fine Philco for only $25. I don't think she'll be back...

[sampson159]

my sister has that same set,cabinet and all.it is her daily watcher.bought it new at suns back in late 82 and is still going strong!one repair to the tuner that was under warranty and that is it.crt is still bright and sharp.this set is on all day and most of the night.amazing how those sets come and go with alot of them being trashed after 6-7 years.this particular set must have been made to work forever.i wonder how many lcd,dlp and plasma sets will still be operating after 3-5 years?and they did away with crts?

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

Here's an '88 Philco console for you - it's going to a friend of mine who's TV is dying rapidly.

I held onto this set for two months for a "needy mother," was going to give it to her. When she finally showed up last week, she says it's way too big for her daughters' bedroom. My wife asks if she could use it in her living room. "Oh no, we have two flat-screen TVs already. Got them with the FEMA money after the storm." I told her she could improve her "desperate" circumstances by selling the two flat-screens and BUYING this fine Philco for only $25. I don't think she'll be back...

I guess it all boils down to what someone's priorities are. Had I been in the shape that most people were in after Katrina, spending my FEMA money on two flat screen TV's would have been the last thing on my mind.

There's been several times that I've tried to help people that were so called "in need" just to have them turn up their noses.

I can remember one instance where the person involved was actually appreciative. It was a girl that went to church with my neighbor's son. She and her young daughter had just left her abusive husband and they needed some things to help them start over. I had a '60's era hide-a-bed couch that was still in good shape and one of those mid '80's particleboard box table model 25" Zenith color TV's like what the schools had. As soon as we got word to the family that the stuff was available, they came right over and picked it up and was very happy to get it. I don't mind helping people like that; but, I don't have time and I'm not making time for these people that are so called "in need" that come across with an attitude and think they are owed top of the line new modern stuff.