Trash Day Find: 1975 RCA KCS-201A - Videokarma.org TV - Video

fsjonsey · #1 05-08-2009, 02:39 PM

I commute about 30 miles to college every day, from my home in Mentor OH, to Hiram College in Hiram Ohio. Now that spring is here, many of the small towns I drive through are having their week long bulk trash pickup. Hoping to find a tube set or possibly a HiFi console, I took some extra time to go curb surfing. I didn't find much, most of the TV's I came across were modern CRT sets, at most only a few years old. The only tube set I came across was a 50's admiral B&W console that had already been gutted and, unfortunately, fishtanked. Just as I was about to give up, I saw this little 9" RCA laying face down, half submerged in a deep puddle. It was soaked, but I felt bad for it, I couldn't just leave it there. I took it home, and let it dry out in the sun for a few afternoons. I plugged it in today, and sure enough, it worked like brand new, with a nice strong CRT. It's a solid state set, built on a partially modular chassis, with the vertical, IF, and audio sections on separate plugin cards. No IC's either from what I can tell, this set is completely discrete. 70's sets really aren't my thing, but this little guy is growing on me. It's kinda cute in it's own way.

*zenithfan1* · #2 05-08-2009, 02:42 PM

Those are neat! They will last forever. Glad you saved it.

planefixer · #3 05-08-2009, 02:47 PM

Very cool. Surprising that the puddle did not kill it!

Sandy G · #4 05-08-2009, 02:50 PM

It loves you for saving it...It will be yr faithful servant for a long, long time...(grin)

wilkes85 · #5 05-09-2009, 10:28 PM

Nice set you got there!

radiotvnut · #6 05-09-2009, 11:16 PM

I just gave away a set like that. One of my flea market vendor friends wanted a small B&W set to watch at his flea market.

fsjonsey · #7 05-11-2009, 12:17 AM

Chardon, One of the other towns I drive through is having it's bulk trash collection on June 7th. It's a much larger town than Burton so it looks like I'll have my work cut out for me! Hopefully I'll find something good, preferably tubed.

Trance88 · #8 05-14-2009, 12:16 AM

That is one cute little B&W. I'm thinking this TV also came in red. Looks great for being so abused. I wish I could find stuff like that on curbs by me. Too bad most people around me take the time to take things like this to local goodwills.

***Eric H*** · #9 05-14-2009, 01:10 AM

Is this an AC/DC model? battery pack in the base?

wa2ise · #10 05-14-2009, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsjonsey

I commute about 30 miles to college every day, from my home in Mentor OH, to Hiram College in Hiram Ohio. ... I plugged it in today, and sure enough, it worked like brand new, with a nice strong CRT. It's a solid state set, built on a partially modular chassis, with the vertical, IF, and audio sections on separate plugin cards. No IC's either from what I can tell, this set is completely discrete. 70's sets really aren't my thing, but this little guy is growing on me. It's kinda cute in it's own way.

My first year of college I was a commuter, and I absolutely hated it. No social environment, especially if most of your classmates are living in the dorms. After transferring to another college and living in the dorms, I learned a fair amount of social skills, which I knew I needed. But money's tight, I'm sure...

Anyway, if you start getting any problems, I'd suspect the little electrolytic caps. After verifying that a plug in card isn't badly connected in the connector.