Motorola tv

[roundscreen]

Here are some more pictures of the Motorola. Even the sides of this set are cool.
Ed

[electroking]

Originally Posted by roundscreen

A friend found an article and pictures of the Philco safari. It was made in 1959 and the first solid state tv. It"s batteries provided four hours of tv viewing. The screen is larger on the 8-301w so it would be the first large screen solid state TV if made in 59.
Ed

These pictures show a Sony set, not the Philco Safari! Interesting
anyway.

[roundscreen]

Originally Posted by electroking

These pictures show a Sony set, not the Philco Safari! Interesting
anyway.

Here are all three of them on the top of the round color set, The philco safari is the one on the right side of the screen. The sony in the picture hit the floor and there is some damage to the bottom of the cabinet, Also something is loose in the chassis. I have two parts sets for the sony. One parts set will be used to repair the one in the picture and the other goes to Tim. Did not repair the safari yet, But do have a parts set for the safari too.
Ed

[trinescope]

I had one of these Motorolas about 20 years ago. My high school electronics teacher gave it to me because it was just sitting in the back room. It had a black case. It was working pretty good for being so old and an early example of solid-state technology. My set did not have the battery or the charging circuits either. I had the Motorola technical brochure, so I knew the charger wasn't there. My uncle thought it was a cool set, so he bought it off me and probably still has it somewhere.

The one I had also had the same picture distortion at the top right of the screen (see the picture with the $2.99 gas ad), so I wonder if there is anything that could be done about it.

I wish I hung onto all those freebees I got back then like the Fisher 800-B, Heathkit W-5, that Motorola set, and many others I can't think of. It was just old junk back then.

[Whirled One]

That's a Motorola Astronaut, which is indeed the first "big screen" battery operated solid-state TV. It came out not too longer after the Sony 8" set. I believe the Philco Safari (the first 'transistor TV') predates both of them by at least a year.

I've never actually encountered a Motorola Astronaut before-- I doubt they sold very well. That's really a cool find!