Colorfully unqiue? Or Ugly GE?

[radiotvnut]

With GE, who knows! They already had the solid state "XB" chassis out. The XB chassis was around from around '73 until the early '80's. Your tube chassis was probably kept in production as a means to use up existing parts and was likely a cheaper set than the solid state sets. The same basic portacolor chassis design was in use from the beginning (mid '60's) until the end of the portacolors. The portacolors are confirmed to have been made as late as '78 and rumor has it that they were being made as late as 1980. GE was the master at getting by on the cheap.

[radio63]

Originally Posted by NowhereMan 1966

Speaking of the BiCentennial, does anyone remember the CBS "BiCentennial Minutes" that ran from 1974 to New Years' Eve 1976?

I remember them! They would air each night and talk about a historical event of that day. They were hosted by different celebrities each night. It is hard to believe it has been 33 years since the Bicentennial. 1976 was a busy year. Along with the Bicentennial, it was an election year with both conventions, it was an Olympic year with both Summer and Winter Olympics, and it was the year of NBC's 50th anniversary which they celebrated with their legendary 4 1/2 hour TV special in November, along with a 5 part series on radio. It was quite a year!

Gilbert

[Greene Deere]

HAHA! Looks like the same colors as my first car. Maverick 1976 Bicentennial Special Edition. UGLY but boy did that 302 run!

[mattdavala]

Just found another 1976 Bicentennial on ebay using a different chassis than mine. I've got the 12SE chassis dating from 71,which is all tube except for the UHF oscillator. 9 tubes plus CRT.

The one on Ebay a 12SF chassis. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=300305223469 The sams is dated from 74. Its a hybrid chassis with transistors and 4 tubes, and even an IC chip for the audio.

Was mine an entry level model and the 12SF the luxury? If not its starting to make sense they were using up left over parts, starting with 1971 era stuff working their way up.
-
Matt D

[Whirled One]

[Apologies for bringing back an old thread, but I'm finally catching up on posts after a few months away from AK...]

As for the SF versus SE chassis-- they're very different. The SF chassis is a tube-hybrid design (about 60% tube), while the older SE chassis is essentially all-tube. ...At least that what I'd say from the 'junker' SE I found in the trash a few years ago and looked at briefly at the time.

The SF chassis is also easy to spot because the audio section (which includes an integrated circuit) is on a plug-in module.

By the way, I thought all of those colorful "Bicentennial" GE sets had the SF chassis. Most of the Bicentennial GEs appear to have been made in 1975, and I think all still had the continuous UHF tuner.

As for longevity, the SE and SF chassis were practically GE's B&W equivalent to the PortaColor, though the H*-series PortaColor design easily outlasted it. The SE and SF chassis were also used in some 15" and perhaps 17" B&W sets.

The SF chassis stuck around at least through 1976, with a totally restyled cabinet (a more conventional 'horizontal' design similar to their solid-state 12" B&W sets) and a click-stop UHF tuner.

I dunno about the SE chassis, but the SF was a pretty mediocre performer at best; not surprising, since those were really low-cost TVs. It only had two IF stages.

[zenith2134]

My SF is a fake woodgrain cabinet one from 1975. It is a decent set and will likely last a real long time.