Zenith Digital System 3 27" Console TV with built-in Bose speakers... - Videokarma.org TV - Video

waltchan · #1 10-28-2008, 02:39 AM

Does anyone know this TV, and is it true that 1988 was the only year with Bose speakers? What chassis is it? Is the CRT tube any good and is it reliable? It says it has a tinted glass cover outside. Was this Zenith's flagship model?

http://cgi.ebay.com/27-ZENITH-Digita...3A1|240%3A1318

karmaman · #2 10-28-2008, 09:18 AM

I don't know anything about this TV, the years Bose made the sound system for them, etc....

But that looks like one NICE tv!

radiotvnut · #3 10-28-2008, 11:17 AM

Just my .02; but, these sets were a nightmare to work on. The modules are packed in there and are a PITA to service on the component level. The replacement modules were expensive years ago and are probably not available now. That CRT is not Zenith's worst; but, it's not the best, either. Zenith CRT's didn't get really bad until the early '90's; but, I've seen several of these that were toast. IMHO, the asking price of this set is too high. I'm doing good to give away a console TV of any type.

A friend of mine has the 31" version of this set that he gave around $1600 for. It was repaired a few times by the dealer when it was fairly new and I repaired it a couple of times. The last time I saw it; the CRT was going south and the vertical deflection circuit was crapping out. He now just uses it for a stand to sit his modern 25" RCA on.

kx250rider · #4 10-28-2008, 11:56 AM

I have to second Ratiotvnut's views on the Digital System III. In fact, set it down, turn away, and RUN... as fast as you can, and hope you never see it again! (well, maybe that's a bit strong.)

Those are a holy nightmare to work on, but I guess they're fairly rare. They were expensive. I've seen the Bose amplifier in several Zenith consoles from the late 80s to the early 90s. If there's any model that's a borderline collectible, it would be the big 5' long console made entirely of smoked Lexan. You can see through the cabinet if you put a lamp behind it. I think the Lexan cabinet also came with the non-digital chassis, which was less awful to work on.

Charles

zenith2134 · #5 10-28-2008, 12:28 PM

We've been through this before. I wouldn't take it if it was free. By this time, much of Zenith's renowned quality was gone. Mediocre inline tube, mess to work on, mexican modules, etc. And they're HEAVY.

radiotvnut · #6 10-28-2008, 12:42 PM

I actually had one offered to me for free by an ex-TV man the other day. He said it worked; but, the membrane keypad was bad and the CRT was a little weak. He asked me if I wanted it or did I want him to trash it. I told him to trash it!

andy · #7 10-28-2008, 01:33 PM

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radiotvnut · #8 10-28-2008, 01:52 PM

I forgot to mention that my friend's set had a built in teletext decoder. I believe that's what sold him on the TV. Then, shortly after he bought it, they done away with teletext. I think that ticked him off!

kx250rider · #9 10-29-2008, 12:00 PM

Our neighbor just got a really cool new machine... I Diesel-powered hydraulic rock splitter. Puts 120,000 lbs of force to shave pieces off rocks to make flat pieces for construction... Bring me that Zenith!

Charles

JohnAdams · #10 10-29-2008, 05:50 PM

I have a 1987 model year brochure the is only "Zenith Bose Digital System 3" sets.
It lists models SC 2793S, 2793P, 2749Y, 2747P. These were all 27" sets but if my mempry is correct they went on to build other larger screen with sound by Bose but they may have been the AVI series instead of the Digital System 3.
EDIT: The set on EBAY is not one of the SC models in my brochure but the center control panel looks identical. I did find a catalog page with the ZB2755S, silver console, which was printed in 1987. I have a complete brochure for 1986 which includes the complete line of "SB" tv's as of the printing date but has only Advanced System 3 sets and no Bose or Digital sets.