Any GE experts wanna take a crack at this?

[GordonW]

Found a probably-early-1960s vintage GE B&W unit yesterday. If I'm reading the labels right, model M742YWD. 19" screen, in a wide console-style chassis up on tall legs (about 6" angled legs).

There is one other number on the back: W109J837-3. It looks to have a switch for "automatic brightness", and a RCA jack for an external speaker, along with the normal adjustment pots and normal plugs (antenna, power, etc) on the back.

Haven't done anything with it, other than unload it into the carport. Was wondering if I should try and get it going as is... my first thought was to use the parts for other tube-related projects (power transformer, etc)... and maybe to do a "retro-mod" with a new TV and/or stereo into the console woodwork. But, this thing is kinda cool looking, as it sits... and if it's simple, it might be cool to restore it back to working condition. Wouldn't mind that, if I might have a reasonable expectation of finding someone who might want it, afterwards (I definitely don't have enough room to keep it long-term)...

Any idea on whether these are worth-while to fix, or should I just part it out?

Regards,
Gordon.

[zenith2134]

Well, if its in good shape I would do the necessary repairs. While these are collectible, they aren't really extraordinary performers and they seem relatively common.

Around here, people frown on the idea of stuffing a modern TV in the place of the original. But, with some effort the original should be easy enough to get going. I'd start by checking all of the tubes and then start replacing all the old electrolytics and resistors. Assuming the CRT and transformers are OK, this should bring it back from the dead at least.

[Eric H]

Hi Gordon, can you upload some pics?

If this is one of their Danish Modern style Slimline sets it would probably be worth saving.

[GordonW]

Son of a gun! The thing works!

Popped the back off, looking for any obvious signs of trauma (burn marks, broken stuff, bulged caps, missing or bad tubes, etc)... didn't see anything.

Next step... light bulb inline with power. Used a 150w floodlight bulb. Ran it that way for about 5 minutes... seemed to be getting heaters and no smoke.

Plugged it into full power... and lo and behold- it fired right up! Gets all the local VHF channels!

This unit does not have a UHF tuner in it... but it looks like there is a hole that MIGHT have been where an "optional" UHF tuner might have gone. Anyone know whether these things SHOULD have had UHF from the factory, or would it have been an option? Doesn't show it on the schematic or the layout diagrams inside the unit.

I will shoot a couple of pics, soon as possible. This unit is a wide console... just over 3 feet wide- with the speaker at the left of the screen (actually a woofer and a tweeter), the screen in the center, and the tuner/controls on the right. It has a tall (about 8" tall) leg assembly- slightly angled legs at all four corners, mounted into a shallow open-bottom "box", bolted to the bottom of the cabinet, so the cabinet sits well off of the floor... I'm guessing this could be what they would have called "Danish Modern" at the time?

Collectible, huh? Anyone got any ideas on fair value? I do have a friend who owns an antique shop...

In any case, I guess these old GE's must be pretty indestructible, huh?

Regards,
Gordon.

[7"estatdef]

I took a quick look in Sam's and it's from 1964 (725-2)
Terry

[Old1625]

Interesting...

I thought it was in '64 that the FCC mandated UHF on all sets manufactured from that year on....

While it might be a Sams dated that year the set is likely made before that year.

[bgadow]

This would have been one of the last built before UHF was mandatory. (edit) I forget the exact date it took effect, but this one must have beaten the deadline. You can bet GE wasn't going to throw that extra tuner in there if they didn't have to.

GE became very proficient at building bare-bones TV chassis'. One thing about a simple design is that it has less to go wrong. The General was coming up with some pretty interesting cabinet designs in the early 60s, playing on their new Compactron tubes and how modern they were.

[GordonW]

This one is definitely simple. Including the picture tubes, there's not more than about 10-11 tubes in there. Mostly all Compactrons, as noted, with solid state (voltage-doubler) rectification...

[GordonW]

Originally Posted by 7"estatdef

I took a quick look in Sam's and it's from 1964 (725-2)
Terry

Terry, what's the internal chassis model number? Y-something? I forgot to write it down when I had it open, and I'm 15 miles too far away to look...

Thanks!

Regards,
Gordon.

[GordonW]

Pictures!





... and the obligatory "money shot" :



Regards,
Gordon.

[radotvguy]

wow , i like that set , really 60s looking, cool

[Reece]

I suspect that "auto brightness" setting connects an "electric eye" on the front of the set, probably a cad cell, so that the TV brightness increases when ambient room light does. I had a Sylvania set with that feature. To test it, turn the switch to auto brightness, turn on room lights, find the "eye" on the front of the set and put your finger over it. Brightness should go down. More of a sales gimmick than useful. That looks like the eye towards the bottom of the control panel.

Reece

[Tony V]

Nice set! Me likey!!!
-Tony

[bgadow]

There is something neat about those later "flat-back" sets with the high deflection angle tubes. Until I saw the back of this one I had kinda forgotten about them. Long ago I had an early/mid-60s GE in a cheap cabinet; tested dead and at the time I couldn't repair my way out of a wet paper bag, so long gone.

[7"estatdef]

I just looked up the model # you posted. Sam's doesn't list it with the chaiss # together
Terry