Awesome dump score: UK spec portable tv!!

[H2s04]

I've always had this bizzare fixation with owning things that weren't available in the US, or have completely different specs from other electronics. Probably because electronics made anywhere other than in the US are significantly better

[prewtv]

I am trying also to get British TVs 625 line and a 405 line but something about shipping across the big pond cost is toooooo much. Where did you find this set?

[drh4683]

Probably because electronics made anywhere other than in the US are significantly better

I hope you were only joking on that one!

[H2s04]

Yeah, I hear ya' about the shipping costs. I just found this set at my town dump today, and I'm assuming someone brought it over to the US in the moving process. Why they did, I have no idea, unless they planned to use a converter, but you still have the PAL/NTSC issue. I'd love to test this set out, but the only converter I have is a 220V to 120V one, and even then, i dont know what kind of picture I'd get. I'm not even sure what line count this set uses. I'f you're interested about owning it, prewtv, I could ship it out to you, I'd just like to examine it and lean as much about it as I can first *tinker*

[Sandy G]

nice score! No offense to you, but I've always thought Brit TVs looked kinda homemade with the way they mounted the CRTs in 'em- kinda stickin' out like a sore toe & had the ugly black stripe on the edge. However, if I were to find one,I'd scarf it up too w/o hesitation. Hope you get it goin'! -Sandy G.

[H2s04]

Well Doug, I agree that the quality and workmanship of all TVs, radios, test equipment, ect. was fantastic up until the Japanese, and other countries really started to catch up to the Americans, and then surpass our abilities. Yes, I know i'll get many comments about that, but its true. Americans really have dropped the ball, and I'm not saying thats a good thing either. That goes for American cars as well. I'll probably get kicked off the forums for saying this, but American cars are probably the worst product this country manufactures. I'm not some sort of ex patriot or anything, but its a real shame whats become of American design.

When I say design, I mean it in an esthetic sense, Doug, and I didn't mean to insult you or anything of that sort. I guess what I should have also stated is that I believe American design in a mechanical sense really is quite good, and being an American, I'm very proud of that. We definitely can build things that last, and work day after day. Look at how easy it is to get a 50 year old tv set to work perfectly in just over an hour or so.

I guess my main point is that American's have dropped the ball with fine technology, and with esthetic design. I believe there are many reasons why this problem exists, but I wont go into it, as this is a TV forum

[H2s04]

Actually Sandy, thats why I think those 70's-80's sets are soooooo cool. They're just so damn quirky, and odd. I'd love to know why the CRTs in most, if not all of the sets from that era are mounted like that....

[prewtv]

When your done playing with it I would be interested in it.
Sent email.

[Carmine]

H2s04, it's not that you don't have a right to an opinion.. (Just as I have the right to think you're not all that bright, and probably believe a lot of antidoctal evidence to be "fact".) FWIW, that type of logic plays well with the KKK.

I can only wonder why you would post such flame-bait in an otherwise friendly forum. It's not as if I'm going to the Gold-Star afficiando forum and talking about how much better Zenith sets were before the GS takeover.

I guess my main point is that American's have dropped the ball with fine technology, and with esthetic design. I believe there are many reasons why this problem exists, but I wont go into it, as this is a TV forum

Oh please continue, I'm sure your theories about the lack of recent American technological breakthroughs are fascinating. Heck I'll bet your PC doesn't even run off Windows, but perhaps some type of advanced, reliable European operating system that requires coal and periodic vavle adjustments. Maybe it's a Korean OS that looks just like Windows 95, but is slightly less reliable.

Yeah, the cars are horrible too. I'm so glad GM/Ford/Chrysler were able to invent things like catalytic convertors, (75) electronic engine management systems, (76) ABS, (71) airbags, (72) etc. back in the 70s, before the Japanese surpassed our abilites and invented items such as.... uh.... Well, maybe they aren't innovators, but at least car companies like Mitsubishi build a quality product.

Nifty English TV though.

[rca2000]

Maybe so, but they DID make some SORRY engines! Like the 3.0 v6 in the late 80's Chrysler products. that was a LOSER, i have seen ,and heard of MANY of them that were DEAD, by the time 100k miles came around. I think the Chrysler engines are MUCH better, like the 3.8v6, the 2.4 four cyl, and the v-10.in the viper. Of course, g.m. makes some of the best engines I have seen in a car, like the good ol' 3.8 v6, an engine where, if treated even HALFWAY good will give way over 200k miles, and still run strong, just like the good ol' 350 v-8 will!

I'll stick with american cars(just bought an '01 Chrysler minivan, to replace my old one, that my ex-friend/the garage ruined).

And yes, the US car makers DID introduce most of the major innovations in cars today, and continue to do so.

[H2s04]

Listen, I guess I really should have kept to myself here. I honestly didn't to provoke any arguments here, please. I'm not anti-american, and I'm not trying to create some sort of negative attitude here. Honestly Carmine, I just think you got a little too worked up here, I really didn't mean to offend anyone. I don't agree with you completely, as Volvo pioneered many of the safety technologies in cars today, and there are other examples. Americans do many, many things that are absolutely wonderful, and do produce many fantastic products; that is true. I guess now the whole issue is ludacris for me to bring up in a tv forum.

I guess I shouldn't voice my opinions anymore...

[2DualsNotEnough]

I agree that we should all continue buying American.I'll feel my American pride everytime I take my less than 1 year old Ford Explorer in(like my fellow employee does) just to have them tell me theres nothing wrong with the A/C-Transmission-Cadalydic converter-hoping that they win the warranty race before they have to replace all three.Ill stick out my chest proudly when I take in my GMC pickup(another buddy) with less than 2000 miles with smoke billowing out,they "fix " it,it does it again,and another mechanic tells him the Valve cover was never tightened at the factory,and the engine is toast.I havent owned an american car for at least 15 years-not because I dont care about American workers quality of life,but because I value my own.If its a cross between a warm fuzzy Im making a difference feeling,or the good night sleep I get knowing my Japanese car will start in the morning,and if it doesnt the dealer will honor its warranty,guess which one I'm choosing.
Jimmy

[domfjbrown]

Originally posted by Sandy G
I've always thought Brit TVs looked kinda homemade with the way they mounted the CRTs in 'em- kinda stickin' out like a sore toe & had the ugly black stripe on the edge.

He he - as a Brit, I've never understood that "design" either; Sony seemed to be the only brand until the mid 80s that bothered to cover the glass envelope around the CRT...

If you guys can tell me why CRTs have 1 pixel dot at each centre of the tube's bezel, 1 pixel away from the actual screen pixels, I'd love to know.

I always feel those CRTs that stick out are a safety hazard myself...

BTW - love the fact that that TV still has the UK 3pin fused plug on it - urm, why bother??

I just wish us Brits had colour TV when you guys did - I'd love to own a "roundie"

[Sandy G]

Yeah-I remember the 1st time I went to England-in '74- & saw a gen-u-wine Brit "telly", I thought to myself-"Man! sure does look like the pitcher toob could be busted easily in this thing. Would never go back home."(I was a TV nut at an early age.) It was a Pye, IIRC, & being 17, I got a kick outta that name, too.("Hey Scott !! Looky here !! This thing's a PIE !! Wonder if it's a cherry pie or an apple? Har Har Har !!!) The next place we stayed had regular old boring Sony Trinitrons, more or less like ours. I DO remember they weren't shy about showing things on the telly that wouldn't have gone here-1st time I got to see NEKKID TITTIES on seemingly regular network TV. That was a big deal, too. Wow-the world's a big place & they do some things differently than they do at home.....-Sandy G.

[bgadow]

Jack, I'm sure Carmine was joking about that great house of quality, Mitsubishi....they made junk 20 years ago and made junk 10 years ago and they make junk today. I worked on a late model Galant the other week and the controls on the dash were of a lower quality than anything GM uses. MOST Japanese makes are the best in the world when it comes to quality, but the "second-tier" makes (including Suckzuki and Isuzu) are pretty ratty.

A large percentage of Japanese cars on the market here were, of course, made in the US, with many American made components. Where they excel is, when Honda shops for climate control switches it pays, oh, I don't know, say $10 for the whole assembly. When GM goes shopping it finds someone who will make it for $3. You get what you pay for. In cars as in tv sets, the manufacturer is mostly just in the design & assembly business these days, using components bought from someone else. Not much left to assemble on a typical bread & butter tv set these days.