Zenith Flash-Matic Seattle area

[heathkit tv]

Found the following, removed the phone number to avoid the seller being bothered in the future after the ad expires (but at that price I doubt it would happen LOL)

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/atq/2118864231.html

For sale and in museum quality is my extremely rare 1955 Zenith Royal "T" Chassis, "Gramercy" model T2360R black and white Hi-Fi television. This was the first year Zenith put out a wireless remote television. The TV has 4 sensors and was remote operated by a devise called the Zenith Flash-Matic. Basically, it was a flashlight. This TV doesn't come with the Flash-Matic, however you can use a flashlight to change channels, or just operate manually. The condition is breath taking for being 55 year's old and in this nice of condition. This TV sold for around $400.00 which include the remote that was sold seperate back in 1955 when the average salery was only $73.00 per week, of which was a lot of money. If you would like more pictures please let me know. This is considered a vintage and used item and will be sold in "as is" condition, and you haul. Asking, $1,500. Good luck and thanks for looking. Mark

[Eric H]

Nice set, but most of the value is in the remote unit, which he doesn't have.

I gave $10 for my Flash-Matic set, his is a nicer model so it might be worth somewhat more but not $1500.00, move the decimal one space to the left and you're getting closer.

[David Roper]

Where are the sensors?? This looks like a set from one model year previous to the Flashmatic.

[bgadow]

I've been very tempted to let my Flash-Matic go, or at least the remote. The money would come in handy. Guess I'll hold on to it as long as I can.

Heathkit, good to see you back!

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by David Roper

Where are the sensors?? This looks like a set from one model year previous to the Flashmatic.

I think your right about it not being a F-M, no sensors I can see, no wonder he's missing the remote.

The TV history Site says it's 55 model: 1955 - (T2360R) 21" console, wood (mahogany), "Gramercy"


Real F-M set, sensors obvious, every F-M I've seen had the sensors clearly visible regardless of cabinet style, they have to be in order to work:

[heathkit tv]

Thanks for the welcome back Bryan

Some interesting sites about the Flash-Matic:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Who-Invented...Remote-Control
Scroll down to the small article on engineer Eugene Polley, it claims there were 30,000 FM sets built.

Here's an ad for another FM:
http://sites.google.com/site/antiquezenith/

I agree with Eric about the CL set not being a FM http://www.vintagetvsets.com/fm1.htm

The below photo cracks me up, it looks like either the set is shorting out or she mistakenly picked up a Phaser instead of the remote.

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by David Roper

Where are the sensors?? This looks like a set from one model year previous to the Flashmatic.

That's MY question too. No sensors?

Charles

[GeorgeJetson]

what would happen if a beam of sunlight from a nearby window were to touch one of the sets sensors?
Were there problems with this system and thats why they moved on to ultrasonic devices?

That Flash-Matic remote is cool!

[David Roper]

You got it George. By the dawn's early light they were known to go nuts.

[heathkit tv]

Dawn has nuts? Geez, what part of town are YOU hanging out in? LOL

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by David Roper

You got it George. By the dawn's early light they were known to go nuts.

So they solved that problem by going to the Space Command ultrasonic remote, which then would go nuts when a dog with metal tags walked by, or perhaps at the flushing of a loud toilet

Charles

[GeorgeJetson]

I know they had problems with early garage door openers that were sound activated.
The next door neighbor would honk his horn and your garage door would open!

I didn't realize they had problems with the ultrasonic type tv remotes though as they used them for quite a while.

I remember running across a zenith portable with remote and thought it was pretty neat.
The motor that changed the channels was very noisy though.
Are the channel changer motors supposed to run at idle continuously?

[Tubejunke]

Originally Posted by GeorgeJetson

Are the channel changer motors supposed to run at idle continuously?

I don't think that any motor runs continuously. Perhaps some model did, but I had a Zenith "roundie" color remote set as a daily user back in the 80s and when you hit the channel button the motor would go ca-chunk and the channel would change. I remember also that eventually the thing got kind of quirky like it wasn't hearing the signal from the remote. The set in the first picture of this thread looks almost like the 1958-9 Space Command that I have been posting about trying to get vertical sweep on. If I ever get the thing working, my remote control is missing, but I believe that they are pretty easy to find. The motor doesn't run continuously on that one either now that I think about it.

[GeorgeJetson]

Thanks for the info Tubejunkie,I guess the set in the thrift store has a problem with its motor.

Youtube member drh4683 has the exact Zenith portable I am talking about,but his actually works!
He's got some really interesting videos on vintage tvs,seeburg background systems and his 1960 Chevy Impala "vista roof" four door hardtop.
He also has a great series of videos on removing cataracts from tv tubes too.

[bgadow]

I played around with my F-M a lot, adjusting it so that everything worked just about right. I was playing with it, having fun...then I turned on the lights and the set, of course, went haywire! Oh, well. I had to replace one or two bad sensors in mine and the junkbox ones I installed are more sensitive than the originals. I think if all 4 were the same it would be okay but as it is, it is hard to adjust out the difference.