Philco 'mystery control' remote on the bay

[miniman82]

no affiliation, but it's literally down the street from me!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-Philco-Woo...item588d4f1087

[Phil Nelson]

They're cool in a Captain Nemo sort of way. I've had one for years. The radios that it would go with are pretty fugly, so I've never been tempted to complete the pair.

Don't pay too much for one. They pop up pretty regularly. Sellers sometimes have no clue what the thing is.

http://www.philcorepairbench.com/mystery/index.htm

Phil Nelson

[bandersen]

I've had a control for a few years too. Recently I picked up just the chassis for a remote set (39-55 IIRC). I figure I'll make some sort of clear case for it to show off the technology once I get it working.

[leadlike]

Yup, I'm amazed that so many of these things seem to survive. You'd think someone would have tossed them out with the set. I love the idea of these, but yes, the cabinets from those years are just awful. Why didn't Philco try a few different styles of cabinets for that year?

I had a chance to get a console with remote at a radio swap meet two years ago: $35 for the package. I turned it down, and it was still there when the meet came to an end.

[Ampico-kid]

Gee guys.....I don't think the consoles that used the Mystery Control Remote were all that ugly. I have a Philco 41-616 and I think it's quite a nice looking unit. Granted some of the lower units in the Philco line were kind of plain, but some of the upper end models were kind of nice looking.

If you'd like to see a working demonstation of the Mystery Control System, I did a YouTube video of my system in operation about a year ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SDWNGrm9Gk

Bob

[Adam]

I'm kind of into Philcos from these years, if only because nobody likes the cabinets and they're good radios can be had for cheap compared to other console radios of the era. The only big drawback is all the rubber insulated wire you have to replace. (But then everybody used that stuff then, I just did a Zenith 8S-563 that also had that stinking rubber stuff in it)

I have 2 of the Philcos, I just repaired a 41-295, and am still working on a 39-116 (with the mystery control). I had a 41-629 (with the BOL changer), but I pulled the chassis out, and it was packed solid with a mouse nest made of that pink insulation, and I just decided to junk it.

I'd like to find one of those 41-616, or 42-1016 with both the BOL and the mystery control, if only because they really were the best looking cabinets Philco made those years.

I got 3 of the remotes, hoping that when the time comes, I'll have enough parts from all of them to get at least one good one. I even have one of the original Philco batteries, although I doubt it's any good.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by Ampico-kid

If you'd like to see a working demonstation of the Mystery Control System, I did a YouTube video of my system in operation about a year ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SDWNGrm9Gk

Bob

Nice Video! I have never seen one of these interesting sets in operation. Frankly, I think the cabinet looks great!

jr

[Dave S]

Originally Posted by Ampico-kid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SDWNGrm9Gk

Bob,

I love that video! I have one of those Mystery Control sets and it was great to finally see one running. I recently got the somewhat unobtanium part I need to restore mine. (The dials on the control tend to warp and I finally found a NOS replacement.) I don't think mine has the Beam-of-Light. That was an awesome demo. Thanks.

--Dave Sica

(Hey, this discussion isn't about a TV??? Aren't we breaking some kind of law here? ;-)

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Dave S

(Hey, this discussion isn't about a TV??? Aren't we breaking some kind of law here? ;-)

Maybe a moderator can move the conversation under 'Antique Radios' ?

Luckily, the dial on mine is a little warped, but still useable. I've heard they can be can be carefully and slowly heated and flattened out.

For the record, I don't think these consoles are ugly either. I just can't possibly squeeze another console in my place so I picked up a bare chassis.

Here's the motorized volume control and preset switch.

[Eric H]

Originally Posted by bandersen

Maybe a moderator can move the conversation under 'Antique Radios' ?

I was just going to suggest that!
Done

[WISCOJIM]

Originally Posted by miniman82

no affiliation, but it's literally down the street from me!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-Philco-Woo...item588d4f1087

Last time I was in Larry's garage (December), he had 3 of those! Ask him to see more. He also had a lot of other cool stuff there, including a wired remote for an early Firestone radio. Unfortunately it was cracked, and he listed it on ebay as a TV part, and it received no bids. Maybe he still has that also?


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