Chromacolor Space command 500!!!!!!

[drh4683]

bgadow sold me 19" space command 500. He brought it to the ETC and OLD TV NUT brough back with him to IL for me. A special thanks to OLD TV NUT for helping get this set and to bgadow for bringing it with him to the ETC.

This is a 1973 model SD1950R.
I got the set all tuned up this evening. Had 2 issues: No Sound and a non stopping channel drive motor.
Took the tuner out to service find out what the issue was. After some close analasis, the directional switch on the gear drive unit had carbon arced and shorted the switch out. Thus, the motor never stopped flipping through the channels when the set was on. Apparently the dialectric grease was gone from the contacts causing the carbon build up. Thats all set now and the tuner works like it should, both directions. The remote pictured is the second generation space command 500 remote and was used only in the 1973 models. Most space command remote styles were used for a few years before a change. In 1974, those large bulky rectangular remotes were used and are among the most common you see on ebay now.

Sound was an easy fix. 90% of all no sound or cracking sound on the 4 tube hybirds is a defective sound IC on the sound module (a 221-48). Zenith designed these sets to be easily fixed, all I had to do was pull the iC out of the socket and put a new one in its place.

Converged the set and did the basic color alignment set up and its got a true chromacolor picture! IMO, the zenith 4 tube hybrid has the best picture of any tube type set. When these are working correctly, the picture quality rivals new sets.

[drh4683]

inside. The chassis cleaned up really nice on this one

[drh4683]

Produces a nice razor sharp picture with great color.

[bgadow]

Looking great! Glad to find someone who appreciates it. For the life of me I can't remember where I got that set, but its been bouncing around here for about 10 years. Shortly after I got it my grandfather had a live-in housekeeper who needed a set so I took it over there. I got a call one day that the tv had gone haywire & wouldn't stop changing channels! All I ever did was switch off the master remote switch.

I did bring home a nice $ervice $aver console,which I started on last night. I'll post after some more progress (perhaps asking for advice, hopefully it will be easy).

[Chad Hauris]

that's a great picture doug. I have one of these sets that's a manual tune but the picture always looks like the antenna signal is weak even when it is a good strong signal from a VCR...also need to replace some caps as there is a wave in the picture.

[kc8adu]

Originally Posted by Chad Hauris

that's a great picture doug. I have one of these sets that's a manual tune but the picture always looks like the antenna signal is weak even when it is a good strong signal from a VCR...also need to replace some caps as there is a wave in the picture.

check the balun on the tuner.
see lots of them opened by lightning.
back when those who wanted reception had outdoor antennas!
check the agc too.
some had an rf agc as well as if.

[colortrakker]

Man, I'm jealous. That's one of the best looking Zenith designs I've ever seen. Primo find!