UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Television and Video

Notices

Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 23rd Apr 2017, 5:12 pm   #1
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Philco Predicta TV

Ive always been rather taken with the Philco Predictor Television, and I was wondering if anyone here had such a beast in their collection?

Ive always had a hankering for one after seeing one in a museum a few years ago , but ive never seen one in the wild.
electronicskip is online now  
Old 23rd Apr 2017, 6:40 pm   #2
julie_m
Dekatron
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
Default Re: Philco Predictor TV

As far as I know, the Philco Predicta sets only ever existed as 525-line VHF versions for use in the USA. I never saw one over here.
__________________
If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.
julie_m is offline  
Old 23rd Apr 2017, 7:39 pm   #3
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: Philco Predictor TV

There was a dismantled Predicta on Ebay recently.
Even more stylish is the Teleavia from France.

DFWB.
FERNSEH is offline  
Old 23rd Apr 2017, 8:34 pm   #4
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Philco Predictor TV

That's a shame, I would have probably bid on it if I had seen it.
electronicskip is online now  
Old 28th Apr 2017, 12:06 pm   #5
kan_turk
Hexode
 
kan_turk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 396
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Predictas were indeed only produced in 525 line versions but there was quite a wide range of models including some VHF/UHF models - UHF had just been introduced in the US in order to provide additional services as VHF channels had become fully occupied - as a matter of interest I came across a Predicta which had been converted to 625 line CCIR standard in Germany about 20 Years ago - perhaps arrived in Germany via US forces but I'm not sure - conversion , apart from changing field timebase frequency, would have involved accomodating 220v mains and changing 4.5MHz sound intercarrier to 5.5MHz as well as re-alignment of tuner and vision IF amplifiers - I should have paid more attention to the details of the conversion at the time but I do recall that the set produced cracking pictures so a very competent job had been made of the conversion

Rgds to all
John

Last edited by kan_turk; 28th Apr 2017 at 12:19 pm.
kan_turk is offline  
Old 28th Apr 2017, 11:32 pm   #6
Andy Green
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Waterford, Republic of Ireland
Posts: 259
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

I remember there was a series in Television on converting foreign sets
Andy Green is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2017, 9:40 pm   #7
Steve_P
Dekatron
 
Steve_P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 6,644
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

The Philco Predicta is an American Set but why do all that. Get an Aurora World Converter and run the set on its own standard. But they are not the easiest things to fix as Philco sets were all style and no quality!

Remember they work on 120v mains and you will need a converter for this too.

Cheers.

Steve P.
__________________
If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?
Steve_P is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2017, 10:49 pm   #8
HamishBoxer
Dekatron
 
HamishBoxer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

I had one through my workshop,I think they called it the petrol pump.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S
HamishBoxer is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2017, 11:19 pm   #9
Steve_P
Dekatron
 
Steve_P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 6,644
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Yes I remember - when you were in Misterton. Did you fix it in the end?

Cheers,

Steve P.
__________________
If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?
Steve_P is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 6:35 am   #10
kan_turk
Hexode
 
kan_turk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 396
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Something to bear in mind for anyone running US equipment from that era - it was designed to run at 115 - 117v and often does not take kindly to being fed with 120 - 125v which is typical today either in its home territory or via a converter/transformer from 230v. It is particularly rash to overrun vintage equipment in this way but can easily happen if there is not an appreciation of the above.

Rgds
John
kan_turk is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 9:19 am   #11
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Ah, an early model interocitor!

And according to the name it could already allow you to view programmes which hadn't yet been made.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 9:58 am   #12
tony brady
Hexode
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Peacehaven, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 278
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Thanks David for supplying the name of the triangular shaped screen that came to mind when I saw the name Predicta.

You have to wonder if the good people at Philco had seen the film and took it for inspiration for the set
tony brady is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 10:36 am   #13
Karen O
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Bridgnorth, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 787
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Interocitor renovation is difficult these days - you just can't get the XC condensers

I've always wondered if 'XC' was a reference to capacitive reactance

Anyway, I decided to look into making my own miniature Predicta out of a 5" TV. Not a chance! The tube is far too deep. It just looked like, well, a 5" telly tube on top of a box
Karen O is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 1:09 pm   #14
malvision
Pentode
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 118
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

One solution,and i hate to say this is fit an LCD screen.
malvision is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 1:29 pm   #15
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Hmmm, use the rods supporting the screen as the antennae of a built-in theremin.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 2:38 pm   #16
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Im going to look into importing one if all else fails ive decided.
electronicskip is online now  
Old 30th Apr 2017, 5:47 pm   #17
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

There's a few Predictas on ebay.com. USA site.

DFWB.
FERNSEH is offline  
Old 3rd May 2017, 9:01 am   #18
cashaw1972
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Posts: 27
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

"bandersentv" on Youtube has lots of video's series about restoring Predicta's.

The seem like a pig to work on, lots of custom hybrid modules, the boards need to be completely de-solderied to remove them from the chassis to work on. The external tube and interconnection cabling seems like a common failure point.

So, good luck !
cashaw1972 is offline  
Old 3rd May 2017, 8:24 pm   #19
kan_turk
Hexode
 
kan_turk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 396
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Not to mention 'special' slimline (120 deg) CRT with low voltage (c 2.7v) heater - replacements not exactly plentiful - hen's teeth come to mind

More than good luck required but ideal if you're a glutton for punishment

Kind rgds
John
kan_turk is offline  
Old 3rd May 2017, 9:14 pm   #20
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: Philco Predicta TV

Found this, 1958 advert for the Predicta TV with the then new 110 degree CRT.

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/predicta.htm

"Most picture tube design engineers agree that a commercially feasible, truly flat CRT--one with no visibly protruding neck structure-- is years away. Nevertheless the past two years have seen enough reduction in picture tube depth to have a strong effect, if not on electrical design, at least on cabinet styling and chassis layout."

DFWB.
FERNSEH is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 2:37 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.