Ferguson Colour Set ID - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

sexton_mallard · 14th Dec 2017, 7:13 am

I had a 22 inch TX10 (I think). Cracking telly. I took it to Uni and was instantly popular as I was the lad with the 'big colour telly'. Unfortunately it went to the big showroom in the sky sometime in the mid 90s. I remember having to leave the tuner preset panel hanging out the front slightly in order to get a sharper picture.

PsychMan · 14th Dec 2017, 11:16 am

I found an old picture showing the top right corner, it had the "teletext" print on it and the panel looked just like the TX9 in the link I shared earlier.

I think I remembered it a little differently as I always saw it in the cabinet they kept it in. Might have to do another thread for the VCR when I find a pic of that

Thanks for all the contributions to the thread.

Welsh Anorak · 14th Dec 2017, 6:17 pm

I preferred the TX9 and the TX100 to the TX10, That's possibly because the TX100 was more conventional, though maybe my judgement was coloured by the first TX10 I bought in an auction. It was a 26" text, quite new, so I was eager to buy it. When I got it back it didn't work. The mains lead looked odd, but when I took the back off I found no chassis - instead there was a rolled up electric blanket with the mains lead out the back and an old aerial socket glued to the back cover! To add insult to injury when I eventually needed a 26" tube I found the one in the TX10 was as flat as a pancake!
The TX100 was less complex and the tubes lasted well except in Logik disguise which used a cheapo 701 CRT and different base socket.
I agree the TX90 was a reasonable 14" set but made an awful 20" TV! After a few years of hard use as the main TV the PCB resembled toast.
Glyn
PS Wasn't the TDA3654 frame chip mod for the TX100?

Clydeuk · 14th Dec 2017, 7:13 pm

Going back to the original picture, I am sure in the 90's I acquired 2 Ferguson 22 inch sets with a control panel that looked like that. I was expecting to find a TX10 inside but they were TX9's. I think they were 90 degree CRT's rather than the 30AX usually found in the TX10. Can't remember what CRT was actually fitted. Worked well enough once repaired. I think they had the earlier thyristor power supply.

Anyone have any knowledge of these? The general consensus here seems to indicate 20 inch was the largest screen size in the TX9.

Andrew2 · 14th Dec 2017, 8:16 pm

Was there a problem with the CRT's fitted to the early 22" TX10's? I recall a lot of sets coming back after only a couple of years with soft, pink pictures.

Welsh Anorak · 14th Dec 2017, 8:23 pm

Hi
The consensus was that the TX10 worked the CRTs hard due to the wide bandwidth. Mind you, K30s and T26s were coming back with tired tubes too!
As you say, I think there were 22" TX9s with a 'white label' Thorn CRT, though I'm not sure of the type or manufacturer. Probably they were a stop gap till the TX10 came on stream and they wanted to get the TX logo accepted. Mind you they were several steps up from the nasty 9800.
Glyn

1100 man · 14th Dec 2017, 8:53 pm

Good evening,
Some years ago, the BVWS issued a Christmas DVD with a really good film about the design & production of the TX9 & 10. It was obviously designed to raise the image of Thorn/ Ferguson as it concentrated on the advanced production techniques and extensive testing that these sets went through. I must say the testing and inspection at each stage of production was impressive and I think that definitely resulted in good reliability.
Well worth watching the film if you can get hold of it.

I'm sure it said on the film that the TX9 was for 14 & 20" and the TX10 was for 22 & 26". I don't ever recall a 22" TX9. I would also say that the TX9 was only for 90 degree tubes.
The TX9 & 10 had similar cabinet styles so it is not obvious which chassis is fitted.
I held both chassis in high esteem- they were well designed, reliable and gave good pictures. They were also a pleasure to repair when they did go wrong.

Many many years ago my Uncle wanted a second hand TV & VCR. As I didn't want to keep going up there to repair them, I got him what in my opinion were the two most reliable things- A TX9 20" TV and a 3v29 VCR. He still has both and they still work well!!
I am trying to pry them away from him for my collection

All the best
Nick

Andrew2 · 14th Dec 2017, 10:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak

Hi
The consensus was that the TX10 worked the CRTs hard due to the wide bandwidth. Mind you, K30s and T26s were coming back with tired tubes too!
As you say, I think there were 22" TX9s with a 'white label' Thorn CRT, though I'm not sure of the type or manufacturer. Probably they were a stop gap till the TX10 came on stream and they wanted to get the TX logo accepted. Mind you they were several steps up from the nasty 9800.
Glyn

Ew. Awful things made up of left-over bits from earlier sets. I hated the damned things! We rented out lots of them and there was always one taking up bench-space!

FERNSEH · 15th Dec 2017, 12:46 am

Ferguson made at least one TX9 set that was equipped with a 22" 90 degree PIL CRT. Also the model 3780 which was an eighteen inch CRT model.
14 and 16" TX9 portables could be adapted for 12 volt operation.

DFWB.

Heatercathodeshort · 15th Dec 2017, 10:29 am

The early 30AX tubes employed in the K30 and others failed at an alarming rate going low emission within 2 years or a lot less.

It was a manufacturing fault the cause of which we will never know. The gun assembly was very similar to the 20AX that did not suffer the problem.

Later 30AX tubes were a winner and lasted for ever. Their only disadvantage was their large neck diameter the design of which required a lot of scan power. Focus was superb with around 6-7kv on the focus electrode.

To Mullard's credit they replaced all the early tubes even when out of guarantee. Most had began to fail within 6 months but customers did not notice until a fault demanded a service call. It was only then that the weak CRT came to light or rather dark.

The tubes could be replaced in less than 15 mins. Happy Days! John.

Welsh Anorak · 15th Dec 2017, 2:18 pm

Ah - I thought I wasn't imagining a 22" TX9! It was always a surprise when expecting a TX10 I found the small TX9 chassis inside. Of course the deeper back should have given it away.
The TX9 came in many forms - I had a 16" with digital alarm clock and radio and a 14" datatext terminal I used for ordering parts from Willow Vale and Hitachi. Dial-up and very slow, but cutting edge technology then and impressed the customers no end!
Pity about the early 30AX tubes. Like the widescreen ECB tubes they gave superb pictures but didn't last long. Next to an SEL or Thomson CRT there was no contest.
Whatever misgivings we might have had about the TX series - and most of us loved them - nothing could have prepared us for the ICC5.
Glyn

14th Dec 2017, 7:13 am	#21
sexton_mallard Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ellesmere, Shropshire, UK & Co. Cork, Ireland. Posts: 502	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID I had a 22 inch TX10 (I think). Cracking telly. I took it to Uni and was instantly popular as I was the lad with the 'big colour telly'. Unfortunately it went to the big showroom in the sky sometime in the mid 90s. I remember having to leave the tuner preset panel hanging out the front slightly in order to get a sharper picture. __________________ Dom Less snakes...more ladders!

14th Dec 2017, 11:16 am	#22
PsychMan Octode Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Fleet, Hampshire, UK Posts: 1,765	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID I found an old picture showing the top right corner, it had the "teletext" print on it and the panel looked just like the TX9 in the link I shared earlier. I think I remembered it a little differently as I always saw it in the cabinet they kept it in. Might have to do another thread for the VCR when I find a pic of that Thanks for all the contributions to the thread.

14th Dec 2017, 6:17 pm	#23
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,928	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID I preferred the TX9 and the TX100 to the TX10, That's possibly because the TX100 was more conventional, though maybe my judgement was coloured by the first TX10 I bought in an auction. It was a 26" text, quite new, so I was eager to buy it. When I got it back it didn't work. The mains lead looked odd, but when I took the back off I found no chassis - instead there was a rolled up electric blanket with the mains lead out the back and an old aerial socket glued to the back cover! To add insult to injury when I eventually needed a 26" tube I found the one in the TX10 was as flat as a pancake! The TX100 was less complex and the tubes lasted well except in Logik disguise which used a cheapo 701 CRT and different base socket. I agree the TX90 was a reasonable 14" set but made an awful 20" TV! After a few years of hard use as the main TV the PCB resembled toast. Glyn PS Wasn't the TDA3654 frame chip mod for the TX100?

14th Dec 2017, 7:13 pm	#24
Clydeuk Hexode Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 453	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Going back to the original picture, I am sure in the 90's I acquired 2 Ferguson 22 inch sets with a control panel that looked like that. I was expecting to find a TX10 inside but they were TX9's. I think they were 90 degree CRT's rather than the 30AX usually found in the TX10. Can't remember what CRT was actually fitted. Worked well enough once repaired. I think they had the earlier thyristor power supply. Anyone have any knowledge of these? The general consensus here seems to indicate 20 inch was the largest screen size in the TX9.

14th Dec 2017, 8:16 pm	#25
Andrew2 Nonode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 2,038	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Was there a problem with the CRT's fitted to the early 22" TX10's? I recall a lot of sets coming back after only a couple of years with soft, pink pictures. __________________ Andy G1HBE.

14th Dec 2017, 8:23 pm	#26
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,928	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Hi The consensus was that the TX10 worked the CRTs hard due to the wide bandwidth. Mind you, K30s and T26s were coming back with tired tubes too! As you say, I think there were 22" TX9s with a 'white label' Thorn CRT, though I'm not sure of the type or manufacturer. Probably they were a stop gap till the TX10 came on stream and they wanted to get the TX logo accepted. Mind you they were several steps up from the nasty 9800. Glyn

14th Dec 2017, 8:53 pm	#27
1100 man Octode Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, & Great Dunmow, Essex, UK. Posts: 1,377	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Good evening, Some years ago, the BVWS issued a Christmas DVD with a really good film about the design & production of the TX9 & 10. It was obviously designed to raise the image of Thorn/ Ferguson as it concentrated on the advanced production techniques and extensive testing that these sets went through. I must say the testing and inspection at each stage of production was impressive and I think that definitely resulted in good reliability. Well worth watching the film if you can get hold of it. I'm sure it said on the film that the TX9 was for 14 & 20" and the TX10 was for 22 & 26". I don't ever recall a 22" TX9. I would also say that the TX9 was only for 90 degree tubes. The TX9 & 10 had similar cabinet styles so it is not obvious which chassis is fitted. I held both chassis in high esteem- they were well designed, reliable and gave good pictures. They were also a pleasure to repair when they did go wrong. Many many years ago my Uncle wanted a second hand TV & VCR. As I didn't want to keep going up there to repair them, I got him what in my opinion were the two most reliable things- A TX9 20" TV and a 3v29 VCR. He still has both and they still work well!! I am trying to pry them away from him for my collection All the best Nick

15th Dec 2017, 12:46 am	#29
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Ferguson made at least one TX9 set that was equipped with a 22" 90 degree PIL CRT. Also the model 3780 which was an eighteen inch CRT model. 14 and 16" TX9 portables could be adapted for 12 volt operation. DFWB.

15th Dec 2017, 10:29 am	#30
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID The early 30AX tubes employed in the K30 and others failed at an alarming rate going low emission within 2 years or a lot less. It was a manufacturing fault the cause of which we will never know. The gun assembly was very similar to the 20AX that did not suffer the problem. Later 30AX tubes were a winner and lasted for ever. Their only disadvantage was their large neck diameter the design of which required a lot of scan power. Focus was superb with around 6-7kv on the focus electrode. To Mullard's credit they replaced all the early tubes even when out of guarantee. Most had began to fail within 6 months but customers did not notice until a fault demanded a service call. It was only then that the weak CRT came to light or rather dark. The tubes could be replaced in less than 15 mins. Happy Days! John.

15th Dec 2017, 2:18 pm	#31
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,928	Re: Ferguson Colour Set ID Ah - I thought I wasn't imagining a 22" TX9! It was always a surprise when expecting a TX10 I found the small TX9 chassis inside. Of course the deeper back should have given it away. The TX9 came in many forms - I had a 16" with digital alarm clock and radio and a 14" datatext terminal I used for ordering parts from Willow Vale and Hitachi. Dial-up and very slow, but cutting edge technology then and impressed the customers no end! Pity about the early 30AX tubes. Like the widescreen ECB tubes they gave superb pictures but didn't last long. Next to an SEL or Thomson CRT there was no contest. Whatever misgivings we might have had about the TX series - and most of us loved them - nothing could have prepared us for the ICC5. Glyn