80's TV maker? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

toshiba tony · 5th Jan 2020, 8:46 pm

Hello all. Been delving in the memory banks. I recall a firm in the 70/80s that had Graff in the name. Seem to remember they made a PIL set so late 70s. But it's very vague apart from that. Any ideas anyone. Ta.

G6Tanuki · 5th Jan 2020, 8:55 pm

Are you sure it was Graff or Graef?

Could it have been Graetz?? If so they're still around - see https://www.graetzitalia.it/

jayceebee · 5th Jan 2020, 9:46 pm

It rings a distant bell, could it have been DeGraaff like the generator?

nigelr2000 · 6th Jan 2020, 12:20 am

I have a vague memory that it was one of the warehouse shops like Comets or a supermarket own make

Nickthedentist · 6th Jan 2020, 10:41 am

"De Graaf" apparently. Yes, I suspect it was an upmarket, European-sounding name slapped on cheap (Korean?) VCRs etc.

jayceebee · 6th Jan 2020, 11:50 am

Just seen one on Ebay and the model number format suggests Granada may have been the outlet to me.

bikelectro · 8th Jan 2020, 2:48 pm

I used to see it on Sharp VHS machines, it was one of those big rental firms I think.

Maarten · 10th Jan 2020, 2:41 am

The WHSHY2 video currently on ebay, looks vaguely Sharpish to me, so that sounds plausible. The type label, printed on blue paper, looks rental as far as I can tell.

Oh wow, found a nice typo! A pinch roller for a Philips Charly deck, described as "Pinch roller for philips bathroom olufsen de Graaf and other vhs vcr" so it seems Philips was also an OEM for De Graaf.

toshiba tony · 10th Jan 2020, 10:36 am

Jayceebee, what a guy. Granada. Despite having dementia (me, not you) you are right. Thanks, it just wouldn't gel for me. Now Finlandia, all day long. And I seem to remember them doing the Finlux Peacock, but De Graff was a little more obscure. Thanks again. And were they Sharp machines?

Welsh Anorak · 13th Jan 2020, 11:23 am

Finlandia tended to be Granada's badge of choice for Salora TV chassis up to and including the rare N-chassis. There were certainly a lot of Finlandias flooding the ex-rental market in the Eighties. Not sure if the Finlux Peacock was so badged. As far as I remember that was a retail set that came in with the flood of (to us) obscure European sets in the Seventies colour boom.
I think DeGraaf was sold by Comet. I've certainly seen Sharp VCRs in this disguise from the late Eighties. They weren't just a badge job as the fronts were a bit different, and I think they also were Granada machines. There were also some TVs, Sharp again but possibly others.

AJSmith625 · 13th Jan 2020, 9:20 pm

The Finlux Peacock was sold by Currys around 1973/4 as pointed out by Glyn in post 10 above. Not sure if any other TV retailers sold them though. Great pictures when working but the 24 volt LT rail had a habit of drifting causing intermittent colour.

Alan.

5th Jan 2020, 8:46 pm	#1
toshiba tony Heptode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 978	80's TV maker? Hello all. Been delving in the memory banks. I recall a firm in the 70/80s that had Graff in the name. Seem to remember they made a PIL set so late 70s. But it's very vague apart from that. Any ideas anyone. Ta.

5th Jan 2020, 8:55 pm	#2
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,995	Re: 80s TvMaker Are you sure it was Graff or Graef? Could it have been Graetz?? If so they're still around - see https://www.graetzitalia.it/

5th Jan 2020, 9:46 pm	#3
jayceebee Heptode Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Durham, County Durham, UK. Posts: 640	Re: 80s TvMaker It rings a distant bell, could it have been DeGraaff like the generator?

6th Jan 2020, 12:20 am	#4
nigelr2000 Heptode Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Walsham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 900	Re: 80s TvMaker I have a vague memory that it was one of the warehouse shops like Comets or a supermarket own make __________________ https://www.facebook.com/gntrading

6th Jan 2020, 10:41 am	#5
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,840	Re: 80s TvMaker "De Graaf" apparently. Yes, I suspect it was an upmarket, European-sounding name slapped on cheap (Korean?) VCRs etc.

6th Jan 2020, 11:50 am	#6
jayceebee Heptode Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Durham, County Durham, UK. Posts: 640	Re: 80s TvMaker Just seen one on Ebay and the model number format suggests Granada may have been the outlet to me.

8th Jan 2020, 2:48 pm	#7
bikelectro Pentode Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northern Ireland. Posts: 158	Re: 80s TvMaker I used to see it on Sharp VHS machines, it was one of those big rental firms I think.

10th Jan 2020, 2:41 am	#8
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,199	Re: 80s TvMaker The WHSHY2 video currently on ebay, looks vaguely Sharpish to me, so that sounds plausible. The type label, printed on blue paper, looks rental as far as I can tell. Oh wow, found a nice typo! A pinch roller for a Philips Charly deck, described as "Pinch roller for philips bathroom olufsen de Graaf and other vhs vcr" so it seems Philips was also an OEM for De Graaf.

10th Jan 2020, 10:36 am	#9
toshiba tony Heptode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 978	Re: 80s TvMaker Jayceebee, what a guy. Granada. Despite having dementia (me, not you) you are right. Thanks, it just wouldn't gel for me. Now Finlandia, all day long. And I seem to remember them doing the Finlux Peacock, but De Graff was a little more obscure. Thanks again. And were they Sharp machines?

13th Jan 2020, 11:23 am	#10
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,916	Re: 80's TV maker? Finlandia tended to be Granada's badge of choice for Salora TV chassis up to and including the rare N-chassis. There were certainly a lot of Finlandias flooding the ex-rental market in the Eighties. Not sure if the Finlux Peacock was so badged. As far as I remember that was a retail set that came in with the flood of (to us) obscure European sets in the Seventies colour boom. I think DeGraaf was sold by Comet. I've certainly seen Sharp VCRs in this disguise from the late Eighties. They weren't just a badge job as the fronts were a bit different, and I think they also were Granada machines. There were also some TVs, Sharp again but possibly others. __________________ Glyn www.gdelectronics.wales

13th Jan 2020, 9:20 pm	#11
AJSmith625 Pentode Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 171	Re: 80's TV maker? The Finlux Peacock was sold by Currys around 1973/4 as pointed out by Glyn in post 10 above. Not sure if any other TV retailers sold them though. Great pictures when working but the 24 volt LT rail had a habit of drifting causing intermittent colour. Alan.