The ubiquitous TV22 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

brianc · 7th Mar 2007, 9:23 pm

Hi all
If you do a search on "TV22" on this forum, it returns 5 pages of threads. OK, not all of them specific to the TV22 but all of them mentioning it. For example, I asked about re-painting a rubber mask and there were two immediate reponses and both referred to TV22 and the mask I need to do is for a TV22.

Just how many did Bush sell? It must have been in the tens of thousands at least, and why have so many of them survived. especially as they are in fragile bakelite cases. Was it the best seller of its day?
Cheers
Brian

ppppenguin · 7th Mar 2007, 9:40 pm

It was justifiably popular. A good quality reliable set, launched in time for the coronation. It was small enough to stick in the loft and forget about when you bought a new set. Cute enough for people to hang on to. Good enough that owners probably had fond memories of it and were reluctant to chuck it out. It was also the cheaper alternative to a set with a wooden cabinet.

evingar · 7th Mar 2007, 10:07 pm

Quote:

It was also the cheaper alternative to a set with a wooden cabinet.

Like my poor old TV24 (pictured left) - Same "gubbins" but more expensive wooden case and bigger screen. Ironic now that it's the "cheapo" bakelite model that gets the dosh.

Heatercathodeshort · 9th Mar 2007, 8:45 am

Jeffrey has put the reason perfectly. It was the public's 'first' TV set that no doubt half the street enjoyed watching the Coronation.

Due to the reliability of the set it continued to work well into the ITV era and was probably working well when replaced by a large screen 'slim' model in the late 50's early 60's.
It was usually put into the spare room working on an indoor aerial and was no doubt the first 'second set'. They reluctantly parted company with them when the small compact portables such as the Thorn 980 became available. I don't think people had the heart to dump working receivers so easily as todays image consious society!
I don't particulaly like the TV22 finding it rather boring from a technical point of view but it was a fantastic introduction to early TV for the masses.
Regards John.

Duke_Nukem · 9th Mar 2007, 9:14 am

Quote:

Just how many did Bush sell? It must have been in the tens of thousands...

It was in production for over 3 years, so I'd reckon _many_ tens of thousands were made. In another thread someone is collecting together serial numbers for certain radios; it'd be interesting to do the same exercise with the TV22 and maybe some of its contemporaries, such as the Pye BV20 and BV30 for example.

TTFN,
Jon

PS : I wonder how many TV22s would still survive today if the designers had chosen a Mazda CRT instead ?

Paul_RK · 9th Mar 2007, 9:52 pm

The two here are numbered 124/01646 and 124/21768. Something around the 25000-30000 figure for total production seems likeliest to me, given that I've easily seen at least ten DAC90As (production about 230,000) for every TV22 I've met: though that may have been affected by my growing up in Norfolk where transmitter coverage in 1950 was I think sparse at best.

Paul

brianc · 15th Mar 2007, 8:05 pm

Hi All
Further to Jon's serial number suggestion, I have 3 TV22s, an early EF91 issue Sn 83/37246 and 2 later EF80 versions Sn 124/09999 and 124/1287. This suggests that there may well have been 40,000 of the earlier type and 25,000 of the later ones.Cheers
Brian

7th Mar 2007, 9:23 pm	#1
brianc Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire, UK, Posts: 1,055	The ubiquitous TV22 Hi all If you do a search on "TV22" on this forum, it returns 5 pages of threads. OK, not all of them specific to the TV22 but all of them mentioning it. For example, I asked about re-painting a rubber mask and there were two immediate reponses and both referred to TV22 and the mask I need to do is for a TV22. Just how many did Bush sell? It must have been in the tens of thousands at least, and why have so many of them survived. especially as they are in fragile bakelite cases. Was it the best seller of its day? Cheers Brian

7th Mar 2007, 9:40 pm	#2
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: The ubiquitous TV22 It was justifiably popular. A good quality reliable set, launched in time for the coronation. It was small enough to stick in the loft and forget about when you bought a new set. Cute enough for people to hang on to. Good enough that owners probably had fond memories of it and were reluctant to chuck it out. It was also the cheaper alternative to a set with a wooden cabinet.

9th Mar 2007, 8:45 am	#4
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: The ubiquitous TV22 Jeffrey has put the reason perfectly. It was the public's 'first' TV set that no doubt half the street enjoyed watching the Coronation. Due to the reliability of the set it continued to work well into the ITV era and was probably working well when replaced by a large screen 'slim' model in the late 50's early 60's. It was usually put into the spare room working on an indoor aerial and was no doubt the first 'second set'. They reluctantly parted company with them when the small compact portables such as the Thorn 980 became available. I don't think people had the heart to dump working receivers so easily as todays image consious society! I don't particulaly like the TV22 finding it rather boring from a technical point of view but it was a fantastic introduction to early TV for the masses. Regards John.

9th Mar 2007, 9:52 pm	#6
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,256	Re: The ubiquitous TV22 The two here are numbered 124/01646 and 124/21768. Something around the 25000-30000 figure for total production seems likeliest to me, given that I've easily seen at least ten DAC90As (production about 230,000) for every TV22 I've met: though that may have been affected by my growing up in Norfolk where transmitter coverage in 1950 was I think sparse at best. Paul

15th Mar 2007, 8:05 pm	#7
brianc Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire, UK, Posts: 1,055	Re: The ubiquitous TV22 Hi All Further to Jon's serial number suggestion, I have 3 TV22s, an early EF91 issue Sn 83/37246 and 2 later EF80 versions Sn 124/09999 and 124/1287. This suggests that there may well have been 40,000 of the earlier type and 25,000 of the later ones.Cheers Brian