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Old 16th Jul 2014, 1:25 am   #1
wasitaphilips
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Default Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Hi everyone,

I am new here so apologize if this message is too vague. I am trying to find information on my childhood TV, which may sound odd but I am nostalgic. I can't find it anywhere online (and have obviously tried Googling it) so thought I would turn to the knowledgeable folks here.

I am pretty sure the TV was a Philips and it would have been available in the late 70s or possible very early 80s. I would guess it was around 22" (it was not a portable), had a wood (or faux wood) chassis but not the entire case. I believe the protruding back was just black plastic. We had the TV on a stand but I suppose it could just as easily have sat on a shelf.

The TV had 12 channels as best I can recall. The channel buttons were much wider than they were tall and were extremely thin. The selected channel button would light up, shining a thin red light from the middle of the button. When a channel button was pushed, it would de-select any previously selected channel button. This was mechanical, not electronic. There was no digital channel display or remote control.

There was a pop-out box underneath the channels for tuning and a single mono speaker underneath that for sound. The channels, speaker etc. were all on the right. The on/off button clicked in and out and I seem to remember it was rectangular and, like the channel buttons, it was fairly thin (but not as thin as the channel selectors).

Again, I am sorry if this request is unusual and I apologize further if the TV turns out to not be Philips. If it's not Philips, it could be Pye but Googling that hasn't yielded any results either.

Thank you all in advance for any help/input you might have.

-Matt

(P.S. I know my profile says I am in the US, which I am, but I grew up in the UK.)
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 12:08 pm   #2
Peter.N.
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Default Re: Trying to find a c. late 70s TV

Hi Matt

Welcome to the forum. Your set sounds more like a Pye which were related to Philips at that time, I can visualise the layout you describe but can't put a model to it. I am sure someone will be along shortly who can.

Peter

This was the chassis I had in mind:http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_pye...2040_25_w.html but don't know if they made a 22" version

Last edited by Peter.N.; 16th Jul 2014 at 12:14 pm.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 12:20 pm   #3
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Default Re: Trying to find a c. late 70s TV

Hi The set sounds like a Pye or Philips K35. The non remote model had the push buttons you describe. they were lit by one small lamp, the light being shuttered to the button pressed by a plastic fibre optic type arrangement.
The volume control was a horizontal slider, the brightness, colour and contrast controls were rotary behind the drop down front flap.
Back cover could be moulded plastic or pressed card.
Great sets, very reliable, most went for over 10 years, the 30ax tube going flat eventually being the reason most were scrapped.
Hope this helps.
Regards, Rich.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 12:50 pm   #4
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

I agree, or possibly a Philips/Pye with the CTX-E chassis, see this thread (!): https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=40897

There's a slightly earlier K30 (with different buttons) going free here: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=107695

Nick.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 2:30 pm   #5
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

I forgot the ctx came in the same style as Nick has pointed out if it was a 20" set it would have been a ctx chassis, if 22" or 26" a K35.
One of the best series of sets to come from Pye/ Philips! IMHO...

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Old 16th Jul 2014, 3:10 pm   #6
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Thank you everyone for your replies! A couple of the suggested models are pretty close but aren't quite the set I was thinking of. However, your suggestions have reminded me of a couple more details I forgot:

1) The volume control was indeed a horizontal slider.
2) The channel buttons had a silver metallic appearance.
3) There was no handle on the top; it was definitely not a portable.
4) It was possible to push multiple channel buttons at the same. I can't remember what the results were on screen but I know it was physically possible.
5) Our particular TV had a fault where several channel buttons would light up at once, regardless of which channel was actually selected.

The closest suggestion was the Pye 56KS1062/05T. That looks very similar, including the "wood" speaker grille. In fact, everything except what's above the speaker grille looks pretty spot on, the difference being that our TV didn't have a digital display (or remote) and had the 12 (I think) channel buttons.

Thank you everyone again for your suggestions. I appreciate them. Any other input would be greatly welcomed!

-Matt
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 3:59 pm   #7
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Are you sure it wasn't this one? https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...5&d=1242928248
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:11 pm   #8
ben
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

I'm fairly sure I had a Hitachi which was similar to that described.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:14 pm   #9
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

The problem is that the description fits most of the full sized CTVs being sold in Britain around 1980.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:14 pm   #10
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Hi Nick,

That one is fairly close but I think our TV was black or dark grey on the right, not silver. Also, in that photo the power button appears to be at the bottom (if indeed that is the power button; it's hard to tell!)... the TV I am thinking of had the power button nearer the top on the right hand side (but I think it was underneath the channel buttons). The power button was also smaller than the one in the photo. The width may have been similar but it wasn't as tall as that.

Some other details I remembered are:

1) The box that popped open with the tuner controls was one where you had to push it in, then it clicked and would pop out.

2) The tuners for each channel were wheels. i.e. they weren't sliders or anything like that.

Thanks,

-Matt
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:25 pm   #11
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

I know, sorry. I'm sure there were many TVs that were similar. It wasn't a Hitachi, though. I'm sure of that.

I'll see if I can put together a crude drawing on Paint or something though, like you said, there are likely a lot of TVs that will roughly fit the drawing.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:37 pm   #12
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

There is one other thing I thought of. I *think* the first three channels weren't numbered but rather read "BBC1", "BBC2" and "ITV". The TV pre-dated Channel 4's existence I believe so probably just read "4".

I have attached a crude diagram of how the controls were laid out, as best I can remember them. The power button is grey (and actually, I'm pretty sure it was a grey or silver color on the TV itself). The volume control is highlighted blue but was not actually blue (I just made it blue to illustrate it). The volume was also a silver or grey color.

I'm fairly sure the volume control slider did not extend all the way across on the right hand side.

It's too bad my dad isn't alive because I'm sure he would remember. Besides having bought the TV way back when, he had his own TV repair business and would probably remember the model.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 5:56 pm   #13
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Ben - the more I think about it, the more I am wondering if it was indeed a Hitachi. Does anyone know if there are any late 70's - early 80's TV catalogues available online? Or product brochures by Hitachi, Pye etc. I could look through them to see if I can find the TV or at least something very close to it.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 6:45 pm   #14
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Hi Matt,

Was this it? It's a Pye Studiocolour, (56KS3400 /05T). Sorry the photo isn't the best, but it's from a while ago when I only had a cheap camera. It has 12 push button channel selectors, with the volume slider underneath. Next to that is a tone push button and the on/off switch. The door below opens by pushing in, to reveal the brightness, colour and contrast controls and a slide out drawer with the tuning wheels.

Beneath the speaker grille is a small flap covering the headphone jack, with a switch to turn off the speaker.

My set is still working well, although the tube is getting a bit tired now, sadly.

If you'd like better photos, just ask and I'll take some for you.

Neil.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 6:51 pm   #15
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Neil - that's it! Thank you! I had forgotten that the tuner was covered by the door. Now that I think about it, I do remember the brightness / contrast / colour controls. Weren't they small black buttons you had to twist/rotate?

I would love some more photos if you have the time. Thank you so much!
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 6:52 pm   #16
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Hi
I don't think it was a Hitachi as they usually had eight channels, and, as far as I know, were just numbered 1-8 and the tuning was by knurled knobs that were in a line under a flap that had a small tool to make adjustment easier.
I'm firmly in the Philips K35 camp - the only thing that bothers me is the 'fault' you describe with several lighting up at once which is not very likely on this model - or, indeed, on a Hitachi.
The names of the channels narrows things down - Toshiba did this and made sets for Currys called Triumph which looked broadly similar.
I have Hitachi service manuals dating from around 1978 but nothing there seems to match your description.
Glyn
PS Posts crossed! Glad you've found it.
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Old 16th Jul 2014, 8:56 pm   #17
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak View Post
the only thing that bothers me is the 'fault' you describe with several lighting up at once which is not very likely on this model - or, indeed, on a Hitachi.
On Neil's set, the channel selectors are mechanical, with a simple light guide arrangement to light the tip of the buttons when they're depressed.

You can indeed push in multiple buttons if you're so inclined, and they will all light up.

N.
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Old 17th Jul 2014, 5:24 pm   #18
harvestgold
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Hi Matt,

As requested, some more photos I've just taken. The room lighting isn't great and my camera is rather basic, but you can see the controls etc.

It has a 22" screen by the way, and it uses a 110 degree tube so is quite shallow front to back. It was made in Germany in 1983.

It's proved to be a very reliable set since I bought it 9 years ago and still gives an excellent picture using a digital freeview box and DVD player connected through a VCR to its aerial socket.

All the best,
Neil.
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Old 17th Jul 2014, 5:31 pm   #19
wasitaphilips
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Default Re: Trying to find a circa late 70's TV

Thanks so much, Neil! Love the vintage clock on top of the TV too.
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