Academy portable black and white TV. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Records · 17th Jul 2020, 8:44 pm

This was my first tv, it had the rotary tuning control and a push pull and turn knob for volume and on and off, it was obviously a cheap make but it was my first tv, does anybody here remember the brand?

Nuvistor · 17th Jul 2020, 9:12 pm

I don’t remember the brand but there were many similar imported sets in the 70’s, possibly with similar chassis.
They may have been less expensive but most worked extremely well and were reliable from what I remember.

Lloyd 1985 · 17th Jul 2020, 9:12 pm

I've heard of them, I have an old 90's clock radio made by them! I remember the local cheap shop where I used to live (Shop was called 'it's a gift' in Daventry) used to stock stuff made by them, mostly sub £10 clock radio's, never saw any TV's there though.

Regards,
Lloyd.

hamid_1 · 18th Jul 2020, 10:12 am

I also remember the name 'Academy' mainly for cheap multiband portable radios. Radiomuseum lists a number of models, including a mini black and white TV/radio combi.

I'm not sure if they were an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). I suspect Academy was just an importer or distributor of - and one of many names applied to - generic products from Hong Kong or China. For example, the Academy compass radio appears to be the same as the Binatone Worldstar apart from cosmetic differences. I've also seen this radio badged ELFtone and Shira - both those companies were importers based in London in the 1970s.

There's an American retailer called Academy - they sell sporting and outdoor goods, including radios, but I don't know if there's any connection.

Your 12" black and white portable TV with rotary tuner would have been made in the Far East, badged 'Academy' and imported. These sets flooded in due to their low price. British and European manufacturers struggled to compete with these on price, so they concentrated on making more expensive and profitable colour TVs. As Nuvistor says, there was nothing wrong with the cheap imported black and white portables. They worked well enough - indeed I have a couple of them from the early 1980s which still work and have never needed any repair. You can still find working ones for sale on ebay and occasionally in car boot sales too, though of course you'll now need a digital box with UHF modulator to watch TV programmes on them.

Brigham · 23rd Jul 2020, 5:47 pm

ACADEMY is a famous name in spring-driven console gramophones, and home-movie gear.

17th Jul 2020, 8:44 pm	#1
Records Hexode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Harwich, Essex, UK. Posts: 429	Academy portable black and white TV. This was my first tv, it had the rotary tuning control and a push pull and turn knob for volume and on and off, it was obviously a cheap make but it was my first tv, does anybody here remember the brand?

17th Jul 2020, 9:12 pm	#2
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,431	Re: Academy portable black and white tv I don’t remember the brand but there were many similar imported sets in the 70’s, possibly with similar chassis. They may have been less expensive but most worked extremely well and were reliable from what I remember. __________________ Frank

17th Jul 2020, 9:12 pm	#3
Lloyd 1985 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 2,818	Re: Academy portable black and white tv I've heard of them, I have an old 90's clock radio made by them! I remember the local cheap shop where I used to live (Shop was called 'it's a gift' in Daventry) used to stock stuff made by them, mostly sub £10 clock radio's, never saw any TV's there though. Regards, Lloyd.

18th Jul 2020, 10:12 am	#4
hamid_1 Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK. Posts: 811	Re: Academy portable black and white TV. I also remember the name 'Academy' mainly for cheap multiband portable radios. Radiomuseum lists a number of models, including a mini black and white TV/radio combi. I'm not sure if they were an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). I suspect Academy was just an importer or distributor of - and one of many names applied to - generic products from Hong Kong or China. For example, the Academy compass radio appears to be the same as the Binatone Worldstar apart from cosmetic differences. I've also seen this radio badged ELFtone and Shira - both those companies were importers based in London in the 1970s. There's an American retailer called Academy - they sell sporting and outdoor goods, including radios, but I don't know if there's any connection. Your 12" black and white portable TV with rotary tuner would have been made in the Far East, badged 'Academy' and imported. These sets flooded in due to their low price. British and European manufacturers struggled to compete with these on price, so they concentrated on making more expensive and profitable colour TVs. As Nuvistor says, there was nothing wrong with the cheap imported black and white portables. They worked well enough - indeed I have a couple of them from the early 1980s which still work and have never needed any repair. You can still find working ones for sale on ebay and occasionally in car boot sales too, though of course you'll now need a digital box with UHF modulator to watch TV programmes on them.

23rd Jul 2020, 5:47 pm	#5
Brigham Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 1,115	Re: Academy portable black and white TV. ACADEMY is a famous name in spring-driven console gramophones, and home-movie gear.