12" B&W Elf Tone telly - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Richard_FM · 5th Aug 2025, 9:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by locknut

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard_FM

I bought & sold a few sets like this when I was building up my collection

Looking at your first pic, that one appears to be badged Samsung.

It looks very similar, I wonder if Samsung was the OEM for these?

It's possible it was a badge engineered set with a Samsung chassis.

Maarten · 6th Aug 2025, 6:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manx Nick

I can't find who manufactured this TV though, can anyone tell me please before I go poking around inside it? I would like to see a circuit board layout etc.

Sometimes the OEM can be determined by looking at the type label on the back. Could you take a picture of that?

Maarten · 6th Aug 2025, 7:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard_FM

Quote:

Originally Posted by locknut

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard_FM

I bought & sold a few sets like this when I was building up my collection

Looking at your first pic, that one appears to be badged Samsung.

It looks very similar, I wonder if Samsung was the OEM for these?

It's possible it was a badge engineered set with a Samsung chassis.

The set in the first pic doesn't really look similar to the OP's set, but I also can't rule out Samsung yet.

I think however that in that case "Samsung OEM set" would be more accurate than "a badge engineered set with a Samsung chassis". Why would anyone buy Samsung chassis to stuff in cheap plastic cabinets that they could just order from Samsung with the chassis and tube already mounted.

paulsherwin · 6th Aug 2025, 7:05 pm

I think that was Richard's meaning, though I agree the phrasing is ambiguous.

Richard_FM · 6th Aug 2025, 9:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

I think that was Richard's meaning, though I agree the phrasing is ambiguous.

Sorry I should have worded it better.

Manx Nick · 7th Aug 2025, 8:07 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manx Nick

Hi all,

Long time no post, here's a nice little find.

I picked this up from a house clearance and despite it being rather yellow, it works fine and the picture is nice and bright.
I can't find who manufactured this TV though, can anyone tell me please before I go poking around inside it? I would like to see a circuit board layout etc.

This TV is to be used with my Sinclair ZX80 + ZX81. It tunes in to these immediately, almost as if it says "oh hello my old friend"

Thanks very much.

Nick

Here's the insides. A "Clinton" CRT?

paulsherwin · 7th Aug 2025, 9:53 am

Clinton was and is an American company who had a CRT factory in Taiwan in the 70s, so the whole unit is probably Taiwanese. There were a lot of Taiwanese electronics OEMs at that time, often doing contract manufacturing for American and European companies.

https://www.clintonelectronics.com/about/

Welsh Anorak · 7th Aug 2025, 10:20 am

Yes, it's a chassis and cabinet we've seen many times before. Very reliable and most problems were man-made by rough handling - cracked chassis, broken hold controls and so on.

However I'm a bit puzzled by the PCB (?) behind the VHF tuner blanking plate.

paulsherwin · 7th Aug 2025, 1:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak

However I'm a bit puzzled by the PCB (?) behind the VHF tuner blanking plate.

It seems to be a fuse in the mains input. It looks a bit aftermarket - maybe a mod by the importer to comply with local regulations.

Welsh Anorak · 7th Aug 2025, 1:40 pm

Maybe a visit to Specsavers...

SiriusHardware · 7th Aug 2025, 1:55 pm

Do you think maybe that's supposed to allow quick access to the fuse by popping the 'brand name' disc out on the front? It's hard to imagine any other reason why they would have contrived to suspend it in that location. If so, I'm not a fan of the implementation (or safety thereof).

One thing I noticed in the original post was a distinct lack of picture height, does that respond to a tweak of the V-Height control, assuming there is one?

paulsherwin · 7th Aug 2025, 2:22 pm

I suspect the fuse was located there because there's a nice empty space and there's a couple of unused screw holes available. As I wrote upthread, I think it's a post production mod by the OEM or importer for some reason. It certainly looks like a bit of a bodge.

Welsh Anorak · 7th Aug 2025, 6:47 pm

Of course it could well be an LT fuse. ISTR the mains fuse is well insulated and sited by the mains transformer.

paulsherwin · 7th Aug 2025, 7:27 pm

If you look carefully, it seems that the brown wire from the mains cable is routed up to the fuse, and another brown wire goes back to the mains switch. I've no idea why it was done that way.

Maarten · 8th Aug 2025, 5:18 pm

The 12VCUP4 tube was also made well into the 1980's under the Philips brand. Maybe they took over the Clinton factory at some point after they established their TV & monitor factory in Taiwan.

The LOPT also looks a bit like what Philips Taiwan used in later days, so a Taiwanese OEM seems very likely (not Philips, but one of the others).

Als Paul Sherwin wrote, there were a few of those around at the time. I'm not sure if I can recognise which one, given more details.

6th Aug 2025, 7:05 pm	#24
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 30,432	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly I think that was Richard's meaning, though I agree the phrasing is ambiguous.

7th Aug 2025, 9:53 am	#27
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 30,432	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly Clinton was and is an American company who had a CRT factory in Taiwan in the 70s, so the whole unit is probably Taiwanese. There were a lot of Taiwanese electronics OEMs at that time, often doing contract manufacturing for American and European companies. https://www.clintonelectronics.com/about/

7th Aug 2025, 10:20 am	#28
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 7,653	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly Yes, it's a chassis and cabinet we've seen many times before. Very reliable and most problems were man-made by rough handling - cracked chassis, broken hold controls and so on. However I'm a bit puzzled by the PCB (?) behind the VHF tuner blanking plate. __________________ Glyn

7th Aug 2025, 1:40 pm	#30
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 7,653	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly Maybe a visit to Specsavers... __________________ Glyn

7th Aug 2025, 1:55 pm	#31
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 13,784	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly Do you think maybe that's supposed to allow quick access to the fuse by popping the 'brand name' disc out on the front? It's hard to imagine any other reason why they would have contrived to suspend it in that location. If so, I'm not a fan of the implementation (or safety thereof). One thing I noticed in the original post was a distinct lack of picture height, does that respond to a tweak of the V-Height control, assuming there is one?

7th Aug 2025, 2:22 pm	#32
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 30,432	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly I suspect the fuse was located there because there's a nice empty space and there's a couple of unused screw holes available. As I wrote upthread, I think it's a post production mod by the OEM or importer for some reason. It certainly looks like a bit of a bodge.

7th Aug 2025, 6:47 pm	#33
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 7,653	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly Of course it could well be an LT fuse. ISTR the mains fuse is well insulated and sited by the mains transformer. __________________ Glyn

7th Aug 2025, 7:27 pm	#34
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 30,432	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly If you look carefully, it seems that the brown wire from the mains cable is routed up to the fuse, and another brown wire goes back to the mains switch. I've no idea why it was done that way.

8th Aug 2025, 5:18 pm	#35
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,722	Re: 12" B&W Elf Tone telly The 12VCUP4 tube was also made well into the 1980's under the Philips brand. Maybe they took over the Clinton factory at some point after they established their TV & monitor factory in Taiwan. The LOPT also looks a bit like what Philips Taiwan used in later days, so a Taiwanese OEM seems very likely (not Philips, but one of the others). Als Paul Sherwin wrote, there were a few of those around at the time. I'm not sure if I can recognise which one, given more details.