My Mitsubishi gaming Television - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Jonny1990 · 13th Sep 2016, 7:22 pm

Hi all

Just thought I would share my old TV I have had for years and use occasionally for retro gaming. I think it is a Blue Diamond, though I am not 100% sure. I adore the look of old "fake wood" TVs like this, and this has actually been a really reliable TV, with a good picture and good audio quality. I'd be very interested to learn more about it if any of you guys know

unitaudio · 13th Sep 2016, 7:51 pm

My mate's mum and dad had one of those. I remember being very impressed at the time that It had a tweeter! Tellies didn't have tweeters back then. It made a notiecable difference too compared to our Granada Finlandia rental set! The one my friend's parents had was also a good reliable set and never had anything spent on it in 25 years. My mate was still using it for his Playstation until a few years ago. Don't know what happened to it but if I know Daz, he probably binned it!

I'm not sure if it's a Blue Diamond, it's a long time since I've seen one. I do remember they were seen as quite posh at the time.

Regards,
Paul

John123 · 13th Sep 2016, 8:01 pm

I recall one of the High Street betting shops used to have something very similar up on the wall. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there working away to be honest! Mitsubishi made some very reliable TV's.

I wonder, does this one feature a SCART socket? Retro games always look that much tastier over RGB SCART. Happy days!

Jonny1990 · 13th Sep 2016, 10:29 pm

Paul- Really interesting, the audio quality is great, sounds fantastic with Sega Mega Drive soundtracks! The quality seems to be really good, everything works as it should and the picture is still crisp, and I like hoe much the cabinet is over engineered.

John- That's great

Seems these things last for a long time. Though this does not have a SCART cable, only coaxial. It is from 1983, so not sure how widely available SCART was back then? I still maintain old games look much better on a CRT than a modern TV, it gives them a slight blur/glow that smooths out rough edges and makes the games look more natural than on a flatscreen.

ntscuser · 14th Sep 2016, 5:23 am

In my experience ALL non-HD material looks better on a CRT than on a flatscreen.

McMurdo · 14th Sep 2016, 8:06 pm

My Auntie had one of those and a matching video recorder. They both went on for years and were eventually stolen in a house burglary. My other Auntie had the Hitachi Instavision which was a similar set but had a much poorer picture...I'm sure engineers know the range.

Maarten · 14th Sep 2016, 8:53 pm

Funny thing, that Mitsubishi looks a bit like a continental Philips set design wise. I know it probably isn't but it has something Philips about it. Maybe that's where the designers got their inspiration.

P.S. Philips already started using tweeters in their more upmarket K9 models, so around 1973.

Hunts smoothing bomb · 14th Sep 2016, 10:21 pm

I used to have a hybrid Philips set, the K70, that gave very good pictures and very impressive sound via it's side positioned woofer and front mounted tweeter, the bass was quite something despite it all being delivered from a solitary PCL86! I think it dated from 1970.

Cheers

dj_fivos_sak · 15th Sep 2016, 7:14 am

Very nice set. And I am a big fan of Crash Bandicoot since I was like 6 years old!!

Fivos

Welsh Anorak · 15th Sep 2016, 2:33 pm

Hi
I have one of these on the shelf - 27" version with original remote control and handbook. I also have a customer with one in daily use. Still going strong - I called to see her a fortnight ago to sort out a Sky problem. Just a little bit of flaring now, but still very watchable.
The only problems I remember are intermittent sound due to plug UC on the remote board - solder the wires directly. Remember Uncle Charlie said the Mitsubishi technical guy - and I've always remembered. Odd failure of the 1.2 ohm resistors in the audio and remote power stages. Dry joints on the line driver transformer. And two 330uF capacitors in the frame stage and associated components. That's more or less it, and the shop I worked for at the time sold quite a few.
Glyn

Jonny1990 · 16th Sep 2016, 12:00 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_fivos_sak

Very nice set. And I am a big fan of Crash Bandicoot since I was like 6 years old!!

Thanks!

Great, I think the Crash Bandicoot games were fantastic, some of the best platformers in my opinion. If you ever get the chance and want to see the set in action and like Crash Bandicoot, I have done some videos on the games on my YouTube channel, such as a video on is Crash Bandicoot art?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdovmQGJyL4 and a review of Crash Bandicoot 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKrWTLGywo4

Glyn - Very interesting, it really is a testament to the build quality that it is still being watched after all these years. They certainly don't build TVs to last like that these days.

Maarten - After googling the Philips Continental, yes I can see what you mean, there certainly are some design similarities!

13th Sep 2016, 7:22 pm	#1
Jonny1990 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Plymouth, Devon, UK. Posts: 11	My Mitsubishi gaming Television Hi all Just thought I would share my old TV I have had for years and use occasionally for retro gaming. I think it is a Blue Diamond, though I am not 100% sure. I adore the look of old "fake wood" TVs like this, and this has actually been a really reliable TV, with a good picture and good audio quality. I'd be very interested to learn more about it if any of you guys know Attached Thumbnails

13th Sep 2016, 7:51 pm	#2
unitaudio Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 862	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television My mate's mum and dad had one of those. I remember being very impressed at the time that It had a tweeter! Tellies didn't have tweeters back then. It made a notiecable difference too compared to our Granada Finlandia rental set! The one my friend's parents had was also a good reliable set and never had anything spent on it in 25 years. My mate was still using it for his Playstation until a few years ago. Don't know what happened to it but if I know Daz, he probably binned it! I'm not sure if it's a Blue Diamond, it's a long time since I've seen one. I do remember they were seen as quite posh at the time. Regards, Paul __________________ ...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!

13th Sep 2016, 8:01 pm	#3
John123 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Luton, Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 891	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television I recall one of the High Street betting shops used to have something very similar up on the wall. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there working away to be honest! Mitsubishi made some very reliable TV's. I wonder, does this one feature a SCART socket? Retro games always look that much tastier over RGB SCART. Happy days! __________________ Regards, John

13th Sep 2016, 10:29 pm	#4
Jonny1990 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Plymouth, Devon, UK. Posts: 11	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television Paul- Really interesting, the audio quality is great, sounds fantastic with Sega Mega Drive soundtracks! The quality seems to be really good, everything works as it should and the picture is still crisp, and I like hoe much the cabinet is over engineered. John- That's great Seems these things last for a long time. Though this does not have a SCART cable, only coaxial. It is from 1983, so not sure how widely available SCART was back then? I still maintain old games look much better on a CRT than a modern TV, it gives them a slight blur/glow that smooths out rough edges and makes the games look more natural than on a flatscreen.

14th Sep 2016, 5:23 am	#5
ntscuser Hexode Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Coventry, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 280	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television In my experience ALL non-HD material looks better on a CRT than on a flatscreen. __________________ Classic TV Show Theme Tunes

14th Sep 2016, 8:06 pm	#6
McMurdo Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK. Posts: 5,271	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television My Auntie had one of those and a matching video recorder. They both went on for years and were eventually stolen in a house burglary. My other Auntie had the Hitachi Instavision which was a similar set but had a much poorer picture...I'm sure engineers know the range. __________________ Kevin

14th Sep 2016, 8:53 pm	#7
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,199	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television Funny thing, that Mitsubishi looks a bit like a continental Philips set design wise. I know it probably isn't but it has something Philips about it. Maybe that's where the designers got their inspiration. P.S. Philips already started using tweeters in their more upmarket K9 models, so around 1973.

14th Sep 2016, 10:21 pm	#8
Hunts smoothing bomb Octode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wimborne, Dorset, UK. Posts: 1,407	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television I used to have a hybrid Philips set, the K70, that gave very good pictures and very impressive sound via it's side positioned woofer and front mounted tweeter, the bass was quite something despite it all being delivered from a solitary PCL86! I think it dated from 1970. Cheers __________________ Lee

15th Sep 2016, 7:14 am	#9
dj_fivos_sak Heptode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Lefkada, Greece Posts: 969	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television Very nice set. And I am a big fan of Crash Bandicoot since I was like 6 years old!! Fivos

15th Sep 2016, 2:33 pm	#10
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,920	Re: My Mitsubishi gaming Television Hi I have one of these on the shelf - 27" version with original remote control and handbook. I also have a customer with one in daily use. Still going strong - I called to see her a fortnight ago to sort out a Sky problem. Just a little bit of flaring now, but still very watchable. The only problems I remember are intermittent sound due to plug UC on the remote board - solder the wires directly. Remember Uncle Charlie said the Mitsubishi technical guy - and I've always remembered. Odd failure of the 1.2 ohm resistors in the audio and remote power stages. Dry joints on the line driver transformer. And two 330uF capacitors in the frame stage and associated components. That's more or less it, and the shop I worked for at the time sold quite a few. Glyn