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Old 15th Nov 2017, 10:25 pm   #1
nigelr2000
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Default What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

I was idly looking at items online when I found a Fidelity AVS1600 for sale at a fiver opening bid well what could I do I bid on it and lost out at the end to another bidder with a £5.50 bid, oh well, then I received a second chance offer as the winner lived in Kent and thought it was the Aylesham near him Aylsham in Norfolk so thinking er indoors is away for a few days with the girls so I can sneak it in I bought it.
Not seen it in the flesh yet but and this is the big bonus the seller said he also has a Ferrranti T1011 I can have for free, I have googled it but can't find one so does anyone know what it looks like or got a picture. I have considered doing a telly for a while now as I used to be in the TV trade in the 80's and 90's and had a shop in the late 90's and noughtys.

Enclosed a pic of the oh so 'orrible AVS1600, can't be many of them left and I used to see quite a few in the local Norwich area as well as it's big brother AVS2000. They were nasty to work on then as a living I am hoping it will be a more pleasant experience as a hobby repair.
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Old 15th Nov 2017, 10:35 pm   #2
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Default Re: What have I done

Looks like a nice bit of history if you have room for it.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 12:55 am   #3
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Default Re: What have I done??

Oh Gawd no! So many screws just to get the back off and why did the owners always live on the 10th floor?!!
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 1:18 am   #4
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Default Re: What have I done??

Fantastic!

I've got both models, the 1600 and the 2000.

It looks like yours is missing the glass doors at the bottom - mine is also missing its doors.

Mine has developed a sound fault on TV only which I haven't yet investigated. I only got the 1600 to use for spares for the 2000, but as the 2000 has never needed any, the 1600 has survived untouched so far.

The 2000 is definitely the rarer model as I've never seen another one, but I have seen one or two 1600s. I'm not sure those are the original speakers and the picture on yours looks a bit odd in the photo.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 9:58 am   #5
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Default Re: What have I done??

I can let you have the telephone number of my trauma nurse. Unfortunately the mention of the AVS has brought on an attack so you will have to wait your turn.

Mich, try 20th floor! It would not have been such a horror if the tube came out with the chassis.

Lopt flash overs. Chip modifications that never worked, odd faults caused by flash overs that defeated all attempts at repair.

Sold by outlets that never intended to repair them.

A teenagers dream or for customers with Gnomes in their gardens...Oh stop it! John.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 10:59 am   #6
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This is Norfolk John so many many bungalows, no tower blocks over 5 floors even in Norwich so that's probably why it survived.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 2:33 pm   #7
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Default Re: What have I done??

No problem with one in a tower block. Open window, throw AVS out, problem solved.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 8:24 pm   #8
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Default Re: What have I done??

...but please first make sure you shift your car out of harms way Glyn!
Anyone whose worked on these sets knows how awful they are for access.

Seriously though, it's got to be worth saving the set and restoring it to full working order as these sets must be pretty rare now.
It's funny, sets that we hated and didn't want to handle when it was a living now become quite an enjoyable project when looked at from a non commercial point of view.

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Old 17th Nov 2017, 3:05 am   #9
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Default Re: What have I done??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Philips210 View Post
It's funny, sets that we hated and didn't want to handle when it was a living now become quite an enjoyable project when looked at from a non commercial point of view.
That's very true. I was already done with working on TVs as part of a job just before these first came on the market, but I'm sure that if I had still been doing TV repairs I would have hated working on them with limited time for customers just like most other folk.

I've just been having a late night mess about with the old AVS1600 and it turns out that it doesn't have a sound fault at all. The fault is actually in the 'source' that it was being fed from and that's the Humax F2-Fox T box. I remember that the fault originally started with loss of the left hand channel of the stereo sound and eventually both channels. I had assumed that it was a fault with the TV audio circuitry and never bothered to investigate further. I've just fed the TV from another source and the audio is absolutely perfect. That was a real surprise to me as I've never known an audio fault like that with one of those Humax boxes. The fault is there on both scart and RF outputs - anyone any idea on what could be causing that before I dive into it?

Well that will teach me to doubt the reliability of these wonderful Fidelity AVS units I was actually contemplating breaking it up and storing all the parts for possible spares for the big AVS2000, which was the original reason for getting the set in the first place, and with it also appearing to develop that fault, but it's going to survive for a while longer now. It's a shame it doesn't have the glass for the bottom section of the cabinet, but the chap I got it from forgot to put them in his car with the set when he brought it to meet me half way at a service station to do the swap. I wasn't bothered at the time because I only wanted the set for spares, but as the set performed so well, and now with the passing of time they're becoming quite rare and possibly a future collectors item, it's a bit of a shame really - Never mind.

PS, I knew John would have something to say about it - let's hope he soon recovers. Get well soon John
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 10:30 am   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak View Post
No problem with one in a tower block. Open window, throw AVS out, problem solved.
Great! Yes move your car out of the way but just make sure it doesn't land on your service van. John.
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 10:34 am   #11
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Default Re: What have I done??

I've just repaired an AVS2000 last week.

TV fault, the 15K start up resistor was O/C. Changed the capacitors in the power supply and bingo!

Quite nice picture
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 6:42 pm   #12
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Default Re: What have I done??

I've still got the one I bought from robin .

Cheers
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 7:25 pm   #13
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Default Re: What have I done??

I must be one of the minority that didn't mind these. The faults were all pretty straightforward from what I can remember. Line tearing caused by a dried up capacitor on the LT, audio IC's, dirty speed switch on the turntable and various faults caused by the jungle IC (TDA8180 I think), the modification to fit the replacement type was straightforward.

Can understand the bit about carrying one from an upstairs flat and the size of the thing.
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 9:02 pm   #14
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Oh Gawd! In the late 70's /early 80's we agreed to do repairs for the Hardy's furniture chain. They'd just started flogging cheap & cheerful (not) consumer electricals and my boss thought it would be a nice little earner. Dream on.
Although they didn't sell those awful Fidelity things, they stocked some similar stuff. Two items will haunt me forever - the 'Global' 14" portable TV in the then-fashionable white 'space helmet' case and the 'Capetronic' music centre, also in trendy white plastic.
Both these were pared down to the last penny and it showed. I can't remember any specific fault with the TV, but we seemed to have a constant stream of them flowing through the workshop. Spares and service info were difficult to find and the sets were awful to work on as there was a loom of wires that prevented the PCB from being fully removed.
The dreaded Capetronic was just plain dismal. We had a fair share of popped audio outputs and baulked tuning drives, but the main offender was the £$%$%%&! cassette transport. The take-up drive was a very badly designed slipping clutch thingy which was a real 'wing and a prayer' device. They tended to pack up soon after installation and eat the customers' favourite musicassette. They were impossible to fix in the home so they piled up in the workshop as well. Even on the bench, it was an almighty battle to remove the 'slug' of tape wrapped tightly around the capstan. Sometimes it took hours to finish the job and the few quid we got for the repair didn't cover it.
On the good side, Hardy's also shifted plenty of those lovely Philips 320 17" 'sit-up' tellies (also in 70's white plastic) which were super little sets with only a couple of stock faults.
Terribly sorry for knocking this thread off-target, but the sight of that Fidelity took me right back! Mods please move this post if it's too far off-beam.
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Old 18th Nov 2017, 10:41 am   #15
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

I never really had a problem with the electronic side of the AVS series and it was fitted with excellent Toshiba 16" and 20" tubes.

Unfortunately the chassis was fitted into the cabinet on short connecting leads and the CRT was fixed to the cabinet as a separate item.

Anyone who has worked on the 1951/2 Pye FV series will know of the frustration.
Short of making up extension leads it was very difficult to work on in the house let alone removal of the 'box' to the workshop.

It's a long time back but I seem to remember a long thin chip [TDA33000]? that would fail when the LOPT case split and flashed over. The replacement required a mod sheet and it never seemed to be completely satisfactory.

They were just a time consuming nightmare that could not be realistically charged for.

I used to try and put customers down gently informing them that it was too big to fit in my service van. It didn't work..

In desperation they delivered them to my shop in removal vans, sheet glass delivery lorries and one I remember was plonked in my shop from the back of a SEGAS service van. It stank of gas when I finally decided to get it onto the workbench and plug it in.

To be fair there must have been good ones and I suspect that these are the ones now in collectors hands.
Yes a bit of history and when they finally break down for good you can strip out the guts and turn the case into a Gnomes display cabinet.

I have a special plot roped off and reserved for an AVS graveyard. It's called 'Bonfire Corner'.

Any takers? Gnomes welcome. Byeeee, John.
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Old 18th Nov 2017, 11:14 am   #16
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

I can sympathise, as a self employed tv service engineer at the time you had to be prepared to tackle most things to earn a crust!

I had my fair share of these, usually liberated from the teenagers bedroom complete with football stickers or barbies accessories stuck on them! One that I repaired, the customer didn’t want back even though he accepted the repair quote☹️ Most disappointing. These were a last gasp attempt from the Acton based Fidelity Radio. Their first entry into the TV market with the 14’’ colour portable, was an honest and brave attempt, but all proceeding models seemed to be cut further down to a price, even removing the component legend on the Pcb. Naughty ! RIP. Fidelity Radio.


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Old 18th Nov 2017, 11:33 am   #17
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

The TDA8180 died when the loptx failed. The replacement had the number TDA8180SPEC. Doing away with the ic holder and fitting a load of mods got them up and running again. Nice bright pictures on them, Malc.
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Old 18th Nov 2017, 6:28 pm   #18
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

Oh my goodness!
I remember we used to sell this model at Rumbelows back in the day.
It used to have a £5 bonus commission on it to sell the dam things,but was so unreliable that we steered clear of it if possible!

Still nice to see a few survivors around.
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Old 19th Nov 2017, 4:59 pm   #19
nigelr2000
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

Well picked up the heap and the Ferranti which had a good tube neck sticking out the back, Loaded them both up got part way home when the fidelity decided to move as I went round a corner, all of a sudden I heard the sickening hissssss as the fidelity necked the ferranti's tube. Such a depressing noise, I now feel like smashing the Fidelity to teach it a lesson. Oh will have to list it and see if anyone want to buy a wormy cabinetted Ferranti T1011 for the chassis knobs etc. So fed up that such a stupid thing could happen.
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Old 19th Nov 2017, 5:47 pm   #20
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Default Re: What have I done?? Fidelity AVS1600.

Those Gnomes can be very naughty. They weave spells you know.

Frustrating yes but luckily not a rare model. The tube is probably a CRM172 Mazda and they do turn up if you want to get it going. They do work very well [Ekco chassis]

John.
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