Last G8 model - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

System A · 28th May 2011, 3:23 pm

Hi everyone i"ve been tidying my garage / workshop today and came across one of my G8"s . It looks like a mini G9 . The model is G22C566/09 . I powered it up and was rewarded with quite a good picture . It"s the pinger remote ( which i can"t find !) version . I"m sure it was the last model before production stopped for the new G11 range .

Sideband · 28th May 2011, 6:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by System A

I"m sure it was the last model before production stopped for the new G11 range .

I think there was a later model but the number escapes me. There was a teletext version with a HUGE teletext board (two or three boards mounted one above the other) made by Texas Instruments. It was very crude by todays standards with only single page memory, non contiguous graphics and each page had to be entered (no 'next' or 'previous'). We all thought it was pretty amazing though when we were called to a sneak preview in the training room at Philips just before launch date. That was in 1976...35 years ago!! Doesn't time fly......

After the brief demo, we were set the task of modifying some existing sets with the teletext boards to fill a gap in the supplies from Holland. Only sets with the combined I.F/chroma panels were suitable.

Obviously the 'pinger' type remote was not suitable. A multi-button remote with a new Ultrasonic receiver board had to be fitted. I think that was one of the boards that made up the teletext 'stack'.

SB

Tazman1966 · 28th May 2011, 7:01 pm

I've never seen that model before and yes it IS like a mini G9. Nice set although I'm most envious of your 20" version.

Sideband · 28th May 2011, 10:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazman1966

I've never seen that model before and yes it IS like a mini G9.

...bet it works a darned sight better than a G9 though

!

SB

FERNSEH · 28th May 2011, 11:10 pm

Hi Gary,
I cannot remember the model number of the set but I did have small number of them out on rental. That was from the autumn of 1976. It was in production up to the introduction of the G11 series.
Customers liked the style of the set.

DFWB.

Mike Phelan · 29th May 2011, 9:40 am

British Relay did have a couple of these out on rental before the G9, and very noce they were as well; better than the dreadful later G8 channel selectors.

Heatercathodeshort · 29th May 2011, 10:18 am

It looks very similar to the Roberts RCT221 that I sold new in the shop of which I still have a very nice example. They certainly were a nice looking set and worked very well. The Roberts version had sliding doors and a nice stand. Very popular as retirement presents to long standing employees in companies. John

murphyv310 · 29th May 2011, 1:09 pm

Hi Gary.
Clydesdale had a good few out on rental till the early 80's then they were upgraded. Customers quite liked them as did the field engineers due to easy panel swaps!

Vectamart · 29th May 2011, 1:12 pm

I remember we ujsed to be able to change channels on these by jangling a bunch of keys if we couldn't find the 'pinger'!

Hybrid tellies · 29th May 2011, 9:03 pm

We use had loads of these out on rental as well as selling loads wearing the Roberts badge with sliding doors. Great to work on and our customers loved them for their looks as well as good picture and sound quality

HamishBoxer · 29th May 2011, 9:09 pm

I remember that sort of remote and better than upsetting the cats with ultrasonic!

David

gec2110 · 29th May 2011, 10:48 pm

A bunch of keys and somtimes a can of spray polish (not directly at the senors) would also change the channels

Red to black · 30th May 2011, 10:57 am

And Budgies/Canaries caused havoc with this system, as well as opening beer cans

Cheers,
Baz

Welsh Anorak · 30th May 2011, 1:03 pm

Hi
Along with the 20" '560 these did fill the gap between the 22" G8 and the G11, the G9 being exclusively 26".
Unusually, the 560 was the first smaller screen set Philips made (and I don't count the 18" 570, for obvious reasons). It used rotary controls but looked smart and compact. Due to space limitations it could only use the combined IF/decoder panel. Still used the flappy channel selectrors, though! Mind you, quite a few were converted to use the touch tuning from dead G9s.
With the 566 it was always a relief to see what you thought was a G9 turn into a nice friendly G8...
Glyn
PS I can't wait to see some pictures of R2B's budgies opening beer cans!

gec2110 · 30th May 2011, 9:03 pm

These sets were smart esp in white cabinets the only thing that let these sets down was the touch button unit and the convergence board the front mounted board in the 520 was much better
did not like the G9 or its pye equivalent the 731 at all, why could the uk not make a decent 110degree crt chassis

Welsh Anorak · 31st May 2011, 2:59 pm

Hi
The touch button unit was better than Mr Flappy, though!
Agreed about the 110-degree sets - most manufacturers imported them (Rank, ITT) or didn't bother (GEC, Decca). Neither the G9 nor the 731 (shudder) were all that inspiring.
Glyn

MATTTT3222 · 19th May 2014, 8:19 pm

I've a RCT221 with the sliding door cabinet.
Someone has asked if it's a G8 or G9 ?
I was certain it was a G8 I can't even remember working n any G9 s ,or what the difference between the two were?.

bobbyball · 19th May 2014, 8:40 pm

It will be a G8.

The G8 was for 90 degree delta gun tubes whereas the G9 was for for 110 degree tubes and had different power supply, time base and convergence panels but used the combined IF/signals panel from the G8. The G9 was pretty short lived and only a few different models were released, all having 26" tubes.

FERNSEH · 19th May 2014, 8:51 pm

The G9 employed the same combined chroma-tuner board as all later G8 models. The CRT was the quick warm up 110degree delta gun A66-410X. The timebase and thyristor power supply boards were completely different. G9 models were somewhat unreliable and most were scrapped long before the usual service life was over. I took deliveries of my G9 sets in the summer of 1976, the famous long hot summer.
Most G9 sets had the simple ultrasonic remote control system although there was a version which shared the same cabinet as the Philips 526 model. The CRT: http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_a66-410x.html Evidently according to the Radiomuseum the developer of the delta 110 degree CRT was Telefunken. I always believed it was Philips.

The last G8 model to remain production after the introduction of the G11 in 1977 was the compact 20" model.

DFWB.

FERNSEH · 19th May 2014, 8:56 pm

Hi Robert,
You pipped me to the post with your response and our answers to the question are very similar.

DFWB.

28th May 2011, 3:23 pm	#1
System A Pentode Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: County Durham, UK. Posts: 234	Last G8 model Hi everyone i"ve been tidying my garage / workshop today and came across one of my G8"s . It looks like a mini G9 . The model is G22C566/09 . I powered it up and was rewarded with quite a good picture . It"s the pinger remote ( which i can"t find !) version . I"m sure it was the last model before production stopped for the new G11 range . Attached Thumbnails

28th May 2011, 7:01 pm	#3
Tazman1966 Nonode Join Date: May 2006 Location: St Albans, Herts, UK. Posts: 2,193	Re: Last G8 model I've never seen that model before and yes it IS like a mini G9. Nice set although I'm most envious of your 20" version. __________________ All the very best, Tas

28th May 2011, 11:10 pm	#5
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Last G8 model Hi Gary, I cannot remember the model number of the set but I did have small number of them out on rental. That was from the autumn of 1976. It was in production up to the introduction of the G11 series. Customers liked the style of the set. DFWB.

29th May 2011, 9:40 am	#6
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Last G8 model British Relay did have a couple of these out on rental before the G9, and very noce they were as well; better than the dreadful later G8 channel selectors. __________________ Mike.

29th May 2011, 10:18 am	#7
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Last G8 model It looks very similar to the Roberts RCT221 that I sold new in the shop of which I still have a very nice example. They certainly were a nice looking set and worked very well. The Roberts version had sliding doors and a nice stand. Very popular as retirement presents to long standing employees in companies. John

29th May 2011, 1:09 pm	#8
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: Last G8 model Hi Gary. Clydesdale had a good few out on rental till the early 80's then they were upgraded. Customers quite liked them as did the field engineers due to easy panel swaps! __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

29th May 2011, 1:12 pm	#9
Vectamart Pentode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, UK. Posts: 141	Re: Last G8 model I remember we ujsed to be able to change channels on these by jangling a bunch of keys if we couldn't find the 'pinger'!

29th May 2011, 9:03 pm	#10
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,965	Re: Last G8 model We use had loads of these out on rental as well as selling loads wearing the Roberts badge with sliding doors. Great to work on and our customers loved them for their looks as well as good picture and sound quality __________________ Simon BVWS member

29th May 2011, 9:09 pm	#11
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,932	Re: Last G8 model I remember that sort of remote and better than upsetting the cats with ultrasonic! David

29th May 2011, 10:48 pm	#12
gec2110 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Croydon, London, UK. Posts: 408	Re: Last G8 model A bunch of keys and somtimes a can of spray polish (not directly at the senors) would also change the channels

30th May 2011, 10:57 am	#13
Red to black Nonode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 2,475	Re: Last G8 model And Budgies/Canaries caused havoc with this system, as well as opening beer cans Cheers, Baz __________________ I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.

30th May 2011, 1:03 pm	#14
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,921	Re: Last G8 model Hi Along with the 20" '560 these did fill the gap between the 22" G8 and the G11, the G9 being exclusively 26". Unusually, the 560 was the first smaller screen set Philips made (and I don't count the 18" 570, for obvious reasons). It used rotary controls but looked smart and compact. Due to space limitations it could only use the combined IF/decoder panel. Still used the flappy channel selectrors, though! Mind you, quite a few were converted to use the touch tuning from dead G9s. With the 566 it was always a relief to see what you thought was a G9 turn into a nice friendly G8... Glyn PS I can't wait to see some pictures of R2B's budgies opening beer cans!

30th May 2011, 9:03 pm	#15
gec2110 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Croydon, London, UK. Posts: 408	Re: Last G8 model These sets were smart esp in white cabinets the only thing that let these sets down was the touch button unit and the convergence board the front mounted board in the 520 was much better did not like the G9 or its pye equivalent the 731 at all, why could the uk not make a decent 110degree crt chassis

31st May 2011, 2:59 pm	#16
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,921	Re: Last G8 model Hi The touch button unit was better than Mr Flappy, though! Agreed about the 110-degree sets - most manufacturers imported them (Rank, ITT) or didn't bother (GEC, Decca). Neither the G9 nor the 731 (shudder) were all that inspiring. Glyn

19th May 2014, 8:19 pm	#17
MATTTT3222 Triode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Chessington, Surrey, UK. Posts: 47	Re: Last G8 model I've a RCT221 with the sliding door cabinet. Someone has asked if it's a G8 or G9 ? I was certain it was a G8 I can't even remember working n any G9 s ,or what the difference between the two were?.

19th May 2014, 8:40 pm	#18
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Last G8 model It will be a G8. The G8 was for 90 degree delta gun tubes whereas the G9 was for for 110 degree tubes and had different power supply, time base and convergence panels but used the combined IF/signals panel from the G8. The G9 was pretty short lived and only a few different models were released, all having 26" tubes. __________________ Robert

19th May 2014, 8:51 pm	#19
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Last G8 model The G9 employed the same combined chroma-tuner board as all later G8 models. The CRT was the quick warm up 110degree delta gun A66-410X. The timebase and thyristor power supply boards were completely different. G9 models were somewhat unreliable and most were scrapped long before the usual service life was over. I took deliveries of my G9 sets in the summer of 1976, the famous long hot summer. Most G9 sets had the simple ultrasonic remote control system although there was a version which shared the same cabinet as the Philips 526 model. The CRT: http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_a66-410x.html Evidently according to the Radiomuseum the developer of the delta 110 degree CRT was Telefunken. I always believed it was Philips. The last G8 model to remain production after the introduction of the G11 in 1977 was the compact 20" model. DFWB.

19th May 2014, 8:56 pm	#20
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Last G8 model Hi Robert, You pipped me to the post with your response and our answers to the question are very similar. DFWB.