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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc. |
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11th Jan 2019, 2:35 pm | #1 |
Pentode
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South Coast, Western Australia.
Posts: 129
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Realistic PortaVision-100
My inquisitive friend found a 'Realistic PortaVision-100' on the ground at the local dump. Having no idea what it was he passed it onto me as "it looks like one of those things that you like to meddle with".
It seems as if it was sold in Australia by Tandy (Radio Shack), and possibly in the late 1980s. I recall the Rigonda portable TVs from many years before that, but this seems a very strange and old design. It is a most clumsy design to use and view so I can't imagine that many were sold or are still in existence. I spent a lot of time working in Hong Kong in the 1980s but don't recall anything like this in the shops. The CRT is a real oddity (to my untutored eyes) as the screen is slightly convex and turned more than 90 degrees from the neck. How an accurate convergence and scan can be achieved is a mystery to me. I powered the unit and a raster appeared but it is reduced in height and width and a 'keystone' shape. The audio and the tuner appear to work. I guess that it will return to the dump, but should really be in a museum as it is unmarked and has a case and strap. BC |
11th Jan 2019, 2:46 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 2,819
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Re: Realistic PortaVision-100
Looks similar to the Sony Watchman pocket tv’s that were around before LCD took over, probably turn out it is one that’s been rebranded! They are monochrome sets, so no convergence to worry about! The raster was never perfect on such sets. Don’t send it back to the dump! I’m sure someone will give it a home
Regards Lloyd |
11th Jan 2019, 3:54 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,577
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Re: Realistic PortaVision-100
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11th Jan 2019, 5:14 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 478
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Re: Realistic PortaVision-100
Can I buy it off you please?
__________________
What have you bought now?? |
11th Jan 2019, 5:25 pm | #5 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Posts: 642
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Re: Realistic PortaVision-100
I have one of those!
It looks quite a bit like a Sony FD-40. Jac |
12th Jan 2019, 9:07 am | #6 |
Pentode
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South Coast, Western Australia.
Posts: 129
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Re: Realistic PortaVision-100
I knew as soon as I posted that I meant 'focus' not convergence ! Also the screen is concave not convex. The keystone can be seen as the bright patch on the pic- it is not a reflection.
Mr Projectionist: Subject to my friend's approval you are welcome to it but I am in Western Australia. It weighs a tad over 1 kg, and is about 210 x 120 x 70. I may be back in Derbyshire during your summer. I have just had a search armed with new knowledge from Jac, and it is indeed very similar to the Sony FD40. I found a diagram of the tube and realised that I am looking at the front of the phosphor so the beam is not magically bent around. The Sony is viewed with the screen at the top, probably laid on its back where the angle allows easy viewing, whereas the PortaVision has the image inverted (I assume) so that the screen is at the bottom and it can only realistically (!) be viewed with the unit stood on end. It has 'pips' on the bottom as feet and the antenna appears out of the top. Most odd. I found several similar units of different brand and case style, including the 'Zenith' in the pic. Regards, BC |