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Old 27th Jun 2019, 12:33 pm   #21
FERNSEH
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote Slidertogrid: "We sold Ferguson sets right up to the time they did the dirty on dealers by suppling Dixons with TX 100s badged as Logic."

Ferguson Limited did themselves no favours with that Dixon deal. To placate the independent dealers the firm cobbled up the Ultra U2001 and U2201 models. A 20" model fitted the TX90 chassis and a 22" model with the basic TX100 chassis. No stand was supplied with the sets so after some protests from dealers Ferguson supplied a stand with each set. And the set had to be cheaper to buy in order to compete with Dixons.

Sold my first TX9 portable TV set in late 1979. In those times the sets were delivered to the customer and tuned in all in with purchase price. Imagine any firm doing that nowadays for a small TV set!

DFWB.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 12:38 pm   #22
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Having removed the rear cover last night, I took a couple of pictures.

For one, it's remarkably dust free in there and two, is it my imagination, or are there two thyristors in the PSU(?)

Most of the IC's I can see (without heatsinks) are ITT, the delay-line has 'Mullard' written across the top and the CRT has a Thorn label but, made in Japan.

Hmmm, do we have a MKI, MKII or MKIII chassis before us?

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Old 27th Jun 2019, 1:00 pm   #23
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

It is either a mk 1 or 2, as both these used the same Thryistor PSU.
The way to quickly determine which of the MKs it is, is to look at the colour decoder chips, the MK1 used a UPC 1365 chip, the MK2 used a Philips/Mullard TDA3560 chip.

The MK3 also used the same Philips decoder chip but the PSU was completely redesigned using a much more compact chopper transformer and the ubiquitous TDA4600 chopper chip.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 1:00 pm   #24
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

It's a Mark 1 chassis with thyristor power supply. The other thyristor functions as the over-volts crowbar.
NEC colour decoder IC.

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Old 27th Jun 2019, 1:12 pm   #25
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

I cannot see the colour decoder chip in the above pics Fernseh.

It might actually be a MK2, because the silk screen for the diodes is marked D x and likewise transistors as TR x, where as on the mk1 they were marked with the prefix W x and VT x respectively.
Although I cannot say for certain if that designation convention actually coincided with the release of the MK2.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 1:13 pm   #26
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote:
Originally Posted by FERNSEH View Post
Quote Slidertogrid: "We sold Ferguson sets right up to the time they did the dirty on dealers by suppling Dixons with TX 100s badged as Logic."

Ferguson Limited did themselves no favours with that Dixon deal. To placate the independent dealers the firm cobbled up the Ultra U2001 and U2201 models. A 20" model fitted the TX90 chassis and a 22" model with the basic TX100 chassis. No stand was supplied with the sets so after some protests from dealers Ferguson supplied a stand with each set. And the set had to be cheaper to buy in order to compete with Dixons.

Sold my first TX9 portable TV set in late 1979. In those times the sets were delivered to the customer and tuned in all in with purchase price. Imagine any firm doing that nowadays for a small TV set!

DFWB.
When did Thorn stop using Ultra? I hadn't realised it was used into the TX era. I can't remember it being in use by the mid 1980s when I started to take notice of brands, thanks to the likes of Argos printing the logos next to each product.

I've heard Radio Rentals used to recondition the Baird branded ones, putting them into new cases in the 1990s to look more modern.

I would like to own one, but they don't seem to turn up often at sensible prices.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 3:30 pm   #27
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Ferguson Ltd continued to distribute the Ultra branded products through wholesalers, so in effect the brand replaced Marconi after the EMI licence expired.
I do remember models 6745 and 6749 which were just Ultra badged versions of the Ferguson 3745 and 3749, those were the sets that were equipped with the horrible 9800 series chassis.

Never saw any Ultra badged Thomson sets.

The brand name Ultra still exists as the defence and security company Ultra Electronics Ltd.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_Electronics

https://www.ultra-electronics.com/

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Old 27th Jun 2019, 3:43 pm   #28
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote Red to Black: "I cannot see the colour decoder chip in the above pics Fernseh."


Hi Baz,
TCE introduced the Philips TDA3650 decoder chip to allow easy interface with a teletext board.
Not easy with the uPC1365 IC although I seem to remember Decca managed to use the NEC chip in the text version of the 110 chassis. Or did they? It's getting on for forty years ago.

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Old 27th Jun 2019, 4:18 pm   #29
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

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Originally Posted by toshiba tony View Post
It's good how posts like this develop into "sagas". A few years ago a lowly TX9 wouldn't have made compulsive reading. I full appreciate the original post has sentimental reasons to advertise his wares, but anybody else!!!!
That's what's so good about this site, someone wakes up other peoples memories about an old set and all hell breaks loose. Good on you all.
Agreed, it's brilliant to hear other's memories of sets of our youth. I had a similar TX set (possibly 19" and IIRC had silver pushbuttons for channel selection above the tuning door & volume/colour/contrast pots etc) while in boarding school in the late '90s & my memories of it are nothing but good. I wish I'd kept it now & would love another. Nice to know they're appreciated by others & they're as reliable as I recall.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 4:23 pm   #30
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote:
Originally Posted by FERNSEH View Post
Ferguson Ltd continued to distribute the Ultra branded products through wholesalers, so in effect the brand replaced Marconi after the EMI licence expired.
I do remember models 6745 and 6749 which were just Ultra badged versions of the Ferguson 3745 and 3749, those were the sets that were equipped with the horrible 9800 series chassis.

Never saw any Ultra badged Thomson sets.

The brand name Ultra still exists as the defence and security company Ultra Electronics Ltd.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_Electronics

https://www.ultra-electronics.com/

DFWB.
The industrial electronics division of Ultra Electric Ltd (Ultra Electronics Ltd) was not sold to Thorn in the early 60s, when Ultra Radio & Television was. The industrial division of Ultra was subsequently acquired by Dowty (in the late 60s), who were in turn taken over by TI (formerly Tube Investments) group.

Following this, a large part of what originally was the old Ultra electrical and electronics operation was spun off as a new, independent company called Ultra Electronics plc. Later, TI was acquired by Smiths Industries. Ultra Electronics plc is still in business.

I think Thorn Consumer Electronics (TCE) stopped using the Ultra brand in the mid to late 1970s. They also stopped using HMV and Marconiphone brands around the same time. Marconiphone was TCE's wholesale brand, whereas Ultra and HMV were traditionally sold through appointed dealerships.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 4:28 pm   #31
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Ferguson made a neat 18" model which used the TX9 chassis. Chunky wood cabinet. Was it model 3760?
TX9 portable TVs could be modified to work from a 12volt supply.

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Old 27th Jun 2019, 4:38 pm   #32
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote:
Originally Posted by FERNSEH View Post
Ferguson made a neat 18" model which used the TX9 chassis. Chunky wood cabinet. Was it model 3760?

DFWB.
It was indeed model 3760, which first appeared in their 1981 range brochure.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 6:20 pm   #33
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

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Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
I've heard Radio Rentals used to recondition the Baird branded ones, putting them into new cases in the 1990s to look more modern.
That was the "Tristar" Made by an enterprising Norfolk bases ex rental disposal firm. May have been Semple service....It was advertised as the worlds first recycled TV!
They bought the early metal chassis TX10 sets from Radio rentals. This was the set with the black plastic front and the Videocolor PIL tube rather than the more often seen 30AX tube.
They made a good job of them, the chassis was cleaned in ( I think) an ultrasonic cleaner, all the known common faults were 'done' a regun tube was fitted and the whole set built into a monitor style cabinet with a glass panel in front of the screen. A new Konig type remote was supplied.
I bought them ten at a time and had very few problems, we used them as budget rental sets. We got around seven years out of them on average before the regun tube started to look poor.
There was talk of RR buying them back as re rental sets but I don't think it got as far as that. Supply of the donor sets ran out and the project came to an abrupt halt.
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Old 27th Jun 2019, 10:53 pm   #34
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Thanks for filling me in, I think they were mentioned in another thread, but I couldn't find it.
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Old 28th Jun 2019, 6:57 am   #35
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...t=60013&page=2
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Old 28th Jun 2019, 1:23 pm   #36
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Thanks for the link.

Talking of recycled TVs, I heard that Duke's of Romford Road used to sell a reconditioned chassis which had been "upgraded" to run a larger CRT than originally specced.

The customer had to supply the case & possibly assemble the other parts like a kit.

I wonder how long these lasted, & if any have survived.
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Old 28th Jun 2019, 2:14 pm   #37
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

The Tristars used the Baird set with the single button tuning system - the one with the orange LED. The board was hung on the side of the cabinet.
I came across the advert for these in Television magazine. It didn't actually say that the chassis was, effectively, second-hand. Mind you, they were quite reliable as the kniown faults were ironed out. Not like the Pye 11U 'recon' that simply had a regun 20" tube and a smart cabinet!
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Old 28th Jun 2019, 2:43 pm   #38
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

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Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
Yes I thought I had mentioned this before. I didn't realise it was that long ago..!
I remember seeing one of the recycled Pye 11 U sets I think it was British relay that did them as Decontrolled rentals. They looked really smart then when you took the back off !
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Old 1st Jul 2019, 9:40 pm   #39
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Default Re: Ferguson 3790 & Rediffusion Switcher 'saved'

Quote:
Originally Posted by toshiba tony View Post
It's good how posts like this develop into "sagas". A few years ago a lowly TX9 wouldn't have made compulsive reading. I full appreciate the original post has sentimental reasons to advertise his wares, but anybody else!!!!
That's what's so good about this site, someone wakes up other peoples memories about an old set and all hell breaks loose. Good on you all.
I had that exact model of TV in my bedroom as a teenager in the late 1970's. I distinctly remember the feel of holding your finger across two channel buttons to change channels, and the very good picture it gave. We lived in North east London and got the London channels as the house aerial was aimed at Crystal palace.

Whist messing about with an old TV aerial found in my Dads garage I found that, as well as the London channels, if I pointed the aerial in the right direction I could pick up Southern TV. This was very handy as at the time I was rather keen on Joanna Lumley aka Purdey in the New Avengers.

I noticed that in the 'regional variations' TV listings in the paper, Southern TV would be running repeats of the New Avengers that were not on LWT.

When the time came, I'd disconnect the house aerial and plug in my temporary antenna. Many hours were spent admiring the (slightly snowy) ms Lumley on that TV set
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