Stella ST1017-46 17" 1960

[Heatercathodeshort]

I feel a bit of a fraud with this one.

I picked up this Stella ST1017-46 this afternoon. It is the Stella badged version of the Philips 17TG100U.

It had been stored in the loft of a 1930's detached house for around 40 years. It is very clean with the usual cracks to the Polyurathane finish to the top of the case.
On the bench I snipped the mains filter and plugged it in. Crackling noises and very weak EHT. The boost cap was replaced, the only other black tar nasty in the receiver. All the rest are mustard or green quality components.
Switching on again produced a small but linear test card. Replacing the PL81 line output valve produced the results you see here. It needs a tuner clean but nothing more than a quick service that could have been carried out in 1964. Definately one of the top 405 line receivers. I thought maybe it would produce a few hours fun..I'm bored again..Regards, John.

[Peter.N.]

Nice find John, chassis looks new and the tube doesn't look bad for its age. I worked on loads of those in their heyday but don't remember much about them now - or anything else come to that.

Peter

[bobbyball]

Nearly as good as mine then!!!

[1955APREN]

Hi John
What a nice find, the 1st of the phillips to use the aw range of crt's. One common fault
on this set was lack of hight due to focus control 2Meg slider going low I think this as been mentioned on another thread> One fault that I once game across very low width and height low ht and valves glowing dimly The cause was the fuse in the newtrual leg of the mains being o/c. The customer had connected the outer of the aerial coax to a earth stake, the set was trying to run on the current being drawn through the aerial isolation capaacitors. All the best with you new set. Regards Derrick

[thermionic]

I have one of these, but the fringe version.

As John has said, a very easy repair, mine only requiring minor component replacements to get it running well (mainly those black tar caps).


However, my euphoria was short lived as after working well for a few weeks, the line output transformer died due to a shorted turn, bringing memories flooding back of the G8 chassis and their appetite for loptys!




SimonT.

[Studio263]

Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort

I thought maybe it would produce a few hours fun..I'm bored again..Regards, John.

Lovely set, one of my favourites.

You could always replace that 2.7M resistor in the anode circuit of the AF amplifier if you get really bored, or fix up that BRC 3000 that's been on the end of your bench for ages!

[Heatercathodeshort]

I'm waiting for the LOPT to fail. I will unplug it and leave it in the boiler cupboard for a month or two. [My efforts must concentrate on the 'Junk' Gramophone project and see it through to the end.] There are few stock faults as mentioned in another thread. O/C frame scan coils, the focus slider as Derrick as mentioned and the 2.7m resistor feeding the anode of the PCL83 sound preamp from the boost rail going high/OC.
The tuner was set on channel 9,the old London ITA channel. It could have been the early 1960's all over again..The 90 degree 1768 is another super receiver that has a lot in common circuit wise with the 17TG range. Might be fun to play with one of those after all these years. Regards, John.
PS. Moderators Is it possible to change the S to an A with the title..J.

[AC/HL]

Title amended

[bobbyball]

I have some LOPT's from these sets, all previously used and untested, but "quite a few" so there ought to be some good ones, in case of disaster...

[thermionic]

Originally Posted by bobbyball

I have some LOPT's from these sets, all previously used and untested, but "quite a few" so there ought to be some good ones, in case of disaster...

Hi Robert. I would be interested in a couple. It would be great to get my set up and running again. Please PM me if this is an option.

Thanks. SimonT.

[Heatercathodeshort]

Thanks Bill and thanks Bobby for the offer. Let's hope it holds up.
The 19" 3000 works lovely Tim. I tarted it up last year.
Since reaching the age of 65 I am informed that I have to go on a 'Hot Implements Course' [Euro directive 405/50] to prove I am safe with a hot soldering iron. No hope there so it looks like the 2.7m will have to wait for your next visit. Cheers, John.

[AC/HL]

I thought 405/50 was a TV broadcast standard

[Tazman1966]

Very nice set John and exactly like mine in this thread. Wow! Was it really six years ago that I did this set up?!! It's still super too and dare I say it, a better performer than the similarly aged Ekco T370 that I have that John helped me with its disintegrating LOPT...

[Mikey405]

Excellent sets those John. I bought a 21" Philips version many many years ago from a junk shop in a place called Morchard Road near Crediton in Devon and, after replacing the screen grid resistor in the line output valve, it sprang into life and worked. I subsequently replaced some high-value resistors in the frame stage to improve the linearity but I think that's all I've ever done to it* in 20+ years and it always works faultlessly.

*as far as my dodgy memory remembers anyway.

[mark pirate]

These are quite remarkable sets, my Philips just needed three replacement caps and a resistor to return it to perfect working order, the chassis is a joy to work on and the picture quality is outstanding.

I too would be interested in a spare LOPT, as my set gets regular use.
It is certainly one of the best 405 line sets ever produced.

Mark

[FERNSEH]

Hi John,
I wish I could write something about your set but the truth is the Philips TG100U series hardly went wrong. The occaisional line transformer, the PL81 and the odd high value resistor. Very few of these sets were returned to the workshop for repairs, I could just about do everything required to get these working again in the customers house.
The black pitch boost capacitor could fail be but not often.
I've still got the 19" version, the Philips 19TG108U. It was made early 1961.

DFWB.

[GLENZ32]

Nice looking set and it doesn't surprise me being a Philips, not taking much to get it going again. I have several virtually untouched mono Philips valve sets that still work when fired up. Good stuff Cheers.

[AC/HL]

I wonder if it owed more to a Cossor genetic heritage than the very complex Continental designs?

[bobbyball]

I'm pretty sure it was a "home grown" design. Continental Philips designs of the time had more embellishments such as push pull audio output and the like....

[FERNSEH]

Home grown design Im sure. That's the beauty of 405 line TV. you can get away with really simple reliable circuits. Refinements like flywheel line sync are not absolutely essential. Nevertheless, I think there is still a little bit of Continental quirkyness in the design. Nothing wrong with that.
The 17TG100U series is a logical follow on from the excellent 1768U series, that's one with the channel sector fitted on the left side of the cabinet.
An attractive Cossor version of the 17TG100U was also marketed, the model CT1700. A much better set than the awful model 950 that preceded it.

DFWB.