Late 80's Zenith fine tuning
 

This is a 1989 Zenith model SS2025W. Does anybody know the proper way to fine tune this thing, because I simply cannot figure it out. I press the AFC button to make it say F on the display, but anything I do makes it change channel. You can't really tell, but the picture this TV makes now is horrible. Very grainy and snowy, and the stereo light won't come on.

Unfortunately there is no manual fine tuning on that model. The only setting is with the AFC push button. It'll cycle between fixed and search but I never noticed a difference. Supposedly search would take a little bit longer to tune when you were channel hopping but provide a finer tuning. I think they were crazy.

That's a nice set, I've never seen it in stereo. What's the switch over by the stereo light and IR receiver? The picture looks pretty clear on it and most modulators don't pass stereo so that's probably why the stereo light isn't coming on.

If I push the "Band" button, it will cycle through broadcast, cable, HRC, etc. On one of the settings, it is BADLY offtuned, crackly sound no color, and on that setting, the stereo light DOES come on. This is the most ridiculous setup I've seen on a TV. Back in storage it goes!

My guess is the AFC on setting is only for use with devices without crystal controlled RF output (most games and VCRs channel 3/4 modulators) in case they are far off the standard frequency.

The tuning frequency is crystal controlled, and more accurate than an AFC circuit. You must be in the broadcast mode except when connected to an analog cable system that uses one of the other frequency charts.

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