Which sony watchman do you recommend?
 

I am interested in a B&W sony watchman with the best video quality. Which do you recommend? I know the FD-40 ( the Rain Man tv) has a large screen but it seems bulky. What about the smaller ones?

I have a color watchman 380. It has boombox quality sound and a pretty good LCD screen. But, there is just something so cool about tiny B&W CRT screen that I can’t resist!

Pip the dx cat really prefers the larger screen size of the 4 inch models :

http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=269485

The mid sized models,such as the FD-270 (upper left corner of my display shelf) is a nice size, but I have yet to find one that works well. :sigh:

jr

Old thread on flat tube Sony tvs:

http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=246309

jr

The problem with any of the watchman’s are that they can’t really be used as a tv anymore except plugging a dtv converter in to the input. So yes they can still be used but certainly not as a portable tv anymore. Now it’s different if your using a modulator like a blonder tongue to say show these on display. But yes I would say the FD-40 would be best due to the larger screen size.

Radio Shack had a portavision that looked just like a FD-40. Anyone know how these compared with the watchman tvs?

Blonde tongue is good but is expensive. Much cheaper alternative is to use an old VHS player with Rf output, connected to an antenna amplifier in reverse. Works like a charm. Ok, the range isn’t great, but it does work. I tried it out on a Watchman FD-20a

The fd-10? (2" grey mid 80s one) is handy as a satellite finder, I just have my FTA satellite receiver tied to the Blonder-Tongue and use the Watchman to see the signal strength meter as I tweak the dish.

I also have a grey FD-40......

I don't have satellite but I use my watchman similarly to check transmission range of my Blonder Tongue and home made modulators.

I have never collected a R/S version* , so no first hand info... it is made in Korea, vs Japan for the Sony 40a.
Fyi, the Sony fd 42a is made in Tiawan, the Zenith is assembled in Mexico, and Magnavox versions are made in Japan. I’m guessing that all of the CRTs are manufactured by Sony. :scratch2:

jr
*did not know they existed, thanks for the tip, I will look for one for my collection.

I went to Goodwill today. While poking around the forgotten gadgets, I came across a dusty old Mega Watchman 525. It looked sad, had a broken antenna, was very dirty, and had no power cord. I almost decided to ignore it, but changed my mind. I explored the tangles nearby and found a good 12v power cord, plugged it in. The radio worked, but I got a weird, half-static snow image with V-hold issues. I was going to put it back, but it was only $5 with the cord, so in the end, I figured, what the heck.

Back home, I changed the antenna with a good one from a broken casio. I cleaned up the casing. Picture still looked lousy until I fiddled with the v-hold dial, and suddenly a sharp image appeared! There wasn’t anything wrong at all with that 525. Didn’t need caps (whew). So glad it worked. Aside from some dirt I easily cleaned, that Mega Watchman was in remarkably good shape after all!

Hi all.I just came across my FD-210.It powers up .I just have to put a signal to see if its OK...

Which set was used in the movie Rain Man...

Nice set.

FD 40A.

https://i2.wp.com/visions4netjournal...25%2C823&ssl=1

https://i2.wp.com/visions4netjournal...an-3.jpg?ssl=1

Thank you..