Sony badged Setchell-Carlson U-903 chassis monitor
 

Perhaps one of the more interesting unrecognized sets at the ETF was a 19" set in the silent auction badged and sold as a Sony. A look in the back revealed it is a Setchell-Carlson made deltagun monitor. I've wanted a S-C color TV or monitor since I first learned they made color sets. I was the only one who seemed to appreciate it for what it was, (Nick knew what it was, but wanted it for parts :nono:).

The Sony name on it looks original so I'd guess Sony had S-C make them a big screen color monitor for their early VTR lines back before they were importing big screen color sets. I don't think I'll see another S-C monitor with Sony badging on it in my lifetime. Date codes and scribbles seem to indicate this monitor was made in 1968.

As you can see it was stored poorly for a long time. I had to hit the pencil box hinge with penetrating oil to budge it from it's ajar position. It's CRT is the strongest testing color CRT I've seen.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1475/...d2c5437e_n.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1485/...1052df03_n.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1485/...1052df03_n.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/...75c810e0_n.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1470/...f04b5667_n.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1502/...d09443d2_n.jpg

I've begun restoration on this set (will post pictures soon). All caps it needs that I have on hand have been changed, and I've brought it up on a variac, but there are problems. The focus coil is either a replacement or at least has been hacked into an aftermarket extension cable....On power up as soon as the H output tube warmed up (socket was dirty so I had to wiggle it to get it to light) the focus coil began to burn up violently. It quickly began arcing smoking, and burning. The screen did not light. I really need a schematic for this set or the closest production TV chassis to figure this out.

That's a pretty interesting find. Does that chassis say U903? I have a SC rectangular color set from the same year. I'll have to go see what chassis mine has. I think it has a few transistors mixed in with the tubes.

I looked it over. I thought about going for it. But I did not know if I could carry it--or unload it later, and I had already (wisely) spent 150 for the 48-700 set--which I am now PROUD to own. It was just a monitor--do not know if it had sound or not--and needed a LOT of cabinet and chassis restoration--besides just electronic repairs. I decided to let it go tom someone who wanted it more.

I'm pretty sure it is a U903, but it could be a U803. There are 2 transistors in mine, they are in the underside of the monochrome video module which sits next to the power transformer/supply module. One sad problem is that all of the modules save for the HV module are completely missing their module number stickers.

There is no tuner, IF or sound modules on this, and honestly I like it that way. Most sets I find have audio alignment issues and until I learn TV alignment they simply will not sound good...So most of my sets are used as video only monitors with a separate (often tube) amp and speaker system anyway.

I've never had a focus coil (that is what I believe it is) melt down like this before so I'm not sure how I should deal with it.

Here are some more pictures of it.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7740/...29af6a5a_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7586/...35ef5bd5_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/...c2fbdf89_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/...1f97a51c_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/...40cacaf4_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/...08bb586a_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/...2a63748a_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/...a9252a32_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/...9af21f20_n.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/...c1370d37_n.jpg

Very interesting set. Sony also sold a re-labeled 18/19"
tin can Admiral all tube set in the early 70's. This one was
a consumer set with ins & outs added. Still had tuners IIRC.
The add on was also US built but obviously of very low
production, the PCB almost looked home made. Strange they
used Admiral & not one of the better brands.

Do the inputs look like SC built or are they built elsewhere.
If they are SC then I would guess they also sold this under the SC
brand.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Motorola also built a B/W monitor for Sony. It was the all solid state set from the mid-60's. It had the usual connections for the Sony B/W camera and the VTR. :scratch2:

I still want it for parts, but since you bid on it while I was too busy rebuilding tubes to return fire I'll just charge you double for CRT rebuilds in the future... :yes:

With all due respect, given how rare and interesting/desirable ANY tube S-C color set is (let alone a probably one-of-a-kind rebadge like this). Buying it to chop up for the kind of sets you collect strikes me with a similar feeling of absurdity that buying a numbers matching survivor GTO Judge, to rip the engine out, so it can be installed in a Dusenburg would... After telling you my top number then hearing you reply you wanted to part it out, that almost instantly drove my top number MUCH higher than quoted and galvanized my desire to save it....I'd have probably gone up to $200+ on it if you had camped out by it near the end. I had nothing better to do than baby sit it since I needed to have it ride back with someone else and that someone wanted it loaded before dinner...

It is like being at a cat shelter auction and bidding on a cat only to realize the Chinese lady near by, bidding against you is licking her lips and debating how to cook it. :D

S-C built commercial/industrial monitors (even after dropping consumer TVs), and this is obviously a stock S-C monitor chassis (at least in person).

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

And people complain about ME...taking my vintage electronic stuff too seriously !!

Tom,

I believe your Sony monitor uses the same modules as my model 2500(minus tuner and IF modules) My set has chassis U-807. It's in Sams 979, folder 2, dated 9-68. It's a tough Sams to scan, the schematic is a 4 page fold out.

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/q...psuuj6wi4m.jpg

I'm sure you're dying to see the front side too. :D

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/q...g?t=1462514269

I was able to get 11KV and a lit screen (with unfocused unsynched color video) from it tonight by unplugging the HV regulator and bridging the open part of the focus coil with a 12ohm power resistor (which stoped the internal arcing in the coil). There are 3 100uF 450V lytics in it that are lousy, which I can't even make a good kludge replacement for...B+ was dropping and it smells bad (cap juice me thinks) so I'm probably going to put it on hold till I can get those caps.

Perhaps you do...If you take comedic exaggeration seriously.:D

She is a beauty!

I've found the local FedEx and Kinkos tend to have large format scanners that do a good job with color TV sam's prints....Heck I'd be happy with legible pictures of the schematic.

Could you look up the focus coil's ID number and any subs listed in the sam's?