Help Identifying TV and possible remote - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Wm29671 · #1 10-30-2023, 11:53 AM

Hello all,
First time poster and newly registered here, but long time lurker. I have a retro den set up in my basement and have cycled through a few console crt's to use as my primary tv. I picked up this Magnavox touch tune set a month or so ago and I can not find a model number on it anywhere? There are a couple of numbers on the back, but I can't seem to find a match to them online anywhere to find out more info on the year of production or manual and so on. The set works great at this point so I don't need to fix anything right now (except the power knob that pulls out has a crack in it and will slip off so I have it on a smart outlet to turn on and off).
Also, there appears to be a remote sensor but without a model or other reference I can't seem to find anything on what kind of Magnavox remote it would have used. I have a couple of older Magnavox remotes, but they don't seem to do anything.
I've attached a few pictures of the unit. Thanks in advance for any help or input. I appreciate it.

old_tv_nut · #2 10-30-2023, 01:10 PM

Have you taken the back off to look for a chassis number?

zeno · #3 10-30-2023, 01:58 PM

Its a T-815 chassis. The complete chassis ## is inside on the chassis, on a little
tag. The set is NOT a remote ! If it were it would have momentary
contact on/off switch, not a push-pull.
Maggy model ##'s usually can be used for cabinet parts ONLY.
Was a well built set. Only common problems I remember were cold solder joints.
If it acts up take care of them fast, they can chain react.

73 Zeno

LFOD !

Wm29671 · #4 10-30-2023, 07:28 PM

Thanks for all the info! It still has a great picture. Good to know on the remote. I was wondering how it could have a remote but have a mechanical power switch.
I am curious about what the sensor window is doing on it unless they used this cab for both remote and non remote units?

vortalexfan · #5 12-20-2023, 06:03 PM

The sensor on the front of the cabinet is a photoelectric eye, that has to do with the V-Matic button on the front panel next to the power switch.
It was a gimmicky thing that was done by a lot of TV manufacturers back in the 1980s to control the brightness and contrast of the TV screen according to the brigtness of the room (dimmer screen when its dark in the room, brighter screen when its lighter in the room, kind of like the auto-dimming clock displays on the old digital alarm clocks.)

I hope this helps.

dishdude · #6 12-20-2023, 08:11 PM

I liked those photoelectric sensors, they did a good job of adjusting the brightness based on the room lighting. I had a 1991ish Zenith that would let you turn it on or off in the menus. Had to be one of the last CRTs to get them.

A lot of early LCD/Plasma sets had auto brightness too.

vortalexfan · #7 12-22-2023, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dishdude

I liked those photoelectric sensors, they did a good job of adjusting the brightness based on the room lighting. I had a 1991ish Zenith that would let you turn it on or off in the menus. Had to be one of the last CRTs to get them.

A lot of early LCD/Plasma sets had auto brightness too.

My 2016 Vizio 50" LCD Smart TV that I trash-picked has auto-brightness as well, I think it too uses a front panel mounted photoelectric eye to adjust the screen brightness according to the brightness of the room, and it can be turned on and off in the menu.