1975? Zenith Chromacolor II model G4550P - Videokarma.org TV - Video

pac.attack76 · #1 10-10-2020, 10:47 AM

Picked this one up yesterday out for trash. Missing power cord. Can't wait to start on this one. My projects are backing up tho.

JohnCT · #2 10-10-2020, 03:07 PM

I sold one of those brand new to the father of a girl I was dating. So that would make it more like 77 I think unless they made that model for a few years. It has the single knob varactor tuner IIRC. Don't spray any kind of cleaner in it if it seems touchy.

John

DavGoodlin · #3 10-11-2020, 04:26 PM

That's a great save, the CRT alone is money in the bank. I sold many of these after they started appearing curbside at 10-11 years old. There were usually very minor issues and of course, I replaced the HV hold-down capacitor. The 1974-78 models were ALL dependable and rugged, I even relocated the CRTs-chassis into older cabinets.

Those one-knob varactor tuners were the only annoying issue, especially when you NEEDED UHF. I forget what worked on them. The turret tuners were an issue too, along with the detent UHF tuners, that needed the shaft grounding springs cleaned.

zeno · #4 10-12-2020, 10:28 AM

I used to HATE doing those damn springs. Then one day the boss
was doing a house call on a junker & he put a few drops of WD40
on each one. Fixed it & from then on we had 100% cure rate on
them with no risk.
The one nobbers were OK for the Boston market but a place like
Hartford you needed mostly UHF. IIRC there was a mod to change
them to 6 VHF & 12 UHF but dont remember the details. The
slide rule varactor selectors get around the problem.

73 Zeno

LFOD !

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

That's a great save, the CRT alone is money in the bank. I sold many of these after they started appearing curbside at 10-11 years old. There were usually very minor issues and of course, I replaced the HV hold-down capacitor. The 1974-78 models were ALL dependable and rugged, I even relocated the CRTs-chassis into older cabinets.

Those one-knob varactor tuners were the only annoying issue, especially when you NEEDED UHF. I forget what worked on them. The turret tuners were an issue too, along with the detent UHF tuners, that needed the shaft grounding springs cleaned.

pac.attack76 · #5 07-16-2021, 03:53 PM

Well, I finally got around to testing it. I tried it with my Intellivision game 😃

zeno · #6 07-16-2021, 06:02 PM

Looks pretty strong. I am a bit surprised it has conventional
tuners, not varactor tuners.
LFOD !

pac.attack76 · #7 07-16-2021, 06:04 PM

Is 1975 correct for the year on this one?

Popester · #8 07-16-2021, 06:12 PM

Jug looks pretty strong on this one. Nice save from landfill. Good luck on the project.

pac.attack76 · #9 07-16-2021, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Popester

Jug looks pretty strong on this one. Nice save from landfill. Good luck on the project.

Ty, definitely. I always try to save whenever possible

zeno · #10 07-17-2021, 08:26 AM

G models are 1976. They came out in the fall of 1975.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pac.attack76

Is 1975 correct for the year on this one?

AlanInSitges · #11 07-17-2021, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

That's a great save, the CRT alone is money in the bank. I sold many of these after they started appearing curbside at 10-11 years old. There were usually very minor issues and of course, I replaced the HV hold-down capacitor. The 1974-78 models were ALL dependable and rugged, I even relocated the CRTs-chassis into older cabinets.

Those one-knob varactor tuners were the only annoying issue, especially when you NEEDED UHF. I forget what worked on them. The turret tuners were an issue too, along with the detent UHF tuners, that needed the shaft grounding springs cleaned.

Growing up we had an F chassis with the slide-up-and-down varactor tuner. It seems like it was always dirty.

pac.attack76 · #12 07-17-2021, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeno

G models are 1976. They came out in the fall of 1975.

Ah thank you 😀

pac.attack76 · #13 07-17-2021, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanInSitges

Growing up we had an F chassis with the slide-up-and-down varactor tuner. It seems like it was always dirty.

Does anyone have a picture of this tuner style?

AlanInSitges · #14 07-17-2021, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pac.attack76

Does anyone have a picture of this tuner style?

There are a few pics on the web of the remote version, which doesn't really look the same since it's missing the slidey knob and also the slidey volume control. Someone here has posted a pic of one once before (or maybe it was one of the FB groups) but I just spend 15 minutes searching for a pic and turned up nothing. Maybe someone has a Zenith brochure from 74 or 75?

pac.attack76 · #15 07-17-2021, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanInSitges

There are a few pics on the web of the remote version, which doesn't really look the same since it's missing the slidey knob and also the slidey volume control. Someone here has posted a pic of one once before (or maybe it was one of the FB groups) but I just spend 15 minutes searching for a pic and turned up nothing. Maybe someone has a Zenith brochure from 74 or 75?

Ah well, thanks for trying. Maybe something will turn up. BTW I did notice this set is missing the push pull knob for the power/volume. Anybody know where I could find one?