RCA model names - Videokarma.org TV - Video

reeferman · #1 03-24-2005, 11:50 PM

Where in the world did RCA come up with the model names for their sets? Did it lend/add an aura to the set? The French were consistent in naming battlefield encampments after the General's girlfriends. RCA makes no sense at all. Did you know the "Whitby" name was used for the -5N, -11C, & -17X? Does anybody really care? If you have a model # and want to know the name, my field service index is about 95% there through -19. One thing I did find (interresting ?) was the -12AC was listed as Hotel/Motel.

Chad Hauris · #2 03-25-2005, 06:22 AM

It appears that similar cabinet styles of sets used the same model name even as the chassis technology changed.

bgadow · #3 03-25-2005, 01:07 PM

I guess it made choosing a cabinet out of a book a little easier. Instead of "Frank, I really like the RC-473-6QE-71A better than the RC-471-6QT-64B. It would go better with our sofa." she could just say "I like the 'Portabello' better than the 'Riveria' " I suspect at smaller dealers, at least, they sold many sets out of the book instead of having to stock everything. Also made it easy when you saw the ones shown in the magazine. Maybe the wife of some executive got the job of coming up with those names. Always wondered if they had to be careful not to use the same name as the competition. What if both Admiral & Philco offered a "Walla-Walla"? And what would a "Walla-Walla" look like? Sorta like a Wishy Washy Washing Machine???

Steve D. · #4 03-25-2005, 04:33 PM

If I recall, many brands did use the same model names. Especially in the higher priced sets. Now there are virtually no wood cabinet models available. No catalogs. Few neighborhood appliance/tv stores. Just on line shopping by model number and big box stores. Pretty hard to put an exotic name on a rectangular plastic cabinet. Ho hum.........

-Steve D.

old_tv_nut · #5 03-25-2005, 10:06 PM

I posted this somewhere here once before:

I wasn't in marketing at Zenith so I can't say for sure, but I believe they took their model names from town/city names in an atlas - and I believe they definitely checked that no competing brands used the same names. There probably were copyright issues involved, but they wouldn't want the same names anyway.
Many of the RCA names have a British origin (except the Seville, I guess) or refer to something considered elegant (Haviland <-->porcelain china). "Gainsborough" was an artist and is also a town name.

I also say ho-hum to the charcoal gray sameness of present designs.

old_tv_nut · #6 03-25-2005, 10:16 PM

Now here's a cabinet

Sandy G · #7 03-25-2005, 10:23 PM

I always wished they'd named one the "Featherstonehugh"-Fanshaw- and another one the "Chalmondeley"-Chumley. But nobody there had a warped sense of humor like I do, I guess...-sandy G.

reeferman · #8 03-25-2005, 11:16 PM

Hey OLD_TV_NUT. Nice picture. I remember working at the Magnavox dealer back in the early 70's. An old lady would come, adore the cabinet, buy it, could care less about the set. She would tell her friend, and the process would repeat. I have to hand it to the marketing execs at Magnavox..they knew how to get to people who had the $$$$$$.

#9 03-26-2005, 01:44 AM

Isn't that white set either the Drysdale or the Tralfaz? LOL

You think most TV names are weird? Ford hired some wacky poet to cook up some sub model monikers for their upcoming Edsel. Among the names she suggested was "Utopian Turtletop" I shat you not. Whatta maroon!

Anthony

Sandy G · #10 03-26-2005, 07:25 AM

Hell, it mighta done better if they HAD named it that.... Still the the Edsel would have been a BIG hit if they'd introduced it in '55, rather than '57...in '55, you could sell anything that had wheels. By '57, the country was headed into a recession, & people weren't wanting to buy too much that was flamboyant. So what does Detroit do ? offer up the most outrageous, "gorpiest" cars ever. At least until the '59s came out...-Sandy G.

Chad Hauris · #11 03-26-2005, 12:53 PM

The chassis in that white set is a pretty good one...out of four of that style I have, 2 worked right off the bat and the other two just needed new 6BK4's or HV rect tubes and repairs in the 6BK4 circuit.

RVonse · #12 03-29-2005, 08:04 PM

In their day, Magnavox, Zenith, and RCA sold some really great looking cabinets. And I'm pretty sure some of those wood tv cabinets had real live wood and not just coated partical board. Constructed far better than most of the real furniture you would find at discount places today.

So I wonder what has happened to cause the situation so different today than in the past? Did we run out of wood or could it be that people just prefer to buy a bunch of cheap crap at Wal Mart? I wish I knew.

Steve Hoffman · #13 03-29-2005, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVonse

In their day, Magnavox, Zenith, and RCA sold some really great looking cabinets. And I'm pretty sure some of those wood tv cabinets had real live wood and not just coated partical board. Constructed far better than most of the real furniture you would find at discount places today.

So I wonder what has happened to cause the situation so different today than in the past? Did we run out of wood or could it be that people just prefer to buy a bunch of cheap crap at Wal Mart? I wish I knew.

Sony happened. As soon as people saw that amazing Trinitron picture they forgot about the wood and went for the picture.

andy · #14 03-29-2005, 10:17 PM

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reeferman · #15 03-30-2005, 01:29 AM

I can't remember if consoles had the radio, record player, and tv or not. If so, Then put my vote in for hating consoles. They were hard to deliver, hard to work on, hard to put together (wiring) after repairs. I remember that few had wiring diagrams inside them. General Electric was a real piece of junk, followed closely by Magnacrap. But in this instance I can honestly say that I wasn't prejudiced..I hated them all.