Largest Mass Produced B/W Screen??? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

vintagecollect · #1 08-05-2005, 01:46 AM

What is the biggest, common B/W screen mass produced for TV. I'm not talking about the Dumont Sovereign 30", or other exotic or rare sets, what is the biggest size common B/W TV size-direct view?? I recently purchased a 25 " 50s Magnavox for a song. Easy set to watch though as screen has great brightness and contast. Newer collectors really must look into these sets as a TV you would actually want to watch as big screen TV. My 25" is actually 27" as mask covers corners of screen. These sets are cheap and plentiful too.

Sandy G · #2 08-05-2005, 05:59 AM

IIRC, I think there were 27"s produced, too. I THINK I remember seeing ads for 'em.-Sandy G.

sean · #3 08-05-2005, 08:22 AM

I had a 24" Philco made in 1954. I found an ad advertising this set and it mentioned that they also had a 27" set. I have never found a photo of the 27" set but I think it is listed in the Sams index.

Chad Hauris · #4 08-05-2005, 09:06 AM

27"...we have a 27" Magnavox b/w at our shop and a lady in town has one as well, both with good crt's.

Don Lindsly · #5 08-05-2005, 12:33 PM

Philco and Muntz both made 27" rectangular B&W TVs in the mid 50s. Philco's were in limited quantities. Muntz was more seriously promoted and sold reasonably well in the metro areas. The 21" and 24" were much more popular.

Don

Sandy G · #6 08-05-2005, 12:45 PM

I think the ad I saw-in a book about old TVs-was for a 27" Motorola about 1954-55. My grandad had an old Zenith in his office when I was barely off my mama's teat, it was one of those funky "sonic" remote controls & went "Ker-Chunk" when it worked. It MAY have had a 27" screen-it was pretty big, but you gotta remember, I was pretty small back then...I DID love the way it went "Ker-Chunk, Ker-Chunk" when it changed channels....lots of heavy-duty machinery doing lots of work...Oh, 1956, where have you gone ?!? <Sigh...>-Sandy G.

peverett · #7 08-05-2005, 10:25 PM

I have a 1950s RCA B&W TV with a 27 inch screen. This TV had two brighteners in series on it, so I am sure the CRT is toast. However, I have a spare if I can get around to changing it.

frenchy · #8 08-05-2005, 11:20 PM

I figure these later big screen black and white sets should really great nowadays with increased resolution and sharpness of programs. Especially if you can use a dvd, or one of the new digital over-the-air tuners and run a standard-definition channel it into one of them on channel 3. Similar to how old round-tube color sets look a ton better than when they were made, due to better quality broadcasting, dvds etc.
As for size, weren't the 21 inch ones basically the 'big' sets back then until color really started to take over?

vintagecollect · #9 08-08-2005, 02:15 AM

I have a magnavox 25" TV, -----great to watch TV easily without straining the eyes. I'm surprised more people don't collect these. Actually a TV you would want to watch for extended periods of time. I'm sure anyone with these sets will do well as most are headed to dumpster nowadays. I'm planning on holding on to tv for 20 years, and fix remote feature too.