1983 RCA Console Television

[Console User]

I am acquiring a 1983 RCA Console TV in the very near future. Does anyone remember how good those particular sets were and if they were a long lasting set or not? It still has the push pull knob for On/Off & the dial to change channel numbers. The person says they got if for a wedding gift in 1983 and hasn't been used for a long time. They sent me pictures of it on and the picture looked awesome yet.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Console User

I am acquiring a 1983 RCA Console TV in the very near future. Does anyone remember how good those particular sets were and if they were a long lasting set or not? It still has the push pull knob for On/Off & the dial to change channel numbers. The person says they got if for a wedding gift in 1983 and hasn't been used for a long time. They sent me pictures of it on and the picture looked awesome yet.

IIRC, they were a lot more reliable, than the newer RCA offerings.
If it's a freebee, or next to free, it's worth considering.

[Jon A.]

Yeah, if it's free, take it! Don't want to get picky with the freebies and end up missing a really good score because whoever offered the other one has given up on you. Hopefully it doesn't have the really plain-box cabinet I've seen on RCA consoles of that era here.

[rca2000]

While not the best sets in the world, with a hot chassis, (as did nearly ALL sets on the early 1980's era), These are not a bad set for the time. If you do not mind no A'V inputs most likely, they will work ok for a basic analog set. Likely it will have a CTC-117-120 or so chassis. One thing to look for on these is a bad main B+ cap, I think it is mounted on the "chassis" (that real plate) , a 750/200, IIRC. By now--likely some bad caps in the V-out section too. Flybacks also did NOT seem to last too long in these sets. Tubes are not too bad, fair chance of finding a good one now. I saw a few "dead ones' that would just "tick" and do nothing else--turned out to be the deflection processor chip I think.

Like they said take it--if it turns out to be junk--you can get rid of it later. It might open the door to a flatty or even a roundie later on.

[Console User]

I have never owned a set with A/V Inputs so that's not a problem. We didn't own a VCR for yrs. until my late father purchased one for us as a Christmas gift. What would the symptom look like on the set if the main B+cap is bad? I had to have some caps replaced on my 1986 set last yr.

I don't know if it is just me or what but these early RCA sets to me have a different color to them when compared to later CRT sets like lets say from the 1990's or later?

I was told the earlier sets had a white matrix picture tube and the later ones have what they called a black matrix picture tube hence the difference in coloring?