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  #1  
Old 04-09-2012, 04:42 PM
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Larry Melton (oldtvman)
 
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1961 hand held color tv?

Here is a photo on Ebay supposedly of a hand held battery operated color set from 1961? I knew they were working on such a unit in the mid to late sixties but I don't know about anything that early. Can anyone verify this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1961-Press-P...item35bb2a4c78
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Old 04-09-2012, 05:17 PM
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Non-working mockup? Can't read all of the text on the back, but it tells people not to rush to their RCA dealers, since this is an "advanced idea, possibly for the decade of the 1970s."

Phil Nelson
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Old 04-09-2012, 05:26 PM
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Love how its in B/W...
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Old 04-09-2012, 05:51 PM
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That is likely one of several mock-ups of an idea (among others) being worked on by RCA engineers at the time and made to be presented by David Sarnoff to the stock holders at the annual shindig. There is mention of this practice in the Sarnoff biography (if I recall correctly; haven't read that book in over 20 years).
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Old 04-09-2012, 06:07 PM
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Too bad RCA DIDN'T follow thru on this & bring out a hand-held color TV C. 1966...Take THAT, Sony, Panasonic, et al...
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Old 04-09-2012, 08:53 PM
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I think I can read the following:

Just another transistor radio? Please! This is a COLOR
television [?], [personalized?] and battery operated, which
[can?] also [offer?] [stereo?] radio programming for [outdoor?] use.
But don't rush to your favorite RCA dealer for [one?]. It's [an?]
"advanced idea" possibly for the decade of the 1970s, to
be shown by RCA at the summer home furnishings market
at the Merchandise Mart next week. Admiring the set is
Chicagoan Frances [?]

Last edited by old_tv_nut; 04-09-2012 at 08:57 PM.
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Old 04-09-2012, 09:02 PM
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Made the cover of May, 1963 Mechanic Illustrated.

See photo: http://www.visions4.net/journal/wp-c...dpress-525.jpg
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Old 04-09-2012, 09:31 PM
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I have a bridge for sale...
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Last edited by reeferman; 04-14-2012 at 06:47 PM.
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Old 04-09-2012, 11:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by etype2 View Post
Made the cover of May, 1963 Mechanic Illustrated.

See photo: http://www.visions4.net/journal/wp-c...dpress-525.jpg
Look closely at the AM radio dial. "XM" AM radio? I didn't know XM radio technology was that old.
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Last edited by Jeffhs; 04-09-2012 at 11:21 PM.
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Old 04-09-2012, 11:15 PM
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Just another transistor radio? Please! This is a COLOR television receiver, pocket sized and battery operated, which will also offer stereo radio programming for outdoor use. But don't rush to your favorite RCA dealer for one. It's an "advanced idea" possibly for the decade of the 1970's....
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Old 04-09-2012, 11:51 PM
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I believe RCA had a marketing campaign during this time featuring several items the public could expect for sale in the next decade. I recall a portable color set was included in the list of items under development, but can't remember if it was like the one in the ebay ad or not.
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Old 04-10-2012, 10:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffhs View Post
Look closely at the AM radio dial. "XM" AM radio? I didn't know XM radio technology was that old.

LOL!
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Old 04-10-2012, 03:34 PM
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Say what you will about Sarnoff, he did pour millions into R&D at RCA. I agree that he probably needed things to "dazzle" the stockholders at the meetings, and this little TV was as good a prop as any, I guess.
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Old 04-10-2012, 06:12 PM
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Yep, NO CEO could have gotten away w/such a trick today as Sarnoff did w/color TV back in the Fifties...He woulda been PROMPTLY been handed his walkin' papers...Nowadays they want their money back ASAP, & color TV took til what, 1970 or so B4 it really became profitable...15 years...NO board would stand for that today...
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Old 04-11-2012, 10:45 AM
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here is advertisement I remember back in the day: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...?click=main_sr
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