Eric,

That's a nice set. Good performer, with a good picture, and works well in fringe areas iirc.

Been a little quiet on this thread.

Here's my Zenith 12" Saratoga, after recap and a few other parts.

After getting it all done I still had the same vertical problem that I started with - severly expanded center of picture and compressed top and bottom. After 2 days of beating my head against the work bench, it finally came to me (must have been all those shocks from the metal CRT shell) on the Zenith chassis ground isn't always ground everywhere on the chassis. The top is insulated from the bottom and sides, when I replaced the 3 sections of one of the electrolytic cans, I grounded the replacement caps at a convenient point on the BOTTOM section of the chassis. This was the same as having the original open electrolytic can in the circuit. Moving the ground point back to the top section of the chassis and a great picture popped in.


Chuck

Great Zenith there! I've always wanted one of those porthole sets. I have a radio chassis that goes in the console model. Been saving it in case I come across one.

Hmmm... perhaps I will try beating my head a little more often!
:twak:

Chuck, great jop on the "Z"! Makes me brood over not having time to finish mine. I had the same "chassis isn't ground" prob on a radio/wire recorder I restored a couple of years ago, and the Sams did not show it! Gave me fits after I grounded a replacement cap instead of using the terminal the old one used, new caps being smaller I had used a closer connection point.
Marlin

What a beautiful Zenith!

I was having fun looking at the online chronology of RCA cameras and fired up the 'ol 8T241. I still can't believe how clear and bright the picture is on this set :)

When Marty went "Back To The Future" that set was already 7 years old! :eek:



"Oh Marty, nobody has two Televisions!"

Zenith combo
 

Chuck,
There is a porthole combo currently on e-bay. It's in Grand Rapids, Mi. I somehow can't get you there directly :mad: but the item # is: 2179945608

Here's a link, it's a beauty!!


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=3638

Thanks Eric,
Try as I will,
I couldn't get that link to work. It is really a deluxe set.

I just noticed the seller says it needs refinished, looks great to me but then it's hard to tell in photos.

Re: Zenith porthole console
 

I just looked at that Zenith porthole set on ebay. Very nice 3-way (early) home entertainment center from about 1949 (I remember seeing an old Zenith advertisement for this model not long ago--that's how I know the year it was made).

The cabinet looks good to me. I couldn't see any gouges or other so-called "flaws" the seller mentions, even when I supersized the pictures. I think whomever gets this will be very happy with it, if only for the beautifully crafted cabinet. They don't make them like that anymore.

I hope as well that the person who finally wins that auction knows something about repairing TVs, as most of today's TV repair shops won't touch a set of that vintage with a 10-foot HV probe. :( The problem the seller mentions, "faint picture on . . . screen", could be caused by something as simple as a misadjusted AGC control, a weak video-amplifier or output tube, a weak or dead tube in the IF strip or, at worst, a weak or nearly dead CRT.

Repairing old sets is not easy in many cases, as I know all too well after having repaired (or at least tried to) many old radios, TV sets, phonographs, etc. picked up from my neighbors' trash 30-odd years ago; again, I wish the eventual winner of the auction the best of luck. Even if they cannot get the television to work, this set ought to make a good radio-phono combo if the TV's audio section works (almost all 3-way sets used the TV audio output stage for the radio and phono as well, and they sounded wonderful with those push-pull output stages, huge woofers and tweeters--they sounded and were built much better than some modern stereo outfits.)

If worse comes to worst and the entire set must be junked, the cabinet can be gutted and used to house a modern TV and stereo system (as many folks on this forum have done). In any case, I think a set of this vintage would be an excellent investment for the right person.

Re: "bug eye" Zenith TVs
 

Marlin,

I can't say for sure, but I think your TV repairman friend referred to these sets as "bug eye" Zeniths because of the positions of the volume control and channel selector (both with huge knobs reminiscent of--yup, you guessed it--bug eyes) on either side of the CRT, so the term fits to a T. A very unique design not seen since the '50s.

Steve,

I saw the Zenith listing, but Michigan is a little to far for me right now. :(

Need to find one around the Philly area.


Chuck

RCA 630 TS
 

RCA 630 TS with channel 1

Zenith Porthole Combo
 

Here's my latest buy,
Zenith Model H3469E. Listed as a "Blonde" cabinet in Riders TV vol. 6. Color looks a bit darker than a Blonde but Probably darkened over time ?. I haven't begun restoration yet, Looks like a nice summer project. Hope I don't find any rubber coated wire in there!

Jim

Re: Zenith porthole console cabinet
 

Jim, I am no expert, but I think Zenith may have offered that particular porthole set in several different cabinet styles. I just saw the pictures of yours, and am inclined to think you may have a darker cabinet after all, something like oak, maple or even cherry.

I don't think, however, that a blonde cabinet would darken as much as you seem to think yours has, even after 54 years (assuming your set was made in 1949). Some woods do darken with age, but I've never seen light wood darken as much as that.

P. S. I live in a small town near Lake Erie and just love the idea of this set being referred to as a "porthole" model. Sounds very nautical and makes a lot of sense. (I wonder if Zenith got the idea from the fact that, in the 1950s, their main plant was in Chicago, near Lake Michigan, as well as because the screen is round like a porthole?) If I were a betting man (which I'm not), I'd bet a lot of these sets were sold in lakefront and/or coastal communities because of that nautical appearance.

Re: Philco "Seventeener" portable
 

Eric, when I saw the picture of your Philco Seventeener as I was browsing the forum just now, it brought back memories. I had a set like that, which Philco called the "Briefcase 19" (in an off-white cabinet) in the early 1970s, which I picked up from a neighbor's trash; the set served me well for about two years, until I moved and got a new set. The Philco worked well during the time I had it, though (although I had to use an external antenna with it because the dipole antenna in the handle was missing). The set was built like a battleship and worked as soon as I plugged it in after lugging it home (even though this set did not have a power transformer, it still weighed the proverbial ton--making it more of a "luggable" than a true portable).

BTW, I remember seeing the schematic for the "Seventeener" and my Briefcase 19 (the latter having a 19-inch CRT) in an old collection (Beitman, if memory serves) of Philco TV schematics for their line of sets manufactured in 1961. I don't know when the Seventeener came on the market, but my Briefcase 19 dated to '61. This leads me to believe that the Seventeener and the Briefcase 19 used the same basic chassis and cabinet, the only real differences being, one, the size of the CRT and two, slight differences in cabinet color (yours is red, mine was green with the CRT bezel in an off-white).

Jim,

That's a gorgeous set! BTW the "H" series Zeniths are 1951.


Chuck

Was "Porthole" Zenith's actual designation for these sets or is that a nickname that came later?

"Porthole"
 

Hi Eric,
I believe "Porthole" is a nickname. Zenith proclaimed these sets as having a "Giant Circle Screen."

Re: Zenith Porthole Combo
 

Hey Jim, I have nearly the same set, and mine is also a dark blonde wood. I believe the darker blonde was the original color of the set. It was great fun restoring this set last winter.

I've posted this picture before but here it is again so you can see the similarity of the color...

Unimatic1140 ,
Looks like we have the exact same cabinet finish. My TV has a 16" CRT, Is your's really a 19"? Looks the same size as mine. I saw your combo photo here on the forum. In fact, That's what sparked my search for a Porthole Combo. It's great to have the Radio, Cobramatic changer and Round Screen TV all in one nice cabinet. Plenty of space on top for more Vintage radios and TV's.

Jim

Hey Jim, yes mine really is a 19". The picture tube is a 19AP4.

Yet another 721TS Completed
 

Here's the latest addition to my display room, a 721TS. Completed final assembly and adjustments and it looks great. No deep scratches, no veneer loss, even has the original cord, still in good condition and still riveted to the HV cage.

"Before" picture
 

Thought I'd post a picture of my "problem child" before I do a hatchet job on him!
http://www.bcpl.net/~rpope/pix/olympic2.jpg
He's an Olympic CB137. A stocky blonde, I call him Troy.
Nobody's been able to get him up and going again, so I plan on chucking the CRT and replacing it with a (gasp!) color set. I know it's "not done", but I'm at the end of my rope. He's too cool to get rid of!
Plus, he goes really well with Marilyn, my blonde Silvertone stereo console:
http://www.bcpl.net/~rpope/pix/stereo.jpg
Now all I need to do is replace the rest of my bedroom furniture with 50's stuff and I'll be done.
No, wait a minute. Gotta start thinking about the den. Captainmoody's sending me a '65 Zenith console so I guess I'll have to add a few more "period pieces" to make it feel at home!

Neat set ,what exactly is wrong with it?

I see one problem, it's too short to stick a color set inside.

Were you planning on taking the color set apart and mounting the CRT in place of the B&W tube and mounting the chassis seperatly?

Wow! That set is way too cool looking! Very retro! I wouldn't chop it, either. What does it do? Or not do?

Hmmm... my ship docks in Baltimore for 24 hours on the 12th or 13th (hint hint). :D

I have two complete B/W test fixtures and an array of other test gear and could probably get that set running, eliminating the need to chop it. What are the symptoms?

My impression is that Veg-O-Matic doesn't want to stuff an old roundie into that retro-blonde. I think he wants to pull the guts out and place a modern 19/20" color set in to the cabinet. I hope if he does that he at least leaves untouched all the original tube masking, woodwork and knobs. Kind of the Harry Poster approach.

Olympic from hell
 

What I want to do is just slide a new color set in it and be done with it. Of course, I'm not foolish enough to believe that'll work without a lot of finagling. Yes, I'd prefer to keep the mask as is and I'm definitely going to leave the knobs in place. The thing is, I won't know 'til I get there what's going to have to be done. I'm even toying with maybe reverse-painting the safety glass into a roundie shape. As I say, I'm not sure yet.
The major problem with the set is that it doesn't work! There's a resistor that keeps frying and something else that I forgot (sorry, I'm not up on repair speak!) The restoration guy gave up on it and the repair place said there were too many things wrong with it and wouldn't begin to touch it. So here it is, currently holding up my 13-inch black plastic set.
Charlie: feel free to drop in when your ship docks--just don't count on sneaking out with a set under your jacket! I've got a weiner dog who's in charge of security!

I have the schematic in my library and the set shouldn't be difficult to troubleshoot. It looks like a fairly straightforward late-50's wide-deflection design. Since it's a console, probably uses a power transformer and 5U4 for LV power, has keyed AGC, intercarrier sound and might have a 39.75-45.75 MHz IF bandpass. If I knew which resistor (Rxxx number) then I could look on the schematic to see what other parts in that area might be shorted and causing excessive current in that resistor. Could be a mis-biased tube, etc. but a shorted cap is almost always to blame (and can throw bias way off).

Olympic TV/Stereo Console
 

Hi all - Here's a picture of the Olympic B/W TV/stereo console I picked up at a used furniture store two weeks ago. Been working my fanny off to restore it ever since. It's all been buffed and polished and the stereo section is now complete. I am still waiting for the re-cap kit for the television section from a company in Canada.

It's all original black laquer and doesn't photo well so bear with me on the pix. It's really gorgeous in person. Maybe I'll him outside to take some daylight pix tomorrow.

Love the site by the way!

Fredro

Olympic TV/Stereo Console
 

Here's another picture with the doors closed on it. I love the Oriental art that was handpainted on the front . I think the make is about 1960 or so.

Fredro

Yow!
 

Man, that black Olympic has got to be the coolest set I've ever seen! Makes mine look sick! Well, almost.
Is it me, or does there seem to be a shortage of information and/or interest in Olympic sets? So far, I've only seen two, yours and mine, but they're both pretty cool.
Maybe we're just ahead of the game and by next year, Olys will become the new CTC1s!

A quick question for everybody...I had never heard of Olympic before coming to this forum. Are they still being made in any form, or has it gone the way of Dumont and the "original" Philco. Does anyone have any idea of the timeline of the demise of various makes? Also, was Olympic a store brand, or would it likely have been rebadged as something else here in Canada, as I beleive some of the canadian "Marconi" sets were rebadged Emersons, judging from pictures I have seen of certain models (i.e. the Emerson portable with AM Radio that is shown on Eric H's vintagetvsets website is the same (from what I have seen), as sets badged as Marconi here.

Olympic television
 

Hey Veg..... Thanks for the compliment on the set. I will be posting some better, more clearer pix soon. I am going to have to take it outside to get the black to show up better. This set is just killer on the looks scale. My recap kit is in the mail now and hopefully, it will be here by this weekend. I have totally cleaned and polished every square inch of the cabinet, totally lubed and greased the turntable and brought the stereo amp into the new millenium. Sounds pretty good too. Hope that with all of this hard work, that I won't have the troubles that you have had with your Olympic.

BTW - I love the nice pretty petite blonde look yours has. I think it's really beautiful. DO NOT JUNK THIS LITTLE ONE. It's just too pretty. Someday it WILL function again.

You never said whether or not yours had been recapped. If you will let me know the chassis # of your set, maybe my schematic can be of some help to you. This schematic I have covers chassis JB, JD, JF, JH, JBU, JDU, JFU and JHU. You should be able to find the chassis model stamped on the chassis down on the steel deck where all the tubes are inserted. Mine has a chassis JD. I am assuming a JDU means that it has UHF capabilities. Mine does not carry UHF. From your pix, yours doesn't seem to have it either.

Lemme hear from you on this.


Hey Eric..... I have searched and searched for any information on Olympic sets. I see an occasional Olympic radio and Olympic brand name vacuum tubes on Ebay but other than that, I don't see anything else. My owners manual (yeah, I was lucky enough to get all the original papers on this TV) sez that Olympic television was a subsidiary of the Siegler Corporation in New York City.

I think that they were their own entity and weren't just renamed from other companies. The reason I think this is because of the vacuum tubes being stamped as Olympic and I see other vacuum tubes on Ebay with the same name brand.

Believe it or not, EVERY vacuum tube in this set is an Olympic tube. I only had one bad tube in it - a 5U4GB. I am hoping that this might be a hint of how good it worked. Maybe it ran very well for a long time and no one ever tried to repair it when it finally did quit. Of course it might mean that the TV quit very early on also and no one ever bothered to get it fixed. When I took the back off, the wiring appeared to have never been touched since the day it was made - you know, tied up just so perfectly.

Thanks for chatting - Fredro

I have a little Olympic three-way portable radio from probably the 1940's, nice little low-priced set in a plywood box with Bakelite front panel and contact-paper finish with a rope handle and all Loktal tubes. Excellent playing condition on Battery or 115VDC but needs recapped to play properly on 115VAC ... yet another project that I've set aside until I find time to do more work on my own collection. Just thought I'd mention it here since the Olympic brand is being discussed.

Olympic TV
 

Hey Guys,
Both those tv's are beautiful examples of Olympic's products. They look to be the same chassis.
Olympic Radio & Television Corp. was located in Long Island City, N.Y. They produced a line of radios, tv's, HiFi and combination sets from 1948 to 1971. This included both b&w and color receivers.

Success - It's alive !
 

Well, after a recap kit for this set and some hard work on the vertical hold, I got my Olympic console to where it looks like this. The picture looks better in person than shown here.

Fredro

Hey guys, I just wanted to share with you my three recent acquisitions, a 1950 Raytheon, a 1947 Admiral and a 1949 Philco. I'm a bit perplexed about the Philco because it seems to have no fine-tuning knob anywhere on this set. As for the Raytheon does anyone know if this set uses the entire tube face like when you have a Zenith porthole in stretch mode or is the top and bottom of the circle simply dark with the picture in the middle? I need to find a new picture tube for the Raytheon because the bakelite end of the tube has been snapped off and there was a brightener attached.