1983 Magnasonic MBT 200 B&W TV (pics)
 

Picked up this vintage 1983 Magnasonic model MBT 200 B&W TV at an estate sale today for a measily $2. Works and looks like new. Not even 1 scratch on cabinet !
Doesnt seem like it was used much. It is a very clean set.
Made in Korea. It has a 12" screen.
The cabinet has a yellow tinge to it with marbleized swirls in it.
Is that bakelite ?
I cant find any info on it.

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Nice set that looks to be a rebadged Samsung.

It's a 12" set, pretty much the standard size for B&W by that time.

The cabinet is Plastic, Bakelite was long gone by 83, at least in TV's.
It has discolored from age and the fire retardants used in making it, it was probably plain white originally, many colored sets such as white, purple and pink, suffer from discoloration as they get older.

There are ways to restore the color, see here: http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=259066

The yellowing is caused by heat and UV sunlight, so I read.

They quit making Bakelite in the 50's. That yellowed plastic can be cleaned. There is some info on it on this site and the net.

hmm, that retrobite method seems like too much work for a $2 set...lol

http://www.bluetronicsgroup.com/ Now owns Magnasonic as well as Electrohome, Citizen etc etc

Still looks like a STEAL for 2 bux...

All Canadian brands I reckon, Electrohome definitely is. I rarely see Magnasonic TVs mentioned anywhere. I used to have an '89 long ago. Couldn't find the brand on any universal remote list, worked with an RCA code though. I recall seeing Citizen-branded items. Used to have a VCR made under that name. Got it new in '93.

So I have a rare vintage Maggie set ! Must be worth alot then.... lol
Im sure the copper in it is in high demand ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI6ydpVrku4

I'm pretty sure that Maggie is short for Magnavox. Just like most other vintage sets, it's worth "whatever someone will pay for it".

I hope you're joking about the copper thing...

haha! ya im joking. This set is not going to be recycled !:no:

Very good. :) Too bad about the plastic yellowing, happens so easily to sets with fire retardant materials in the plastic. Smoke can do it too. I've never seen a yellowed Apple II or Apple II Plus, from 1977 and 1979 respectively, but I've seen plenty of yellowed Apple IIe/IIc/IIgs computers, the first of those coming out in '83, so the fire retardants probably went into large-scale use around that time. Lots of yellowed early 70s Avantis I know, but Zenith products seemed to be in the forefront technology-wise for a long time.

Well, the set still exists and works and doesnt have any scratches. The yellowing I can put up with I guess...
I mean the set is 30 years old. Most have been tossed in the trash 20 years ago !

The name "Magnasonic" likely was sort of a ruse to get half-asleep consumers to think they were really buying a Magnavox or a Panasonic..

I was thinking the very same thing!
I saw a cheap solid state table radio in the late 60's branded "Tonysonic". :D

Front looks similar to a 1984 or 1985 Daytron TV my grandpa had. Back is totally different, though.

LOL....Like a chinese "Sonya" TV I had a long time ago....and in the same Sony font on a little tag right in the front bottom of the set in gold.

Sorta wish I still had that 'ol thing....worst geometry ever and no convergence beyond the neck magnets.

Yeah, like "Bolex" watches..

Italian brand?

I think it was a Hong Kong import.
Edith Bunker: His name is Tony, something.
Archie Bunker: All Italians are Tony, something. :D

Yessah its a 12". Who made it ? It looks very Sharp but at that
time the ROK's were making some very good clones of well
known JP sets. So its either a Sharp or Korean clone.
Only top & bottom chassis shots tell for sure.

73 Zeno:smoke:

Exactly! :D

There's a Magnasonic set being given away locally right now, but it's a SPC, likely from the early 2000s, so it's worthless to me.

Some of the other Korean sets were Daewoo, KTV and Portland. :boring:

Never knew Daewoo made TV's.. lol
Their cars are horrible.
Daewoo cars were also available in the United States and Canada between 1997 and 2002, Australia and many other countries, until Daewoo's bankruptcy.
Now GM owns that crap..lol

Yes, I had a 1983 Portland 19" color TV. It was not a Daewoo--It was made by "Tahain electric wire co." and contained an Orion CRT.
Not a bad set.. I also curb-picked another Portland, from 1985. This one was a 19" color with electronic tuner(and LED readout) complete with digital clock on the front bezel. This set was a Daewoo.

cool. Good to know ! :smoke:

The Chevy Aveo is a Daewoo product.
The last firm, I worked at, had a Daewoo fork lift. The dealer did PM's on it, oil changes, grease jobs, etc. The service tech was remarking that the owners of them, were really pleased with them. :thmbsp:

Someone around here put a fart can on a closed-trunk Pontiac Wave. Not sure if you would know that it's a badge-engineered Aveo. Suzuki also has a version of those things.

God almighty ! :thumbsdn:

Made a video of this TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeYSm...iilZlA6BPw9HFQ

The video is missing.

Check back soon. It is processing.

That is COOL. Looks like new.

I always thought that about COBY. People thinking it was SONY.

I THINK a lot of these l'il guys were likely "Hit-Or-Miss"... If you got one that worked outta the box, it likely would continue to do so for a LONG time.. Otherwise, well, you're screwed... But, Big Deal.. This guy coulda retailed for $50 or less when new..Below the point where most of the K-Mart/Wal-Mart Nation would likely complain..

Good point, Sandy. I wonder how much the 1983 color TVs which I previously mentioned, went for back then ?
I can see an RCA 12" b/w going cheap starting in say, 1977, but a 19 inch color TV was still $125-$200+ for two decades following the mid-'70s, for example.