1970 round tube ad
 

Thought the commercial at 2:02 in this video would entertain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIII0_4ibAw

"Four-way home entertainment center" for just $398! TMA is the brand apparently...whatever that was. It's kind of a sad setup with the 8-track just a box on top...

Call now--PO7-6900!

I had that component 8-track deck (and seen one or two more) IIRC it was badged Columbia, but there were other names on those...I rather have the thing under it though.

When looking up TMA sets in the Sams index is says "see Muntz". Hmm...

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Here's another commercial with a better look at the cabinet (plus a bunch of other sets that look like...I dunno what, Curtis Mathes maybe?)

https://youtu.be/kSGQoS1Mxww?t=26

The spots aired in Chicago. I'd love to know more about those sets; I have a real weak spot for ugly consoles from that era.

Interesting phone number. If you check a phone dial, the first three digits in alpha terms would be "POS." Maybe they were trying to tell people something! :-)

Long ago there was a little discussion on here about TMA. From what I recall, the initials stand for Television Manufactuer's of America. Essentially, after Madman Muntz left the TV company he started (I think there might have been a bankruptcy in there) it stuck around making sets like this and also cranking out some stuff for Montgomery Ward. At some point it I think it became TMA. It seems like I had a module for one at one point, or at least saw a very good photo of one, and they were made in Mexico. I don't think they lasted beyond the early 70's.

According to this site TMA was around from 1948 to 1973: http://www.tvhistory.tv/1960-2000-TVManufacturers.htm

They still made roundies in 1970?!! :eek:

ISTR: some of the folks here that lived through the era, and or have newer sam's folders on hand saying that there were roundys offered as late as 1973 as loss leader sets to get folks in the bargain stores.

If I had to guess, the industry were not likely making round tubes at the time (or, perhaps, were making them as replacements for existing sets).

The whole "entertainment center" seems to be a kludge to me. The lack of any address for wherever "PO7-6900" rang makes me suspicious of the venture.

*for people outside the US and Canada, PO 7-6900, if it were in service, would be dialed +1 312 767 6900.

There are reports that Magnavox, Montgomery Ward & perhaps Philco were still offering roundies around '69-'70. Once supply of 23v tubes caught up with demand (and it took quite a while) the market dried up for the old tube.

Philco-Ford offered Roundies as late as 1972-1973. The leftover Roundie CRT inventory got used on loss leader and economy models. And several other makes also did so for the budget customer. Philco-Ford is unusual as their late Roundie models had some transistors used in their circuitry.

Yes indeed, look up chassis 17MT80 it was hybrid and had the SS badge all Philco's color sets did starting 1967.

Since I have all the Sams from 1970s now, does anyone know of a later roundie than the 17MT80 chassis. Example:could a 1972 be a 22MT80?

Here's a 1969 Muntz ad for a 21" roundie color combo set. And a 1970 ad for a Philco 21" solid state roundie table model. As well as a 1968 ad for a 21" Ward's Airline color set.

That Airline sure wasn't a stripped-down model: it includes a "phosphor-coated screen" for brightness!

I'm surprised they did not tout the mechanical enclosure to keep your kids from touching the B+ rails. :D

I did some bench work for a Muntz dealer in the late 60's. The roundies had Zenith CRT's in them. They were EIA 1101 CRT's with the Zenith logo on the base. They tried to remove the logo but you could see traces of it. The chassis was pure CTC15 clone.
The set shown in the commercial is a model 1581, which had a cheapie Japanese AM only radio and some kind of a low-end record changer. An Admiral Ensign or a Maestro IIRC.
The Muntz dealers were a bait and switch operation. :thumbsdn:

Not surprising the RCA clone chassis. I have a 1967 Airline rectangular color made by Muntz and it too is an RCA clone.
I wonder if any of those last-gasp Muntz roundys still exist?...I'd imagine with how cheap they were most were probably scrapped upon post-warranty failure.

Solid State Philco roundie?!?! Now I need to find one! Those have to be pretty rare now....

Ah, It's a hybrid, still WANT!

Recall walking into a Ward's store many years ago and right at the entrance was that very $258.00 color set in a display. Even then, I marveled at the no frills black fiberboard cabinet and the gray plastic control panel w/gray plastic knobs.

-Steve D.

I had a 23v Philco from that "SS" era and it was a very good set, one that I should have kept. They don't have a ton of transistors but some. Philco had set up its own crt plant around that time & I suppose it was easy for them to crank out a bunch of those 21" tubes. I found one (the crt, not the set) but it was a dud. Zenith bought the crt plant in the early 70's if I remember right.

Don Lindsley posted about that Blue Bell, Pa. plant once but I'm not sure if it was Philco's CRT plant.

After Ford sold Philco to GTE in 1974, I think Ford kept the Blue Bell plant for aerospace and car radios, known as Aeronutronic and later Ford Aerospace.

Why, yes, a whole 43% brighter. "Brighter than what?" is my question... A burned out 1961 Muntz black and while CRT? LOL!


Those ads are priceless. Each has their own charms.. The Muntz is the best deal of the three, but if I were choosing back in the day, I would have gone for the Wards set.

I saw "solid state signal system", and I think it meant the tuners and maybe the IF and detectors are solid-state.

The Philco hybrid chassis was one of the first heavily transistorized
sets going back to the mid 60's. Very good chassis & a great
pix with the right CRT. IIRC only had sweep tubes & video out.
Would have overlapped roundies so not surprised if they were
in some.

73 Zeno:smoke:
LFOD !

I have an old Sams field service guide that covers the years 1967 to 1969.
The Philcos shown have 18 tubes including the round tube chassis. The only solid state is the tuner and IF strip.
They didn't use a HV regulator and the 23's were hard on flybacks. :thumbsdn: