I popped the cover off the back of the Predicta and discovered it's a 10L43 chassis. This version has a power transformer and I think is one of the more reliable versions. It appears to be 100% original - not a single replaced cap that I can see.
Normally, I wouldn't just power a set up this early in the game, but the previous owner had it running when I picked it up. No picture, but strong sound on local VHF channel 6.
I checked out the HV tube - it's a Philco and still good.
I carefully powered it up and also got good sound and with a little control fiddling got a horizontal trace.
So I went to check on the 6DR7 vertical oscillator / output tube and the frigging thing shattered as I tried to pull it from it's socket
I carefully used some long nosed pliers and extracted the remains.
What's really weird is that I wouldn't have any replacement 6DR7s except that I just ordered a few to restore an EICO 369!
So I popped one in and slowly powered the set back up. After a bit more control tweaking, I can't believe it's actually working
I've wanted a working Predicta for so long. Of course, I'm not going to leave it running and will do a proper recap when I find the time.
Here are some clips from an old Jack Nicholson movie I think. There seem to be some vertical linearity issues, but I'm not complaining
