[Jeffhs]

I just watched an episode of Kojak (on MeTV) in which a Zenith Avanti color TV like yours was featured in an apartment. However, your Avanti is in excellent shape for being well over 35 years old. The white pedestal base on these sets often turns yellow with age, but yours seems to have escaped that, at least for now. Congratulations on finding one of these in nearly pristine condition.

I agree that the 4-lead safety capacitors should be tested and replaced if necessary, before the TV is used any length of time. I don't know how much you know about color-TV high-voltage systems, but one serious problem that can occur with them if the safety capacitor(s) should short or open is that the CRT second-anode voltage will go sky-high, often causing the neck to shear off the tube. I don't know what type of CRT the Avantis used, but if they are rare (or at least difficult to find), it is best to correct any HV problems before the original tube is damaged or destroyed.

Good luck. Your Avanti should give you many years of good service, once the HV safety capacitor(s) are replaced and the area around the second-anode connector is cleaned well. Dirt, dust or other foreign matter in that area of the CRT, especially under the rubber 2nd-anode cap, can and often does cause HV arcing, which in solid-state TVs can destroy parts such as the HV tripler. These may well be NLA (no longer available) for this set at this late date, so anything you can do to keep the original in good shape will be worth the effort.