What year is this Zenith?

[Airedale]

Sorry for the crummy picture, but I was offered this set for 20 bucks. It works but has discoloration on the edges of the CRT. It might make a nice beater set for the garage.

I'm going to take a look at it this Saturday. Any idea what year this would be? I cant seem to find a set that looks just like this.

[ARC Tech-109]

Chromacolor, I'd say late 60's. Definitely a good restoration candidate. There's a number of posts regarding the cataracts around the screen. Its a good find

[zeno]

Abt 1970. May be an early Chromacolor but cant see from pix.
Its about 70% solid state & easy to deal with as a rule.

[Electronic M]

Roughly 1970-72. I have a 1971 (B year code) 12B13C52 chassis. About half transistor half tube with one Zenith duramodule PCB with a DIP chroma demodulator IC on it.

The first part of this video shows how I deal with Zenith cataracts like that.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F8Wfg1I1Z8Y

[DavGoodlin]

It looks like a 1971 model B4523DE. Spanish name for the model, I even have the brochure. I have in my attic this same one that my parents bought new. The yellow cataract first appeared in 1982, but now we know it can be dealt with.

This was definitely a value model: 23V CRT, 12 tubes, 14 SS devices in the IF, Y-amps and color IC, A.K.A. the better "Titan 100" chassis (12B14C52) with a barely-wood cabinet of indeterminable style.

Mine needs the VDR replaced in the HV regulator circuit, some blue convergence resistors/pots and some general TLC. It was used regularly for 14 years and repaired only twice before being retired to my old room, then I "rescued it" when the folks moved.

IIRC Zenith had an all-SS chassis this year, 40BC50?

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

It looks like a 1971 model B4523DE. Spanish name for the model, I even have the brochure. I have in my attic this same one that my parents bought new. The yellow cataract first appeared in 1982, but now we know it can be dealt with.

This was definitely a value model: 23V CRT, 12 tubes, 14 SS devices in the IF, Y-amps and color IC, A.K.A. the better "Titan 100" chassis (12B14C52) with a barely-wood cabinet of indeterminable style.

Mine needs the VDR replaced in the HV regulator circuit, some blue convergence resistors/pots and some general TLC. It was used regularly for 14 years and repaired only twice before being retired to my old room, then I "rescued it" when the folks moved.

IIRC Zenith had an all-SS chassis this year, 40BC50?

The first all SS Zenith color chassis that wasn't recalled was the 25DC56/58... There was one before that IIRC the prior year (so ##CC##) that seems to have experienced a total recall... Zenith even advised tossing the service manual for that chassis. Doug Harland has a thread on the lost Zenith SS color.

There was a 20BC50 and 20CC50 that were high tube count low, transistor count hybrids. I have the chassis for both (the B year is parts the C is a working metal table model)...The only difference between the two is that the chassis mount chroma IC is a 9-pin tube socketed part on the B and a dip on the C.

[Airedale]

Thanks for all the info, from the advertisements that I found online this looks like it could be a 1971 with the Mediterranean cabinet.

Its huge, I normally only pick up working portables. But this works and looks like the cabinet is in nice condition, I just wish I had space for it inside my house.

I've never dealt with a cataract CRT, but Electronic M's video makes it look like a feasible repair.

[DavGoodlin]

These are fine examples of Zeniths famous Chromacolor TVs before going solid state as Chromacolor II,
Just like car shopping, Dad was buying this TV as a leftover in late '71, the price was $569.

Buy with confidence, there is plenty of experience here to help.