FINALLY got a 4 tube Zenith console !! (23DC14).

[rca2000]

Got this set today--from a somewhat local thrift.

I have not had a 4 tube Zenith console set since 1988 or so. They all just seemed to "disappear". So--when a friend called me last night--to let me know about this one--I did NOT hesitate to go get it !!

He said it said "Chromacolor" on the front, and did not say solid state. So--I figured--and hoped_-it was a 4 tuber. IIRC..none of the 12 or so tube hybrids had the chromacolor term--only the 4 tubers. Either way--I would have grabbed it. But it IS a 4 tube set. Chassis # is 23DC14. a 23" tube, I think matrix.

It is FAR from my favorite cabinet style, being a "leg set" type, BUT I don't care. I have waited for another 23" or so 4 tuber for a VERY long time. and it was only $30. I took the legs off--to make it easier to load--by MYSELF--as NO One would help me.

These pix's are NOT real good--the sun was shining brightly--and cause so much glare on my phone's screen--I could not really tell if I was getting a good pix or not. nonetheless-they do show the set a bit.

The chassis looks clean, with mostly Zenith tubes--though 2 have a "78" code on them. The damper has NO markings on it--other than the tube # on top. The tripler is the grey type--not a red one--may not be original.

Have yet to "light 'er off"...

[zenith2134]

Wow a thrift find 4 tube hybrid?! Great catch and very clean.

[radiotvnut]

It's rare to find sets that old at thrift stores today. Even when one that old shows up, they usually deposit it in file 13 because it's "too old."

Except for a beat to heck 19" that I picked up a few years ago and still have, I have not had my hands on a 4-tube console since around '97 and about '95 for a 19." Even solid state CCII's don't show up much around here anymore.

[rca2000]

I have had a 19 inch 4 tuber for some years--it was ALSO a thrift store find. It "kinda" works--has raster and DID have a picture--before the NTSC changeover. Has not been lit off snce then. THINK it has the tall red tripler..

[maxhifi]

I like the "leg type" console... Easy to clean under it and not bigger than it needs to be. Beautiful TV I hope the CRT is strong

[davet753]

That is a great find! I've been looking for that chassis in a portable model for quite some time now. 20 years ago they were all around, now they're as rare as hens teeth.

[sampson159]

i sure remember those sets.what a great piece of technology they are.a friend of ine hadf a used furniture store back in the 80s.he got one of those in trade.it sat on his floor for a few months with no takers.i guess no one needed a tv.he started using it as a watcher in the store.the first day he turned it on,3 people in the store were trying to buy it.there was a bidding war for it.this set had the best picture i had ever saw.i have never seen a better picture on a set till this day.he sold it for almost double the asking price.the lucky winner was an older woman who knew about zenith quality.it was already 14 years old and looking like this,it will last forever,she exclaimed.about 8-9 years after the purchase,she called because of a malfunction.grandson had a magnet.degaussed it and the picture was just as i remebered.i offered to buy the set but she declined.i ran into here back in 2005 and asked about the set.still has it,connected to directv and used everyday.these sets were the peak of technology and quality.post pics in operation

[zeno]

Surprised more of these arnt around still. In the mid
70's you could make a living just on these they were so common.
Looks like this one may have had the red "ladder" style tripler
& the giant red cap that went in the slot above the focus
control. They must have had a fire cause they pulled the
cap & subbed it to a tripler kit. They were petrified of fires,
orders were if a set ever had the smallest open flame to get it
right to the distributor for eval.

73 Zeno

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by zeno

Surprised more of these arnt around still. In the mid
70's you could make a living just on these they were so common.
Looks like this one may have had the red "ladder" style tripler
& the giant red cap that went in the slot above the focus
control. They must have had a fire cause they pulled the
cap & subbed it to a tripler kit. They were petrified of fires,
orders were if a set ever had the smallest open flame to get it
right to the distributor for eval.

73 Zeno

Not sure HOW you can tell from the pix's that is had the red tripler !! It does NOT now--the one in it is a grey one. I THINK my portable 4 tube set DOES have the red tripler..

It is my guess...that bad triplers set most of these sets to their graves....WAY before the tube or any other expensive part died...Triplers were dying in tv's as far back as the late 1970's--from what I read...

[zeno]

Originally Posted by rca2000

Not sure HOW you can tell from the pix's that is had the red tripler !! It does NOT now--the one in it is a grey one. I THINK my portable 4 tube set DOES have the red tripler..

It is my guess...that bad triplers set most of these sets to their graves....WAY before the tube or any other expensive part died...Triplers were dying in tv's as far back as the late 1970's--from what I read...

The fiber board with the focus control leads me that way. Not
many sets had the red tripler & this may also be after the change over.
Only way to tell is evidence the cap was once there.
The biggest killer was the price of tubes. 6LF6, 6LX6, 20LF6 & 26LX6
all went up over $30 so thing added up fast. Prices of new sets were
falling & had features that were wanted. Also a very hot
economy by the mid 80's had us selling tons of sets more than
ever from 57'-2007.
Triplers peaked in the upright Zeniths, Sylvania E08, & Maggies.
Others went but those I remember most. Got them by the case.

73 Zeno

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by sampson159

i sure remember those sets.what a great piece of technology they are.a friend of ine hadf a used furniture store back in the 80s.he got one of those in trade.it sat on his floor for a few months with no takers.i guess no one needed a tv.he started using it as a watcher in the store.the first day he turned it on,3 people in the store were trying to buy it.there was a bidding war for it.this set had the best picture i had ever saw.i have never seen a better picture on a set till this day.he sold it for almost double the asking price.the lucky winner was an older woman who knew about zenith quality.it was already 14 years old and looking like this,it will last forever,she exclaimed.about 8-9 years after the purchase,she called because of a malfunction.grandson had a magnet.degaussed it and the picture was just as i remebered.i offered to buy the set but she declined.i ran into here back in 2005 and asked about the set.still has it,connected to directv and used everyday.these sets were the peak of technology and quality.post pics in operation

Still in the van--and it is NOT warm out today....and looks like it is going to rain. So--I will try and run my power cord out there in a couple of days or so--maybe tomorrow--and see "what we shall see". My guess is it WILL at least show snow and white noi8se for sound...

[Jon A.]

Nice catch, I like the peg leg style. Looking forward to seeing it in action.

[rca2000]

What you all have been WAITING for !!

It was not real cold out today--so I ran the cord out to the van.

I powered it on. INSTANT sound noise--since this set has full SS IF and audio.

Waited about 30 seconds more--no raster. 30 more ...STILL nothing. Began to think...maybe i have a HV problem.

Took the cover off and checked to see if the h-out tube was lighting. It was. checked to see if Osc tube was lit...it was . No blown 500Ma. bel fuse.

So--I pulled the cap off of the out tube and laid it next to the cap. Powered it on again and CAUTIOUSLY touched it to the cap..Got weak sparking..left it on and waited. SLOWLY--the HV seemed to be coming up. So--I checked to see where the brightness control was set it--it must have been most of the way DOWN--because when I turned it UP--I got SNOW !! BUT-I beleive the 6LF6 is pretty weak--or maybe the damper tube--because the HV comes up slowly AND takes time to fill the screen--when it does AND--if the brightness is turned up very far--it first pulls in from the left side and then blooms.

Anyway...here is the pix, hard to get when on its side in the van...looks like i have a decent CRT--as we expected would be the case. Along with a good tripler, Fly, yoke and most all else !! With a proper input--I DO think this set would show a good picture.

Those black lines are NOT there in the raster--EVERY time I take a pix of an operating CRT with this phone_-they show up.

[Fairlane500skyliner]

Awesome find! Low EHT problems are always *fun*... That cabinet design (using legs) is known as a "low-boy" here, a "wide-boy" if it has speakers on either side of the cabinet, or a "consolette" if it has a speaker below the cabinet but is still on (short) legs.

Chris