Philco Seventeener III

[Adam]

This is the other set I picked up recently. When I saw it arrive in a really beat up box, I expected disaster, but only one corner of the back cover was cracked, and I've fixed worse.

This set, like the RCA I just got, only gets snow and static when hooked up to the dvd player. But at least the picture filled the screen... initially. After a minute or so the horiz width started to shrink and I spotted a burning resistor, so I unplugged it. And like the RCA I just picked up it could be a while before I get back to fixing it.

This uses the 17DAP4, a 2.6V tube, like in the Predicta, and unlike my RCA, it's good, not great, but ok. And I always like to find pre-1964 sets with a uhf tuner. Everyone makes such a fuss over the Predictas, but of the Philcos I like the Town & Country and the Seventeener III the most.

[zenith2134]

Yes, I had this TV in a yellowish color. The IF strip needed an alignment since the sound was way out, but the CRT was still bright enough. I sctually used a B&K 465 to run the heater at slightly higher voltage and that's what brought it back to a usable state.
The antenna in the handle is a nice touch. This is 1 set I wish I saved from the floods.

[Boobtubeman]

Makes me miss my moto 17p6

SR

[bandersen]

Nice set It looks very similar inside to my Town and Country.

[Eric H]

I scrapped one just like this recently.
I kept the chassis and CRT to fix another one with the remote chassis but I gave the cabinet to the thrift store.
I'm not sure how good the back was but I don't think it was cracked.
Never fails, when I toss something a need arises soon after.

[decojoe67]

I just recently found one of them myself. It's the late version with the basic handle and the Predicta antenna mounted on the right side.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Adam]

I made some progress on this. I did the usual recap, and had to replace a few caps and resistors that were taken off the horiz/vert board and never put back. And when I tried it I got ... nothing. But after poking around I found the trouble was the horiz osc tube socket. After resoldering it to the board, I got a good picture with both horiz and vert sync, and sound with lots of buzzing in it. But the picture only fills the middle of the screen because the HV is way low, around 7.5kV. Then, yesterday I turned it on and the filaments burned out in that same horiz osc tube. I didn't have one, so now I'm waiting on a 9AU7 to arrive in the mail.

And I found the small piece that broke off the back by digging around in the box it came in.

I also finally got around to putting together this little 8" RCA, that I had already basically finished fixing 2 years ago.

[DavGoodlin]

Nice RCA. . That must be the only portable under 14 inches made at the time. There is one in a book I have that shows a small tilted tripod stand for it.

[Phil Nelson]

Yes, those RCAs were sold with or without the stand. I ended up with three of them -- one restored and the other two waiting for their turns.

Phil Nelson

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

Nice RCA. . That must be the only portable under 14 inches made at the time. There is one in a book I have that shows a small tilted tripod stand for it.

The little 9inch GE is from about the same time period, but not nearly as well made as the 8 inch RCA... perhaps fewer survive today.



jr

[DavGoodlin]

Nice GE! I think one with a Hotpoint badge also available.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

Nice RCA. . That must be the only portable under 14 inches made at the time. There is one in a book I have that shows a small tilted tripod stand for it.

There's the Admiral 10", as well.
The 8" Emerson used the same type CRT as the RCA.
The RCA and the Emerson also had a full power transformer and voltage doubler. I liked the Emerson because of the AM radio and phono jack. Add a record changer and you had a complete home entertainment center.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Boobtubeman

Makes me miss my moto 17p6

SR

IIRC, the Motorola 17P6 was one of their first sets to use PC board construction and a lot more reliable than the Philco. As in the Philcos, the tuners were a little funky. It was Motorola built tuner and not one of their better efforts. Odd-ball tuner tubes, 5EU8 and 4ES8, European sourced tubes.

[BigDavesTV]

Wow Adam, nice job on the little red RCA! That's got a really sharp picture! :-)

[Boobtubeman]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

IIRC, the Motorola 17P6 was one of their first sets to use PC board construction and a lot more reliable than the Philco. As in the Philcos, the tuners were a little funky. It was Motorola built tuner and not one of their better efforts. Odd-ball tuner tubes, 5EU8 and 4ES8, European sourced tubes.

Yep, My 17p6 was a DX-ing wonder even on the rod antenna. A close friend gave me one when i was 12, it had a bad H-output tube and a cracked restistor. My dad encouraged my repair interests and bought me a Weller iron and some hex tools and we got it running

Sometime later, it developed a bad fly and i reluctantly gave it up to a neigbor tv shop that fixed and sold it.. Saw one on Ebay once, (too far away) go for $10. Havent seen one since.

Next to the 17p5 Snelson sold me, this is a sentimental TV to me and my search continues...

SR