kaye-halbert fans looky here

[Dave A]

It's on you-know-where. A "Kaye-Halbert Electronic Robot" wired remote control for volume and channel select. I hope I did not reveal a secret that Kaye-Halbert owners were coveting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-TELEVISI...QQcmdZViewItem

How did this thing do the channel select? And do any sets exist that can take it? Go Charles, go!

Dave A

[Tony V]

I thought of Charles too when i saw the auction. I'm kinda curious about it also. Is kinda neat looking.
-Tony

[Bobby Brady]

I am imagining that for a guy like Charles to use the name Kaye Halbert that it must have been the Cadillac of TV's. From what I have gathered they were custom, usually installed in walls? That remote must be extremely rare. It will be interesting to find out how it does the channels. I will guess that the channel selector clicks to press a forward or reverse switch and... ok... if there are 11 wires, 3 for volume cont, 2 for power, then 6 could be used to select channels... I'm think'n it didn't use all 6 to do it. I'll guess 3 wires do the up and down and I bet if the power is off and the channel selector is moved that it would have to be reset or the #'s would be off. It was probably meant to be turned 1 click at a time and not too fast to keep #'s correct.
Judging by the style and being wired I think it could not be newer than early 50's

[Bobby Brady]

Don't you discuss Kaye Halbert anymore?

Please tell us about this remote and if you have the set to go to it?
Please.
Thank you!

[kx250rider]

I've been a bit busy with personal issues... That remote is from one of the last Kaye-Halberts. It has a synchronous switch on the remote, and one at the tuner motor. You select the channel on the remote, and the tuner motor runs until the matching number breaks the circuit at the tuner motor. Kind of an advanced system for '55!

There was a cheaper and earlier version of the Robot, which had only a plunger switch to bump the channel ahead by one. I didn't bid on that remote, but hopefully somebody got it among us!

Kaye-Halbert sets were mainly seen in Los Angeles, since they were made & marketed here (actually in Culver City). They were priced about the same as a Zenith, but less than a DuMont. A lot of them were sold as chassis only, for built-ins, but they had a nice lineup of semi-custom cabinets that you could order. You would see the dealer, pick the cabinet model, wood, finish, and standard or DX chassis. Any and all of the models were available with any tube from 12", 16", or 24" (round or rectangular on the '51 models), and 20, 24 & 27" rectangular on the '52-53, and 21 & 27 on the '54-55 when they quit. The very first ones which were marketed as Telindustries-Kaye-Halbert in 1949 had only a 12" tube available. A 15" DuMont tube was never available according to the catalogues, but there was a prototype (now in the hands of one of us)! In stead of using the DuMont tube, they went to a glass rectangular 16" as the top of the line tube for '50.

Charles

[Bobby Brady]

Thanks for the info!
I am often very impressed by the wide range of knowlege Charles shares with us.