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#1
09-25-2009, 10:00 PM
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Philco Predicta value
I found a Philco Predicta at a flea market the other day. It is a princess model with a matching stand. It is in good condition and is complete aside from the antenna is missing. The finish is worn in places. The back is there as is the cord and knobs. They are asking 250.00 for it. Is that a good price? I am sure it does not work.
John 
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#2
09-25-2009, 10:08 PM
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If it's the original stand and it's in really good shape other than the paint then $250 probably isn't a bad price, not real good but not bad either.
I'd want to know if the CRT was good for that kind of money. Almost all the Predictas are missing their antenna.
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#3
09-25-2009, 10:12 PM
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I got mine for $125 in similar condition, but no stand and not the original channel knob. I've seen just that one knob sell for over $50 and over $100 for just the antenna!
The 17" CRTs aren't nearly as hard to replace as the 21". Still, it's nice to get a good working one.
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#4
09-26-2009, 10:18 AM
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You have to ask yourself how bad do you want it? I would say 250 is a bit high for a Princess, but then I got mine for a 100, and then after working on it, almost wished I had left it.
However, if this set is local to you, it might be worth it as you wouldn't be paying for shipping, and concerning yourself with it being broken during shipment. How is the plastic casing around the CRT? Those often have cracks or heavy scratches... I would pass on the 250 if the face was too messed up. See if you can work the guy down a little... those people at the flea market sometimes come down on their prices on Sunday afternoon in hopes of getting rid of stuff before they close up shop for the weekend. If you really want one, the 17" model is the way to go since your chances of having a good CRT are far better since their 21" models... which usually toasted out rather prematurely. Plus, it's easier to find a good replacement 17" CRT. Compared to other sets, they can be quite a challenge to take apart and service.... mainly due to the way it's all crammed into that little box. The printed circuit boards in mine were stressed out quite a bit from the heat of certain tubes... the board around the 6BQ5 wasn't in the greatest of shape. You'd likely need to build your own combo-component from scratch that's in the verticle circuit... not a real big deal... i actually like making those, but sometimes they're a little time consuming to gather all the pieces and then solder them together making sure not to put something in the wrong place.
__________________
Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies.
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#5
09-26-2009, 11:09 AM
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As Charlie rightly points out, a Predicta is not the easiest set to work on. This article gives you some idea what's involved.
http://antiqueradio.org/philc12.htm Every TV is different, but even if this Predicta currently works after a fashion, I wouldn't expect that you can just take it home, plug it in, and watch it indefinitely. So factor some restoration work (or expense) into your plans. Phil
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#6
09-26-2009, 01:57 PM
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Not attempting to make ebay sound like a good place to judge price (cause it's certainly not), but finding one there for 250 in decent condition would be hard to do... and usually shipping charges are high. I did see a pair of 21" sets that sold for 150, but they both looked somewhat rough. Prolly could make one good one between the two.
These sets are in no way rare... seems you can always find one somewhere. After looking around, I'm now thinking maybe 250 isn't so bad after all. Yeah, some of us were fortunate to get ours for a smaller price... but we were just that: fortunate. Once you go thru and change caps and such, they do indeed play very well. The key here is to change absolutely everything you can the first time around. You'd find that you won't be so interested in taking it apart a second time. A good plus, John, is that you're able to see the set in person before buying. If you ask, he's likely to let you take the back off for a peek inside. Tell him for 250, you wanna be able to get a better look at the insides. If you have a tester, check the condition of the tube (need a philips screwdriver for that cover). I've always asked permission to look inside for sets I see in person, and so far, I've never been denied. I was glad on a few sets as I found things inside that made me decide against bringing them home. Bring a good flashlight with you and a 1/4" socket. Of course, as mentioned before, see if the price comes down some on late Sunday. So, John, the question now is Do you want to take the time to work on one?
__________________
Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies.
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#7
09-26-2009, 02:16 PM
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I paid 50 for mine. That is uncommon. For 250, I would expect a complete, but dead, set. I could be swayed into that price if:
1: The flyback wasn't obviously charred (some dripped wax may be seen, though) 2: Pull the fusistor, you can then switch it on and the filament string will light up. If the crt's filament is lit, then it has a good chance of being a workable tube. 3: It looked to be in neat, clean shape. Good luck. This isn't a great deal, but with if you go in with a solid understanding of what you can get for this price, it will be a good one.
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#8
09-26-2009, 03:54 PM
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I talked to the people at the flea market today. They will go down to 200.00. Thats better than 250. I dont know if I can do any testing before I bought it so if I want it I may have to take a chance and hope for the best.
John
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#9
09-26-2009, 04:59 PM
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I bought mine 2 years ago on ebay. It was a working Holiday and was in nice shape. I paid $275 for it and it had a weak crt, crt is now dead and I am wanting to take it up to Hawkeye this winter if funds allow.
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#10
09-26-2009, 06:44 PM
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Hey at least he knocked some off for ya... 50 bucks is 50 bucks! I'm sure he's still making his fair share on it. Let us know how you make out... hopefully you'll find it to be complete and unmolested!
__________________
Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies.
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#11
09-27-2009, 10:31 PM
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A couple antennas just sold for $140. Wow!
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#12
09-27-2009, 10:33 PM
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Quote:
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#13
12-24-2009, 08:49 PM
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Update
I got the Predicta. It was a surprise Christmas present. I had thought about getting it and them a couple of unexpected bills came up so I decided against it. I had told my mom about it and she went and got it for me for Christmas. I think it is actually a Debutante model. I opened it up and it will need a recap. One cap has a piece missing and another is cracked.
John
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#14
12-24-2009, 09:32 PM
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Quote:
 I wish I'd get presents like that! I'll prolly get some scratchy sweaters and gift certificates  Take care restoring your set. Predicta's are notoriously difficult to work on. Here's a link to Phil's site with a bunch of good info. Merry Christmas, Bob Last edited by bandersen; 12-24-2009 at 09:35 PM.
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