RCA Roundie Home Entertainment for $30

[julianburke]

Nothing to do with this but if you are near Salt Lake City this 1962/3 remote RCA roundie for $30 may be for you. Lots of parts here and may have a good CRT.

http://salt_lake_city-ut.geebo.com/m...style_console/

[Jeffhs]

One problem I saw right away when I looked at the ad for this TV was the cataract on the CRT, which is probably one reason the set is being sold so cheaply; another may be the questionable condition of the TV and stereo, given the age of the TV (at least 45 years). This set being a 3-way console, I doubt the ad will get many takers outside the greater Salt Lake metro area.

Times have changed radically since this TV was new. Console TVs, radios, stereos, et al. do not usually sell well on any auction site or on Craigslist because they are so large and heavy, and because no one (except perhaps vintage TV collectors) are interested in these anymore. The trend today is flat-screen TVs and separate audio components in entertainment center cabinets or on stands; in fact, as we know, flat TVs are all that are available nowadays if you want a new set -- they just don't make CRT TVs anymore. No one wants the big space-hogging 3-way color TV consoles these days -- that's just how it is in the 21st century.

I hate to say this, but I think this console may well wind up on the owner's treelawn on the way to the town dump if it doesn't sell soon.

[julianburke]

A "cataract" should have nothing to do with the price. After all the faceplate can be removed and turned into a 21FB for use in other sets. If this set is so worthless, I see a $100 CRT there if it is a good one and a complete chassis with a good bezel on the front that can be used on another set. Legs on the cabinet are also in short supply. Many early sets like this one may have a regular back on it that is also in short supply. If I lived close to there I'd be there in a heartbeat. I could use all of those parts.

And Jeff, why are you so down on this set?? I see a goldmine there and this site is to preserve them, isn't it? That set is way over 45 years old and doesn't that make them kind of rare?

[mstaton]

Looks tempting. I'm only 400 miles away. I already have 1 monster maggie combo. Not sure if I need another. I'd be happy to pick it up for someone closer to me for the fuel cost.

[DaveWM]

nice and has a remote as well. I have the same set different cab style. CTC-16 chassis, tube stereo with SS power amp.

[Sandy G]

One reason I see that it'll go begging is that these things take up SO much real estate...And, yes, people want "Separates" nowadays...And, let's face it, the record player/FM sections of these things WEREN'T usually all that great.

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by julianburke

And Jeff, why are you so down on this set?? I see a goldmine there and this site is to preserve them, isn't it? That set is way over 45 years old and doesn't that make them kind of rare?

I think Jeff is comenting that the TV collector community, VK and others, are too small compared to the general public who don't have the knowledge and skills to fix and the desire to preserve sets like this.

There's probably consumers out there that would like everything in one cabinet, to avoid all the interconnect cables and to them the complexity of getting it all hooked up. HDTV consoles, anyone?

[Einar72]

And to think I was driving a company pickup when I worked in Utah back in '83 (and was young and healthy).

[hi_volt]

Ive been looking for a roundie combo for a long time. I'd totally jump on that for $30 if it was closer. Looks like a CTC16X television chassis in there. Too bad it's so far away.

Anyone planning on making a trip from Utah to Tucson in the near future? I'd love to have that set.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by hi_volt

Ive been looking for a roundie combo for a long time. I'd totally jump on that for $30 if it was closer. Looks like a CTC16X television chassis in there. Too bad it's so far away.

Anyone planning on making a trip from Utah to Tucson in the near future? I'd love to have that set.

It's an early 1965 CTC16E chassis. The radio chassis is tube, where the amplifier is solid state. So far away! It's a lot closer to you, than it is to us.

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

It's an early 1965 CTC16E chassis. The radio chassis is tube, where the amplifier is solid state. So far away! It's a lot closer to you, than it is to us.

Actually it's 778 miles and a 13 hr trip from Tucson to Salt Lake City one way. I guess you could find a friend w/a strong back, rent a van and take a road trip. If you can find the time, the friend and pay for the gas and van rental + motel & meals. Makes for an expensive $30.00 combo. Just say'n, if you want it bad enough.

-Steve D.

[Electronic M]

Uship is also an option.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by Einar72

And to think I was driving a company pickup when I worked in Utah back in '83 (and was young and healthy).

You could have tossed one of these on the pickup's roof then easily.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by wa2ise

I think Jeff is comenting that the TV collector community, VK and others, are too small compared to the general public who don't have the knowledge and skills to fix and the desire to preserve sets like this.

HDTV consoles, anyone?

Exactly. The average TV owner doesn't have the foggiest idea how a TV set works or the value of vintage TVs, which is why we are finding so many of these oldies on eBay and/or CL with the notation that the set can be converted to an aquarium, fish tank, etc. rather than being repaired and restored.

I honestly don't think we'll be seeing flat panel HDTV consoles any time soon, if ever. As I mentioned in my last post on this subject, the trend is leaning more toward separate components housed in entertainment center cabinets or stands; the day of the 3-way console, unfortunately, is over and probably never coming back. Console cabinets also take up a lot of room, which is another reason no one wants those huge 3-way b&w or color sets these days. Consider also the fact that many of these large consoles appear on the auction sites because their owners are downsizing for a move from a house to an apartment, and will use at least some of the money from the sale to finance the move, to purchase new furniture for the new place, etc. In this case, the large console will likely be replaced by a HD flat screen, possibly with a 5.1-channel surround sound system, all housed in a reasonably-sized entertainment center cabinet or, in the case of very small apartments, one of the smaller stands capable of supporting a flat TV, AV receiver with DVD player (or a separate DVD player), with space left over for DVD/CD storage. The possibilities are just about endless and are limited only by one's imagination. I converted a Sauder utility cart to an entertainment unit shortly after moving here; the setup, if I do say so myself, looks every bit as good as any other commercially-built entertainment system, and it cost me a fraction of what I would have paid for a full-size one. My flat screen TV cost more in 2011 than the entire utility cart cost in the late '80s-early 90s.

[RCAkid]

Jeffhs I honestly don't think we'll be seeing flat panel HDTV consoles any time soon, if ever.

Perhaps one may not wish to jump to conclusions any time too soon. Ikea has teamed up with a Chinese manufacturer to make hdtv consoles.

Here is the link to the article. http://www.investorplace.com/2012/04...includes-a-tv/