Saw some strange old sets today - Videokarma.org TV - Video

radiolee · #1 09-12-2003, 09:44 PM

This lady and her husband used to be an RCA dealer. She had two pairs of sets in her basement that I've never seen.

Two of them looked like coffee tables on steroids. The screen folds downward into the cabinet.

The other two were designed to fit into corners. They were five sided. Blonde wood.

If anybody knows what sets these were from this sketchy description and has any interest in them, she's ready to give them away. They're in Mason City, Iowa.

Lee

***Eric H*** · #2 09-12-2003, 09:47 PM

Lee, those are quite sought after, particularly the Coffee Table model!

Wish I could get them but alas, I'm too far away.

Eric

Cory · #3 09-13-2003, 03:44 PM

Oh Yeah! I'm all over this one! Finally, some sets close to home and just what I've been searching for

Let's hope they're still available...

Cory

Cory · #4 09-15-2003, 12:05 AM

Thanks to Lee's generous tip, I came home today with some early bday presents. Apparently the couple quit selling TVs in '68 and she had gathered these sets as trade-ins back in the day figuring they'd be good to convert into corner curio shelves and toy chests!

I'm pretty sure they'll all clean up pretty nicely, just some loose trim and a couple missing rear knobs. The one Hillsborough had a brightener on it that came to rest on the 5U4 literally burning away half of its cardboard case sometime in its past. Good filament, no HV. The other showed good brightness and signs of life. Everything'll need to be recapped I'm sure. And those lovely RCA PCBs

The 'Super' corner model also has a brightener on it and seleniums, while the 'Deluxe' (better cabinet, channel indicator above the screen, couple additional speakers) has a 5U4 and power xformer. It makes me real curious whether or not it was part of the upgrade, or simply an older set.

After I got her 8-track player going she was more than happy to toss in a neat New Orthophonic record changer in a table size cabinet and a mid-60s RCA color console that she didn't know how to get rid of. The icing on the cake was an RCA under-dash quadraphonic 8-track player she had for sale. Just what I was looking for

More pictures at http://www.eldocountry.com/rca.html

Thanks for letting me share guys- Lee, I have my eyes peeled for audio gear!

PS, Anyone have the Sams for these guys? They deserve to be restored to their former glory.

Charlie · #5 09-15-2003, 12:23 AM

Wow...

those RCA's are great! i think i have the Sams for the fold down sets. i will check when i get home tuesday. pass along the model or chassis numbers of the other two sets and i will look for those as well.

***Eric H*** · #6 09-15-2003, 02:00 AM

Wow Cory, those are cool! Especially the fold down models.
BTW, those are called the "Hillsborough"
There is a promotional film about them posted on the Prelinger Archives:

http://www.archive.org/movies/detail...ectionid=08447

Don't know if this link will work but give it a try, otherwise go here: http://www.archive.org/movies/prelinger.php
and search for RCA

Eric

veg-o-matic · #7 09-15-2003, 08:39 AM

Dannnnnnnnnngggg! What a find. Betcha there's a bunch of AK folks drowning in their own drool. I know I am!

Looks like you could open up your own vintage RCA showroom!

Congrats on the finds. Something like this should happen to all of us.

jstout66 · #8 09-15-2003, 10:51 AM

I might have the sams, but need the RCA chassis numbers on each (KCS???) I have an old RCA book that covers the early black and whites and also includes color TV's up to CTC-9. I could photo copy for you.

Cory · #9 09-16-2003, 05:44 PM

Thanks for the kind words guys!

I went through the RCA docs I had around but couldn't turn anything up on these guys- KCS127K, KCS116C, and KCS107C. Anyone have info on these guys? Working on those early PCBs is trouble enough

jstout66 · #10 09-16-2003, 06:32 PM

Cory, all of those chassis are in my book, EXCEPT I don't know how close of a match they will be as the last letters don't match. Example: my KCS116 shows for the KCS 116B It does show a tuner diagram for the KCS116C. My book is the "RCA Television Receivers Service Data" 1955-1961 which covers Black & White chassis KCS 94- KCS 134 and color chassis CTC4-CTC10

Charlie · #11 09-17-2003, 01:38 PM

Cory,

I found the three Sams you will need. PM me with your address and I'll get them out to you.

Charlie

Einar72 · #12 03-09-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstout66

My book is the "RCA Television Receivers Service Data" 1955-1961 which covers Black & White chassis KCS 94- KCS 134 and color chassis CTC4-CTC10

Anyone know the RCA publication number for this book? I have the previous ones, all prefixed with an SP-, then four digits. I'm trying to restore my KCS-94 "Breadbox", which I think it is the most stylish of the genre.

John Folsom · #13 03-09-2007, 03:31 PM

Those sets are VERY cool! That coffee table set is a heavy beast (I have one). And I really like the corner TV concept. By the way, did anyone make a corner TV back in the B&W round CRT era? How about a color roundie in a corner cabinet?

Steve McVoy · #14 03-09-2007, 05:58 PM

Ambassador made one in the UK:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/british_ambassador.html

Magnavox made a large one in the US, if I remember correctly.

Celt · #15 03-09-2007, 06:06 PM

Very cool find!