Estate Sale Finds in 2010!

[dieseljeep]

RCA was sued over that switch. It was a CTS control and the switch was only designed to carry 3 amps. Not even considering inrush. RCA distributor used to carry Centralab KR8M replacement switches that fit perfectly as a replacement. They had instuctions on the package how to install.

[drh4683]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

RCA was sued over that switch. It was a CTS control and the switch was only designed to carry 3 amps. Not even considering inrush. RCA distributor used to carry Centralab KR8M replacement switches that fit perfectly as a replacement. They had instuctions on the package how to install.

Thats interesting. I remember someone else mentioned that the switches on late ctc15's early 16's were a recall item. Didn't know there was a lawsuit, but it doesn't surprise me the switch on that CTC-15 almost caught fire. It was a significant flash, again, i actually saw the wires start to glow from the flash igniting the insulation at the very end where the wires soldered to the switch. I damped it out with my fingers before it could catch fire, seriously had I not had the back off to see all of this, it could have been a real big problem...



Dwight, no problem. Glad you finally go to see the Plant, quite a bit different seeing it in person compared to just the photos.

[andy]

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[batterymaker]

Looks odd for it to sit on the floor like that. I wonder if it had a legged base that it sat on. Very sharp B&W set.

[RobtWB]

Good looking old GE set.
I do believe that is one of those sets designed to sit on a base with legs.
Have a junk Maggie like that - too far gone to save.

[andy]

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[mwplefty]

Originally Posted by andy

For the first time in over two years, I found a vintage TV at an estate sale! It's nothing special, but for $5 I couldn't say no. I was actually at the same house a couple of weeks ago, but the TV was hidden in the back of a closet. It's a 19" GE from 1963. The cabinet is unusually luxurious for a 60's table top B/W set. It's all real wood, and despite its looks, there's no evidence that it was supposed to have legs. Does anyone know if the channel knob is original? It's ugly, but I'm starting to think it is original.

I think I was the first person to take the back off it. It has all the original tubes, and no evidence of any repairs. All it needed was a serious tuner cleaning, tube socket cleaning, and some minor adjustments. It has a Zenith style projection channel indicator. It's also surprising to see a transformer chassis on a 60's GE.

Is that a low-power channel you're picking up on Channel 8?

Either way, the channel knob looks a little out-of-place in my opinion, but I think it is original.

[andy]

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[mwplefty]

Originally Posted by andy

It's just connected directly to analog cable. It's an easy way to make sure all 12 channels are working properly. All the low power channels are on UHF (which this set lacks) and are in Spanish.

I agree that it's an ugly knob, but the more I look at it, I think it may be original. I'm hoping to check it against the Sams folder when I get my stuff out of storage.

Yeah. Here in Chicago I believe we can pick up about 7 UHF low-powered channels and 1 VHF low-powered channel (but the reception on this channel is terrible).

[Jeffhs]

I read in a recent Broadcasting & Cable newsletter (I don't want to try to quote it due to copyright issues) that translator and low-power TV stations will be converting to digital some time in 2012, so any of you with older sets connected to analog cable had better enjoy those LPTV analog stations while they last.

I knew it was only a matter of time until even the LPTV stations would face a DTV transition deadline. I don't know, however, if this will also apply to translator channels, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I think the FCC wants to and eventually will require every TV station in the country to vacate the VHF and UHF TV bands so they can reallocate the entire spectrum from 54 to 700 MHz; they already had a head start on this when they reallocated channels 70 through 83 to land-mobile in 1970. Both of my analog TVs (one 1995-vintage, the other 1999) have electronic VHF/UHF tuners that only tune channels 14-69, although for some reason most of the all-channel sets I remember from 1970 until perhaps 1990 or so had tuners that went to channel 83.

[bgadow]

That chassis is more substantial looking than I expected...and I sure figured it would be series string.

[RobtWB]

Many sets/brands of that era had optional factory designed bases designed to exactly fit the cabinet. The cabinet was simply placed on top of the base. The legs were part of the base. Look at advertising literature from that era and you will see them. Someone recently had 2 NOS bases for sale on eBay.

[andy]

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[radiotvnut]

Our single LPTV station, a religious channel, went dark about 9 months after the DTV transition. From what I heard, it was costing the station too much money to keep their analog transmitter going and there were not enough people watching their analog OTA signal to make it worth keeping it on the air. The station still is available on cable and satellite.