RCA TT-5 restoration - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Steve K · #1 09-16-2006, 08:34 PM

I had the opportunity to restore a prewar TT-5 for AK member Doug621ts. The cabinet and the chassis are in excellent original condition. I restuffed all the capacitors and electrolytics. With advice from Dave Johnson and Steve McVoy I got it working. I included pictures of the chassis before and after restoration but you really can't see much difference as all the new parts are hidden in the old. The screen shot is not the best and the picture looks better in person but it is still best viewed in a darkened room.

Steve

Sandy G · #2 09-16-2006, 09:58 PM

Wonder how many of them things are still around ?

Steve McVoy · #3 09-16-2006, 10:15 PM

We have 18 confirmed TT-5s, plus one that has been reported but not confirmed. In addition, TT-5s in Westinghouse and Silvertone cabinets were made. 2 Westinghouse and 1 Silvertone survive.

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

Phil Nelson · #4 09-17-2006, 12:44 AM

Nice job. Did the set require any additional work besides recapping?

Phil Nelson

kx250rider · #5 09-17-2006, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve McVoy

We have 18 confirmed TT-5s, plus one that has been reported but not confirmed. In addition, TT-5s in Westinghouse and Silvertone cabinets were made. 2 Westinghouse and 1 Silvertone survive.

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

Bending the topic a bit; Do you have stats on how many TRK-5 or TRK-9 sets still exist? The only TRK-9 that I know/knew of here in SoCal was one that was still with the original family owners. Not for sale, I tried MANY times 'til short of being rude

...

Charles

David Roper · #6 09-17-2006, 03:22 AM

Click on the link Charles, it's the prewar database with known surviving numbers given for all prewar sets.

So far, twelve each of TRK-5 and TRK-9 are confirmed, plus (again) a handful more counting Silvertone and Westinghouse versions.

Steve McVoy · #7 09-17-2006, 05:00 PM

You might also be interested in the number of these sets that were made:

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

Sandy G · #8 09-17-2006, 05:38 PM

If I ever run acrost one of these things, should I be a REALLY nice guy & offer the old lady or man, say, 50 bux for it ? I mean, an old B/W TV, smallish screen, not-so-hot picture, can't get parts for it...Does have a purty case, OK, make it 75...<grin>

bgadow · #9 09-17-2006, 09:24 PM

I don't know, but I think if I found one of these that I could afford, I would just have to stop collecting right there! Pre-war, and working, that is the ultimate. Makes almost anything else seem second rate.

Sandy G · #10 09-17-2006, 10:05 PM

Well, Bryan, I was being facetious...We didn't have TV 'round here til '54...They MIGHT have had some xperimental stuff in Memphis or maybe Nashville B4 the war, but I doubt it...I have an Admiral 7" Bakelite set that was the 1st TV around here...The old guy who owned the theater had it...He & his pals would take it up on this hill outside of town where they had AC & an antenna rigged up, they'd monkey w/it in hopes of getting WSB or WAGA in Atlanta. Sometimes, they'd get lucky, a signal would fade in 'n' out, they'd all cheer ! Television ! The Marvel of the Age !...

bgadow · #11 09-17-2006, 10:26 PM

I knew where you were coming from, Sandy

Seriously, that could pose a moral dilemma (dillemma? dillema? why don't any of 'em look right?) I mean, I'm just a poor boy, if I'm ever gonna get something like this it is gonna have to be by some sort of mistake!

David Roper · #12 09-17-2006, 10:31 PM

Don't apologize--buy low, sell high. Capitalism at its best!

Sandy G · #13 09-17-2006, 10:47 PM

If I ever did manage to luck up on one of those, it would be "retired". Guess I'd have it til the end of my days.

Steve K · #14 09-17-2006, 10:53 PM

"Did the set require any additional work besides recapping?"

Phil:

I was fortunate in that the power transformer that supplies all the voltages including the high voltage was good. Other than the caps it required one resistor. All the tubes tested good. Since I took the screen shot I pulled the CRT and cleaned the screen and the inside of the safety glass which helped. I just wish my camera took a better picture of it playing. I watched part of a football game on it yesterday and I was able to tell one player from the other!

Steve

John Folsom · #15 09-18-2006, 02:03 PM

Nice goin' Steve K. Now maybe Doug621ts will let you restore some of his other treasures!