Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

avro · 21st Mar 2004, 11:32 pm

I have noticed a few of these around for sale at fairly high prices. It certainly is pretty but are they any good and worth what is being asked for them?

Paul_RK · 22nd Mar 2004, 3:24 am

That depends on how pretty you consider them to be and how much you care about such things... They've long been among the most desired of bakelite radios, but functionally you'd not readily find a 1936 superhet that's as poor - just as in 1936 you'd not readily have found a cheaper one (the 444 retailed at 6gns.) Then there's the hazard of a virtually unique output valve, the PenDD61, with no near equivalents.

I do have a 444, but only because I was able to buy it a few years back at the local auction for £70. I'm as fond of an agreeably shaped bakelite cabinet as the next man. So far, though, there's always been a more interesting restoration project, since I know full well it'll be a mediocre performer at the end.

Paul.

avro · 22nd Mar 2004, 11:12 pm

Thanks for the advice! I shall avoid.

mjizycky · 26th Mar 2004, 2:17 am

Wise choice, Brian - the 444 is the perfect example of Mike Izycky's First Law of Radio Collecting, which is:

" The price of an old radio is inversely proportional to its price when new " , later amended to:-

" The price of an old radio is inversely proportional to its technical merit "

They're dire.

Avoid.

Duke_Nukem · 26th Mar 2004, 8:52 am

Ooooh, so *thats* why most of my Philips stuff cost me so little

TTFN,
Jon

mjizycky · 26th Mar 2004, 5:33 pm

No, it's because Philips stuff is user-hostile!

Positive feedback indeed...

<fx: dons flak jacket, DARFC>

rigsby27 · 26th Mar 2004, 6:45 pm

" Philips stuff user hostile " !!

You surely don't mean the company that has been building c**p CRT's for years or the company that produces a range of nice new silver coloured TV's that incorperate the dreaded painter chip.

It must be another Philips you are talking about.(removes tongue from cheek)!!

Tony.

P.S. any of us still left in the TV trade know what painter stands for ? I presume it's an acronim.

Sideband · 26th Mar 2004, 9:01 pm

Hi Tony.

At the risk of going off-topic (sorry Paul).

As I work for Philips I can tell you what 'Painter' means. It's not an acronym. It is a Dutch term for a chip that produces a digitised picture. The chip uses extensive A-D and D-A conversion techniques. Don't knock them too much!! I've been able to charge a respectable fee for changing these chips privately using my mates surface mount re-work station.

As for the CRT's I think also S**Y have had considerable problems as well.

Rich.

Sorry this is off subject.

Paul Stenning · 26th Mar 2004, 10:01 pm

And Samsung (certainly in their PC monitors). And whatever JVC use in their widescreen tellys....

I think with many of these you pays your money and takes your chances!

Back to Philips though - I think the Dell 17 " value monitors are made by Philips (they bear more than a passing resemblance to the Philips 107E). We have quite a few of these (at least a dozen) at work and have had no problems with any of them.

We're well off-topic now!!

Duke_Nukem · 26th Mar 2004, 11:50 pm

Whoa chaps, lets not confuse the current state of badge engineering with the good old manufacturers. My colour Bush telly was a piece of [deleted by auto-expletive-deleter 2005] but then it was just a moulded Bush text bunged on that weeks Taiwan production with no connection to the second best manufacturer of the 50's.

As regards these digital tellies - I'm specifically thinking of the 100Hz sets which I presume use the previously mentioned A/D + D/A chip, well, if I wanted to watch a picture that looked like a badly JPEG's picture I'd watch Freeview

I've given up on modern telly.

TTFN,
Jon

21st Mar 2004, 11:32 pm	#1
avro Heptode Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Kapellen, Belgium Posts: 656	Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? I have noticed a few of these around for sale at fairly high prices. It certainly is pretty but are they any good and worth what is being asked for them? __________________ Avro in Belgium __________________ BVWS member

22nd Mar 2004, 3:24 am	#2
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,256	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? That depends on how pretty you consider them to be and how much you care about such things... They've long been among the most desired of bakelite radios, but functionally you'd not readily find a 1936 superhet that's as poor - just as in 1936 you'd not readily have found a cheaper one (the 444 retailed at 6gns.) Then there's the hazard of a virtually unique output valve, the PenDD61, with no near equivalents. I do have a 444, but only because I was able to buy it a few years back at the local auction for £70. I'm as fond of an agreeably shaped bakelite cabinet as the next man. So far, though, there's always been a more interesting restoration project, since I know full well it'll be a mediocre performer at the end. Paul.

22nd Mar 2004, 11:12 pm	#3
avro Heptode Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Kapellen, Belgium Posts: 656	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? Thanks for the advice! I shall avoid. __________________ Avro in Belgium __________________ BVWS member

26th Mar 2004, 2:17 am	#4
mjizycky Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London, UK. Posts: 69	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? Wise choice, Brian - the 444 is the perfect example of Mike Izycky's First Law of Radio Collecting, which is: " The price of an old radio is inversely proportional to its price when new " , later amended to:- " The price of an old radio is inversely proportional to its technical merit " They're dire. Avoid.

26th Mar 2004, 8:52 am	#5
Duke_Nukem Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,268	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? Ooooh, so thats why most of my Philips stuff cost me so little TTFN, Jon

26th Mar 2004, 5:33 pm	#6
mjizycky Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London, UK. Posts: 69	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? No, it's because Philips stuff is user-hostile! Positive feedback indeed... <fx: dons flak jacket, DARFC>

26th Mar 2004, 6:45 pm	#7
rigsby27 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 64	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? " Philips stuff user hostile " !! You surely don't mean the company that has been building c**p CRT's for years or the company that produces a range of nice new silver coloured TV's that incorperate the dreaded painter chip. It must be another Philips you are talking about.(removes tongue from cheek)!! Tony. P.S. any of us still left in the TV trade know what painter stands for ? I presume it's an acronim.

26th Mar 2004, 9:01 pm	#8
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,572	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? Hi Tony. At the risk of going off-topic (sorry Paul). As I work for Philips I can tell you what 'Painter' means. It's not an acronym. It is a Dutch term for a chip that produces a digitised picture. The chip uses extensive A-D and D-A conversion techniques. Don't knock them too much!! I've been able to charge a respectable fee for changing these chips privately using my mates surface mount re-work station. As for the CRT's I think also S**Y have had considerable problems as well. Rich. Sorry this is off subject. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

26th Mar 2004, 10:01 pm	#9
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 9,071	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? And Samsung (certainly in their PC monitors). And whatever JVC use in their widescreen tellys.... I think with many of these you pays your money and takes your chances! Back to Philips though - I think the Dell 17 " value monitors are made by Philips (they bear more than a passing resemblance to the Philips 107E). We have quite a few of these (at least a dozen) at work and have had no problems with any of them. We're well off-topic now!! __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

26th Mar 2004, 11:50 pm	#10
Duke_Nukem Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,268	Re: Philco People's Set-Worth Collecting? Whoa chaps, lets not confuse the current state of badge engineering with the good old manufacturers. My colour Bush telly was a piece of [deleted by auto-expletive-deleter 2005] but then it was just a moulded Bush text bunged on that weeks Taiwan production with no connection to the second best manufacturer of the 50's. As regards these digital tellies - I'm specifically thinking of the 100Hz sets which I presume use the previously mentioned A/D + D/A chip, well, if I wanted to watch a picture that looked like a badly JPEG's picture I'd watch Freeview I've given up on modern telly. TTFN, Jon