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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc. |
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30th Jun 2014, 7:04 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
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Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
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Vintage TV washed up on beach!
While walking my dogs on the beach yesterday, I found a Philips TX+ B&W portable washed up on the shore. I have found some weird and wonderful items here over the years, but never a complete TV!
I put it by the bins at the top of the beach and continued my walk. I noticed it was still there today, so decided to bring it home just to see if I can get any life out of it It has obviously been thrown overboard from a boat, as it still has a 12v lead attached, and a 12v booster was still plugged in to the aerial socket. I guess the CRT would have kept it afloat. It is all there apart from the door over the presets, and the tube is intact. Unusually for a B&W portable, it has a remote sensor for channel change only. So I guess it dates from the late 70's. I have heard of damp problems with LOPT's, but this takes the biscuit Mark |
30th Jun 2014, 7:13 pm | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Does it have a message in a "bottle"?
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Regards, Richard, BVWS member |
30th Jun 2014, 7:45 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
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Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
The current issue of 'Flypast' - a specialist magazine for heritage aviation enthusiasts - features the story of two MK1a Spitfires which crash landed on French beaches, were dug out of the sand some four decades later and have both now been restored to flying condition.
...So how hard can it be to fix that TV? |
30th Jun 2014, 8:03 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
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Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
It would be just my luck to be stranded on a desert island after a ship wreck, alone and starving and just about to give up all hope when I see something bobbing in the distance..
A food parcel! No a Philips portable TV complete with 13amp plug and nothing to plug it into. John |
30th Jun 2014, 8:09 pm | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Bromley, Kent, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
well John , I give you an hour to get a picture on it !
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30th Jun 2014, 8:18 pm | #6 |
Moderator
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Do they really float?
I wonder how long it's been in the sea. You've certainly got your work cut out there - plus there is presumably an original fault which caused it to be chucked over the side in the first place. |
30th Jun 2014, 8:19 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
I Have just opened it up, not sure if I should fix it or display it in an art gallery
Apart from the CRT band, the rust is not too bad, the speaker looks fine! The LOPT looks like it is lounging on it's own private beach I am amazed just how much sand was inside, a fair beet of seaweed too. I will leave it out in the sun to dry it out fully before applying power (12v of course!) Mark |
30th Jun 2014, 8:22 pm | #8 |
Octode
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Location: Welshpool, Powys, Wales
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
I am surprised at how little corrosion there is on component legs
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30th Jun 2014, 8:50 pm | #9 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
You do know you have to declare such finds to HM coastguard?
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30th Jun 2014, 8:59 pm | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
beware any electrolytics that smell of fish, probably leaky
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Kevin |
30th Jun 2014, 9:11 pm | #11 |
Heptode
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Location: Kinver, Staffordshire, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Really interesting thread mark .
Even though I would not want a TV like that , the challenge of getting it going after it`s been in the sea would be to strong , I would have to give it a go. I think it might have to have a few weeks in the sun mark ! I`ll follow this thread and see how you get on . Robin |
30th Jun 2014, 9:12 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Yes, I can remember going on a boat trip on the Thames with school, when the Thames Barrier had just been opened, and seeing no less than two tellies float by!
That's a fairly late mono portable. My granny had the non-remote version, bought in about 1983, I'd say. Nick. |
30th Jun 2014, 9:18 pm | #13 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Leicester, Leics. UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
You have probably thought of this, but I would think you need to get rid of the salt asap - boards in a dishwasher? Corrosion/conductive properties ... from what I remember on telly any machinery submerged in the sea can be in astonishingly good condition, but corosion starts in earnest once it's in the air.
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30th Jun 2014, 9:28 pm | #14 |
Nonode
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Nice find! For some odd reason I've always wanted to find a TV floating in the sea... All I've ever found so far is empty Coke bottles and suchlike.
It'll be interesting to see if there is any life left in it! Probably an idea to get a hose pipe on it to wash out some of the sand. Regards, Lloyd. |
30th Jun 2014, 11:45 pm | #15 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Quote:
I have started cleaning it out and it looks like the caps are beyond use, a few are hanging on by one lead, the salt has already eaten those, the presets also look pretty bad. I will have a better look in the morning, I will stick the B&K on the CRT, at least that should be ok! Mark |
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1st Jul 2014, 12:39 am | #16 |
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Just to state the obvious, there's no point in restoring or even repairing this set other than as an exercise, as thousands of similar sets are being 'recycled' every week. I can see that it's an interesting and challenging project though.
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1st Jul 2014, 1:59 am | #17 |
Heptode
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Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Many years ago, in the centre of Bristol, I spotted an old dual standard TV (with rotary VHF and UHF tuners) floating down the River Avon. So yes, old tellies do float!
I actually had one of those Philips TX+ portables, complete with the infra-red remote control - a rare luxury for a black and white set. It dates from around 1982. Picture quality wise, it had a proper black level clamp circuit - another luxury. Unfortunately my brother threw my set out 5 years ago. I've been looking for another one. I'm afraid your beach find may be a bit too far gone, but it's got to be worth a try. I would first rinse it with fresh water to remove any salt deposits, then dry it thoroughly and test it. There's nothing to lose at this stage. In the past, I've rescued televisions and other electrical items that have been left out in the rain and were soaking wet. After drying them out, they quite often either worked or were repairable. Most of the components can survive being soaked in water, at least for a short time. The LOPT in this Philips TV should be a sealed, potted type which shouldn't absorb water. However, sea water is more corrosive than rainwater, and this set has been soaking for a long time. Looking at the photos, the skeleton preset pots on the main board have gone rusty and may no longer work. Easy and cheap to replace, or just solder a couple of resistors across for a quick test. Another thing to check is the 12v DC socket. It has contacts that switch the power supply from mains to battery. If it's gone rusty, you may find no power and a dead set due to contacts open circuit. The contacts can be temporarily wired out for testing, if necessary. No need to buy a new socket or any new parts for that matter - just bypass the fault or raid your junk box for any vital parts you need. It's obviously not worth spending a lot of money on, but it will be interesting to see if you can get any signs of life out of it. There may have been nothing wrong with the set when it was thrown away, possibly just because the analogue signal had ended. So I reckon it could be brought back to some sort of life fairly easily. Have fun! |
1st Jul 2014, 7:55 am | #18 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
There's a similar 14" R/C mono set in this 1985 Argos catalogue: https://www.***********/photos/lavala...7619206330728/
£79.95, so one of the most upmarket models around! Nick. |
1st Jul 2014, 8:09 am | #19 |
Dekatron
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Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Back in the 60's it was almost impossible to fish off the end of Margate pier. You were more likely to catch a Bush TV22 or a discarded perambulator than anything that was actually alive..
Give it a jet wash as fast as you can and see how it cleans up. Salt is very bad mixed with electronics and may have eroded the component connecting leads and print. Regards, John |
1st Jul 2014, 8:42 am | #20 | ||
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Re: Vintage TV washed up on beach!
Quote:
I will desolder the LOPT and swill off the boards with fresh water and leave them in the sun to dry out. Quote:
The boards themselves also look fine. The LOPT does appear to be well sealed and may still be usable. I checked the CRT heater on my bench power supply, and it lights! the fuses are also intact, so probably was working when chucked in the sea, I suspect it was discarded due to the digital switchover. I am just curious to see if I can at least get some life from the audio stage, or even any EHT, a raster would be amazing! If it was dumped in fresh water, I am sure it could have been saved, I pulled a nice Sharp B&W TV/ghetto blaster from a skip full of water some years ago, after drying it out thoroughly, it actually worked fine with only the tape deck needing attention. Mark |
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