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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

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Old 23rd Oct 2015, 10:17 pm   #1
julie_m
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Default Childhood TV memory

I wonder if anyone could help me identify the model of a TV I remember from my younger days?

It was the 1970s, a mono portable set, probably 30 maybe 35 cm. tube. It was made by Ferguson and had the name "Courier" in cursive script. The cabinet was black and as I remember it had straight edges and square corners, with the screen and side panel recessed in a couple of centimetres from the front. Single standard 625 line, 4 presets. I remember staying with my Nan and Grandad and lying in bed upstairs watching it.

It probably was mains/battery. My Grandad had a caravan for awhile and there was definitely a TV in that which could be powered from a 12V battery; I doubt many people would have had three television sets in those days, so it could well have been the caravan set brought into the house.

Anyone recognise the description and got a picture?
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Old 23rd Oct 2015, 10:23 pm   #2
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

Seventh picture down, is that the one?

http://www.oldtechnology.net/mono.html

Or eighth one down.

http://www.oldtechnology.net/mono2.html
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Old 23rd Oct 2015, 10:26 pm   #3
stainless
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

This one, I think.

http://www.oldtechnology.net/images/...ourier3816.jpg

I think I have one in the attic. The 12v cable always got lost!!

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Old 23rd Oct 2015, 10:35 pm   #4
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

That looks like the one! The front sticks out as opposed to being recessed, but that's probably just my memory playing tricks on me.

Thanks for the speedy response

EDIT: Oh, now I bother to read the text, there are actually two different sets, with similar cabinets, photographed against similar backgrounds. I guess it must have been the 3816 battery / mains version.
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Old 24th Oct 2015, 2:25 pm   #5
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

The site's date is in error, the 3805 is from 1971, and the 3816 from early 1972.
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Old 25th Oct 2015, 12:03 pm   #6
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

As a matter of interest, the same basic cabinet was used in the 1580 hybrid set and the 1590 solid-state. From the front the only difference was the omission of 'mains-battery' on the silver label, and obviously the DC socket was blanked out on the back. Back in the day if buying these sets second-hand you had to be careful as the hybrid version was worth very little.
Back to the set in question - the 14" deluxe version had a woodgrain effect cabinet, edge wheel controls and a very short-lived CRT. They were pretty good sets, though not as reliable as the Japanese ones that were arriving at the time. The power supply was a bit of a weak point, a misbehaving frame circuit could baffle you for days and geting the DC fuse out without swearing was a challenge as was getting those pesky preset extenders through the four holes in the back cover.
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Old 25th Oct 2015, 1:33 pm   #7
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

I had something similar in the mid 70's, an all valve 405 line job, it is quite amazing that you can do a whole telly with half a dozen valves on one PCB. Even then I was impressed to the extent that I made an open wooden 'bracket' to hold the tube in position above the PCB so I could look at the insides while it was working.
 
Old 25th Oct 2015, 2:26 pm   #8
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Ah - that would be the 980 series that was sold well into the Seventies. In those days it was much easier to get a VHF transmission. Earlier versions had a capacitive dropper that meant the set could take a good five minutes to warm up. Later versions were more conventional at the expense of cool running. They sold very well in the local auction houses in the mid-eighties when 405 stopped. The day after the sale many came into the workshop with the 'no picture - can't be much' complaint!
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Old 25th Oct 2015, 3:09 pm   #9
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

The 980 PCBs were assembled in the Baird factory in Bradford, at one point at least. Not sure about final assembly. I didn't work on them, but remember them from lunchtime walkabouts.
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Old 27th Oct 2015, 5:33 am   #10
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Default Re: Childhood TV memory

I've no wish to contradict anyone here but I thought 980 production ended in 1968?
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