Thorn 9000 Chassis
Model: Multibroadcast 7773
Year:1975
System:625 Line
Valves: None
Transistors:Yes
Integrated Circuits: Yes
In 1975 Thorn once again startled the TV industry with the introduction of the 9000 series chassis with its Syclops combined chopper regulator/line output stage.
The 9000 used a parallel switched-mode power supply running synchronously with line. A conventional transistor line output stage except that it uses the power supply switching transistor to conduct the latter portion of scan with an efficiency diode conducting the first part. This was known as SYCLOPS (SYnchronous Converter and Line OutPut Stage)
Here we have a 20″ Thorn Television Rentals Model 773 badged for the Multi-broadcast chain. Ultrasonic remote control (sequential channel change & sound mute only)Nice touch is the nixie tube channel indication.
This one came from the same storage source as the Ferguson 3713 and therefore the electronics have suffered with the same humidity/rust issues.
Worked on a few of these as an engineer for Multibroadcast Woking and Maidenhead during the 70s and 80s. Triplers were regular failures on them, especially in dampish homes near the river Thames.
Happy days.
I worked as an engineer at the Staines branch of Multibroadcast from 1967 to 1976 and was often seconded to Maidenhead. Don’t remember much about the TV’s now but I do remember the names of some of the Managers – Mr Sprague, Mr Chitty, Mr Strowger etc.
Hello Chris, Funny how you can come across people from the past. I worked with you at Staines 🙂 Do you remember Peter Layton? I was looking for stuff on Multibroadcast and came across you. Funny hey. We did good work together in those days I thought. My memory is a bit vague. Bob Locke was rep & my best man at my wedding. Dave ? was manager. John ? also a rep I think. He bought my old morris car. I live in Melbourne Australia since 1974. Would be good to swap a few stories with you. 6 Curlew Cres rings a bell.
Hi Peter,
Sorry for not getting back to you. My computer threw a wobbly and I have lost all the emails in my address book. If you can reply to me directly, I will resume our conversation.
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, Just sitting thinking about our time together at Multibroadcast. I remember the Staines shop manager’s name. David Jenkins & the rep John Hall. Funny how we all like to reminisce.
regards
Peter
Hi Peter, how lovely to hear from you! I was thinking about you when I wrote my last post. Yes we had some fun at MB and would love to catch up. I retired last November.
Kind regards
Chris
looks like the thorn 9000 series, the semikron diode mounted next to the line opt transistor used to go and like the tripler the set pulsed as it tried to start. Usually the tubes were low with a milky picture. Hard to find now, the 3K’s seem to crop up more than the later sets..
Oh and the joys of jangling your keys making the ultrasonic remote ones change channel !
I worked for Multibroadcast from 1965 for thirty two years. I started as a representative and by 1968 was promoted to manager of their Beckenham shop. I remember we were the first company in the UK to rent remote control TVs. I went on to run Croydon and Mitcham before Multibroadcast merged with DER And finally Radio Rentals. I also ran shops in Dagenham, Ilford, Canning Town, finally ending up at Colchester. It was great team work having the engineers working direct from the shops.
Well I was just showing my son 21, the old days of tv’s. I worked for Visionhire then when they took over British relay, lots of fun and many a time I got a belt from the 3000 chassis,and those big old resisters on the PSU’s , they were fun times I worked mostly in south London, those convergence pots used to cook.