Giving set's a run.

Not forgetting Auntie Stella, currently the best 405 picture on a set in my collection so far.....

Oh, and the dot stay's the longest too when switched off  ? 

Ooh, a 'switch off spot' - I remember playing with those as a nipper! I learnt a bit about magnets that way, moving the spot by waving the magnet about in front of the screen. I even tried playing around with a small AC energised coil, but the spot disappeared! Then reappeared as the coil was de-energised... Hmm!

Spot - not good for phosphor!

Now for a kick up the eighties with this, my first colour "restoration". If you can call sucking the dust out with a vacuum cleaner a restoration that is, as that is all this set really needed. It's been up in the loft for a few years but I'll keep it down in the workshop now. It's too much of a pain to get it back up there again now. Oh, and it has it's original stand and remote control too, all from Dec 1980. (Seems like yesterday).

Back to the sixties now with a big-un, yes it's Big Bertha aka Pye TV14 with the 11U chassis. She is BIG....I mean BIG. The 11U chassis looks almost lost inside this set.

This chassis and it’s later variant with seperate 405/625 contrast controls and more IF gain I have a bit of a soft spot for. Bread and butter sets like the Bush TV125 chassis, easy to fix 50 years ago.

Yes I have a Pye 11u that's been in the family since 1964. Its on the old VRAT forum, restored in 2006 and various repairs carried out since then. Currently it's not working on 625 for some reason. Investigation will take place later this year.

Well this one has a slight fault in that the line hold on 405 has become very critical in it's range of adjustment. Needing constant attention as the set warms. 625 hold is fine with a good range of pull-in, regardless of temperature.

Is it the standard direct sync or does it have the flywheel option. I saw very few with the flywheel circuit. In fact apart from broken, worn hold controls the line osc/sync gave very few problems.

Hi Frank, it's the fly-wheel version.

Continued here.....   https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/community/black-white-tvs/giving-big-bertha-a-spin/#post-14082

Further to a run I must add a good favourite of mine, the Pye CT72. Still as good as the day it was made......

Yesterday I decided to prove the boys and girls something to watch the Cheltenham races on ....

Set ran all day on 405 without incident. Today it's the turn of the Sobell T192.

I have no doubts that the designers of  these TV’s 50-60 years ago would not have thought they would still be working or providing so good a performance.

The Pye 691/3/7 chassis were the bread and butter sets for me in the early 70’s, pity the 697 was such a let down compared to the other two sets. We sold the RBM A823 chassis sets as well but I think we sold more of the Pye sets due to their better picture.

Appreciate the Hybrid chassis designs had to go, it’s just that the replacements did not seem that good to me. Still always a silver lining, breakdowns kept me in a job.

From my point of view the U.K. made sets went down hill after these, we started to sell many smaller screen Hitachi and a Toshiba sets due to their reliability. Install them and forget about them.

Something I'm sure we're all guilty of. I ran the HMV 2633 for the first time in about six months yesterday having put it to one side until the Spring.

Slight top frame disturbance was evident as expected during the first stage of warm up. When the signals appeared the set gave a very good account of itself. Some top linearity present but not surprising.

In due course I'll be replacing all three controls in the hope of curing the problem. This is easier said than done as they have to be mounted as flush as possible in order for the rear cover to fit.

Looking forward to hearing more from Andrew about his Ferguson version.

Apologies, I meant Jon!