1983 Philips 26CS3890/05R Teletext & Printer
MRG Systems ATP600 Databridge
Teletext Editing Terminal
Microvitec Monitor 1451MS4
BBC Microcomputer TELETEXT Project
Viewdata, Prestel, Philips
Philips Model Identification
1976/77 Rank Arena AC6333 – Worlds First Teletext Receiver
PYE 1980s Brochure
Ceefax (Teletext) Turns 50
Philips 1980s KT3 – K30 Range Brochure
Zanussi Television Brochure 1982
Ferguson Videostar Review
She soon put that down
1983 Sanyo Brochure
Wireless World Teletext Decoder
Unitra Brochure
Rediffusion CITAC (MK4A)
Thorn TRUMPS 2
Grundig Brochure 1984
The Obscure and missing Continental
G11 Television 1978 – 1980
Reditune
Hitachi VIP201P C.E.D Player
Thorn 3D01 – VHD VideoDisc Player
Granada Television Brochure, 1970s
Long Gone UK TV Shops
Memories of a Derwent Field Service Engineer
PYE Australia Circa 1971
Radios-TV VRAT
Fabulous Fablon
Thorn TX10 Chassis
Crusty-TV Museum, Analogue TV Network
Philips N1500 Warning!
Rumbelows
Thorn EMI Advertising
Thorn’s Guide to Servicing a VCR
Ferguson 3V24 De-Robed
Want to tell us a story?
Video Circuits V15 – Tripler Tester
Thorn Chassis Guide
Remove Teletext Lines & VCR Problems
Suggestions
Website Refresh
Colour TV Brochures
1970s Lounge Recreation
CrustyTV Vintage Television Museum
Linda Lovelace Experience
Humbars on a Sony KV2702
1972 Ultra 6713
1983 Philips 26CS3890/05R Teletext & Printer
MRG Systems ATP600 Databridge
Teletext Editing Terminal
Microvitec Monitor 1451MS4
BBC Microcomputer TELETEXT Project
Viewdata, Prestel, Philips
Philips Model Identification
1976/77 Rank Arena AC6333 – Worlds First Teletext Receiver
PYE 1980s Brochure
Ceefax (Teletext) Turns 50
Philips 1980s KT3 – K30 Range Brochure
Zanussi Television Brochure 1982
Ferguson Videostar Review
She soon put that down
1983 Sanyo Brochure
Wireless World Teletext Decoder
Unitra Brochure
Rediffusion CITAC (MK4A)
Thorn TRUMPS 2
Grundig Brochure 1984
The Obscure and missing Continental
G11 Television 1978 – 1980
Reditune
Hitachi VIP201P C.E.D Player
Thorn 3D01 – VHD VideoDisc Player
Granada Television Brochure, 1970s
Long Gone UK TV Shops
Memories of a Derwent Field Service Engineer
PYE Australia Circa 1971
Radios-TV VRAT
Fabulous Fablon
Thorn TX10 Chassis
Crusty-TV Museum, Analogue TV Network
Philips N1500 Warning!
Rumbelows
Thorn EMI Advertising
Thorn’s Guide to Servicing a VCR
Ferguson 3V24 De-Robed
Want to tell us a story?
Video Circuits V15 – Tripler Tester
Thorn Chassis Guide
Remove Teletext Lines & VCR Problems
Suggestions
Website Refresh
Colour TV Brochures
1970s Lounge Recreation
CrustyTV Vintage Television Museum
Linda Lovelace Experience
Humbars on a Sony KV2702
1972 Ultra 6713

The 1590 didn't take a lot of fixing! The Lt fuse holder had developed a bad connection, not helped by the fact that the fuses these days have a hard chrome finish which doesn't seem to connect as well as the older dull finish on the older fuses. I tightened the holder and ran a very thin coat of solder on the fuse to help the holder 'dig in' We will see in time if this lasts...
I can't believe it is six years since I repaired this set! Time flies! it was given to me after it had been subjected to mains being put into the 12V socket! I kept it for the Tuner in the first instance expecting it to be pretty destroyed and the tube heaters to be blown, but i guess the big smoother blocked the AC and blew the fuse before too much damage was done, It was the subject of a thread here. Marconi 4816 1590 survivor! - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum (vintage-radio.net)
It has worked well since that repair and only recently went dead, It is now back working again. Mystery solved... 😜

I believe that that matt, often faintly amber plating that used to be common on fuses was silver, the reasoning being that back in those good ol' days of smokey, sulfury atmospheres, silver oxide/sulfide stays relatively conducting- the black, easily removed tarnish that one used to see on time-served fuses/holders.
Posted by: @slidertogridI put it on the bench and gave it a bit of a wipe over, I had a look at the rectifier diodes the board is a bit scorched around them and they were loose in the panel. removing the panel revealed they were all devoid of solder. I checked the diodes and despite appearances they seem to be OK. I soldered them in and tried the set. Dead, not a peep. A quick check found the primary fuse under the black cover was open and also higher rated than it should be. Someone has been here before...
Even designers seem to neglect the fact that when a diode is rated at, say, 1A, that means 1A at perhaps 25 degrees C ambient and with short leads to generously large copper PCB pads for heatsinking- under typical conditions inside equipment that "1A" diode might actually have an effective rating of only 500 or even 300mA if long and dependable life from both diode and its solder joints is expected. It can be slightly frightening to feel the plastic package in even a modest current application, frequently fingertip-scorching (observing electrical safety, naturally). So often, I've worked on kit with dull, grey, granular solder joints around rectifiers, accompanied by charred PCBs- even GRP stuff!. Everyone seems to quote the 1A 1N4001-7 and 3A 1N5400-8 series but the intermediate, similarly inexpensive and widely-available 1.5A 1N5391-9 and 2A 1N5059-62 series rarely get mentioned- better sustained current rating than the 1N400x and without those awkward wide, stiff leads of 1N540x. That lead stiffness means that the heat/cool stress gets largely transferred to PCB joints with bad results- I can't help feeling that if a PSU calls out for 3A rated diodes, it's time to go for an off-board package bridge type that can be secured to metal work for heatsinking. Of course, all these diodes under discussion are olde-worlde slow recovery types, quite adequate for many tasks but Philips (in particular in this part of the world) did a wide range of fast-recovery BY- types- long ago, I rescued a bandolier roll of BYV27-150 (2A, 150V) from a stores clearout that get used where 1N4001 and 1N4002 would be called for.

@turretslug I think your comment about fuses has hit the nail on the head, The manufacturers changed the plating to possibly chrome to prevent tarnishing, which causes it's own problem being so hard. Some of my used fuses in the drawer are tarnished, but generally that didn't cause a bad connection because they didn't tarnish at the points of contact because the atmosphere didn't get to the part where the clip is or was. So in a nutshell they cured a problem that wasn't a problem and potentially caused one!

Next on the bench is a lovely little Winthronics. Now you may say uurgh ! why? I and I would agree, a nothing special 1970's Woolworths own brand budget portable?? Well I have memories, not necessarily fond ones of these. They were originally badged as Wye and Woolies sold them by the shedload.
I did all of the local Woolworth's repairs when I was still at school via a third party. Lots of Regonda and quite a few of these along with cheapo Transistor radios, Fidelity record players... You name it I did it!
So when I saw this one some time ago I rescued it and bunged it in the shed. Being a Woolworth own brand badged set it must be a later version of the ones I saw but exactly the same other than the badge. They work reasonably well the definition is fair but don't expect much in the way of picture geometry. I would get them working but long gave up trying to adjust the picture. Line lin and to a degree frame lin was a bit various and seemed to be worse on some than others. Then again the Regonda Starlet was much the same!
When I powered the set it came on with line collapse. This was a common fault back in the day, a dry joint on the LOPT or scan correction capacitor sometimes the dry joint had heated enough to damage the capacitor. I guess the soldering wasn't good enough to handle the scan current. Other problems were fuses failing for no apparent reason, the frame Transistors would cause various cramping and frame collapse faults. Other than that a few broken pre set pots caused by heavy handed owners poking screwdrivers into them. Probably trying to get the test card circle to be round!
I gave the set a clean out inside and sure enough the scan correction capacitor was almost devoid of solder! No wonder they failed! Then it was just a case of cleaning the pots and setting it up as best I could. The line lin is poor but they often were, the tube is pretty good especially as it probably hasn't been used for a couple of decades!
It was certainly an easier repair than the KB 'Flambelopt' !

@slidertogrid I had an Ingersoll with the same chassis a few years ago, I've seen the plastic cased ones badged with various brands.
The geometry was a bit out & I could never get it 100% perfect, though the picture was quite sharp.
Eventually I sold it for about the same price I paid for it.

@richardfrommarple It is interesting that they were badged as other brands beside Wye and Winthronics. Maybe some were badged for catalogue firms like Freemans? I did some repairs for Freemans 'stage two' which was their returns shop and staff shop but this was much later, these sets would have been finished by then. Freemans cheap models were Iskra which was a clunky eastern block built thing with varicap tuning and a very grainy phosphor which on a small screen looked awful.
The Wye service information I had was dreadful, a lop sided copy that was like a print from a rubber stamp, the circuit diagram was small and blotchy unreadable in places.
Luckily the faults were fairly easy to find and Woolworths supplied the parts, eventually. One set I remember had suffered damage in transit, the pip on the tube neck was broken off, that was shop stock so there was no customer waiting luckily as it took months to get a tube. I had to link the print around the LOPT as well then change various Transistors that had died presumably from the arcing in the broken tube.
I bet they sold that as ex-demo!

The final set in my portable collection is 'The Teleton that came home!' My parents bought this set from 'Fairways' a department store in Peterborough. It would have been around 1973/4. I was 12 or 13. It was during the three day week when money was tight. I can remember Mum having two jobs and Dad being on a 3 day week working nights, so this set wasn't bought on a whim.
I can remember waiting in the Austin Maxi while Dad went to buy it. It did mean however that on the nights when the power was cut at 6pm we could still watch telly until the transmitters went of at 10pm. We had the Teleton, two car spotlights and a row of old car batteries, (My uncle owned a scrapyard). It soon became known we had a battery telly and on power cut nights we soon had a room full of neighbours sitting 'round our little set. Dad said it was just like the Coronation!
later on my parents bought a touring caravan and the Teleton toured England, Scotland and Wales for years. Carefully packed into the Maxi, it's replacement another Maxi and then a Rover SD1 2600. Sometime in the late '80s it was replaced with a more modern set and the Teleton was either gifted or sold to my Dad's cousin.
A few years ago my Dad's cousin 'Uncle Ted' passed away and I helped clear the house, Workshop and garage. What did I see on top of an old chest of drawers but the old Teleton! My uncle hardly ever disposed of anything, he still had a Morris 8 in the garden in the 1970's! My cousin Linda told me the set had been to uni with both her and her sister and then sat in Ted's workshop since. He would use it on Saturdays to watch the sport.
So the set came home with me! It has suffered a bit, some round tins ( or maybe a Uni ashtray? 🙃 ) had been placed on top which have marked it a bit and the set was fairly dirty. But guess what? It still works!
I had never taken the back off so today I had my first look inside, it was full of dust and to be honest there is not a lot to see without further dismantling. I want to get on with the Pee pee Pye so I gave it a brief clean and put it back together. It took a while for the tube to focus it's probably not been powered up for 20 years! I like the metal tower containing the LOPT etc just like a little G6! Apparently this set is hybrid. All Transistor but with a valve EHT rectifier.
Welcome home Teleton!

Ah, Fairways, fondly remembered...

@cathovisor Magical days. Ages looking in the window of Oliver Carley's toy shop watching the trains go around and around then across the road to Fairways to look at some toys that were affordable. Now both long gone, Carley's shop is now a Pizza place and Fairways demolished. Victims of Queensgate which they flattened the lanes to build... I never go into town anymore.

Posted by: @richardfrommarple@slidertogrid I had an Ingersoll with the same chassis a few years ago, I've seen the plastic cased ones badged with various brands.
The geometry was a bit out & I could never get it 100% perfect, though the picture was quite sharp.
Eventually I sold it for about the same price I paid for it.
-- attachment is not available --
I have seen them badged as Benkson and Binatone as well. There must have been a little Street in Singapore churning them out by the pallet load!

@slidertogrid Without going too OT, I wonder how much longer Queensgate can survive given that John Lewis, M&S and Waitrose have all gone - I don't think a cinema and mini golf (!!) will save it. I remember buying a Tri-ang/Hornby buffet car from Oliver Carley's.

@cathovisor No, I won't turn this thread into a what happened to Peterborough discussion, to be honest I am beyond caring. Once Queensgate fails the council will no doubt turn it and the carparks into flats. That is their usual answer to closures...
Just for a laugh here's a picture of a TV released into the wild...
No, I didn't stage it, this is a bin by a bus stop on Bretton way...

Posted by: @slidertogridPosted by: @richardfrommarple@slidertogrid I had an Ingersoll with the same chassis a few years ago, I've seen the plastic cased ones badged with various brands.
The geometry was a bit out & I could never get it 100% perfect, though the picture was quite sharp.
Eventually I sold it for about the same price I paid for it.
-- attachment is not available --
I have seen them badged as Benkson and Binatone as well. There must have been a little Street in Singapore churning them out by the pallet load!
Sounds right, Boots seemed to have home electronics supplied by many different companies who were happy to badge engineer them.

@richardfrommarple Indeed - I have a Boots-branded stereo record player that is very obviously Philips.

Hi Rich, to add to your parade of portables, here are a couple of mine:
First is a Boots TV 12. As a youngster on shopping expeditions into town with my parents, I took a keen interest in the radio & tv department at the larger Boots branches, which in my case would have been the one at the Victoria shopping centre in Nottingham. This set caught my youthful eye for it's individual looks with push-through crt presentation and horizontal 'radio dial' arrangement for the continuous tuning. Although I would no doubt have wanted one badly at the time, a portable television would have been well outside the budget for birthday or Christmas presents. Many years later I acquired this example, which, having chatted to the original owner, turns out to have been purchased from that self-same branch of Boots in Nottingham, circa 1981. Having finally got my hands on one (forty plus years late) I was interested to discover it is in fact a Bush Ranger 3 in disguise. Strangely Boots' 14" offering was from the Thorn stable and I've always wondered why they didn't also go with Thorn for the 12" set too, instead of re-badging a Bush.
Here's the relevant Boots catalogue https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/boots-bw-portables/
Another notable set in my collection is a rather older model, the Alba T14. I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the cabinet design of these. Very much of their time and quite possibly even 'cool' today but to my eye an awkward looking thing, especially when it's 12" baby brother was so cute! I have tried to bond with this example and it is in very clean condition so I am warming to it slightly. Sound quality on these is pretty good.
Steve 🙂

Hi Steve it is odd that Boots mixed makes like that, Maybe they bought a 'production line' lot from each manufacturer badged accordingly, you would think though that a even better deal could have been done for a double batch of screen sizes?
I have an Ultra version of your Alba. I like the design, the problem was often the 14" tube didn't last so long as the 12" not helped by the LT adjustment pot drifting causing the heaters to be overrun. I picked up a 14" Alba from beside a skip a few years back but apart from being very battered the CRT was absolutely clapped.
Pic of my Ultra..

The Ultra looks very smart Rich! You inspired me to give the Alba several hours use this afternoon and the more I use it the more I like it. Luckily the crt is excellent. It certainly feels a lot better quality than some later portables- it's also considerably heavier, with plenty of metal in the construction. I rather like the smart vertical chrome bands up the sides of the cabinet too. It's strange that as far as I know the 14" model was never sold as a Ferguson, only Alba or Ultra. Or was there an HMV cousin too? One of them had a woodgrain effect case.
Really good to see your Teleton running as well. What a nice sharp image. I've seen several of those down the years and they appear for sale from time to time, but I've never seen one actually showing a picture. Come to think of it I've never seen a working Rigonda Starlet either...

Talking of Rigonda sets I have a couple of the little red VL100s tucked away. I think both have duff LOPTs unfortunately...

@slidertogrid I've a couple of those too, plus a set in a green case with the controls at the front - the 402, I think.

@cathovisor they are great little sets but unfortunately LOPT failure was very common. Woolworths could get spares I assume from the importers. I used to get sent LOPTS six at a time packed in a little egg type box. I wish I had kept a few!
- 21 Forums
- 7,960 Topics
- 117.9 K Posts
- 12 Online
- 331 Members