Set off in the dark at 06:30 this morning on another collection caper kindly assisted by another Chris "The_teleman", a 260mile round trip and back home at 11:00. A cup of coffee and a roll, and here we go on the reveal.
As mentioned in another thread early this year, I started refocusing my collection, to leave mostly leave behind dual-standard colour, and extend my interest further into the 1980s, with particular attention to teletext and viewdata (Prestel) capable sets. The collection already had three TV's with teletext capabilities, also three external set-top boxes, with today's acquisition that now stands as 12 sets with teletext. This TV was one of my holy-grail TV's of that genre, the other is finding a viewdata TV.
The 26CS3890/05R is a fairly rare set these days, in fact I never thought I'd find one, this is the only one I've seen, it would be interesting to know if any others have survived. It uses the K35 chassis and has microprocessor tuning, direct channel selection, 50 pre-selections, built in stereo decoder, Teletext decoder, text page number memory, teletext printer, improved audio stage, plus the new fangled Euroconnector SCART.
As mentioned elsewhere, something made me buy a Philips remote earlier this year, I know no why, I do now!
Some Philips Blurb!
How the printer works
The Teletext printer is connected and integrated into the television receiver for printing a hard copy of the picture, that is, the combination of numbers, letters or other symbols, which are displayed on the screen of the television receiver. It should be appreciated, however, that a printer cannot operate at the speed at which the luminance signal is supplied to the television receiver. Since the picture displayed on the screen of the television receiver is a still picture, that is, it remains on the screen long enough for the viewer to read the information, the luminance signal is sampled with a suitable sampling frequency to enable the printer to follow the luminance signal as the corresponding numbers, letters or other symbols are being displayed on the screen of the television receiver to print the sampled output thereby produce the desired hard copy.
The teletext acquisition and decoding is frequently provided as a separate custom designed group of integrated circuit which communicates with the microcontroller. Inputs to the microcontroller are frequently from a remote control device via an infra-red communications link. Thus, typically, the user will use the remote control unit to select the particular programme source which he or she desires to watch. This may be for example a number of broadcast television channels or a choice of channels provided by a cable television network, a satellite receiver or from an external source such as a video cassette recorder or a video disc player. The remote control unit is also used to select a particular teletext page for display and in some instances may be used for additional functions which are specific to a particular television set, which may be the printing of a teletext page.
K35 Chassis
The chassis used is the PHILIPS with a mains isolation transformer, as it is supplied with SCART and DIN video/audio connection sockets. The chassis is very complicated with an additional audio board together with all the remote control and teletext facilities, which dramatically increases the component count. This model was only available in 26-inch screen size and sports a PHILIPS 30AX Crt. The 30AX system, which Philips introduced in 1979, was an important landmark in the development of colour picture systems, the colour tube of the PHILIPS 30AX system displays a noticeably sharper picture over the entire screen surface. This will be particularly noticeable when data transmissions such as Viewdata and Teletext are displayed. This has been achieved by a reduction in the size of the beam spot by about 30%.
Some photos of the outside, it is in remarkable condition, fingers crossed the 30AX is not flat!
More photos to follow of the internals, OH, and it was a BOGOF day, (Buy One, Get One Free) it came with this thrown in, a September 1986 OMEGA free B&W TV. Now who can resist a free TV?
Well, that printer doesn't work in the manner I expected at all. I'd have thought it'd be driven from the text decoder directly.
A lot more complex than I thought, Bloomin glad I didn't have to repair that part of the circuit! The K35 chassis was very good though with the exception of the 4R7 surge limiter, the IC holder (if fitted) on the txt board and the A1 capacitor drying up in later life I can't remember any common faults. The 30AX tubes going low prematurely had been cured by the time the K35 came out, the Philips tubes were even better than the Mullard ones.
Chris, check the two little chokes on the tube base panel. If they haven't been touched (shortened or worse still linked out) than that is a good sign!
I will follow your progress with interest! It must be over 30 years since I saw one... Even Snellings museum don't have an example and they were massive Philips/Pye dealers back then.
Incredible, both it and the remote look like they’ve just been unboxed. Looking forward to seeing the internals.
When I took the back off I wasn't expecting, what I found, it's so darn clean!
The set looks hardly used at all, it's not been cleaned as there is a little light layer of dust there. It's a Philips tube, too, really hoping it's a low hour, looking at the tube end it looks new, no bluing of the metals.
Massive brown wire loom in there, and some really complicated looking boards, one in particular has some stand-off ceramic thick film units with ICs, one of them is also huge. Quite a few thick film units, even two on the teletext board. I hope the set is OK, I'm reminded when I moved the K12, just 4-miles, it ended up not working due to one of the RGB thick film sockets edge grip breaking, not the thick film but the socket. This travelled 130 Miles!
I revised the date of this TV to 1983, all the boards have labels stating A00 Oct 1983, even the delay line, 41-years ago this month. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind me that this is 40+ year old tech! I would not be surprised to find there have been no repairs to this in all that time. The four tuner cans has got me confused, one massive and three small, it looks to have VHF and UHF, the other two, who knows. Is this a continental import?
I'm so going to need the manual for this!! 😲
I said to "The_Teleman" on the way home, I hope this was some Rich Toff's set, who only used it occasionally for share prices or horse racing results.
That is so clean like you just unboxed it out of the factory
can’t wait to see it working 👍
I hope you do have the K35 manual, Chris, as this looks way beyond me without one! I found a wiring diagram online, but not the full manual. Sod's law, I have everything else, G6 dual and single, G8, G11, K12, KT3, K30, system 4 etc, nothing for K35!
That looks like a very low hours set Chris. The lack of dust around the LOPT demonstrates that. Be very careful of the connections to the focus control. If you try to unplug the spade connectors or move the wires from side to side like you could when cleaning with a paintbrush the tags may break loose from the thickfilm in the focus control. It is possible with care to resolder them but best left alone if possible. There is an earth pin that connects to the PCB which is vulnerable as well...I note the heater chokes are "glued" this is because this set is a late model, early ones would whistle and had to be glued to stop them. Hopefully the set will work with very little attention needed.
I think mainly the chassis is very much the same as the K30 but obviously the big differences are the printer add on and the "beambooster" circuits which I think were only on this model ordinary K35s didn't have it. So you really need the manual for this model as an ordinary K35 manual probably won't be any more help than a K30 manual. Lets hope it works!
That's most impressive Chris, that must just about hit the gong as regards Philips sets of the era. I recall seeing these advertised at the time and being intrigued by the printer option, though I have to admit that I wondered just how useful it would actually be..... I would be very torn between wanting to run it up and see it in action, and considerable trepidation about being too hasty and seeing something irreplaceable let the smoke out before a thorough checkover. I readily concede to cowardice regarding anything involving elderly, long dormant PSU electrolytics and EHT circuitry, I like to leave anything involving high voltage windings by a radiator for a fortnight or so before a careful application of 'leccy.
Good luck with it, I expect that we're all looking forwards to seeing some raster success.
I would be very torn between wanting to run it up and see it in action, and considerable trepidation about being too hasty and seeing something irreplaceable let the smoke out before a thorough checkover.
Exactly how I feel, Colin. 👍
This is still my stance, despite the fact the vendor powered it up to show on his sale listing (see image below). It was just for the photo, so short duration, but even so risky to say the least. I also note the raster was not full, a couple of inches up from the bottom.
The TV is in the museum which is heated overnight and during the day, currently 25.5C, there it shall remain dormant whilst I find (fingers crossed) and study the circuit, and familiarise myself with it then do the essential checks. Only then will I apply power, better safe than sorry and fate has already been tempted once, I'm not tempting it twice as knowing my luck, it would not end well. There's no rush, and I'm also working on the BBC micro Teletext project in parallel.
p.s.
The chap is a house clearance specialist and confided in me that he has dumped many a wooden looking TV, and that this Philips was destined for the same treatment, but something stopped him from doing so. I explained to him, I collect, that I run a forum and that there is a whole community of people who love these old TVs and repair them. He took my number and said in future he will contact me, he has done so already this afternoon, so it is not an empty promise.
As much as I would like to save everything, I can't save them all, I don't have the space, so rest assured I will inform members here as, when and if, anything interesting should surface. At least I will be able to advise what is and isn't worth saving.
It's not a foreign import, the /05 after the model number is the code for UK. Those thick film units are on the TRD4 remote control panel. It doesn't use an EEPROM for the memory. The ER1400 is an EAROM...Electrically Alterable Read Only Memory. They work similarly to an EEPROM but I think that although you can erase an EEPROM, you can only alter the contents of the EAROM...I never quite understood how they worked! The stereo decoder...if it's actually fitted won't be NICAM. None of the K35's were NICAM. It will use the German dual-carrier system so never worked in UK. I think it was just cheaper for Philips to retain the panel which would work in mono. The sound is good though...a cut above the average TV
That looks a cracking set. Very low hours by the look of it. The date code on that serial plate NR A01342...A01 is first change (so a slight change from the original circuit which would have been A00) and 342.....42 week of 1983.
Don't worry too much about the raster being short at the bottom with no signal...it MIGHT indicate a dried up cap on the frame panel but it could simply be that the sync had nothing to lock to.
The screened boxes....the large one is the I.F module, the two smaller ones are a VHF and UHF tuner (the VHF one isn't used but still forms part of the tuning system) and the box across the top of the two tuners is a pre-scaler...also part of the tuning system. You're right...it was one of the most complex K35's.
By the way, I did throw caution to the wind with the BOGOF
That chassis looks a lot like the Oz KL9 except for ALL that STUFF hanging off it!
Must have been an expensive build. Amazing time capsule.
I mentioned above that earlier in the year, for some reason I bought a Philips remote, and it turned out when I bought this TV, the remote was missing, Kismet?
Well how about this discovery!
I also like to where possible obtain spare LOPTs, looking through my stock, what do I find a boxed HR Diemen with an HRS part No sticker over the original box one. The HRS label states K30/K35. I then go to the HR data and see that the CS3890/05R used either the HR6030 or HR6142. I then peel back the HRS sticker on the box and it reveals the original HR6030.
Opening the box, I notice the focus lead exit from the LOPT body is slight different. This LOPT must be updated as it has a 1988 stamp, whereas the one in the set is 1983. I've checked all the pins, and they match exactly, except they are spaced slightly wider than the original, but the main board has the wider pads that are unused.
What a result, I had no idea I had this in stock, back into the stores now clearly marked.
In the Oz-made KT3s and KL9s they used a separate LOPT and tripler.
Did you ever see this variant in the UK?
@crustytv You've reminded me - I must send you those HR Diemen bits I promised you. I also have a few other bits you may find interesting...
@irob2345 The KT3 used a separate LOPT and Tripler the K30/K35 Diode split like the one Chris has. When the CTX and KT4 came out they used a diode split.
I don't think I ever changed a LOPT in any of them. Triplers in KT3s yes loads, but not a LOPT. I changed a few G11 Diode split LOPTs but only when the sets were really old and it was the odd one using a second-hand one from a scrap panel.
KT3s and KL9s they used a separate LOPT and tripler, did you ever see this variant in the UK?
I have a new boxed, unused KT3 chassis.
That is probably how Pye Marrickville and Kriesler Caringbah received their Philips chassis in the "canning factory" years of those plants. That started with K12s and KT3s, but the K12 was unloved by just about everyone so for the 30AX introduction Philips Hendon came up with the KL9 - basically a KT3 modified to drive a 30AX. They were reliable and cheaper to build. Hendon never built a K12 with other than the 20AX. Diode split LOPTs were only used briefly by Philips Hendon for the early production K12s.
Screen sizes from 53cm and down used the KT3 and Hitachi CRTs. Then CRTs from Philips new Singapore plant - unlike the Hitachi CRTs, they wore out quickly.
Then it all moved to Singapore, IC and transistor fabs, passives, the lot.
My good fortune with regard to this set just keeps on, today I received a kind donation to the service data section from @the_teleman this consisted of two massive folder full of Philips service data, sets and chassis' I' never heard of and some I had, some really tasty TVs too, I'm sure @sideband would remember a lot of the sets, some nice stereo ones.
However, the real gem in there is the full manual for the K35 that I haveWhat is fascinating is the model number, here it is 66KS3908/05T. The data, boards diagrams and circuits match my 26CS39080/05R exactly! Also in there is a large supplement on the TRD4, which has fault-finding guides, board surveys. Modifications and info about the self diagnostic codes.
Now I have the service data, I shall set about studying it with an aim to work towards powering up the set later this week.
