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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
Ceefax (Teletext)
Suggestions
Website Refresh
Colour TV Brochures
1970s Lounge Recreation
CrustyTV Vintage Television Museum
Linda Lovelace Experience
Humbars on a Sony KV2702
1972 Ultra 6713
D|E|R Service “The Best”
The one that got away
Technical information
The Line Output Stage
The map
Tales of a newly qualified young engineer.
Tales of a Radio Rentals Van Boy
Sanyo SMD
Disastrous Company Rebranding
1969 Philips G22K511
Memories Of The TV Trade
Crazy house
Dirty TV screens
Dual Standard and Single Standard CTV’s
Radios-TV on YouTube
The Winter of 62/63
A domestic audio installation
1979 Ferguson Videostar Deluxe 3V16
Music centre modifications
Unusual record player modification
B&K 467 Adapters
Mishaps In The Trade
1971 Beovision 3200
1971 Bush CTV1120
Tech Chat British valve manufacturing
I came across an interesting project Great British Valve Project - Brimar Thermionic Products - Official Site (brimaruk.com)
Is anyone else aware of this? Apparently at the moment Brimar Thermionic Products are supplying valves from various sources, mainly Russia and China but their long-term plan is to produce affordable valves (admittedly the audio standards) in the UK. I haven't fully read the article but it seems they are looking for volunteers, particularly anyone who was involved in valve production.
I came across this via the Philips Pension Association of which I am a member. They contacted the association to see if there were any members who used to work at the Mullard Blackburn factory.
You may wonder why anyone would wish to make valves now. The type glowing in the photo, an R type, is similar to what was employed in the very early radios. Brimar’s intention is to move on and make more complicated and larger valves as are still used by “audiophiles” in their beloved valve amplifiers. There is a market for producing the likes of PX4s, ECC83s and EL34s. At the moment, Brimar import these types and others from, for instance, Russia and China. Indeed a company in Russia uses the old Mullard logo on their valves.
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It is a very interesting prospect that valves may once again be made here.
I wish them every success and look forward to any progress.
Perhaps looking even further forward, there could exist the possibility of CRT's being re-gunned.
To understand the black art of electronics is to understand witchcraft. Andrew.
It’s certainly a challenging undertaking and I wish them well. Yes I expect it will be audio valves to get first production, if there is enough market for other types then they could expand. The NOS valve suppliers seem to have a good stock of radio and TV valves from the last 60 years or so and it’s probable the market for new production is not there.
Anyway good luck to them and I really hope it works out for them.
Frank
Posted by: @sidebandThere is a market for producing the likes of PX4s, ECC83s and EL34s.
I always got the impression that "audiophiles" - who seem to spend more time listening to their system than the music - are far more likely to prefer the originals to any repro, especially that bloody triode... 🤬
Posted by: @pye625It is a very interesting prospect that valves may once again be made here.
I wish them every success and look forward to any progress.
Perhaps looking even further forward, there could exist the possibility of CRT's being re-gunned.
I can certainly see the demand for CRTs being re-gunned for the retro gaming community as old games look terrible on LCD screens. I'm currently repairing two Commodore monitors for a local chap and the amount of enquiries I'm getting on repairs is climbing.
Posted by: @waynedcan certainly see the demand for CRTs being re-gunned for the retro gaming community
The topic of CRT regunning is a perennial at VRAT and other vintage TV forums. More of a wistful dream than ever a reality. I can certainly agree there may be some, but limited demand, I think I can be bold enough though, to predict it will never happen.
Many reasons, not least of which is the acquisition of the required speicalised equipment. Then there's the very important gun assemblies, how are you going to source them. Finally, the skills required to do it, almost all the people who knew how, have long passed.
However, if all of that could be overcome, the chief reason for it never happening, is the cost. Unless the people who run the operation are rich, or have a rich benefactor, the cost is phenominal. Assuming the money and equipment could be found, unless the people running it are altruistic and happy to make a loss, harldy anyone would pay the price of a regun.
I can't be 100% certain, but I'm sure it's pretty close, a RACS regun, ran at around £800, and that was almost 10-years ago.
I can see all the retro gamers running for the hills at that price. It's never going to be low enough to be affordable, for the vast majority. A few members here, some sadly departed, used RACS, mainly for their pre-war TVs and were very pleased with the results. However, they were not without the occasional fault, I'm aware of one that had to be returned due a poor phosphor coating.
Then there is the shipping, no point sending this by Parcel Farce, you'll have more to worry about than a low emission cathode, a box of shards! That reminds me, I remember member @murphyV310 trying to organise a trip around the UK to collect CRT's from members, for regunning. The idea being to avoid the shipping issue, he would hire a Van, collect the CRT's drive them to RACS in France, stay there and then return them all to the UK member on his route home to Kilmarnock. The response, shall we say, was less than favourable. This was back when a fair few people had expressed an interest in getting their TVs regunned. When the time came, they all baulked, or made unreasonable requests to Trevor to detour rather than meet en-route. At the time I was up for this as I had a low emission MW14-22 and was gutted it never came to fruition.
Background
The last remaining two regunners were RACS in France and Hawkeye in the USA, both now closed. I believe most of the Kit from both RACS and Hawkeye ended up with Steve McVoy at the Early Television museum in the USA. I don't think outside of the museum, there are any plans to operate this as a commercial venture.
One of the chaps from ETM, travelled to RACS in France to receive on site training before they closed, some of which you can watch here.
If you want to see Scott, the master at Hawkeye at work, this video documents the entire process, very absorbing, definitely a cuppa and biccy time.
Outside of the ETM, I believe there is one company left, but that being in Russia, hardly a viable option for most. Furthermore, I'm not sure they even do colour.
I was aware of the Brimar project, I think it was mentioned at least a couple of years ago both here and at UKVRRR. They have more than a fair chance of success, but will have to compete with the mythology of Mullard Yellow labels, and legendary Blackburn codes.
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Hi Chris.
There is actually still a regunner in Russia. He's far from cheap and there is a snag. The faulty CRT has to be delivered in person, its regunned, shown working and then collected by car only. Allegedly a horrendous journey, the quality though is exceptional. My friend in Poland has done this but said never again. Russian drivers consume more Vodka than the cars use in petrol!!
Cheers,
Trevor.
MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member
Posted by: @cathovisorPosted by: @sidebandThere is a market for producing the likes of PX4s, ECC83s and EL34s.
I always got the impression that "audiophiles" - who seem to spend more time listening to their system than the music - are far more likely to prefer the originals to any repro, especially that bloody triode... 🤬
Aye, but then, that could mean plenty of repros for those of us who ain't so picky - As long as the price isn't out by Pluto!
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