Tiny TV's

[petek]

I still haven't found any vintage roundy set for the livingroom but in the meantime I've drug home a few maybe not so vintage portables but liked the shape of them or something or other. One portable I would like to find is an early 70's GE 9 inch Porta Color. I remember wanting one back then but they weren't cheap like they are now.
So first off here is I'm not even sure of the year Panasonic BW with 5 inch pop up screen and AM/FM radio and pop out carrying handle

 

[jasonl]

Popup Panasonic

I've seen one of those before, do u have a pic of it open?

They also came out with a stereo where the turntable popped up when you lifted the lid. Strange yet fascinating.

Vintage Japanese rocks.

 

[petek]

Yup, here it is open

 

[petek]

A little more mundane but still nice Sharp Linytron, still has a great picture and color

 

[petek]

And a cube shaped RCA ColorTrak. One of the other sets I would really like to find is an ovoid shaped future looking JVC on tripod legs.. anyone have one of those?

 

[cadman]

Pete, You're forgetting the RCA 8PTxxxx series, the first true direct-view "portable" TV set - 8" CRT, optional rabbit ears and swivel stand, and all tubes!

Then the Philco Safari and the Sony "Micro TV" : )
-Cory

 

[petek]

OH no don't tell me LOL.. actually yes there are a few that would be nice.
A guy at the flea market has a 16 ish inch late 50's GE tube set in a wonderful turquoise color. Shape is much like your picture above but larger. I keep humming and hawing about buying it from him cause he wants about 200 for it. too much I think. I would pay that much for the JVC egg shaped Jetsons one though if it was in decent shape and working

 

[veg-o-matic]

Pete, those egg-shaped Panasonics go for CRAZY money!

As for getting a roundie, all I can say is "Be Patient." Even I managed to snag one after not too long a wait.

Two hundred bucks for a GE portable is WAY too much money! Even if it works. By the way, how are your TV repairing skills?

Oh, and after you get your Safari, don't forget the Symphonic Minni TV...

veg

 

[Cybrvanr]

Here's my tiny TV. This is a 1969 General electric model that my parents bought right about the time my sister was born. It's a pretty innovative television for it's time because it is not only fully solid-state, but it will run off of 12 volts. A television in the car? Unheard of in that day and age! This little tube entertained my sister and I on many road trips as kids. It's got a magnet-mount antenna that you attach to the roof that allows much better recieption. When you get to your destination, plug in the 120 volt cord, and you can plug it into the wall. It doesn't have it's own internal batteries however.

Another remarkable thing about it is that it has never needed ANY kind of service. Televisions of this day and age usually almost alway needed some amount of tweaking and tuning to keep the picture good. The cover had not been off of it until a few years ago when I decided to blow the dust off of it. Although it's a GE, internally it's mostly Panasonic, which probably explains it's durability. A lot of the Panasonic gear made in the 60 and 70's is quite indestructible!!

 

[Kevinpreston3]

Speaking of Panasonic...

I always wanted one of the super small Panasonic portables. Somewhere packed away I have my old RQ-209 cassette tape recorder. I used to look through the product manual that came with it at everything from radios, bizarre TVs and even fondue makers.

Here is my SD85 Stereo Music Center. My sister had this in the early 70s then gave it to me. Turntable slowly coming back to funcionality (not sure if speed is right) and I found a source for a new cartridge and needle.

Up to a year ago, I was still using it to amplify the audio from my vcr tuner to hear my TV in amped stereo. It is now retired for special interest usage.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[jasonl]

Garage-a-records has everything for that TT. It looks like a BSR unit. You can get the spindle and the 45 adap for it. Get a stack of disco records and rock on!

 

[petek]

Veg, I have a very tiny little clock radio/tv but it's at the office hooked up to the phone system for music on hold. It may be a Symphonic or Curtis or some other cheap name but it still works quite well.
BTW that Panasonic pop up above does work on batteries, and also has a plug in adaptor with a transformer the size of a butter box.
Nows probably a good time to start collecting these aging portables, people are tossing them out like lepers and you can get them for next to nothing.