[Ron Ramirez]

Mike

I did not replace any transistors. If I ever have to, I hope that I have a copy of the schematic for the unit by then.

Sam: Here is a quick photo of the remote unit which is in the living room:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00013.jpg]

A similar remote unit is in the basement.

These are passive in that they contain no active electronics, only a speaker, volume control and control switch.

While the overall volume depends on how loud the volume is set at the master control unit, the volume can also be controlled at each remote unit.

[sam]

that's pretty cool ron
I would imagine it was high tec and expensive to have that installed back in the day
just think if you didn`t buy that house. new owner might have tossed it
sam

[Arran]

Semiconductors are one of the big reasons Philco nearly went under in 1961 and were rescued from oblivion (temporarily, as it turned out) by a buyout from Ford.

Philco invented the surface barrier transistor, and pushed them heavily.

At the same time, Philco had diversified into a huge conglomerate, building consumer electronics, white goods (refrigerators, freezers, ovens, washers, dryers), and they also had a Government and Industrial Division which ended up being a huge monetary drain on the Corporation. Philco also dabbled in computers towards the end.

As John Wolkonowicz said so well in his Philco thesis, "Philco's dream was to become another RCA."

But I digress.

  RCA's dream to become RCA was a nightmare over the long run, the final nail in their coffin came later then Philco's though, but for many of the same reasons. I think that to some degree RCA copied Philco by going into the large appliance business in that they owned Whirlpool for a time. The diversification idea sucked in many companies at the time, and ruined just about as many, but such is to be expected when you stray off the path of what you know.
  If anything it would have been even more of a  financial gamble developing, manufacturing, and marketing solid state devices in the 1950s and 60s then it would be now, a lot of what was unknown then is well understood now. From what I read the rejection rate of newly produced transistors was extremely high up until the late 1950s, so the technology was not cheap, if you price out a transistor portable radio as compared to a tube one, circa 1956-57, the transistor ones were double what the tube ones were, an AC operated transistor set made absolutely no sense at all.
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

I would imagine it was high tec and expensive to have that installed back in the day

I'm sure it was expensive...especially with this being the very first all-transistor home radio/intercom.

And it is still expensive...Rittenhouse is gone, but NuTone and M&S (Music & Sound) are still around and still making these systems...and they aren't cheap! I looked, and a master station and several remotes will set you back close to $1K. And then there's the cost of installation...

The original owners of our house owned a then-popular restaurant and bar in town, so maybe the Rittenhouse was their way of celebrating their success?

just think if you didn`t buy that house. new owner might have tossed it

You're probably right...I shudder to think what a typical home buyer, who does not appreciate Mid Century style, would have done to this place. I can just imagine the original tile in both bathrooms getting ripped out, the kitchen cabinets and countertops being replaced with new stuff...Which is fine for a new home, but not a 1960 house that had been left almost totally original.

[Ron Ramirez]

I think that to some degree RCA copied Philco by going into the large appliance business in that they owned Whirlpool for a time. The diversification idea sucked in many companies at the time, and ruined just about as many, but such is to be expected when you stray off the path of what you know.

Interesting point. We note that Brand Z was the "last man standing" in American consumer electronics; their "diversification" went as far as a (temporary) agreement with Wincharger to help them sell farm radios...and, later, buying Heathkit. Zenith never went into the "white goods" business. All of the other U.S.-based electronics companies that diversified into white goods ultimately failed. Zenith stayed around until the Lucky Goldstar buyout.

[Arran]

...I shudder to think what a typical home buyer, who does not appreciate Mid Century style, would have done to this place. I can just imagine the original tile in both bathrooms getting ripped out, the kitchen cabinets and countertops being replaced with new stuff...Which is fine for a new home, but not a 1960 house that had been left almost totally original.

  
 Ron;
   I've watched a lot of home reno shows on HGTV and have seen a lot involving Kitchen remodels in houses from the 1940s through 1960s. I can sort of understand why they would rip a kitchen out if it were falling apart and no longer functional but have seen more then a few where they ripped out a perfectly good set of cabinets simple because they were "Dated looking", and replaced them with a set of flat pack style cabinets from Ikea that won't last 10 years.
 In one case they went to the flat pack junk because they blew the budget on making the kitchen/dining room/livingroom  area "open concept", I would rather have kept the walls and bought better cabinets myself then pay extra to have a birds eye view of the stove. Some new doors, a new countertop and sink, maybe a few inexpensive mods inside the cabinets themselves, and they would have been fine.
Regards
Arran

[Arran]

We note that Brand Z was the "last man standing" in American consumer electronics; their "diversification" went as far as a (temporary) agreement with Wincharger to help them sell farm radios...and, later, buying Heathkit. Zenith never went into the "white goods" business. All of the other U.S.-based electronics companies that diversified into white goods ultimately failed. Zenith stayed around until the Lucky Goldstar buyout.

 
Ron;
  Brand Z was also fairly on the ball with developing new products, at least after the used car salesman left as head of the company. They were late in entering the TV business but made up for it by improving their products over time rather then making them cheaper and nastier, which was what most of their competitors did, except maybe RCA. Philco seems to have been less consistent with this, they hit a low with the Predicta TVs of 1959-61, but seemed to clean up their act for a while in the mid 1960s then went downhill again, then by the end they were having their stereo equipment and radios made in Taiwan.
Regards
Arran

[mtk212]

Ron - hi, any chance you can discuss the Rittenhouse RCM-3? I know it is 10 years since you did the post. I have one of these in my house that stopped working.

Thanks,
Mike

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

Mike, Unfortunately Ron passed away and this site continues to grieve his loss and miss his incredible knowledge.