[Bob Andersen]

I couldn't resist picking up another for $50 It's missing the visor (common issue), two knobs and the metal stand, but the CRT appears to be very low hours.
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At first all I got was sound and a blank raster. After I examined the boards and reassembled, the video appeared. Must have been a loose connection ?
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Works even better after a full recap
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[klondike98]

[morzh]

Cool!

[morzh]

What do you feed it as the signal? Settop box output? Antennas are not supposed to work anymore for analog....?

[sam]

Great work bob
Your videos are great too
Sam

[Bob Andersen]

Thanks guys! We still have a low power analog brocast on channel #6 in my area. That's the 87.7 image you see above. I also use set top converter boxes hard wired to the RF input. Also have a few agile modulators with enough power to broadcast a clean signal through out my home.

[Bob Andersen]

I like the early gold plated germanium Philco branded transistors. I wonder how much R&D $$ went into developing them ?

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[BrendaAnnD]

I've gotten several of these sets. IIRC, I have two in working order at this point. Out of all of them, I've never run into a weak CRT. Apparently those were very high quality tubes.

[Arran]

I've gotten several of these sets. IIRC, I have two in working order at this point. Out of all of them, I've never run into a weak CRT. Apparently those were very high quality tubes.

Brenda;
  I think that Philco put a lot more thought and care into these Safari sets then they did with the Predictas, at least the first generation Predictas. They wanted to make a ground breaking portable and battery powered TV and simply did not want it to be known as a dud, so perhaps the went overboard on the quality side, like new gold plated transistors and such. Of course the fact that most of these spent most of their time in the closet rather then playing 12 hours a day 7 days a week helped the picture tubes live a long life. They must have sold quite well in spite of their price, it's surprising how many still turn up, and still working, without having been serviced.
Regards
Arran

[Bob Andersen]

This one had seen a little been servicing. The two main filter caps had been changed out along with at least one cap on the main board. Repairs look to have been done back in the early 60s.

My other Safari definitely saw more use and has a faint burn in the CRT face typical of projection type CRTs. Still produces a bright picture though.
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[Don Lind]

Philco germanium transistors were the best in the industry. The Safari benefitted from superior transistors, low internal heat, low voltage operation and improved board material among other things. Much of the design work was done by the Transistor Application engineers and GI.

The first year Predictas were based on a reworked 1958 portable chassis and some questionable mechanicals all jammed into boxes mandated by the stylists. The second year Predictas were based on totally updated electronics.

In the late 50s, the TV division was headed by the newly appointed James Skinner JR, son of a founder, who was following footsteps to President. Product development cycles were 3 years at the time.

[rlr]

I was stunned to see one of these in an antique shop recently at a decent price so I grabbed it. It was in very good shape except the antenna was broken off. I placed part of another antenna in the hole where it was broken off and after that I was able to receive signals from a makeshift transmitter that I hooked up so I could watch from a DVD. The picture is decent but the sound is rather scratchy. I haven't had the guts to open it up yet to see what I could do with the volume control. I have never seen one of these in person before and was surprised at how large it was. I will need to go back and watch Bob's restoration video a few times.

[Bob Andersen]

Good luck with it. It seems these sets often work fine with a minimum of effort. The parts they used really held up well over time. It could be you just have a dirty volume control. Try some Deoxit fader lube.