It is close enough and I would like a nice older TV which will be easy to work on, While I have read some are pretty easy to work on and others are not, How would this one be and would it be challenging to keep it going?
Thanks for any information you may have !
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 500wt_1157
Peter and EIleen

Appears to have a weak raster, which probably means a weak CRT. If you are serious about the TV, you need to contact the seller and tell him to unplug it (unless it has been completely restored, which means new caps).

It should be easy enough to work on.

WHat is a weak raster and why do you say that?
Peter

Actually I think that is a very attractive and interesting TV. The double-D CRT mask is unique to just a few years right around 1949-50, and the cabinet styling is pretty cool. Looks like the cabinet is in unusually good condition. The fact that it works to some extent is a very good sign, indicating that it would be easily restorable.

Hard to tell the condition of the CRT from the picture shown. The seller claims it is nice and bright. If he is truthfull and knows what he is talking about, then there's a good chance the CRT is usable. Even if it turns out to be weak, you should be able to find a replacement from a less desirable set.

I'd go for it, if you've got room and interest!

Price is a little high -- I'd probably think more along the lines of $100 for a set like that. If it doesn't sell at $150, perhaps you have a chance to get it at a lower price. If you really like it, it's not a complete ripoff at $150.

The screen is not lit to full brightness in the photo. This could be a photographic problem, or could be a weak CRT.

If the TV has not been restored, operating it could do a lot of damage to several parts; it could end up being worth $1.50 instead of $150.

also Pete, look at the neck of the picture tube and see if a brightner is installed. It will be an extra part, usually round that will connected to the CRT. If it has one, it's a dead giveaway that the CRT is weak.

Nice set. I wouldn't pay $150 for it though.

I just looked at the pics. That raster is not even filling the screen vertically, so the seller is not justified is saying the set is working. He should have hooked up some type of singal by VCR or DVD to show that is is indeed working. If jhe can't show that it's woprking , then that should be a negotiation point in price.
Doug

The photo shows a black band at the top of the screen. This could be a vertical problem, or it could be that the camera was not set to 1/30th or 1/60th of a second exposure.

If the TV is an easy drive away, I would suggest taking a look at it in person.

The only down side to choosing the Sparton brand is that availability of set-specific parts can sometimes be a problem when compared to major brands like RCA or Admiral who sold huge amounts of sets.

Most older Sparton models are fairly well built though, and do work well when restored.

The sellers hype is over the top but it's a nice looking set and not too common.
I too think the raster looks weak, he says it's bright but the picture with no flash sure looks dim to me, of course that could be caused by other problems besides the CRT.

The $150 opening bid isn't completely out of line, I'd probably go for it if I could test the CRT first.

That cabinet's in nice shape, and the presence of a raster is encouraging.

Like every TV from that time, it will need complete recapping -- replacement of dozens of capacitors -- to be made safe and reliable.

You can't expect the average seller to know this, but an unrestored TV that is "working" like that, only works in the sense that a 60-year old car found in a barn might be made to start if you charge the battery and fill the gas tank. It's only a matter of time -- perhaps only a minute or two -- before some crucial part fails and it dies. For the car as well as the TV, some serious restoration is needed before you can use it as a daily driver.

If you're interested in the TV, I would get on the phone and plead with the seller NOT to plug it in any more, which may damage "unobtanium" parts.

You can skim a couple of the TV articles in this restoration section to get an idea what it takes to get the average old B/W television working reliably:

http://antiqueradio.org/restoration.htm

I doubt you'll have much competition at the $150 price. When I describe to sellers how many hours of restoration it will take to make their "working" TV actually work, the price often drops. If you go to see it, I'd try holding out $100 cash with a big smile, and see what happens.

Regards,

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

The price on this set was originally $500 BIN so he's already lowered it, he'd do better to drop it to $50 and let the market decide.

Regarding your original question I think this set would be quite easy to work on, it's already displaying a raster so your halfway there.

The tough sets from the late 40's are the GE's Philco's and Zeniths, complicated chassis and cramped to boot.

I have found Dumont sets to be surprisingly easy to fix, lots of room underneath and very logically laid out.

That is a particularly nice compact early TV console. I always liked that model and have noticed that it doesn't turn up often. I'd go for it.
Good luck!

I would really like an old B&W tv again and dont know the easiest ones to work on.
This one I liked for the looks and hoped that it would be a good one.
I will try and see if I can see it in person, I really dont have $150 to spend for a "I hope the picture tube is good" set.
Thanks for the advice!
Peter

Admirals are usually considered to be the easiest to work on. But this one should not be too difficult.

You can likely borrow a CRT tester from someone local, and if you get to the point of wanting to purchase the set, make testing the CRT a requirement before committing to buy.

If it's a 12LP4 tube or similar, they are not especially tough to find if you do end up needing one. However, I wouldn't let that deter you. I should produce some sort of picture.

The only precaution is, I once wondered what a raster was too...and then I realized just how much I didn't know about something as complicated as a TV. It was a lot of fun learning and I since have finished 3 TV sets into working condition with lots of help from this forum. You can do it too.

Odds are it's got a weak tube, which you could bring back with a brightener if you needed to, for occasional use. Or, if some other component failed and caused them to sideline the TV, maybe the CRT has lots of good life in it.

If it were me, I'd hope for the weak picture tube and then start replacing caps and checking resistors one by one. It's tons of fun when it works (finally).

I am a cheap skate with limited room for collecting. My top price on that TV would be no more than $75. Hopefully less. I don't think that reflects the "market" per se, but, my own limitations. The other estimates on here are accurate; in any event $150 is high. There are lots of tv sets still hiding on the east coast.

Peter that is a nice set and spartons are not as easy to find. 75.00 is fair but 100.00 would be max. Dont worry about crt some of the guys can help you with a crt Im sure.