General Electric 7-4643A Clock Radio

Here's a unique clock radio with twenty-four hour timekeeping capability and support for 120 volt (60Hz) and 220 volt (50Hz) operation. (I haven't tried to see if the line frequency is hard wired to the voltage choice. It's implied that this is the case and all of the timekeeping ICs that I have seen do not automatically determine the AC powerline frequency automatically.)
I had to do a few repairs--the case was a bit busted up, its controls were dirty and the speaker cone was full of dust bunnies. After about fifteen minutes of work, this radio works like new once again. Build quality is excellent, with lots of thought given to repairability. The sound quality and tuner also appear to be quite good.
It does not come as a huge surprise that the battery compartment is spotless. I don't think too many people bother with the time backup batteries in their clock radios--they don't last long and the time tends to drift badly on most units during a long power outage.

[@TheAlphaWoomy]

I'm surprised you didn't mention how much you liked that blue light as you did in the video where you fixed that little alarm clock.

[@XeonProductions]

I miss the old General Electric consumer electronics when they used to last forever. I still have a General Electric VCR from the 80s that still works.

[@HDXFH]

I had a GE Clock radio where it's Speaker Impedance was 45 Ohms, That is very unique!!

[@HDXFH]

I like those sorts of clock radios, Flipclock 1's are very hard to find

[@audiodood]

The way you read the GE date codes is the 2nd digit in the code is the last digit of the year. That clock was probably made in 1985 with that code.

[@randomrazr]

i got a GE clock radio too. im assuming its a little bitnewer than yours since it doesnt use that blue fluroscent lighting for the clock. it uses a red light. the speaker in htese small radios were pretty nice and rich

[@V8Jagnut]

nice. i had one older than that long time ago but desplay was shot

[@Ltb0b]

:O wow nice find that thing outdates me... I love old radios they don't break much (ofc if you buy a good one) and they are a actual size.. ( my cheapos actually slowly melted the case)

[@EskieWolf]

@uxwbill Unfortunately no. This one is just a 120 volt model with 12 hour time.

[@fortyfiveplayer]

That middle pic is a symbol for the 9 v battery for the backup. Back then it was a big deal to have that feature as people did not want to get yet another item that blinked "12:00" with every power glitch (ala VCR's)

[@queenofyeay]

@BlueFoxTV Yep, 9v battery back-up, but the two people in bed icon idea was great though, right?

[@bluefoxtv1566]

The second image may be a 9 volt battery, for battery back up. If it has it.

[@eldorado89176]

So that weird symbol in the middle is actually a symbol for a 9volt battery back up. The battery backup became popular with alarm clocks during this time, because everybody hated setting them. I personally love the old Realistic Alarm clocks.

[@whatthehellisthisbit]

I love these old clock radios. They don't make them like they used too

[@Team-fabulous]

Looks great..

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

Try LM*8*362 instead. The little Grundig that has been sitting on the Deskworkbench(R) here uses a LM8361, it's a few years older as well. Not only have I not managed to find out why it's about 1 min/d fast, I also managed to let the magic smoke out of a tiny 33R ~1/10W "fuse" resistor while trying to measure voltage between supply and clock ground (which is kept about 1.5 V about main circuit ground). This unit does not like that at all. Weird voltage setup anyway. Maybe I'll make a video.

[@naruto90123]

Not used to seeing my old digital clock on video X)

[@Lachlant1984]

@0kMik It's possible that one battery powers the radio when the unit's not plugged in, I've seen very few clock radios that have space for 2 9 volt batteries, I know of/knew of only one, but I assume that's what it's all about.

[@0kMik]

The picture (of two people in a bed) that your refering to is actually a picture of a 9 volt battery. But this unti uses two - 9 volt batteries; I dont know why. I could only figure that unit requires that much voltage.

[@vcamnowaa]

@6:11 it sounds like that movie called A Christmas Story was on lol

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

@HDXFH That must have been an old design (like from the '60s), certainly with a discrete audio amp of moderate parts count. They couldn't get enough current out of the thing, so up the speaker impedance went. An old trick to save an output transformer that dates back to pocket transistor radio days. Well, even further in fact - back in the vacuum tube days, occasionally speakers with several hundred ohms were used.

[@AMD1]

It would not surprise me if that clock radio was marketed towards military families who are constantly relocated. Do you have any flip alarm clocks?

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

@uxwbill The Fancy Multimeter typically said 50.00 +/- 0.01 Hz in frequency counter mode, and for the kind of inaccuracy observed, it would have to be 50.03 *on average*. We also have one of the most stable power grids over here. Usually mains frequency is controlled such that deviations average out over a day. I suspect some extra cycles slipping in somewhere, like due to spikes on the power supply. V+ seemed stable, but Clock Gnd had like 200 mV of stuff on it - not sure.

[@WillWise808]

Hi, Nice clock radio, I just pick up Ge 7-4642F clock radio at my local Goodwill store for 3.99, Amazing shape! Nice speaker sound. No cracked display, clean battery compartment. It’s a shame they don’t make them like this anymore. Today’s clock radios . The audio is tinny and harsh. Happy New year...

[@uxwbill]

General Electric made some of the best clock radios.

[@TCIR]

@@uxwbill I have the clock featured in the video...however if you touch the volume knob it nearly kills the speaker. The speaker does not work for the next few hours. Any idea how you can fix that?

[@SkyNines]

@dana44s Not the length of the video lol.. I mean the alarm clock settings.

[@Lachlant1984]

I like clock radios, I always have, I have a few my self, but I had a lot more when I was younger. I wonder if your clock radio cassette recorder is the same as the one that CassetteMaster, Vwestlife, vinylrecordsneverdie and steelrain3 all have with 2 different alarm settings. I like the fact this one can run on different voltages around the world, is the power cord detachable? Please make a video of your other clock radios, I'd be interested to see them.

[@EskieWolf]

Mine's almost the same except it is a Model 7-4649B.

[@dreamt89]

The alarm was set to 13:37. Is that an Easter egg?

[@oliverfasola19]

Just curious what state are you in and would you be willing to sell any of these? I’m in Canada and can only get them for $75 plus CAD

[@uxwbill]

No, I do not sell or trade anything on KZbin. Even if I did, these aren't for sale.

[@THADEN700]

@ianhawdon i'm sure there are many clocks that display military time.

[@Lachlant1984]

I'm not trying to mock you or diss you, but I do find it interesting that someone can do a 9 minute presentation about something as mundane as a clock radio, but then that's what makes your videos unique, I'm not trying to be rude or insulting, I do find that clock radio somewhat interesting, but I've seen others that interest me far more to tell the truth, but hey, this one's pretty good. Does it have a dial light for the radio tuner scale?

[@cavisco]

Check to see if the clock IC is a Sanyo part

[@romarovinciguerra5387]

I was looking for a General Electric Clock AM/FM radio with the built in phone with Automatic Muting forever! I finally found one today for four bucks. The Model number is 7-4737A made in Singapore. I've had a Vtech in the bedroom for about two years but the red LED's commonly found in a lot of modern clocks hurts my eyes. I fined the old VFD's a lot more pleasant on the eyes.

[@TylerBundy260]

At 4:15, what is that moving thing inside used for?

[@KRC1023]

Maybe the 2 9v batteries are in parallel for more current or longer life- I guess i will never know.

[@drammensveien1]

3:45 remote control ?

[@DRWebster93]

@dana44s I even watched the video a second time...where is the leet reference?

[@hydrolisk1792]

I LOVE building clock radios out of parts, check out this one I'm currently working on, on the Antique radio forums: antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=302145

[@AliceC993]

5:14 is a win. xD

[@theimaginator16]

6:36 "are you tired of doing what is good and right" -skip!

[@late0404]

the 220 volt system is for europe europe runs everything off a 220 system

[@franklinmorgan250]

Do you think the bead with two heads could actually be a radio icon?

[@JoshuasRecordings]

I love that clock radio. LOVE those old florescent displays! those old ones are so cool! the LED ones I don't like as much!

[@kowtymae]

Is this unit for sale? I have one but it has had it's share of use and I'm afraid it is on it's way out. This clock is the only I have been able to find that has an alarm loud enough to wake me up! Please reply :) Thank you.

[@franklinmorgan250]

I mean the BED with 2 heads.

[@jasonford-kann4153]

january 1985

[@HesitantSignal]

Odd... I have the same exact clock, however it doesn't have the 12/24 hr switch.

[@FrancisAceLitan]

Philippines uses 220v 60Hz and Jamaica uses 110v 50Hz 220V 50Hz clock will run fast on 220V 60Hz electricity 120V 60Hz clock will run slow on 110V 50Hz electricity.

[@POLO9999]

I would like to know if one day, it'll be "in sale" or a clock radio like that... I would like a "vintage" one for daily use :).

[@jacobcooper648]

i had bought the same clock at a goodwill but the time was frozen but u can change the but the time would still be frozen

[@uxwbill]

Make sure it's not locked in the alarm or clock setting mode. I think this one has a switch.

[@jacobcooper648]

i took it off of lock but it was still frozen the time never changed

[@uxwbill]

If the display indicated normally, that's really very odd. Each segment of a number in the display is driven one at a time (just really, really fast, so it looks like a steady image), which would suggest that the reference clock was running. I suppose the timekeeper chip could have failed.

[@jacobcooper648]

sorry it took me a long time to reply but thankyou for the help and tips

[@SkyNines]

Lol... 13:37 Bill? Really? Hahaha.