Tatung 170 series chassis vintage TV set.

[@mosfettg6857]

what a beautiful picture that produces , best ive seen.

[@robtitheridge9708]

Great sets i still have 4 on off switches for then..and ironicly the first one i fixed had no tuning .i love thease looks into the past

[@petervideos8699]

Great set thanks 😊

[@ianedwards468]

Dear me! It makes me think when something like the Tatung 170 is now vintage. I worked for a Decca / Tatung dealership at the time and the 170 looked so state of the art when I took the back off one for the first time back in 1988. It replaced the 140 chassis in large screen models and like the previous designs was a joy to work on. We had the same model as ypurs as our family set for 15 years before passing it on to a neighbour who used it until the end of analogue TV. Never broke down, not even the on-off switch. The picture from the black matrix CRT is excellent and I really liked the wood finish. Cheaper variants had black all-plastic cabinets. Cheers Ian E

[@pi6706]

Nice looking set I must say.

[@JK-we1dr]

Tatung.. the best telly I ever had. Super picture

[@AnthonyFrancisJones]

Excellent! Interesting to see the unmistakable Unilab orange power supply in the background. Worked with and taught many a physics lesson with those! All that Unilab stuff was simple to use and worked really well. That said I guess yours is one that needed repairing!

[@walker55able]

Thanks once again Michael really interesting presentation of your work. All the best for 2025

[@winsoxuk]

Remember fixing them when I was an engineer at Colorvision. Bag full of resistors on my bench for no tuning

[@video99couk]

I had a slightly older Decca Tatung, I remember that when you switched it off with the remote, the power switch would actually pop out to the mains off position. Good thing, not sitting in standby. Bad thing, couldn't switch it back on with the remote. I never looked inside because it was so reliable it never failed, eventually I sold it.

[@pauldavies6037]

Yes they used those silly expensive switches

[@truthreigns7]

Many thanks Mr Mike

[@hymermobiler]

Nice trip around a Tatung thanks

[@stopthebus]

Tatung is a Taiwanese company, still going as far as I know. Back in the 1980s they produced a range of portable stereo systems which were imported here into New Zealand. I was in the early years of my apprenticeship in radio and TV and I ended up servicing quite a few of them. I don't believe we ever got the TVs here though. Don't remember seeing them.

[@mrpibbsdotcom]

Tatung rice cookers are legendary for long service. It’s not uncommon to hear about them still in use daily after 50 years. In Taiwan it’s a household name company up there with TSMC but far less successful.

[@steveurquhart5895]

A fantastic looking set Michael👍

[@jkmac625]

We had a Tatung TV in the late 80's/early 90's. Not sure which model it was but the Tatung badge was under the screen, and I think the speaker might have been at the bottom too. That remote shown near the end also looks very familiar. It failed when something burned up on the main board leaving a hole in the PCB.

[@JonTheComputerDoctor]

I remember buying Tatung TV's From SEME and sold them on for a very small profit £35 from memory, they had a 5 year warranty at that point with a red guarantee card. Only had one fail which I sold to a friend but all sorted under warranty even though I was out of the trade by that point. I had a lot of faith in them.I think the 120 series was fantastic but didn't make a lot of money for engineers unless you rented them out.

[@radio-ged4626]

Our first colour TV when I was 14 in 1982 was 22" Decca Tatung with a push draw tuner and 8 channel buttons. We had it for 10 years. I got my first job as an apprentice tv engineer and remember proudly repairing it in 1985 when the trippler failed. It lasted another 7 years then the red gun went low emission. So we got another TV. I remember my ex-partner had what looked like the exact model of Tatung you have there in around 1993/4. I particularly remember the remote control looking like that. Although I think you did say that wasn't the exact one for the set.

[@davidhuddleston7735]

WE sold lots of these, the older generation loved them because of their traditional cabinet design. (most were all plastic by then). They were very reliable and produced a nice picture. 4 years gaurantee included!

[@michaelwaite6725]

Sold a few of those Tatung sets from the early Decca 80/100 series onwards , the model number gives a clue of the spec the T for Tatung U being the 21st letter denotes a 21" screen the first number denotes teletext model , second number the chassis type third and fourth number version as far as i remember .Tubes i think were mainly Chungwha which was part of Tatung i believe . Think the remote would be labelled FX -D or FX-A or you could use a Philips Rc5 type remote for a lot of this range . Nice example of a Tatung set from the early 80s and all produced in Telford Uk as well 👍👍

[@djdrunkenmonkey2]

my nan had this tv years ago it never let her down ever

[@richardh100]

thanks again Michael another great video always liked fst picture tubes fantastic pictures😊and it's great when we're always remember stock Faults 😊and I think Finlux had the same Tuning fault same resister resistance too 1988 i think

[@pauldavies6037]

Yes most Decca and Tatung sets were great the later Taiwan ones not so good but came with 4 year guarantees I bought some from SEME I think

[@andymouse]

Those two resistors are Grey Blue Yellow and that's 860K with a red or 2% tolerance I thought you said 1K ! Edit :- awesome video Happy new Year !!

[@gazyounglive]

I never had a tatung set but many had them as rental sets... but they fizzled out in the early 90's when beon & beko appeared around the time goldstar changed to LG

[@markdunstan8277]

These sets were great in their day I think GEC McMichael made these as well I think it was their New Century range

[@gazyounglive]

Tatung VCR's... I had an old JVC and the people next door had a Tatung... recorders were identical, same problems as the JVC, cassette used to jam in the mechanism... so I think JVC built VCR's for Tatung... possibility the tube may be Victor/JVC if not matushita/panasonic like the ones back in NZ, because Toshiba were "black matrix"... the aunt had a toshiba set with the pro logic speakers in 1995

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

Decca another well respected brand that fell into new ownership As said Tatung were a mixed bag.

[@eric4709]

A mixed bag ... well... read on !! Having Graduated with an Honours Degree in electronic and electrical engineering in 1973... I joined Decca Radio and TV in October 1973 and stayed till Late 1980 ( by then it was TATUNG) as a Senior Design engineer and then as Section leader of the "RF/IF lab" in the NEW Bridgnorth TV Lab, working as an RF/IF engineer - initially working on the 30 series Colour TV chassis in Oct 1973. - At that time in 1973... DECCA had TV design facilities at Battersea, (the original TV / Audio /location) Leicester. ( Audio) and Bradford (TV). The Bradford Lab was run by the "original "Baird TV design Team" headed by Alan Bamford. They designed the "30 series" Colour TV chassis early 1970's. The 30 series was a Valved/ Transistor chassis using valves for deflection, and Transistor / IC technology for signal processing . It was a successful design during the early 1970's... many Retail/rental companies used it. At the end of 1973.. Decca R&TV made record profits. They couldn't make TV's fast enough!! Heady days.... ( but not for long.... remember the "luxury goods VAT rate of 25% cc 1975 ?? and high inflation??) DECCA was storing unsold TV's Everywhere. At Bridgnorth... Initially we modified the 30 series for European export - introducing the TCA270 syncronous Video IF demodulator ic etc (to reduce the harmonic output from the original simple diode detector Video IF demodulator ( since a lot of European TV ran on VHF ) + adding VHF / UHF Tuning facility. We also worked TV's for Australia - featuring a fully isolated SMPS . Also worked / 80 / 100 / 110/ 120 series and beyond. (SWF if filter etc in IF) + Schools TV's + Specialist TV receivers for the BBC. However.... Much of the "original" TV development work for the 30/80/100/120 series and beyond was carried out at the BRADFORD design lab - run by Decca TV technical director Alan Bamford + Chief Engineer Cyril Stafford + Trevor Richardson + Mechanical Engineer Harry Hurst - and others that I cant remember. I don't know if they were responsible for the 170 series as I'd left by then -... but I'm pretty sure - looking at that video of that chassis ... it has the "DECCA" stamp all over it. (mixed bag ...) I very nearly went back to Work for TATUNG at Telford around 1985/6 !! ( after a meeting with Cyril Stafford. following my approach to TATUNG to manufacture a telecom product I had designed for an Electronics Company in Shrewsbury... .. but ....never actually went back. Interesting Facts... In 1973 -the Bridgnorth design lab was actually situated in Temporary "terrapin" huts on the corner of the DECCA football field adjacent to the main factory in Hospital Street Bridgnorth. It had complete facilities.. including a small design office for draughting and a small model shop. It was the original intention to move all design facility to Bridgnorth... but this never happened.... ( I don't think the Bradford team at Bradford wanted to leave Yorkshire (Aye lad... No pie an; Mushy peas int' Bridgnorth... and - most of the Battersea Team had gone by1975/6 - except Tom Mccloud.. the original lab manager from Battersea actually did move to Bridgnorth cc 1975-6. as lab manager,,,.. but he left to join ITT at Basildon late 1979.. In 1976 the Bridgnorth Lab ( and the loudspeaker design lab) moved to Oldbury Grange . A brilliant place to work, as Oldbury Grange was a large old rambling mansion just outside Bridgnorth (situated in a village called Oldbury - and was originally a home for the blind) Oldbury grange was bought by DECCA around 1975 to rehouse the lab with the intention of ( as mentioned) moving all development to Bridgnorth.. Oldbury Grange was completely refurbished at great expense , with full laboratory TV design facilities, including a fully equipped model shop, fully equipped design/draughtman/ office and also loudspeaker design and test facilities on the top floor ( speakers were tested in "open air" from a balcony on the top floor. There was also a listening room where several speakers could be tested. - (ELO played at full volume went down very well !!) Following the Death of Sir Edward Lewis ) founder or DECCA in mid 1979 this triggered the break up of the DECCA Group of companies. including Decca Navigator, (sold to RACAL) Decca Records ( SOLD to polydor) and of course .... Decca R &TV etc After long drawn out negotiations over some 14 months to purchase DECCA TV Tatung took over DECCA TV in June 1980 - and immediately closed Oldbury Grange. The end of an ERA. I left late 1980 - and went to work for Digivision in Leicester ( originally DECCA Audio) They bought naked 80 series chassis direct from DECCA for use in high grade colour TV monitors. Decca Service Dept at the Stanmore RAF camp ( just outside Bridgnorth) remained under DECCA control/ownership to maintain continuity of servicing for the original DECCA TV brands ( Tatung only wanted the "new Decca designs" + the design and production facility !!........) Oldbury Grange is now Retirement home / nursing home. Following the closure of Oldbury Grnge...we all moved back as the "New Tatung/Decca design team" - to the Bridgnorth Factory site - occupying that part of the Factory that originally produced Tape cassettes ( Tape Cassettes had moved out following the sale of Decca Records) Hmmm..... compared to Olbury Grange.... A really awful place to work as it was directly adjacent to (and some 6 foot below !!!! ) the main A442 Main road through Bridgnorth low town. ( A442 connecting Kidderminster to Telford) Everytime a heavy lorry drove by... due to the vibration ...dust would fall out of the sound proofed walls that formed part of the original tape cassette duplication area. Each morning I had to dust off my desk ....... a far cry from Oldbury...) By the mid 1980's - TATUNG finally moved everything to TELFORD - encouraged by huge benefits from Telford Development corporation. ( Telford was a new Town development The Bridgnorth factory was then demolished. ( It was originally a hospital dating back many many years .. then occupied by RGD during early WW2 foll0wing RGD being bombed out of Birmingham.. then became AT and E - then Plessey, then finally DECCA cc 1968/9. Again..... then end of an ERA, A mixed bag.... Certainly. Had DECCA continued as "DECCA ... who knows?? I would probably have never left .... .... Truly a mixed bag...

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

@@eric4709 Thanks for sharing your time with Decca, we rarely know what realy happens to once highly respected companies once they are bought out and rebranded. I learned how to repair electronics from about 12 years old and went to tech college to gain my certificates this was in the early 70's and i have oberved the rise and fall of a trade that is now no longer in demand.

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Fascinating pice of history, many thanks for talking the trouble to share this information.

[@kendom33]

Great video Michael. Do you still sell these ?

[@JK-we1dr]

If you doooo I’ll buy one

[@michaeldranfield7140]

No I just have them in my collection but may have to sell some stuff one day if I run out of space!!

[@skyll4141]

very nice i bagged a 21 inch tatung tv that had been dropped on the back from the tip. repaired the cathode board which had cracked and it lasted years. question ferguson 14 inch tx series, screen closes up from the top and bottom to a horizontal line and then goes blank screen, what's the issue?.

[@andygozzo72]

if a tx90, and line is there from switch on, very likely dry joints in the frame output stage and/or an open circuit resistor, thers a few in series in the frame stage that run a tad warm ... may be dry joints in other parts as well , and a capacitor in the psu/line output regulator circuit often dries up and causes instability or no results ,, could also be bad capacitor or resistor going high if picture starts ok but slowly shrinks

[@skyll4141]

It's the 1984 white model, no remote, buttons front right ascending with a door under them for tuners and a pull out stick to use to engage the tuner knobs. picture ok for about 30 min then closes up.

[@andygozzo72]

@skyll4141 sounds same model as mine was, 37140, open up and check what i mentioned , check all electrolytic caps in frame circuit, and those resistors,

[@GreenJimll]

Wasn't R813 a wire link and R814 the 240K resistor? Which sort of makes sense as it looks like the fitted R814 is a 1W component, compared the pair of 0.5W 120K units in the schematic.

[@drcrusherdata]

This set is from 1988-1990.

[@kevvywevvywoo]

Not sure a Taiwanese company would appreciate being called Chinese as such! Looking at those service manuals the Decca 70/90 chassis also came as composite computer monitors and with either viewdata or prestel adapters, dont know if you saw any, quite nice things.

[@michaeldranfield7140]

A friend of mine has the monitor set, I might buy it off him.

[@peterhancox6962]

CRT are cool

[@whitesapphire5865]

I wonder if there's a "Sky Code" for that? If there is, then you can use a Sky remote to operate that set. An internet search should find it, if there is one.

[@Dedubya-]

Tatung's of this era used a Phillips remote code so yes, should be easily done.

[@lookoutleo]

Never realy seen tatung , when I worked for Currys they sold loads of tx10 and logic TVs

[@michaelturner4457]

Tatung are actually Taiwanese, Republic of China rather then People's Republic of China.

[@peterhancox6962]

Panasonic where the best