Zenith Floor Console Television from 1997

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[@LakeNipissing]

Wow, how horrible for Zenith to evolve to this. I have (and still use) a 1976 Zenith Space Command System 3 which even being mono, has dual amplifiers, and four speakers. Even separate bass, treble and loudness controls in the "audio control center" hidden behind one of the doors covered in pleated material. The dang thing has enough audio power and bass to fool many people into thinking I have the floor speakers for the stereo playing the TV audio. This was made when Zenith used to build their products with pride and quality; now it is just a recycled 'vintage' brand name of convenience.

[@sobolanul96]

I laughed like an idiot looking at the back of that "console tv". Good thing nobody saw me

[@patricknesbitt4003]

Just barely had the space to jam in that massive chassis:)

[@IAmNotAFunguy]

Just for the record these CRTs were used in Zenith's "Concierge Series" units sold for hotels and "HealthView" units sold for hospitals.

[@glennjones6574]

It's sad but also kind of amazing how electronics of this type were able to do all the things a tv packed full of tubes and transistors did a couple decades earlier..

[@BokBarber]

This is the exact set that my grandparents had in the late 90s. I remember my grandfather was, shall we say, not amazed with the build quality of this unit (making some comments about how the name Zenith didn't mean anything anymore), but it was the last new set that fit the decor of their dated shag green living room, so in it went. I don't remember exactly when their TV bit the dirt, or if it even officially died before being replaced, but they definitely had it for over ten years. From the sounds of the comments they were lucky.

[@teacfan1080]

Had a good laugh when you showed the inside of the set. Good place to store air! Comparing a set from 1967 to this 1997 model, it's amazing how much shrinkage in electronics there has been. Nice that you're donating the case to that lady who can repurpose it. A case from a stereo set too! Some dog will have it made in the future. I bet even at 90, Chuck Berry could probably still play a guitar just like a ringin' a bell!

[@jimlocke9320]

From a consumer point of view, what is important is not what is inside the box but such issues as cost, how good a picture it gets, how reliable it is, how quickly it switches from one channel to another, how often the viewer needs to adjust the brightness, color, tint, and, in the old days, fine tuning and vertical and horizontal hold. Remote control is virtually standard now but wasn't in the 1960s. In these areas, I think the newer Zenith beats the older one hands down. The only obvious downside is the small speakers. I think the older console sets typically had a much higher fidelity sound system. The set could probably also benefit from a wooden, 1960s style, cabinet. I do recall, when working on sets as a TV repair hobbyist, having customers comment, when looking inside with the TV set's back removed, how small the chassis was, and feeling that the manufacturer must have skimped on the design in order to make it that small.

[@IAmNotAFunguy]

We had a tall Zenith CRT console also from 1997 with the exact same menu and interface as well as the same behavior. It died in 2011 after (unsurprisingly) the CRT shorted out.

[@wx4newengland]

This is the TV your grandad would buy when the local repair shop refuses to work on his mid-1960s console.

[@rsattahip]

I didn't know they still had consoles in 1997.

[@Eyetrauma]

Pretty sure this *was* the TV my grandmom bought when her old console TV died.

[@pegpelvispete7968]

My grandma has the same tv.

[@romanbukins6527]

To be honest I am 21 and I would probably buy something like that in '97 if I can't get a mid 80s second hand set...

[@transtar_lexington]

@@rsattahip They made console TVs until 2004. But they didn't sell the last brand new one until around 2015

[@chetpomeroy1399]

I'm willing to bet that this kind of shoddy workmanship and materials cost Zenith *a lot* of customers! In more recent years, Zenith has been a prime example of a publicly-held corporation that did everything to keep its shareholders happy at the expense of customer loyalty. They really went downhill, at least since the System 3 set I bought new in 1985.

[@neil4306]

I still have my Zenith 27 console set I bought in 1987. It's still going. I watch TV on my Samsung Q LED TV. But that Zenith was special. It offered the top to be decorated every Christmas. Still does. I had many people offer to buy the Zenith from me. But I cannot sell it.

[@Synthematix]

Trying to make plastic look like wood is like trying to turn an 80 year old into a porn star

[@user-kb1bo1wj2y]

it has happen im talking about the 80 year old

[@bogywankenobi3959]

It looks like someone simply put a plastic tabletop set in a wooden cabinet.

[@jamesburns2339]

🗻🗻😰🍑🗻🍑🍑😰🥶🥶🤯🤯🤯🤯☺️🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯☺️🤯🤯🍑😂☺️🕜🕜🕜🕜🕞

[@radiotvphononut]

I think 1101 is Rauland; which, was owned by Zenith. The newest Zenith console that I've personally seen was from 2002; but, I'm told that they were made until 2004. The couple that I saw used a chassis that was very similar to this one; but, both used Philips CRT's and they were both still strong. Besides going weak, the tube would also intermittently short and blow the green driver transistor. In the slightly older models, it would short and blow up parts in the power supply.

[@cletusspuckler2243]

radiotvphononut As an ex tv tecnician, the last crt tvs made by Philips , had the same problem , shorting sometimes blowing the driver , after a couple of shorts and repairs the tube finally failed and a color was missed , it was often the green gun in the tube that was concerned .

[@bobblofinshlof9741]

The last console television was made in 2002

[@bobblofinshlof9741]

?

[@glennmillerfan]

Bob Blofinshlof I though they made console TVs into 2004 or so.

[@craneoperator4]

I liked the old Zenith consoles from the 60s-70s...they came with a year warranty but usually lasted 20 or more years

[@williamsquires3070]

Doggie doesn't care if it's plastic or not - just if it makes a comfy bed! And you hopefully get a vacuum bulb chassis in return! Win-win.

[@harshnemesis]

Tbh this cabinet is so low quality she would be much better off just smashing out that chassis and use that one instead

[@johnnytacokleinschmidt515]

@@harshnemesis Shhhh!

[@racecar_spelled_backwards868]

Thanks again shango066 for another excellent video! Even if you don't like newer sets from a technical standpoint I really appreciate your showing them especially from an evolutionary standpoint! It's an excellent education and comparison of how with the newer sets CRT quality and build quality went down, while the ICs made things a lot smaller. This console being an excellent case-in-point of how the inner workings in the later era are comical in proportion. You provide excellent contrasts between the solid-state era and the era of valves. With digital it either works or it doesn't, 1 or 0, on or off, yes or no... and that's it. With valves there is a lot more leeway and they are surprisingly durable! I would have never guessed the durability and longevity of valves, but I've learned thanks to you. TLDR: Many thanks and mad props from a n00b.

[@douglashoff95]

I worked for Circuit City and we kept replacement CRT's in our trucks being that these failed so often.

[@craigs3183]

We had a TV repair shop in the town where I live. The building is still there. I remember seeing the Zenith sign in the window.

[@MrComputerfan]

Wow, that RCA TV at the Beginning of the Video is just BEAUTIFUL!

[@pcno2832]

Lots of air, and in 1997, people still had to put the VCR on top. I don't know why they didn't just sell a the cabinet as an accessory, maybe with built-in extension speakers and even a subwooofer, with a perfectly fit center opening, into which a black-plastic-crap Zenith could slide. All the spare room could be used for the VCR, cable box, unused remotes, tapes, maybe even a dog bed on one side.

[@haweater1555]

In the history of wood console sets, were any made that had drawer pulls actually had real drawers?

[@coolelectronics1759]

probably could hide all ur weed in the empty space zenith provided you with in this one

[@AMStationEngineer]

My mother purchased a '99 model, same damn set. In 2002, I installed a rebuilt Magnavox CRT because the red gun failed. That CRT lasted less than one year, because its red gun also failed. The only good thing about the design is that they auto converge. Everything else is garbage. Zenith was too great a company to have been allowed to go out with a whimper - as they did.

[@tkelly411]

got a zenith 1991 made 1917 ss,assembled in mehico,I suppose the components & wire harnesses made in us damn thing still has a neat clear pic

[@olradguy]

I have this same cabinet design Zenith, mine if I remember has an RCA tube. It was given to me it had a loose connection that I resoldered and have been using it everyday since with no problems even the cabinet is perfect. Those Zenith built tubes were crap they sure ran a great company into the ground, another iconic american company gone. I have been doing electronic service work for over 45yrs. on everything from 50s Admirals to 2000s Zeniths it sickens me to see what has happened to the electronics and service industry, most all of the support and parts suppliers are gone, most of the work I do now is vintage radio service and not even lots of that. My latest repair was a complete overhaul of an Atwater-Kent model 93, I have a AK 10c breadboard on the bench right now.

[@Ronnocbot]

“I don’t know why I’m capturing this in 4K; this is a waste of data...” 😂😂😂😂

[@KLM817]

Wow. Those were some tiny speakers.

[@silentbloodyslayer98]

having a small speakers is like having small balls!

[@christronicsdereksrandomness36]

Ive got a Zenith TV from 96. Same guts, just not this fake wood cabinet crap, and it still works. Two years ago something started to go and now the picture is dark (like the contrast/brightness is set to low) after the screen went green and scrambled, then when the picture returned it was what I had just stated. So I maxed out the brightness and contrast but it was still very dark and in the dark areas was a slight purple hue in areas that should be grayish. I opened it up and saw a knob saying G2 I think and I turned that up a little and it made it brighter and so I could put the brightness/contrast back where I had it. Not really noticeable on the bright areas, but still a bit noticeable on the darker areas.

[@irtbmtind89]

In the late 90s/early 2000s the main place I saw Zenith TVs was in hotel rooms and the picture always looked like crap on them.

[@doogie812]

Always love your posts. I would love to go spelunking with you some time. Have tuns of frequent flyers to come see you. Been following you for years.

[@Synthematix]

theres enough room inside that tv to fit big speakers and a valve amp shango lol

[@umajunkcollector]

nope, put a nice little feather pillow for fefe the cute little ankle biter from Beverly Hills. arf arf arf arf snap arf arf arf

[@MsCori76]

Synthematix You could sleep in it with all that wasted space in it. LOL

[@Synthematix]

mate theres enough room for the entire british royal navy!

[@MsCori76]

Synthematix True.

[@northhankspin]

how do you fill it up with white van scam? lol ? lol? just wondering

[@VSigma725]

I had no idea they even still made console TVs after the 1980s ended. That's wild.

[@tony714keene]

I have this console tv and it works great. Happy with the product

[@Ratchet-strap-Garage]

i wish i could find old tvs like that around here , id be happy to find a non working unit thats old! i love your videos !

[@JasonValentineFL]

Clicked the video because I just picked up the same Zenith console TV curb-side, in really nice condition. The inside view is great. I kind of wish the drawers on the front were functional.

[@MattExzy]

It reminds me of that mid-90s rear projection behemoth. A whole lot of nothing.

[@MsCori76]

Yep, a empty box of nothing! Imagine the room that clumsy cabinet would've taken up in your living room but all aside, they did make mad furniture pieces.

[@932stretch]

Believe it or not, people actually loved that cabinet in their living rooms. You are obviously too young to understand. why do you think Zenith made it for so long?

[@westelaudio943]

@@932stretch They could at least have fit some big side firing speakers in it.

[@932stretch]

And, just for what reason?!! Would you have bought it?! No. Of course not. No-one ever says anything about all of the other "vintage brand names of convenience". You all make me sick.

[@westelaudio943]

@@932stretch I would have bought it, if it was good quality. Design is not bad. Better than Chinese LCDs.

[@932stretch]

Do yourself a favor and read the history of Zenith. You would be surprised and sad, indeed, that this famous company is gone. The last American Television Company and they fought valiantly to the bitter end. Thanks America, for betraying the lone survivor. The damage is done.

[@zachtownsend1]

Well, to be fair, the piece of junk Zenith lasted about 20 years before kicking the bucket so not to bad really.

[@wendyokoopa7048]

That zenith in the thumbnail my grandmother had that exact tv

[@patricknesbitt4003]

Probably had 3 or 4 picture tubes during that time.

[@frankpitochelli6786]

Very true.

[@jonny-b4954]

I really really miss the floor console televisions. Good stuff.

[@compu85]

I wonder if a quick zap with a restorer would brighten it for an EOL?

[@klafong1]

I couldn't begin to compare this TV to Chuck Berry because Chuck made it to a ripe old age. This is more like the George Michael TV.

[@Megabyte4747]

Shango, maybe you should find a way to re-purpose those modern chassis to go in vintage cabinets that you can not find parts to repair. Those would be good to rent out to a fair like you did that one time for a cartoon display. Some of the chassis and picture tubes from TV sets made in the 90s were good quality. It was mostly the portable TV sets in the 90s that were good, but some had a really big picture tube for a portable. Those could maybe fitted inside a vintage cabinet, its worth trying. I had a little 19 inch portable Magnavox that lasted over 18 years and it only had a minor problem with the tuner circuit when I threw it away. I wish now I would have had the knowledge to repair it, I would be still using the dammed thing. When I could make it come on and work, it still had a perfect color picture just like it did when it was new.

[@pegpelvispete7968]

Looks like the one my grandma had, made in 1998. My cousin now has it and is going to use it for video games I believe.

[@triplez6691]

in 1994 my grandparents brought one it was mad out of wood

[@ESDI80]

I found a Zenith console set on the curb that was from 83. It was covered in filth and one of the boards on the back was rotted out. Plugged it in and it powered up with no issues. It was funny as there was also two other TVs. A wood grain RCA and a modern black plastic set. We grabbed the Zenith and RCA and left the modern set behind. The RCA worked as well. :-)

[@parnellitube]

Seems like I specifically recall on several occasions seeing Zenith TV'S in sports bars in the late 90's with no working green gun, just red and blue.

[@coolelectronics1759]

@@parnellitube yep me too in the doctors office and I found one in the trash for free I had to throw my shoe at it for the color to fix itself

[@jdpinbaytown]

I had a Zenith console from 1992 and it was made just like this,Was shocked when Monkey Wards Tech came and tried to fix the Remote part,They couldn't get the part it needed at only a year or so old,I ended up going back to the store and getting another set since it had a extended warranty

[@AiOinc1]

How about overvolting that CRT? Bring the cathode up to a nice toasty 17v or the anode from 12 to 24kv, I'm sure it'd be worth the show.

[@19seventy97]

Great way to give yourself cancer and tumours.

[@punker4Real]

electrical current in a vacuum = xrays

[@joepoelmans5910]

@@punker4Real Its the one way of getting cancer id prefer and im a smoker lol theyre still better looking than new tvs and could be modded with newer tvs in the casing

[@ralex3531]

My grandmother had one, wow. I remember it!

[@TerryMcKean]

01:06 That was awesome timing to catch that broadcast on that radio that would have been used to play Chuck's music when the radio and the music was new.

[@jefferyb304]

1101 is Zenith's Rauland CRT's. I asked Bryan about that awhile back.

[@johnhoward3042]

As I remember, tubes became unavailable for sets from the sixties and seventies, so this is what you would buy if you didn't want to rearrange your living room for a big rear projection set.

[@Bucky1836]

i got the exact same Zenith in my living room dad got it in 1995....im thinking of gutting it and using it for hi fi build what do yall think?

[@darryldee467]

"he was only 90 you know" lol, funny.

[@ponysoftonline4533]

Good Lord my 1970 Chromacolor puts this to shame

[@photolabguy]

Something that looks like this was produced as late as 1997?

[@uxwbill]

The party wasn't over for Zenith's console TV line until sometime in 2004.

[@photolabguy]

uxwbill I remember my parents getting a Zenith wooden console TV in 1985. I felt even back then it was outdated. Amazing that they went all the way to 2004 with this.

[@MsCori76]

photolabguy I didn't think they still made sets like that in the late 90's! They never did here in Australia as we had black plastic crap tvs.

[@romanbukins6527]

I would buy it

[@frankpitochelli6786]

The writing was on the wall for Zenith by that time, that one module replacement theory never worked well.... Serviced many of those models as we were a Zenith authorized service center. I do miss those days.

[@connorm955]

I saw one of these on fb marketplace and it has the Zenith logo at the top left, but doesn't have whatever it says on the top right. Otherwise same cabinet.

[@cat-lw6kq]

The old models had the Chroma Color tubes, really nice.

[@connorm955]

Someones gonna want a Magnavox like that someday and there won't be any left.

[@terabbs]

wow I seen bigger speakers in flatpanel tv's I guess that be the TV if Ikea ever would have sold any.

[@1marcelfilms]

floor console are pretty cool

[@Maxxarcade]

Those are the exact CRT's that I always need to replace in arcade games. Same part number. The guns are almost always weak and/or shorted. I had to LOL a bit at the inside of the TV. It's pretty much the exact opposite of a 1940's set. Those had a small CRT and huge speakers.

[@shango066]

if it get a good on its yours. That one was dead

[@simonstergaard]

if you had a radio channel i would listen to it all day long...

[@jerrycarriera8648]

EIA 1101 and EIA 343 are both Zenith. What a shame that company went down and out the way it did.

[@rmx77]

i found out it was made by Zenith/Rauland since the tube number is actually a68agd01x

[@timemerson4162]

That's got to be the most minimalist console i've ever seen.

[@wendyokoopa7048]

That zenith TV with the drawer handles on the bottom my grandmother had that tv. Dead serious. Hold on I'm getting someone

[@En_4]

Beautiful

[@fjames5324]

I have a zenith model number K2526P but the plug seems alittle rusty, sister gave it to my mother for free, the stereo bass sound is excellent!

[@digitalblasphemy1100]

daaaang we had that exact magnavox as a kid.

[@arthureverett8220]

I have the same identical set at home. The crt is soft and needs a slight rejuve

[@michaelmurrin4030]

I wanna find that RCA Colortrak table model set shown at the beginning of this video. I think it's the 26 inch table model :)

[@niftyspock]

My grandparents had this exact zenith console until probably around 2003 only reason they had to get rid of it was like you said the tube was garbage and died and when they wanted tk repair it the guy said it wasn't worth repairing as a new tube would cost more than a new tv

[@myspringitguy3226]

When I first saw this I thought someone put a 90's tv inside the wooden shell of a 70's console tv

[@arthureverett8220]

My favorite EOL you did was the Brexit EOL when your neighbor yelled A-hole!!!!! I laughed so hard I pissed my pants!!!!

[@joshuaryanferguson3702]

idk why but i like that woos casing

[@countryboy5676]

I have a zenith DVD player still works too

[@hellomcflyy]

are you seeing a lot of vintage/semi-vintage junk on the curb in general?

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

@ 3:50 I was literally laughing out loud by my self. Unbelievable!

[@deddddddd9948]

My grandparents have two of these exact TVs

[@JangleRadio365]

That's a shame, Zenith used to make great TV's. It reminds me of the late 80's RCA consoles, a 25-inch "black plastic crap" TV stuck into a cheap fiberboard case. BTW check out 1260 AM in LA. I read they have changed format to 50's-60's oldies.

[@shango066]

1260 was great a week ago when it was rat pack music, now its ksuf. the rat pack is still on 105.1 hd 3

[@alanmaier]

WOW! We had one of those consoles, as did my mother simply as it was replacing an aging console as Zenith was the only game in town. Both of them were much older - the fake finish was far better and the plastic front actually looked like wood. Ours was a higher-end level with PIP, larger speakers with decent sound and the picture was respectable being much sharper than the lower line sets. My mother's was the lower line in the same cabinet - IOW the downward spiral started, but both were USA sets and even my mother's had more chassis to it than this BurritoVision set. Both just aged with the CRT fading away. There came a point when you just could not peak out the picture and have it acceptable but they both slowly faded away - not a sudden death. For what it is worth, for my mother that Zenith outlasted the POS/BPC Vizio she bought and I don't have much hope for the Samsung plasma set she owns now.

[@alanmaier]

It was the best bet in it's day. LCD lit sets have sure improved, but when it was new it was definitely better than the LCD panel type sets.

[@Mr.Plant1994]

What was the very last floor Console CRT produced?

[@bradleyhifi8155]

1997 last time the old logo and 1998 zenith change their logo still see today

[@Trance88]

Wow. This set is just a joke! I can't believe sets were even being made in this setup after the early 90's. Most 90's TV consoles were essentially a TV built into an entertainment center/TV Stand with shelf space below the screen for a VCR or whatever.

[@932stretch]

YOU are the Joke.

[@stphinkle]

I wonder if there are color demodulation issues too

[@benjaminclowdus2156]

well the best last tube TV's I have ever seen are the sony trinitron tubes. I still have a 2003 27" model still going very strong today just like brand new no bleeding or anything.

[@JohnDoe-uq3mx]

Anyone recommend a tube tester for the majestic model 20 chassis?

[@JohnDoe-uq3mx]

Tubes are 27, 45, 51, and 80.

[@olradguy]

You had better look at your variable tuning capacitor, Majestic used pot-metal I have seen them so twisted and distorted because of deteriorating pot metal that there was no fixing the problem.

[@Synthematix]

brill shango!

[@tntreviews3602]

was this the last year fore the consul tv

[@alancordwell9759]

Lol I love how you tell it like it is... 'a waste of data' had me laughing for hours!

[@sethhorst6158]

The dim red static makes it looks cursed in My opinion.

[@DrDroogkloot]

Nice one for the 4th of juli. Go out in style with fireworks.

[@Jenna1814]

I feel like that would be so smooth to make one of these now that we know it is not much to it. Get some good surround sound speakers & pop a flat screen in there & there we have it. A modern take on an old school TV. Too bad I don't have the skills to make one or I would lol

[@jtc1983tx]

Still love your videos. Are you going to do anymore with your Ford Explorer that you got last year? Keep it up & 73.

[@dannygervais9197]

my name is danny i live in kitchener ontario i am looking for a consale tv i bought one an it was sold to someone diring the repair an i lost the one i bought can i see of getting the tv set

[@acatisfinetoo3018]

TV's really turned to trash around the late 80's...Those ones of earlier generations were pure works of engineering art. Much better and lasted forever if maintained unlike today's plastic lcds...

[@DaosSinistral]

Grandparents had one, the blue gun went out and they kept watching it until they got a Hitachi projection HDTV.

[@aaron_aj_knight_95]

A floor model released in 1997? You would think they would evolve and get with the times, but they evolved backwards.

[@crapper1]

All that sets good for is for you to grab the solder wick and harvest components from it then send it to the recycle and what a wonderful job of the inside of the face on the cabinet🤣🤣

[@Singingfishandfandude789]

In San Diego you pretty much don’t get floor consoles. There so hard to find!

[@N00B283]

That CRT has my birthday on it