Philco Predicta TV Being Reproduced

[Warbaby]

Don't know if it's been posted elsewhere on the lounge, but those wonderfully retro Philco Predicta TVs are being reproduced with modern works. Way cool, but a bit pricey at $1800-$3600.

http://www.predicta.com

 

[KittyT]

I WANT!

 

[MPicciotto]

And that...

...wins that coolness award. Hands down!

Matt

 

[Lusti Weather]

I have longed for one of those for years! They are just beautiful. If anyone here has one, I'd love to know what the actual quality is like.

 

[LocktownDog]

I'd even take a non-working model. Don't watch much TV anyway.

 

[Widebrim]

I'd love to have one!

 

[Stearmen]

Got Wood?

Actually, no I don't like them! This was the start of the cheap looking plastic we have today. Remember when your parents got their first giant screen TV? I'm talking less then 19"! It was most likely a console, that giant wood cabinet that dwarfed the picture tube. It was a peace of furniture that your mother would show off to the Neighbors, and they would in turn do the same with theirs. Now it's black plastic, to try and make it invisible!

 

[Flivver]

For those put off by the price of the reproduction, non-working original Predicta Pedestals can still be purchased in the $300 range.

But, beware, original Predictas are notoriously troublesome and hard to work on.

 

[LordBest]

The one in the illustration looks far better than the actual reproductions.

 

[scotrace]

Here's a thread on it from 2007. Neat box.

 

[Feraud]

The screens are so tiny.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

For those put off by the price of the reproduction, non-working original Predicta Pedestals can still be purchased in the $300 range.

But, beware, original Predictas are notoriously troublesome and hard to work on.

One could always remove the original innards and retrofit a nice new 3D HDTV into it, with modern sound system in the base.

 

[Dated Guy]

Would I be correct in assuming that these new/old sets, show monochrome pictures only, and not colour. I find walking into a room with t.v. colour stuff on show, makes me shudder, black and white reigns supreme....This thread is incredibly fascinating, I never even considered replacing the 'innards', with new and keeping the outer as is......unfortunately, this has happened a few years after it became illegal to trade old electrical goods in recycling shops over here...still laws were made to be broken...

 

[ScionPI2005]

Actually, no I don't like them! This was the start of the cheap looking plastic we have today. Remember when your parents got their first giant screen TV? I'm talking less then 19"! It was most likely a console, that giant wood cabinet that dwarfed the picture tube. It was a peace of furniture that your mother would show off to the Neighbors, and they would in turn do the same with theirs. Now it's black plastic, to try and make it invisible!

While I can definitely agree with this in a way, I still think these are pretty cool televisions. I'm a huge fan of wooden appliances from the Golden Era: the first television consoles and Cathedral radios being some of my favorites. Still, I think Bakelite and the very first plastic radios still look much more unique than anything today. I also know that some of the first plastic radios are highly sought after by collectors.

 

[Stearmen]

Still, I think Bakelite and the very first plastic radios still look much more unique than anything today. I also know that some of the first plastic radios are highly sought after by collectors.

Well, you got me there! Almost anything is better then the black panel that sits there when its off! I will have to rethink my view of plastic.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One big problem with the original Predicta is that it used a special picture tube with a very short, shallow neck -- and when the Predicta failed to catch on, they very quickly fell out of production, so they're very hard to come by today as replacements. I'm ordinarily not a fan of throwing out original chassis to insert "modern innards," but in the case of an original Predicta with a bad picture tube, it might be the only viable option.

Just hold onto the original chassis and sell it to someone who is restoring an original. Don't toss it on the skip.

It was the failure of the Predicta, by the way, that drove Philco into bankruptcy and the waiting arms of Ford, who proceeded to gut it to insert their own modern innards. A very sad end to a company that was once the biggest radio manufacturer in the world.

 

[Atomic Age]

Would I be correct in assuming that these new/old sets, show monochrome pictures only, and not colour. I find walking into a room with t.v. colour stuff on show, makes me shudder, black and white reigns supreme....This thread is incredibly fascinating, I never even considered replacing the 'innards', with new and keeping the outer as is......unfortunately, this has happened a few years after it became illegal to trade old electrical goods in recycling shops over here...still laws were made to be broken...

No the new Predicta's are a modern color TV with connections so you can hook up a DVD player and cable.

Here is the website where you can get one...

http://www.predicta.com/index.shtml

Doug

 

[LMo]

I bought one of the Predicta reproductions a few years ago. We LOVE it - the picture quality is excellent and it is beautifully made. However, I would consider offers if anyone is in the market and doesn't want to pay the $2650+ price tag on a brand new one. I'm in Portland Oregon so local offers would be more convenient and safe for the TV. I have the Corona model and it is in near-perfect condition, non-smoking home. Email iamlmo@gmail.com

 

[JimWagner]

.unfortunately, this has happened a few years after it became illegal to trade old electrical goods in recycling shops over here...still laws were made to be broken...

I didn't know about that one. Does that apply to any and all used electrical and electronic items?

 

[Talbot]

Given the curvature of the screen, I'm assuming these are a tube set.

Are tubes still being made?