Predicta
Encyclopedia
The Philco Predicta is a television made in several models by the Philco
company in the late 1950s. It is arguably the most iconic television set in existence and is to most people the "classic" 1950s TV set — although with its trademark detached picture tube, it couldn't be more atypical of an early television set.
Many Predictas were produced for the Holiday Inn
hotel chain, but the design was considered too radical by everyday consumers, and many sets languished at television dealers. Slow sales, lack of a color model and very poor reliability eventually drove Philco into bankruptcy
and sale in 1960.
Due in part to their outrageously 1950s styling and rarity of working examples, they are now highly sought-after collectibles. They have been featured many times in movies, TV, and music videos. Telstar
acquired the rights to the name and now produces brand new sets with larger, color screens and modern internal electronics.
All Predictas used a short necked picture tube
. Most used a two volt heater
(series string and transformer chassis). These picture tubes were notorious for failure. The twenty one inch version was more failure prone than the seventeen inch tube. The chassis had a printed circuit board
. To properly restore a Predicta (as well as other Philco sets of the era), the PC board must be removed from the chassis. Philco did not leave the underside of the board exposed. They did the same with several other lines. There were component combinations known as couplates (forerunner to IC chips). These will need to be rebuilt. Certain controls were known for failure. The Predicta runs hot (temperature). In most cases, Sams Photofacts gives the equivalent circuit. The same is true of Tellaides. Some collectors have installed muffin fans to improve venting. The Predicta is not recommended for first time restorers.
Some collectors will use a standard 110 degree CRT for replacement, but the neck will stick out of the housing. There will be some rewiring necessary, as the Predicta's original tubes have a different basing from the standard 110 tubes. As always, one should have a certified service technician check the set before applying power.
Philco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
company in the late 1950s. It is arguably the most iconic television set in existence and is to most people the "classic" 1950s TV set — although with its trademark detached picture tube, it couldn't be more atypical of an early television set.
Many Predictas were produced for the Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
hotel chain, but the design was considered too radical by everyday consumers, and many sets languished at television dealers. Slow sales, lack of a color model and very poor reliability eventually drove Philco into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and sale in 1960.
Due in part to their outrageously 1950s styling and rarity of working examples, they are now highly sought-after collectibles. They have been featured many times in movies, TV, and music videos. Telstar
Telstar
Telstar is the name of various communications satellites, including the first such satellite to relay television signals.The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 was launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962...
acquired the rights to the name and now produces brand new sets with larger, color screens and modern internal electronics.
All Predictas used a short necked picture tube
Picture tube
Picture Tube may refer to:Electronics*cathode ray tube, a common component of electronics such as televisions and other displaysGraphics...
. Most used a two volt heater
Heater (disambiguation)
Heater is an object that emits heat.Heater may also refer to:In electronics:* Filament in a vacuum tube that heats the cathode to aid in thermionic emission of electronsIn music:* Heater , a song by Muttonbirds...
(series string and transformer chassis). These picture tubes were notorious for failure. The twenty one inch version was more failure prone than the seventeen inch tube. The chassis had a printed circuit board
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
. To properly restore a Predicta (as well as other Philco sets of the era), the PC board must be removed from the chassis. Philco did not leave the underside of the board exposed. They did the same with several other lines. There were component combinations known as couplates (forerunner to IC chips). These will need to be rebuilt. Certain controls were known for failure. The Predicta runs hot (temperature). In most cases, Sams Photofacts gives the equivalent circuit. The same is true of Tellaides. Some collectors have installed muffin fans to improve venting. The Predicta is not recommended for first time restorers.
Some collectors will use a standard 110 degree CRT for replacement, but the neck will stick out of the housing. There will be some rewiring necessary, as the Predicta's original tubes have a different basing from the standard 110 tubes. As always, one should have a certified service technician check the set before applying power.