Hi all,

I was watching the below linked video on Youtube, and spotted what appears to be a brown AWA P1. It's near the centre of the image at the 7:41 / 7:42 mark.

I thought that these only came in blue, red and white?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFn_1ssLM88&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLYjU0Xph-Gj4VCUiEam9mtXP3ZUjTyECz.

Chris

Interesting bit of film. Will watch that when I have more time.

Re the TV, the one on the left looks to be a P1, but not sure the middle one is that model?

The one that looks like an AWA P1 is the set in the centre, between the woman and the salesman. I think the woman has her hand on it?

Chris

It's a red (maroon) P1 that you can see in the film. The P1 models all had fairly subdued colours so what was called red is actually the colour you see in the film clip.

The portable to the left of the P1 might be a Thorn, while the little set to the right looks to be a National.

Ah, now I see. I originally viewed the video at school, on my laptop (with an LCD screen). Now I'm back at home, in front of my CRT monitor, I can clearly see the redder colour of the set. It looked light brown on my laptop!

Chris

Yes, I dunno how I got that wrong. I bought two (blue) P1s back in the day; gave one to my mother as her bedside TV.

This poster ad shows that it's a dark maroon colour, easily mistaken for brown under the right conditions:

After taking a second look, the little portable on the left is a General Electric model TF1. It was a competing model to the AWA P1.

Funny thing is there are plenty of AWA P1's about still but I haven't seen a GE TF1 since the early 1980's. A sure sign that the AWA's were a much more reliable set!

A sure sign that the AWA's were a much more reliable set!

They were a very good set, indeed. As I think I've mentioned before, mine had excellent sensitivity. I didn't even have to raise the rabbit ears to get a good signal on most stations (ABC being the usual problem).

Only let down was the tinny sound from the tiny speaker, but that didn't bother me as I usually listened in bed at night with headphones via the socket.

Does anyone have a clearer photo of the General Electric TF-1? I'd be most intrigued to see a closer photo of one. Were they American made sets?

Chris

The video clip is the only photo I've seen of the GE TF1. You can see an advertisement for them at this link:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page5797054.

They were American made sets and adapted for local use by using a "brick" - an external power transformer in a plastic case to provide the 120v AC that the set needed to operate. By not having an internal power transformer, the sets were reasonably light but not quite as light as the ad makes out.

I have a Westinghouse P1 which I got going a few weeks ago.

Andrew,

How rare/valuable would you say a General Electric TF-1 is? I've found one for sale locally which I am looking at purchasing.

Chris

I'd say very rare but not very valuable!

It's the usual paradox, rarity does not necessarily equal valuable. To most people it is just another 1960's era portable and nothing very special.

Andrew, do you want me to email you some photos of the General Electric TF-1? You mentioned above that you had never seen any photos of them.

Chris

Yes please!

Also, being a G.E. they were quite cheap and cheerful. The circuit was cut down to the bare minimum and so performance was "adequate" in a strong signal area.