1968 RCA Commercial #1 of 2

[freemantom]

LOVE it! 

[narro52]

I have a big RCA console just like the one in the Commercial and it works great !! So sad that America lost its pride. And when you felt proud to say this product was made in the U.S.A. Not like all the Crap we have to buy from another over sea Country.

[kirbyyasha]

Sad that RCA went from one of the best, to close to the worst. I had an old late 60's RCA TV, still worked till the day I gave it away. I bet it's still working to this day. Buy a new RCA product today? Lucky to get 2 weeks out of it lol

[boogiefever1985]

That massive stereo does what an iPod does now, well the iPod tries anyway

[djaps]

these were the days

[Stereo4102]

For that time RCA records began to be issued with the infamous "orange label" design (Huge landscape RCA logo at the left and the series at the right) and without the pet of fine music lovers, Nipper. I think it was for RCA American made records being sold in Europe and other countries in which "His Master's Voice" was EMI's trademark. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[singlejeff69]

After bieng in radio and tv service since '77,,,if memory serves,,,that RCA logo in the background was new sometime in early/mid 1969.By then Color TV had become more the "norm". I think before 69,,,the former round "Lightning" logo since the 40's was used. Someone else might know better on the exact switchover dates. Also,,,Thomson Consumer electronics bought the RCA and GE names sometime in the later 1980's,,and thus,,all the televisions became junk within hours of that change.

[Watcher3223]

@singlejeff69 "Thomson Consumer electronics bought the RCA and GE names sometime in the later 1980's,,and thus,,all the televisions became junk within hours of that change."

Thomson SA (now Technicolor SA) purchased various RCA assets from General Electric in the late 1980s.

In 1986, GE bought and took RCA apart and sold the pieces.

GE kept NBC, sold the record business to BMG and sold the electronics business to Thomson.

Today, the RCA trademark is owned by Technicolor.

[TechnoCliq]

I am just impressed by the 10 year warranty-- None of the crap we buy today comes with that kinda coverage.

[endingman]

The irony of it all is that everything made by RCA today is second-rate junk.

[MrAlexprm]

@endingman yes because RCA is Officially defunct since 1986 or 87 somebody else is just using the name , wonder if G.E would not had fuck it up RCA would be somewere on top like Sony or Panasonic

[CoolConejo]

does this support 1080X1200P HD 3D?

[ShitFromShinolla]

I have a diamond needle in mines too.

[rjherche]

damn. integrated circuits. that's that high dolla gangsta shit

[Watcher3223]

Lots of those console stereos do have a warm sound, but ultimately it's not my taste in sound. I prefer accuracy and balance in the sound throughout the range, but YMMV.

IMO, hi-fi = high fidelity. Full range drivers with whizzer cones to help improve midband-high frequency response isn't my idea of hi-fi.

Call me a snob but, for vintage sound, I'd rather have McIntosh glass front components with serious American quality than a wooden RCA console that was still built to a budget.

[delosdmi]

@Watcher3223 McIntosh is very good equipment but also very very expensive.

[Sta2200]

I have about half a dozen old console stereos, form the early '60's to about 1973. One is a 1971 Zenith S.S. TOTL model with the touch switches, and 15" 3 way speakers. Another is a 1964 RCA tube set with a P-P 6BQ5 amp and eye tube. Two are early 60's GE stereos, with P-P 7355 amps. Yes--I am a collector. I wish I had room for EVERY nice console stereo I run into, but I don't. IN fact---I would like to find homes for a couple of them, including a 1962 Zenith with P-P 6BQ5 amp and such.

[castlezania]

Oh man! I saw the candles on top and I thought it was a coffin in a funeral home!!

[MADDOG6400]

Back when RCA was an amazing, reputable brand!

[Dakkiller1]

At 0:15 it sounded like he said computer crapted

[Dakkiller1]

LOL, at 0:15 it sounded like he said computer crappted.

[DA4LE]

RCA was good during the tube era.

[mig189189189]

Nice Video!

[sandhgreen]

RCA didn't invent High Fidelity. In fact, Sarnoff (a hero in his own mind) stifled High Fidelity.

Never forget - Edward Howard Armstrong invented High Fidelity. It's call FREQUENCY MODULATION.

RCA - MY ASS!

[cobrachoppergirl]

@sandhgreen I thought the germans invented it. They used it to record Hitler's speaches from town to town on magnetic tape, and rebroadcast it on the radio. It absolutely perplexed the Allies inadvertantly, they had no idea where he was, they though they were live broadcasts the quality was so good. The west had nothing like it, the quality of high fidelity on magnetic recording.

[wannawatchu66]

@sandhgreen Yup, Edwin (not Edward) Armstrong took DeForest's invention (something he called an "audion") and took it further. Later, Sarnoff fought Armstrong's FM tooth and nail because as Prez of RCA, he had so much invested in AM transmitters and sets. Tragically, Armstrong would commit suicide in 1954.

Yeah, for all his achievements and contributions to broadcasting and electronics, Sarnoff could be rather full of himself and self-serving.

[cartoonfan1920s]

I'm sure their console was fit for playing their Dynagroove records. Dynagroove records were also "computer crafted."

[debrajl529]

Lol just got an RCA HDTV and watching this makes me think we have really come a long way....

[CoolConejo]

@debrajl529 A long way? ya right, we have barely taken a couple steps. Try saying that 100 Years from now, than we can say, Weve come a long way, our technology today is still in its adolescent stage.

[AG3304]

That's a lovely cabinet,shame people throw these things out.

[justme632]

Back in the old days,a tv and stereo were created as if they were part of your living room furniture.Too bad those lovely cabinets got tv picture tubes stuffed into them

[sopaman1234]

i guess people have no sense of value

[funktron4]

If you have room in a rec room or basement, try to find an old console stereo by Zenith, RCA or another good brand. People are literally throwing them away----and it's a shame. The sound quality is warm, deep and powerful. Sure, there's a good chance the turntable and 8 track are broken, but usually, the radios (AM/FM Stereo) last forever.

[VintageAudioVideo]

RCA used to be good; their last good thing was the Dimensia television system; after that they sold to Thompson SA and they are French-owned (~early 90s lat 80s). Everything made after that is wildly cheap in quality.

[noahf67]

1968? Looks like they'd introduced their new logo, but is that when their record label design (orange/blue/red seal) was

unveiled?

[Partier29]

Yeah, and that's the year when the Radio Corporation of America changed it's name to RCA Corporation. As it turned out, the company would go downhill from there until GE bought it.

[themasterofmovies]

RCA is still "alive", they make microwaves, and I own a 3 year old RCA lyra MP3 Player. RCA's products are not as good as they used to be but they are still pretty good. I could not understant a word that guy said!

[nakamichiguy]

I had to watch this video again before I noticed it was shot on video tape in a TV studio. Do you know what studio your dad used? Nice production quality for the era.

I have such a soft spot for old RCA gear. They were an incredible American company back in their day. They did some nasty stuff too (the way they treated Armstrong for example, just awful) but still an incredible history. It took 20 years after GE destroyed the company, but RCA is basically a worthless and forgotten brand. Sad.

[MrAlexprm]

@nakamichiguy what did they do to Amstrong?

[BASCKIT13]

rca suckbecouse there prodicks rbake so fast i hed a sterrio from them it broke with in 2 week's necer trust rca agein

[glennmillerfan]

It Is Actually A 10 Years Guarantee.That Means The Needle Was Good Until 1978.

[acfinney]

I have a 1950 RCA console that works perfectly, and looks brand new. I challenge lerOnPo, to utilize his ipod 58 years from know. It's sad, that these kids cannot actually listen to the great sound of these consoles. I'm sure they would be amazed.

[tsntana]

Re: "I challenge lerOnPo, to utilize his ipod 58 years from know."

If he's not reckless with it and takes care of it, it'll probably stand the test of time and might be even better and more durable than what they come out with by then. Then he'll start sounding like us. :)

Re: "It's sad, that these kids cannot actually listen to the great sound of these consoles. I'm sure they would be amazed."

The sad thing is that many won't even give it a chance.

[Escomillo]

Bit of trivia. In addition to NBC and the Alaska Telephone Company, RCA used to own Swanson's Frozen Foods (Now owned by Campbell's Soup). They made what were then called "TV dinners". Not sure the rationale. Maybe, we sell the TV, provide the programming AND a meal to go with it?

Seriously, though, I remember as a kid RCA was considered the best manufacturer of TVs and stereos.

[themasterofmovies]

GO RCA! GO ESCOMILLIO!

[manidig]

RCA owned "Banquet" frozen foods. They still did when GE bought them in '84.

[Partier29]

No, they sold Banquet in 1980, and GE bought RCA on June 9, 1986.

[Partier29]

It was Banquet, not Swanson, that RCA owned(from 1970-80). But I agree that RCA used to be one of the best, if not the best, name in electronics. Now their products (made by Thomson & now Audiovox) are mostly crap.

[ler0np0]

Excuse me! Did I hear it correctly? Concert hall fidelity??? LOL! People decades ago must all be idiots to be charmed by this piece of crap which actually looks more like a high school science project than anything. Frankly unlike today there's nothing scientifically amazing back then.

[galesayers]

Kid, keep living. In a minute, you will blink, and 30 years will have shot by, and all that you think is new and innovative and cutting edge will be Smithsonian material. That's life, the way it's always been. You just can't see it because you're a kid, just like every other kid, 30 years before you, and more.

[boys0fsummer1]

@galesayers

not always, for most of human history technology changed so slowly that each generation could relate perfectly to the ones before and after it. Your great-great-great grandfather and everyone before him rode a horse.

[GeneralFantastic]

@galesayers

it won't be Smithsonian material. it'll just be useless obsolete junk.

[auaiao9]

IerOnoO,

It wasn't a piece of crap at all in '68. It was as top notch as anything today. It was the newest, the latest, and we enjoyed our appliances that were in the showrooms and displays ready to be taken home. And too that's an old commercial. Actually having that stereo in your house would sound much better.

[VTMCompany]

@auaiao9 i would love to find this one as new/old stock...certainly it would please me more than current digital everything...ipods down the drain!

[silentbob71420]

Look at it this was you go to a concert and the real hard core bands use tube amps from the stone age bc they have a very warm sound. kind of the same for this box old is sometimes better

[springloadedchicken]

omg! this was a revolution you know.. because it was streamlined.. it only took up half the room instead of the whole house those days. amazing technology! :D almost pocket sized!

[newjerseybt]

Yes, I remember how consoles like this sounded....very boomy bass....especially the male voice. The better models had separate bass and treble and some had timber control. I know someone who still has an RCA console with TV built back in 1969 and still uses it today! The color is still decent. The most modern thing this retired history professor owns is his converter box!

[5inBoca]

My parents have that exact cabinet but with a TV behind two center doors. It has the same dimensions and speaker grills but different cloth. It sounds better than most new systems. There are two lids on each side of the top for the stereo and turntable. The TV is remote and has a better picture than new flat screen sets. I think it is a 1972 RCA.

[wmbrown6]

Actually, 1968 was when this "modern" RCA logo was first unveiled. So this ad may very well have been from that year.

[BrooklynMouse]

And so does the record label itself, by that time, RCA had a more modern look and the label was orange instead of black, but it lasted from 1968 until 1977 when that label was switched to a black label and the same logo with a Nipper character on the top right of the label.

[piplol2468]

are there any American television companies left i know this sorta random but RCA always reminds me of tv's

[cubantoro]

RCA's President, David Sarnoff, put a lot of money and research into Television during the experimental stages back in the 20's and 30's. RCA debuted Television at it's pavillion at the 1939 World's Fair. RCA also was one who developed and perfected Color broadcast. RCA was bought out by GE in 1985 and GE was the one who dismantled RCA in 1986

[AmbientMusic]

Zenith was the last American Television manufacturer, and they went splitville to the Orient around the late 90's I believe. Don't quote me on that exact date however.

[Watcher3223]

@piplol2468

"are there any American television companies left"

Runco, but they are a VERY high end company specializing in high quality video projection.

[freegibran]

How did RCA go from qualtiy products to crap? Seriously can someone tell me, maybe it happened before my time.

[Trance88]

RCA was sold to Thomson consumer electronics like 25 years ago along with GE. Thats when the brand name went to crap. All made in china now.

[Watcher3223]

RCA was bought and broken up by GE in 1986.

GE sold the consumer electronics business to Thomson while the record business was sold to BMG.

GE kept NBC.

The RCA name was owned by GE and licensed to Thomson up until about 2003, where the RCA name was purchased by Thomson.

Now Thomson owns the name and licenses it to Sony/BMG for the music business and to Audiovox for electronics.

Thomson is also licensed by GE to use the GE name for consumer electronics, nothing more.

[tkaye2]

I bet it would've been pretty tough work trying to cash in on that "20-year guarantee" on the phonograph needle in 1987!

[Watcher3223]

RCA failed because the leadership behind it allowed it to fall after David Sarnoff left.

RCA was David's baby, so he had a major interest to see it through to success. Alas, this wasn't the case with the pencil pushers who ended up assuming control, starting with his son, Robert.

[tkaye2]

I believe they even removed, for a time, the iconic stained-glass Nipper from the company headquarters in Camden, N.J. Sometimes young marketing gurus just don't get it...

[stereoplayers]

The stained-glass Nipper windows in the Camden building tower were restored back when the building was remodeled for condos. It's known as the Victor Building (do a search for "Victor Building Condos").

[HomeoftheGoodGuys]

Wow! That RCA stereo console can be playing Disneyland albums.

[nikkothegoon]

I wonder if they ever used sex in advertising these stereo consoles....

For example...That would've been nice to have had a commercial showing some naughty sexy babe changing the station from the easy listening music that her parents were playing to a hard rock station and dancing on top of the stereo or something like that...

[ItaliaBill]

great commercial! I enjoyed it  5*****'s

[CassetteMaster]

WOW!

[damusician]

awesome commercial and stereo!

[noahf67]

Too bad there's no TV spot (?) for their "Color 2000" (or whatever it was named) model of 1969, the first chassis-based remote control color console. Remember that one? I've seen the '69 print ads..supposedly they only churned out 2,000 of them as a "year 2000" marketing gimmick.

[noahf67]

1963? Sure about that? Given the logo and the fact that it's on color tape, I'd guess 1968 or '69, earliest..

[silentsensei]

I took the date information directly from the director's board on the original tape of the commercial. I might have mistaken an 8 for a 3, so I'll go back and check that when I can. Thanks for the heads up.

[cubantoro]

This RCA Commercial is from 1968, since they have the new (UGLY) modern, fat, RCA block letters. These replaced the decades old "meatball" RCA monogram and the beloved "Nipper" dog trademarks. Who did this? It was Robert Sarnoff... who took over RCA from his father, David Sarnoff. RCA was sold to GE (they called it a merger...ha ha ha) in 1985. By 1986, GE started to dismantle RCA and kept the NBC TV Network, and sold the fame NBC Radio Network.... the first radio network formed in 1926.