1947 RCA Model 648PV Rear Projection Console Television

This set provided a 25" picture (measured diagonally) at a time when most sets offered 10" or less.

Many believe that early rear projection sets fell out of favor due to their poor, dim picture quality and limited viewing angle.

Watch the video and judge for yourself.

I believe their downfall was their large size, their weight and their high initial setup costs. Eventually of course, direct view picture tubes caught up to them. But if you had deep pockets, you were watching a 25" TV several years ahead of most folks!

The reel-to-reel tape recorder to the right of the screen is a 1947 Brush BK-401. It was the first consumer tape recorder. Unlike later tape which was based on acetate or Mylar, the BK-401's tape was made of paper, with an oxide coating glued to one side.

Together, the RCA and the Brush could be considered a 1947 "home entertainment center," albeit an expensive one. The price of these two together, when adjusted for inflation, approaches $30,000 in 2008 dollars!

I restored both in 2000.

You can watch a video of the reel-to-reel playing at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj8WRKJkp3o&fmt=18

You can see pictures of both, as well as other antique electronics at
http://www.smokypond.com/gallery/pictures/antique_electronics/

smokypond dot com slash gallery

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 1947
• RCA
• 648PV
• Rear
• Projection
• Television
• Brush
• BK-401
• reel-to-reel
• tape
• recorder

[Michtario]

This is absolutely amazing. I had no idea television sets like this even existed in the 1940's.  After watching all of these videos on here with 40's tv sets I'm destined to have one of my own one day!

[SmokyPondFarm]

@Michtario Be careful though! Collecting old electronics is a disease! ;-)

[nobody4u2]

how much did it cost back in it's day?

[SmokyPondFarm]

@nobody4u2 $2100 when it was introduced in late 1946, but it was reduced down to $1600 by early 1948.

[SmokyPondFarm]

29kV, which is about 20kV higher than the average direct-view sets from this period.

[RetroCaptain]

Good day

Very good resto on this set, man!

Excellent picture. I've seen a few mirror reflectors but not that style.

I have a 1953 Electrohome set similar,(a radio,record changer in a fancy maple "weighs a tonne" cabinet. Has cover doors.

Would like to play period movies on it.

Surprised the picture does not "flag",..a common thing when using a DVD on a tube set.

[SmokyPondFarm]

@RetroCaptain The sync system in this vintage RCA set actually handles Laser Discs, CED's and DVD's quite well, but the flagging is terrible with VHS tapes.

[ElisVlog]

that must of been a HUGE screen for the time

[canuckcurt]

I just picked up one of these last week in San Diego (mine doesn't have the radio or record player part in it). The electronics are in sad shape, it has no back, but the screen is intact, the electronics are complete (I think) and the cabinet overall is in surprisingly good shape.

[Inflec]

@SmokyPondFarm I know that! :-)

[Inflec]

@SmokyPondFarm What you say about the stability of the various video disc systems with a set this old is no surprise. Any of the disc formats--analog or digital--inherently provide a stable signal due to the fact that everything comes through one signal pickup. Very unlike the *two* pickups (the spinning video heads) in a typical home videotape machine and the timing errors that inevitably arise when the signal pickup is switched from one head to the other. BTW, *nice* restoration job!

[DoctorMeh]

it's beautiful

[quaxk]

this seem almost unreal

[bluedoris88]

I remember watching 'the cisco kid' on this kind of TV, my uncle had one

in early 50's that was in Stratford East London England. We had the

small 'normal' type at home with a much smaller screen. Only ONE! channel then.BBC

[sideslide23]

first big screen TV invented.