RCA 630TS which one came first? some minor variations
 

Im not sure if most of you collectors ever really noticed some of the minor differences between different RCA 630 sets electriclly and outside physically. I have had both RCA 630's, one with the single clip to hold the glass in front of the screen and the other that had four corner clips...which one is the earlier one? I have had 630's with the channel escutcheon made of plastic and others made of metal with slight different positioning of the channel "one" number. Electrically I have seen these sets with "electro-magnetic ion traps" and others with the typical "magnet style" and the wiring of the sets, some with rubber coated wires and some with cloth covering. This not just limited to the 630's but I have sen this with the 8TS30 and other early RCA models. Any thoughts or reasons on this? I would like to hear some "expert" thought and feedback about this!

I was told that the 4-clip model was first. As far as the ion trap, I thought they were all electromagnetic on 630s & 8TS30s.

Now for a curve ball: What's up with the 641-TV (tall TV-radio-phono combo with tambor doors)??? The model number CLEARLY proves it's a '46 model, and it has a 630 chassis with the same 10BP4. But the Sams, and a few TV & radio history books say it's a '49 model. This doesn't make any sense because by '49, you could get a 16" or 12" tube in an expensive set like an RCA combo. Why would they offer a 10" in '49 except in a table model???? And I bought one that was a custom-ordered blonde mahogany set from the original owner. She bought it in New York, and her family moved to California in 1947. So unless she was all screwed up, HERS was pre-49. People usually forget when they bought a TV, but they DON"T forget when they move across country.

Charles

I did a little research when I got my 641 and had the same questions. Different sources peg it as anywhere from a 47-49. There was apparently a Crosley that was very similiar and sold in the same timeframe-Crosley seemed to be one of the later companies still selling 630 chassis sets. Then there is the 730 console which uses the 721 chassis, a 47 model, and overall it seems to offer everything the 641 did but in a slightly smaller package.

Could there have been multiple production facilities which account for differences? We know that in a short period of time TV production went from zero to hotcakes. The chassis in my 641 is clearly marked Crosley, but everything lines up just fine. I guess at a later date somebody swapped it in there. I haven't pulled it yet-wonder if it was built by RCA? Same questions arise with the early 60s color RCA clones.

My 630 has date codes from December 1946; the seller said this was the second one he had and mine had the older serial number. How long did RCA sell the original 630? When did, say, 721/730 production start? So many questions! I bet I could look up the answers for some of these things but easier to just ask here!

A friend of mine who worked at RCA and had access to the production information for TV's and back to the Victor days, gave me the Oct 7, 1946 introduction date for the 621 and the 630. The 630 was in production for 3 years, with a total production run of 43,000 units, so the latest production units would be 1949.

I was told that the single glass clamp was on the early production, corner clamps on the later units.


Chuck

Speaking of Crosely, I had a model 307TA (630 clone) that had a RCA 630 sticker and partially over that sticker was Crosely's own sticker...obvious RCA 630 chassis used in these sets and not Crosely's own design. On the RCA 630 if you notice on these sets the speaker is on the right and on the 8TS30 the speaker is on the left. The early Crosely 307TA is the same with the speaker on the right and the crosley 9-408 (630 style) has the speaker on the left, making me believe the Crosely 9-408 is the competitive set to the RCA 8TS30 and designed similarily to that set (im sure we can all agree the 8TS30 looks more deco than the 630 just like the Crosely 9-408 is more deco than the 307TA) and the 307TA the competitive set for the RCA 630. More thought on this??

I saw this old post, and had to reply, belatedly.

I have two 630TS's, one an early (junker) chassis without the keyed AGC, and another, slightly later complete Television Set with a Keyed AGC Adjustment, factory installed, with the single large Brass Clip on the front glass. They Keyed AGC does NOT have "AGC" stamped in the metal chassis.

The Serial Numbers, Production Sticker is missing from both sets. Is there another way to find out when they were built? I can't see any other stamps on the Chassis, like a production date, to indicate when they were assembled.

By the by, I just finished recapping the chassis, checking/replacing resistors, etc. Also, the chassis got a complete cleanup and a partial cosmetic touch up. The Cabinet I restored from the Ground Up. It needed it, and it looks great, right down to the (redone) factory grease pencil marks and repro'd labels. It looks like it just rolled off the Assembly Line.

Now, for the Final Phase! Alignment, Voltage Checks, etc.

LJB:smoke: