Here's One for Your Altec Photo Album

**bowtie427ss** · June 1st, 2011, 08:24 AM

I'd dare call this one rare too.

EXTREMELY Rare Altec Lansing Television ALC 201 Ser 545 | eBay

**Altec Best** · June 1st, 2011, 11:30 AM

Thanks for posting that Bowtie ! Very Cool !

**tomt** · June 1st, 2011, 04:14 PM

'Didin even think there might be one of these left in the world.

thanks for bringing this to the forum .

Sam's photofacts has the schematic(s)

**bfish** · June 1st, 2011, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by tomt

...Sam's photofacts has the schematic(s)

Yep, got one.

While Altec TVs are rare today (what pre-60s TV isn't?), that model was certainly no "prototype". HK Sams didn't waste their time (or their subscribers' money) by documenting products that didn't hit the market en mass.

**tomt** · June 1st, 2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by bfish

en mass.

any idea how many were made?

**bfish** · June 1st, 2011, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by tomt

any idea how many were made?

At least 545... ;-)

Sams don't say. They tried to hit a model in its' first year, and wouldn't necessarily revisit follow-ups until there was a significant change. Sams index doesn't repeat this model, so likely either short lived or low production.

**bfish** · June 7th, 2011, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by tomt

any idea how many were made?

Revisited.
I came across an RCA blurb from '45 that estimated only 10,000 sets were in use at the time. Divide that among several mfrs, and production runs weren't that big then.

Then by '55, half the country had 'em. (Not my half though, I remember our first TV in '63. Just in time for the Beatles on Ed Sullivan).

**Old Guy** · June 6th, 2011, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by bfish

Yep, got one.

While Altec TVs are rare today (what pre-60s TV isn't?), that model was certainly no "prototype". HK Sams didn't waste their time (or their subscribers' money) by documenting products that didn't hit the market en mass.

I have an issue with that "untested" also. You know darn well seller plugged it in. Probably dead or serious issues.

**Altec Best** · June 6th, 2011, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Old Guy

I have an issue with that "untested" also. You know darn well seller plugged it in. Probably dead or serious issues.

Yup Me Too.You know "Untested" is just an excuse for sellers IMO.They know they can get twice the money or more if it works, so plug it in they did !

**bfish** · June 8th, 2011, 06:29 PM

It seems I've left the impression that I question the rarity of the item. I don't. It may well be the only one left not in a landfill.

My point was that it was obviously a production model, and not

Originally Posted by Altec Best

a prototype

*

*(from post #2, later edited out)