TA7205AP

This is the place for any magazine-related discussions that don't fit in any of the column discussion boards below.
Post Reply
User avatar
Joseph
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 1:01 am
Location: USA,World
Contact:

TA7205AP

Post by Joseph »

When I heard that Toshiba Corp. was on the verge of bankruptcy, memories of my early days in electronics came back. I remember how a very early experience with component level electronics was repairing a car stereo amplifier with a blown TA7205AP IC chip. I went to the local car stereo shop and purchased the IC for $20.
User avatar
Lenp
Posts: 1529
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Lenp »

And now....They are under $2 all over the net!
But
If they become discontinued, they will be up to $20+ from the scalpers!
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
User avatar
Joseph
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 1:01 am
Location: USA,World
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Joseph »

Back in those days, even with relatively high parts and labor costs, it was more worthwhile to repair consumer electronics. It could more likely be that I bought two of the TA7205AP ICs for $20 because there is a good chance that I didn't know if one or both of the originals​ in the amplifier were bad.

Earlier, I recall trips with my dad, to use a tube tester! I can't remember where we took TV tubes to in order to test them. I recall not too many years later testing tubes on my own, too.
User avatar
Lenp
Posts: 1529
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Lenp »

Hi Joseph,
Likely I would have run into you, or your dad, at the local drug store since many had tube testers with a zillion sockets and a big roll chart. Oh, don't forget to look at the 'troubleshooting guide', with the squiggly pictures that suggested what tubes may be at fault...Ah, the old days!
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
User avatar
Joseph
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 1:01 am
Location: USA,World
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Joseph »

Hi Len,
I recall that troubleshooting guide now with those pictures of various faulty rasters!

http://tubedatabase.co/testers/hickok-533a
User avatar
haklesup
Posts: 3136
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2002 1:01 am
Location: San Jose CA
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by haklesup »

I don't recall ever seeing a tube tester in a drug store but most Radio Shacks had them up until at least the mid eighties maybe a bit later. Most towns had a TV repair shop too. At least we still fix our cars and our appliances.
User avatar
Lenp
Posts: 1529
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Lenp »

Yes, many local chain drug stores had these testers a lifetime ago. They were there to sell tubes so if the tube tested bad, it probably was, but if it tested good, well maybe it was not.
Many had a wheel chart showing various TV screen pictures and suggested tubes that may be associated with the problem, vertical, horizontal, snow, sound...

Here is a BIG link that shows many typical models.
https://www.google.com/search?q=drug+st ... -k0xFxd3M:

Ah.. Those were also the days of high voltage batteries for tube 'portable' radios. Does 6SN7, 5U4 or 1B3 ring a bell :smile:
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
User avatar
Joseph
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 1:01 am
Location: USA,World
Contact:

Re: TA7205AP

Post by Joseph »

I remember the troubleshooting guide said what some of the different tubes were that could cause the example bad raster picture shown.
I was wondering why even though the tester I linked to looked familiar, it was lacking the display console that the ones in the store had.

The 6NS7 does sound familiar. I remember the 6L6 and 12AX7 also.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 29 guests