Heathkit GD1380 with Compatable TV

[Scooter83]

Here is my example of my Heathkit GD1380 pong console. This pong unit uses a special connector to hook up to certain Heathkit model TVs. ( The later GD-1999 pong  unit uses a standard connector and hooks up to any television). As luck would have it I did come across this Heathkit GR-2000 model 25 inch color console TV that is one of the few models that is compatible with the GD1380 pong unit.  The TV needs to be restored and gone through before I attempt to power it up and try everything out but being able to pair it up and have it the way it would have been back in the day.  I hope one day I will have everything restored and working  like it was back when it was new.  I doubt many of these combos survived but I figure Id share this with everyone. 

[Voxel]

That's a great pairing.

 

Nice of you to post the images for us to see.

[Scooter83]

The TV came with 6 or 7 booklets with schematics on all the boards and what is on each board. I fear the cost for restoring and going through the TV will be pricey. I dont see too many TV restoration places online and I fear trying to mail the TV anywhere. 

[Voxel]

1 hour ago, Scooter83 said:

I fear trying to mail the TV anywhere. 

I feel your pain on that one.  I've received 5 CRTs damaged in the post, I've held on to two of them which I'd like to repair myself, as there is no one local to repair for me.  It's a bit of a learning curve when information is lacking.  I did find a video series on Youtube, but my Indian language skills are not that great...

[Scooter83]

Quite a steep learning curve taking on a tv even with all the documents. I think for right now,  just having a paired set is good enough. Just appreciating is where I need to settle on right now. Down the road I'll either tackle it or try again to find someone who can handle the task.  

 

I wonder if you can do English subtitles to get an idea of what they are saying.

 

I do have another portable TV by Sampo that has pong built into it.  Came with the manual but no box.  Only other TV that kinda fits the built in pong variety is the magnavox 4305 that had pong built in also.

[Voxel]

13 hours ago, Scooter83 said:

Quite a steep learning curve taking on a tv even with all the documents. I think for right now,  just having a paired set is good enough. Just appreciating is where I need to settle on right now. Down the road I'll either tackle it or try again to find someone who can handle the task. 

I'm often on ebay scouring for TV repair books.

 

13 hours ago, Scooter83 said:

I wonder if you can do English subtitles to get an idea of what they are saying.

I've seen the odd request for this on their videos.

 

13 hours ago, Scooter83 said:

I do have another portable TV by Sampo that has pong built into it.  Came with the manual but no box.  Only other TV that kinda fits the built in pong variety is the magnavox 4305 that had pong built in also.

That must have been amazing back in the day (before the VCS).

[Scooter83]

It must have been back in the day. A Sampo tv with a built in pong game I take it would have been like how super nintendo and sega genesis was common but to find someone with laser active or a jvc xeye.  Unheard of for most the people at the time. 

[fred]

Very cool. It looks like an old stereo. I never new they made pong units made to work only with specific TV's. A quick google search and I learned this about this pong system: "To use this system, the user had to open his TV set in order to connect a few wires to its electronic circuits." Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!