"A plant was opened in 1960 to manufacture tape recorders in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first production by Grundig outside Germany. The managing director of the plant Thomas Niedermayer, was kidnapped and later killed by the Provisional IRA in December 1973.The factory was closed with the loss of around 1,000 jobs in 1980"
The Turkish company that owns the Grundig and Beko brands is now called Arçelik but it's not a name you will see mentioned much in the UK for obvious reasons!
2004: Alba plc and Beko jointly purchase Grundig
2006: Arçelik became Beko's largest shareholder
2008: Beko purchases Alba's share in Grundig to own it 100% and subsequently renames itself Grundig Elektronik. Alba plc licenced to use Grundig brand in the UK for three years and Australia for five years.
2008: Alba plc sells Alba and Bush brand names to Argos, retaining Bush brand in Australia only. It renames itself Harvard International, which it was known as until 1987.
2009: Arçelik and Grundig merge and adopt the name Arçelik
2011: April. Rights to Grundig brand in the UK revert to Arçelik.
Koç Group controls Arçelik but Arçelik is listed on the Turkish Stock Exchange so shares can be bought in it. Koç Group is a family controlled conglomerate, similar I guess to the large Korean and Japanese groups of companies.
Koç Group controls Arçelik but Arçelik is listed on the Turkish Stock Exchange so shares can be bought in it. Koç Group is a family controlled conglomerate, similar I guess to the large Korean and Japanese groups of companies.
"A plant was opened in 1960 to manufacture tape recorders in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first production by Grundig outside Germany. The managing director of the plant Thomas Niedermayer, was kidnapped and later killed by the Provisional IRA in December 1973.The factory was closed with the loss of around 1,000 jobs in 1980"
Was it that long ago? - doesn't time fly when you're having fun!.
I note that Comet are currently selling a Goomans Freeview HD box very cheaply and that it is remarkably similar to one also badged as a Grundig.
By the way, it is not one of the Vestel boxes that were some of the first badged versions on the market as they lack the distinctive three buttons on the left hand side of the fascia.
They could of course be differently badged versions of a later Vestel model or one made by another OEM. Anybody know?
I also understand Sony only have one Bravia production plant left in Europe and that it is to close or be sold off early in the new year. Its other Bravia plants have already been sold off to local companies.
I also understand Sony only have one Bravia production plant left in Europe and that it is to close or be sold off early in the new year. Its other Bravia plants have already been sold off to local companies.
The other European Bravia plant is in Barcelona; www.sony-europe.com/article/id/1170434888571/page/3 This is being sold to two Spanish companies and Sony will outsource TV manufacturing to it for two years.
Interestingly, in December 2008 the FT predicted that the European sites would probably be safe:"We knew the first factory that is closing: the DAX Technology Centre in France which makes videotape. The other European sites - in Wales, France, Spain, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary - are probably at low risk because it would be perverse to respond to a fall in European currencies by closing down European manufacturing."
The Turkish company that owns the Grundig and Beko brands is now called Arçelik but it's not a name you will see mentioned much in the UK for obvious reasons!
2004: Alba plc and Beko jointly purchase Grundig
2006: Arçelik became Beko's largest shareholder
2008: Beko purchases Alba's share in Grundig to own it 100% and subsequently renames itself Grundig Elektronik. Alba plc licenced to use Grundig brand in the UK for three years and Australia for five years.
2008: Alba plc sells Alba and Bush brand names to Argos, retaining Bush brand in Australia only. It renames itself Harvard International, which it was known as until 1987.
2009: Arçelik and Grundig merge and adopt the name Arçelik
2011: April. Rights to Grundig brand in the UK revert to Arçelik.
That doesn`t mention mastercare anywhere ?
I`m sure we used to repair Grundig (badge engineered) TVs which were Mastercare , i.e. Currys.
That doesn`t mention mastercare anywhere ?
I`m sure we used to repair Grundig (badge engineered) TVs which were Mastercare , i.e. Currys.
Currys/Dixons purchased the rights to use the name, for a limited period (12 months?), well before Grundig went bust - it was part of their effort to survive, along with selling their satellite operation to Thomson.
Even longer before that, Dixons group were buying badged Grundig TV's (badged Matsui) - it's a normal part of business, you approach a manufacturer and ask for X thousand TV's to be made with whatever badge you want on them. In this case the Matsui sets were decent TV's (for a change).
Grundig was a joke, no competitive tech, hell they didn't bother to sell more than their name on a few tacky items in the us for years now.
Just because (I don't think) they actually invented a piece of tech of their own doesn't make them bad. Just as JVC invented VHS. I don't think they've been good at anything beyond consumer VCRs. In fact, the quality of JVC VCRs began to dip sometime in the mid-late 90s.
Just because they invent a technology doesn't necessarily make them good.
I think ITT invented the wireless remote control, and I've heard others say that they were rubbish.
It's the build quality and the quality of the job that their devices do that matters. Picture quality on my Grundig CUC (A2105) TV, apart from a slightly annoying problem with blue convergence in one corner of its screen, is second to none compared with most other RF-only TV sets of the same period, with pre-PLL tuners. The speaker on it is fantastic. It only needs a spray with tuner cleaner and it'll be fine.
I've had several Grundig portable radios over the years in my family (a "yacht boy" being the best), all being terrific quality.
What you may be thinking of as a Grundig may just be some cheap Chinese bull instead of a "proper" Grundig.
Just because (I don't think) they actually invented a piece of tech of their own doesn't make them bad. Just as JVC invented VHS. I don't think they've been good at anything beyond consumer VCRs. In fact, the quality of JVC VCRs began to dip sometime in the mid-late 90s.
Just because they invent a technology doesn't necessarily make them good.
I think ITT invented the wireless remote control, and I've heard others say that they were rubbish.
It's the build quality and the quality of the job that their devices do that matters. Picture quality on my Grundig CUC (A2105) TV, apart from a slightly annoying problem with blue convergence in one corner of its screen, is second to none compared with most other RF-only TV sets of the same period, with pre-PLL tuners. The speaker on it is fantastic. It only needs a spray with tuner cleaner and it'll be fine.
I've had several Grundig portable radios over the years in my family (a "yacht boy" being the best), all being terrific quality.
What you may be thinking of as a Grundig may just be some cheap Chinese bull instead of a "proper" Grundig.
I have to say (when we were actually mending TVs......) I never found spraying dodgey tuner pots really worked that well. Many`s the time you`d feel elated at repairing a blown up PSU or line stage, only to find, when you tested it, that the tuner pots were all knackered.
And, of course, according to the customer, "it wasn`t like that before......."
I have to say (when we were actually mending TVs......) I never found spraying dodgey tuner pots really worked that well. Many`s the time you`d feel elated at repairing a blown up PSU or line stage, only to find, when you tested it, that the tuner pots were all knackered.
And, of course, according to the customer, "it wasn`t like that before......."
What was the usual solution to drifting tuning pots? I have heard of situations where a resistor goes high but wouldn't this affect all channels, not just one as in my case?
What was the usual solution to drifting tuning pots?
You replace the tuning pots - poor reliability of tuning pots (and channel switches) was why Grundig developed fully electronic tuning and channel switching.
You replace the tuning pots - poor reliability of tuning pots (and channel switches) was why Grundig developed fully electronic tuning and channel switching.
Wouldn't this be difficult considering the TV is nearly 30 years old? Or would the tuning pot from another TV with a similar tuner do?
I've never heard of replacing the tuner pots until now. I've only heard of using tuner spray on sets like these nowadays.
Actually, that "resistor going high" statement makes more sense now, i.e. the source I read meant the potentiometer going high.
Wouldn't this be difficult considering the TV is nearly 30 years old? Or would the tuning pot from another TV with a similar tuner do?
You generally have to replace with the identical items - on some of the very old Grundig's you actually only replaced one part of the tuning pot, the plastic 'slider' which carries the moving contact.
As DSO is already well under way, it's hardly worth it anyway.
You generally have to replace with the identical items - on some of the very old Grundig's you actually only replaced one part of the tuning pot, the plastic 'slider' which carries the moving contact.
As DSO is already well under way, it's hardly worth it anyway.
Well myself and those who I gained this information from are TV set collectors so obviously the pot tuners will be very common among them (I collect them to an extent - but due to reasons of space and very limited technical knowledge, just 1970s and 80s portables).
I only watch stuff on the VCR/AV channel on it, which, because of it's "loop" to cancel out sync errors with VCRs, I've been told doesn't/can't drift (which sounds unlikely. Common sense suggests to me that the pot for the AV channel is just as likely to drift as the others).
You replace the tuning pots - poor reliability of tuning pots (and channel switches) was why Grundig developed fully electronic tuning and channel switching.
There are two reasons why that`s easier said than done, three if you count the additional time required to remove/replace the tuner bank.
1 The part was rarely available, and if it was it was usually special order, i.e. weeks or months to arrive, and you couldn`t return it.
2 The part was usually pricey and the customer was rarely prepared to pay the extra. It`s a risk even mentioning it because as a TV engineer you`re in an awkward position because if you said the TV has an additional fault and it`ll be £xx extra, he could then turn round and say don`t bother (as in don`t bother with either repair). But you`ve already done the job, and shelled out for any parts into the bargain !
That`s why many TV engineers would just keep quiet about it, spray a bit of switch cleaner down, and hope for the best......
Comments
From Wikipedia and elsewhere on the web:
"A plant was opened in 1960 to manufacture tape recorders in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first production by Grundig outside Germany. The managing director of the plant Thomas Niedermayer, was kidnapped and later killed by the Provisional IRA in December 1973.The factory was closed with the loss of around 1,000 jobs in 1980"
Interesting according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arçelik
Arcelik is a subsidiary of Koc industries.
Koç Group controls Arçelik but Arçelik is listed on the Turkish Stock Exchange so shares can be bought in it. Koç Group is a family controlled conglomerate, similar I guess to the large Korean and Japanese groups of companies.
More info here: www.koc.com.tr/enus/Corporate/Pages/Default.aspx
Thanks but unfortunately the link does not work - gives 404 Not Found?
I think it's missing a hyphen, try this: http://www.koc.com.tr/en-us/Corporate/Pages/Default.aspx
Was it that long ago? - doesn't time fly when you're having fun!.
By the way, it is not one of the Vestel boxes that were some of the first badged versions on the market as they lack the distinctive three buttons on the left hand side of the fascia.
They could of course be differently badged versions of a later Vestel model or one made by another OEM. Anybody know?
I also understand Sony only have one Bravia production plant left in Europe and that it is to close or be sold off early in the new year. Its other Bravia plants have already been sold off to local companies.
Yes, for the next few months Harvard is still licenced to use the Grundig brand name as well as using the Goodmans grand which it still owns.
Yes
The Slovakian plant was sold to Taiwanese company Hon Hai as part of an alliance for the manufacture of LCD televisions for Europe.
http://presscentre.sony.eu/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=5736&NewsAreaId=2
The other European Bravia plant is in Barcelona; www.sony-europe.com/article/id/1170434888571/page/3 This is being sold to two Spanish companies and Sony will outsource TV manufacturing to it for two years.
Also, the Blue Ray plant in Hungary closes this month.
http://presscentre.sony.eu/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=5948&NewsAreaId=2
Interestingly, in December 2008 the FT predicted that the European sites would probably be safe:"We knew the first factory that is closing: the DAX Technology Centre in France which makes videotape. The other European sites - in Wales, France, Spain, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary - are probably at low risk because it would be perverse to respond to a fall in European currencies by closing down European manufacturing."
http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2008/12/so-which-factories-will-sony-close/
That doesn`t mention mastercare anywhere ?
I`m sure we used to repair Grundig (badge engineered) TVs which were Mastercare , i.e. Currys.
Currys/Dixons purchased the rights to use the name, for a limited period (12 months?), well before Grundig went bust - it was part of their effort to survive, along with selling their satellite operation to Thomson.
Even longer before that, Dixons group were buying badged Grundig TV's (badged Matsui) - it's a normal part of business, you approach a manufacturer and ask for X thousand TV's to be made with whatever badge you want on them. In this case the Matsui sets were decent TV's (for a change).
Just because (I don't think) they actually invented a piece of tech of their own doesn't make them bad. Just as JVC invented VHS. I don't think they've been good at anything beyond consumer VCRs. In fact, the quality of JVC VCRs began to dip sometime in the mid-late 90s.
Just because they invent a technology doesn't necessarily make them good.
I think ITT invented the wireless remote control, and I've heard others say that they were rubbish.
It's the build quality and the quality of the job that their devices do that matters. Picture quality on my Grundig CUC (A2105) TV, apart from a slightly annoying problem with blue convergence in one corner of its screen, is second to none compared with most other RF-only TV sets of the same period, with pre-PLL tuners. The speaker on it is fantastic. It only needs a spray with tuner cleaner and it'll be fine.
I've had several Grundig portable radios over the years in my family (a "yacht boy" being the best), all being terrific quality.
What you may be thinking of as a Grundig may just be some cheap Chinese bull instead of a "proper" Grundig.
I have to say (when we were actually mending TVs......) I never found spraying dodgey tuner pots really worked that well. Many`s the time you`d feel elated at repairing a blown up PSU or line stage, only to find, when you tested it, that the tuner pots were all knackered.
And, of course, according to the customer, "it wasn`t like that before......."
What was the usual solution to drifting tuning pots? I have heard of situations where a resistor goes high but wouldn't this affect all channels, not just one as in my case?
You replace the tuning pots - poor reliability of tuning pots (and channel switches) was why Grundig developed fully electronic tuning and channel switching.
Wouldn't this be difficult considering the TV is nearly 30 years old? Or would the tuning pot from another TV with a similar tuner do?
I've never heard of replacing the tuner pots until now. I've only heard of using tuner spray on sets like these nowadays.
Actually, that "resistor going high" statement makes more sense now, i.e. the source I read meant the potentiometer going high.
You generally have to replace with the identical items - on some of the very old Grundig's you actually only replaced one part of the tuning pot, the plastic 'slider' which carries the moving contact.
As DSO is already well under way, it's hardly worth it anyway.
Well myself and those who I gained this information from are TV set collectors so obviously the pot tuners will be very common among them (I collect them to an extent - but due to reasons of space and very limited technical knowledge, just 1970s and 80s portables).
I only watch stuff on the VCR/AV channel on it, which, because of it's "loop" to cancel out sync errors with VCRs, I've been told doesn't/can't drift (which sounds unlikely. Common sense suggests to me that the pot for the AV channel is just as likely to drift as the others).
There are two reasons why that`s easier said than done, three if you count the additional time required to remove/replace the tuner bank.
1 The part was rarely available, and if it was it was usually special order, i.e. weeks or months to arrive, and you couldn`t return it.
2 The part was usually pricey and the customer was rarely prepared to pay the extra. It`s a risk even mentioning it because as a TV engineer you`re in an awkward position because if you said the TV has an additional fault and it`ll be £xx extra, he could then turn round and say don`t bother (as in don`t bother with either repair).
But you`ve already done the job, and shelled out for any parts into the bargain !
That`s why many TV engineers would just keep quiet about it, spray a bit of switch cleaner down, and hope for the best......