Predicta Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions about Predicta TV

1. Is this for real?
Yes! Color Predicta TV is a reality. Believe it or not, this is the most commonly asked question we receive at Telstar, and we are ecstatic there are so many people out there who want more from their TV than the generic black box offered by other TV manufacturers. The science and romance of the Predicta legend has been resurrected and continued by Telstar. We realize with the help of software programs such as Photoshop, it is very easy to "fake" a company or product over the Internet. Every unit pictured on our website is a production TV, currently manufactured with new parts. None of the pictures have been doctored in Photoshop or other editing software to create the illusion that we make colors or options that have never been built. As we continue the line of Predicta models, check out our concepts page which has various units in either development stages or concept stages, such as an artist's rendition. These units are appropriately labeled.

2. Is this the set I saw on Home and Garden TV? <
Yes. We at Telstar receive a lot of requests to have our TVs used as props for productions. However, the most satisfying request was when we were approached by the production company for Home & Garden TV. With all the replicated nostalgia out there, ours was chosen specifically because it adapted conceptual designs of the Predicta into a modern electronic base. It is a very proud accomplishment and humbling to be featured next to architects and designers whose visions and imaginations have inspired all of us.

3. What is the price of a Predicta TV?
Telstar Predicta is actually priced less than the original Philco Predicta of 1958 (indexed for inflation). Of course the Predicta with its complexity, cabinetry and unique features, is not priced with the cheapest TV you can find. Predicta TV is priced to be comparable with the average high-end TV you would find in your local TV store. For more information on prices and dealers near you, please contact us at 262-392-3366. info@Predicta.com

4. Do you do custom finishes and designs?
Yes. In fact, it is our desire to be involved with the client on every purchase of a Predicta including those done through dealers and distributors. We enjoy the creative process with our clients and feel customer needs are best met if they can communicate directly with the people who build the product.

5. Are you the only one making Predicta TVs?
Yes. "Predicta" is a registered trademark of Telstar Electronics, and therefore is the only company that can produce, label and represent a television or monitor under the Predicta name. It is unlawful for any other company to represent a TV as a "Predicta," "Predicta Replica," "Retro Predicta," etc. There are others out there who attempt to do what we do, and we encourage our clients to compare those products as there are many differences in appearance and quality.

6. Will Predicta TV work with my cable and VCR?
Absolutely. Despite its very exotic look and picture, it was Telstar's intent to keep the unit simple and compatible with VCRs, cable, and satellites. It has a standard antenna (RF75) input as well as video and stereo inputs. We thought it was in the best interest of Predicta TV and our clients to make it compatible with other products.

7. Does the Predicta TV have a remote control?
You bet. It is a simple and easy to use remote control with a distinctive shape.
The simple and direct remote is designed to work with the TV. It will not turn on your toaster or activate your garage door. Predicta TV is adaptable to any universal remote control for those with multiple pieces of equipment.

8. Is Predicta TV serviceable by anyone other than Telstar?
Yes, it is. One of our goals was to make Predicta TV capable of running for a long time. It would be impractical to package the TV and send it back to us if ever the need arose. So, with that in mind, we designed the set so it can be serviceable by any competent TV shop. We are available to assist any repair shops that would need our help, but problems with the TV are very rare.

9. Who makes your parts?
Telstar. Virtually every part made for Predicta TV, except the tube and chassis, are made by us. It is one reason it has become such a proud accomplishment for us. To do this, we applied our skills in plastics, plastic casting, wood working, metal working, color impregnated G.R.P., graphics and, of course, electronics. Tremendous demand has put us in a position of soliciting new talents, but only under the strictest scrutiny and discipline, to make Predicta parts.

10. Are you using all new parts?
Yes. One of the biggest compliments we receive is when people ask if we restored an old color television set and retrofitted it to a Philco Predicta cabinet. This approach would result in a disproportional product and be too difficult to produce in volume. In short, every piece on Predicta TV is brand new and has not been recycled from an old TV.

11. How does the channel selector work?
Predicta TV uses a scan-type switch capable of selecting all 181+ channels. It functions somewhat differently than the original, but then there are a few more channels than there used to be.

12. Are there differences between the Telstar Predicta and the Philco Predicta?
A few. Again, the goal of Telstar was to create color Predicta TV as if the original engineers were creating it today. For that reason we altered some things from the original design. It is not our desire to mimic Philco Predicta, but to continue it. The most notable difference is color Predicta TV is roughly 16% larger than its older cousin. The idea behind this was that living rooms today are larger than in the past and a 21" tube is, quite frankly, too small to view without strain. Our goal was to make the Predicta TV functional on a daily basis and not as a novelty. As far as cosmetics are concerned, most of the knobs, screens, and stamping patterns are virtually indistinguishable from the original.

13. Do you make replacement parts for Philco Predictas?
This is a less direct answer. We have the ability to duplicate most of the pieces for the original Philcos. However, the response for our unit has been so
overwhelming that developing replacement parts has been lost in the shuffle.
Maybe in the future.

14. Do you restore the black and white Philco Predictas?
We decided long ago it was in the best interest of Telstar to concentrate on its color line of products. In our journey, we have come across a few people who do very good restoration work with the black and white units. If you are considering restoring a unit, you should be aware that proper restoration of the electronics on many models is very tricky. It seems the Princess model has the best luck with restoration. We will put interested parties in touch with people who restore the Philcos. It is important to us that our clients understand we have no financial connections with anyone we recommend.

15. What about HDTV?
Predicta TVs operate under the same conditions as any TV you can purchase today. Whether it be Sony or Samsung, all of these TVs are adaptable to the new broadcast standard due in 2006. We came across a good article about the subject that can say it better than we do. For those interested, we would be happy to provide the source. Incidentally we, like every other manufacturer, have experienced no decline in our sales due to these concerns. When we will be able to develop a HDTV model will have a lot to do when the technology becomes more uniform. It is fair to say, if we managed to create our present unit, there is no reason we can't adapt it to high definition TV when the time comes. We have started preliminary work on the project, but feel it will be at least 5 more years before the market will be able to dictate what HDTV will be.

16. What if I have further questions?
Ask us at info@predicta.com, or call us at 262-392-3366.

Thank you for considering Predicta TV.

info@predicta.com