Philips 673 Tuner
Dimple Belousson
Free Over-the-Air broadcast digital programming This Integrated HDTV has the digital tuner built into the TV set. It does not need a separate set-top box to receive free Over-the-Air digital TV signals (ATSC). The TV will require a connection to an antenna (not supplied). The channel reception will depend on location and environmental factors.
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I just tried the I2C-Scanner sketch from here and it showed me some different adresses. After changing the base address to 0xC3 it now seems that there is some communicating going on. Although i don't hear any audio... But that's a different story
Also after a lot of attempts, i did not manage to control the FM1216 with using hard I2C. Compared to this, library offered by DH9JHB did work without problems.
Nevertheless i also wanted to make my own version ( also using soft IC ) where intension also was, covering the total tuner range from 40-868 Mhz:
As the tuner itself has a micro-USB interface, and adapter is required in order to plug it into the USB3.0 PPM port (be sure the adapter is OTG capable) Most setups would also require some antenna adapters. This is mine (USB cable extender is just for convenience):
Philips tuners can be identified by type or even more exact by their order number (12 digits).The order number is printed on the tuner, followed by origin letter of factory, change code (e.g. SV20, SV21, ...) and year and week code.
Tuners are listed alphabetically by manufacturer and in alphabetical and numerical sequence by model number. In parentheses after the model number are the year of introduction and most recent list price, and/or the original list price if indicated by "orig" (special thanks to David Rich of The Audio Critic for copies of historical material from his reference library). Please see the On-Deck Circle for tuners that we know very little about or that we're not sure merit a writeup.
Onix BWD-1 (front, with power supply, back) search eBay
A longtime favorite of our knowledgeable contributor doug s., the BWD-1 is a very rare and pricey minimalist FM-only tuner. We've only seen a few of them offered in the secondary market since 2001, usually between $275-550, and usually sold together with a "SOAP" power supply unit. Please post in our FMtuners group if you've ever used a BWD-1.
Optonica search eBay
Optonica was the brand name for high-end electronics manufactured by the Japanese giant Sharp from 1976 to 1981 or so. They did not get much respect from high-end dealers in the U.S. at the time, and their tuners are now generally scarce in the secondary market.
Optonica ST-3636 (1978, $300) search eBay
Our panelist Ray says his research revealed that the ST-3636 is "an earlier all-analog version of the ST-7405." It has 5 FM gangs and 3 AM gangs, wide and narrow FM bandwidth settings, fixed and variable output jacks and a 400-Hz tape calibration tone, but unfortunately also has the overactive 'Opto-Lock' circuitry described in the ST-7405 writeup below. Ray and our panelist Bob speculated that the ST-3636, with 3 narrow filters and 3 IF amps, may be a good performer when modded, particularly for DXing once the lock is defeated. Here's Ray's subsequent report: "We put the ST-3636, sans Opto-Lock, into the tuner shootout system last night. It sat between the TX-9800 and the RFM-815 [modified KT-815 - Editor]. It got whupped! A 21 KW signal from 143 miles away was stereo/narrow listenable on the TX-9800, mono/narrow listenable on the RFM-815 and... no reception at all on the ST-3636. On bigger signals, the ST-3636 sounds similar to the Pioneer, but a little lean compared to the modded Kenwood. I've since removed the antenna circuit balun, which moved the S-meter up about half a pointer's worth. These are all 5-gang tuners, so I expected better from the Optonica. Bob suggests that it needs tweaking up front, and that will eventually get done. Next, though, it gets a matched set of filters from Bill Ammons. It has 4 280s stock, but will get two 280s and a 150 in narrow plus another 280 for wide/narrow on advice from Bob." After having been tweaked by Ray and aligned by Bob, Ray's ST-3636 was reviewed by our panelist Jim on the Modified Tuner Report page. The ST-3636 seems to be fairly common on eBay and usually sells for $25-60.
Optonica ST-7405 (1981, $400) search eBay
Our panelist Ray reports: "I picked off an ST-7405 some months back just because it was cheap, had bandwidth selection, was an analog with digital readout, and I was curious. Well, to my astonishment, it has 5 FM gangs and 4 filters in narrow, has discrete outputs, and gives a very good account of itself compared to the better known/respected units in my stable. But I have been quite frustrated with Optonica's 'Opto-Lock' feature which is also found in their ST-3636. It's much too active, pulling in stronger signals and locking them from as much as 400 kHz away. Both tuners are 5-gangers with wide and narrow bandwidth settings, but the Opto-Lock negates all that selectivity potential and it's not defeatable via any front or rear panel controls. BUT, there is hope! Last night I lifted the collector of TR602, which is a switch for the Opto-Lock circuitry. From the bench, this seems to have rendered the ST-7405 'normal,' i.e., like pre-opto-synchro-whatever lock tuners. If you want a very good sounding and sensitive tuner that is easy to tune, the ST-7405 can be highly recommended. If you are a DXer, forget it unless you also like to D.I.Y." Ray did a DXing shootout among his ST-7405, a KT-8300 and a Pioneer TX-9800: "The TX-9800 won the pure sensitivity challenge, but not by as much as with most [over the KT-8300]. When I tested them for adjacent-channel performance, the TX-9800 and KT-8300 could both ignore the adjacent, but the ST-7405 had lots of interfering hash." Sharp's advertising material lists some other features of the FM-AM ST-7405: 7-LED signal-strength and center-tuning meter displays; multipath monitor switch; air-check calibrator; high blend; FM muting switch; mode switch; and fixed and variable output jacks. It also has one unswitched electrical outlet in the back. The ST-7405 is rare on eBay and usually sells for $25-55.
Panasonic ST-3400 (1973, $240) search eBay
The FM-AM ST-3400, which our panelist Ray thinks may have also been badged a Technics ST-3400, was Ray's "latest sparrow feed snag for a full $9.95. The first thing to catch the eye is the cute round dual meter. The lower one is standard fare signal strength but the upper serves as a multipath meter or a distortion null meter. Distortion null seems to serve the purpose of the usual center-tuning meter but the optimum is at full deflection. Inside we find 4 FM gangs in a, first for RFM, single tune - FET RF amp - single tune - FET RF amp - single tune - mixer. LOTS of RF gain and little tuned circuit loss. Yes, it is sensitive and, yes, prone to overload but in 1973 we didn't have so many big signals to ward off, did we? There are mounts for 4 ceramic filters but in this one CF1 was just a stock mounted cap. There is not a single IC to be found; everything is done with discreet transistor circuitry. The nicely lit dashboard takes 13 bulbs! It sports fixed and variable audio outs and a rather robust detector out that'll drive RFM's LM4500 MPX units just fine. Old and stock, it doesn't bring out the best in sound but it'll be easy to mod and flatten the curve and provide higher grades of caps. If you are in a more rural area and are not afraid to poke around with a hot iron this is one surprisingly good project tuner. And, several agree, it's very nice to look at." Our reference materials suggest that the ST-3400 was the little brother of the ST-3600, which had mostly identical specs but retailed for $60 more.
Parasound T/DQ-1600 (owner's manual) search eBay
The very common T/DQ-1600 was probably the best of the relatively inexpensive tuners manufactured by Parasound. It was recommended by Stereophile, but that's about all we know. Please post in our FMtuners group if you have any information about any Parasound tuner. The T/DQ-1600 usually sells for $60-150 on eBay, but prices can be all over the place.
Perreaux TU3 (Stereo Review review) search eBay
Perreaux designed some gorgeous and generally well-regarded modern tuners, but we'd never seen one in the flesh until Jim had a chance to play with a TU3: "The TU3 is an attractive thin-line FM-only tuner. The rack-mountable face is 19 inches wide by only 1-3/4 inches high. The color is a matte silver that reminds me of Conrad-Johnson's old Motif line of audio gear. The small frequency display window presents fluorescent blue numbers that contrast interestingly with a separate red LED signal level meter. The front has six memory presets, store, on/off and a stereo/mono muting switch. Tuning is done via a detent feel, round analog-type knob. Sweet and simple, turn on the music and listen. The rear has a three-way de-emphasis switch for 75, 50, and 25 S. There is an IEC connection that looks stock. The inside is sparse but there are two power transformers and a more liberal than normal use of film caps around the audio section. The TU3 requires a PAL to F antenna adaptor." The adaptor required is female PAL to female F, such as Radio Shack part number 2780265. See how this one TU3 sounded compared to other top tuners on our Shootouts page. The TU3 usually sells for $120-255 on eBay.