Other radios based on the same chassis:
8 valve plus magic eye tuning, all wave stereo radio
Note, the photo is of the Philips version, but aside from the model code, logo and brand name badging they are identical
The Cambridge English dictionary describes Plano as flat [noun] a level, even part. The Cambridge Spanish-English dictionary describes Plano as level [adjective] flat, even, smooth or horizontal. Its easy to see how this name was used to describe these models when compared with the more box-like chest models that typically preceeded them. The later models were known as the Conbrio, a shortening of the musical term 'Con Brio', meaning to be performed with liveliness or spirit.
There are two distinctly different chassis' - the earlier 1959 Plano model has mono-stereo and tone pushbutton switches at the top of the face and utilises output transformers, while the 1961 Conbrio update has no pushbuttons at the top, and balance / tone controls either side of the piano keys at the bottom of the face, and the new Hi-Z output where the output transformers are replaced by high-impedance speakers.
The radiogram models ending in '17A' have the Philips A2Z06A Reverberation unit fitted, and despite their model numbers matching the later chassis models and a date code (the middle numeral, '1' in this case) of 1961, they use the earlier chassis with output transformers.
Intermediate Frequency: 455kc/s
Frequency Bands: 4
Chassis Notes(most schematics can be clicked to download a full size version)
Similar to the F5Z17A / FL717A
General Construction Notes for Philips Electrical Industries of N.Z. Ltd:
Philips early-mid century were probably the Google of their time - they had branches in many countries and a global brand that everyone knew - and were apparently happy to let engineers come up with new ideas and implement them. Construction is often overly complex but very well engineered - although repairs can also take a complex path. They used time-in-motion studies to find the most cost effective way to asemble sets and sometimes this means repairs can be nightmarish (if you've ever worked on a V7A Theaterette this will be all too aparent). U suffix model numbers are transformerless (hot chassis) sets and great care should be taken, or the sets avoided altogether.
Philips model codes are complex - they are explained in-depth on the Philips brand page.
Mullard codes: The model codes from Mullard sets (unlike their Philips counterparts) appear to contain valve count and date information. For example, the model 525 is a 5-valve 1945 design. The 2 appears to just be an identifier (most likely in case there were two models in 1945 with 5 valves, which there was - the 515 is the small 'Meteor' mantle set).
Fleetwood codes are often just a rearranged version of the Philips code. For example, the FL374T transistor radio is a rearrangement of the Philips model L3Z74T. Early Fleetwood codes were numeric with F on the end. From about 1959 onwards the codes were much more like their Philips counterparts. They start with F or FL (or sometimes FZ for larger consoles)... These later codes also tend to end in a Philips-style identifier for the power source (A for mains, B for battery, T for transistor battery, etc - see the Philips brand page for more info on that).
| YEAR | MODEL NAME |
|---|---|
| 1959 | Philips B5Z97A 'Hilversum Plano' |
| 1959 | HMV H597A 'Concord' |
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