1938 Scott Telematic

[Timothy Murphy]

Today I found a March, 1938 Scott News devoted to the Scott Telematic. Also an Antique Radio Classified article. This is equipment that I have never seen presented or discussed. It looks as if Scott took on Capehart full bore. Do any members have a set? In use?

 

[David C. Poland]

Hi Tim,

The Telematic is one of the mystery sets. It was advertised by Scott. All 12 pages of the March 1938 issue of Scott News is entirely devoted to announcing and describing it. Appears to use the same amp as the 1937-8 model Sixteen. Has been discussed among Scott collectors. As far as I know, no one has one, or has any record of any one that has seen one. A few of us have come up with the yellow 4 page price list and order form for the Telematic. I am aware of no further advertising after it was announced.

Lacking a dial, may not have sold well or at all. Someone finding an old one might well be apt to be mystified by it and, so, discard the strange tuner especially if not in a radio cabinet but located in a closet or other kind of custom installation. The amp or speaker seems more likely to survive, with no indication it was part of a Telematic.

I think the only thing to survive the Telematic was the control head called the Scott Robot Control along with remote key pad and cable that was offered as an option on the Philharmonic, Sixteen, Phantom etc ... and also the post war 800-B. Some examples with this remote control option have survived.

-dave

[Norman S Braithwaite]

I suspect that Scott Radio Laboratories used the Telematic to introduce remote control capabilities to the public and very successfully upsold customers models Sixteen, Phantom, and Philharmonic receivers equipped with the remote control options.

Norman

[Timothy Murphy]

It is nice to know that others have been curious. Thanks.

Right along in those years 1938-1942 was a lot of development with the competing makers: Capehart switched to a different system with the G model. Philco introduced the 39-116 full radio remote.

But the March 1938 Scott News, rolls out a complete line with elaborate cabinets and clock controls along with the remote. Different scenarios are described: The day room; the party room; the office; the sick bed.

Were there no serial numbers assigned or production records? Was this all really vaporware? They were better organized than that, weren't they?

TDM  

[Norman S Braithwaite]

It does not appear that special serial numbers were assigned for remote control receivers.  A number of remote control Scott receivers are in collections including models Sixteen, Phantom, Philharmonic, 800B, an early AC-10 missing its remote, and an Allwave 12 (two dial) equipped with a remote developed with the AC-10.  The records of the EH Scott Radio Laboratories and Scott Radio Laboratories have not survived.  It is likely that a very small number of Telematic receivers were sold but none have turned up to date.

Norman

[Timothy Murphy]

Looks like a niche for somebody. Not really a Holy Grail unless a complete system were to turn up.

I do know another no-dial radio from 1939 - the GE G-95 "Radioforte."  It is a handsome design I think, but they are scarce. It was probably aimed at hotel lobbies? There may have been some kind of industry trend beginning, that never got going. 

TDM