RCA Two Thousand

rca-color-ad-2000-paleo-futrca color ad 2000 paleo-future
Caught this ad on Paleofuture. The RCA Two Thousand was a TV set released in 1969 with a price tag of $2000 (roughly $12,000 in today’s market). It leveraged then nascent computer technology to, among other things, store favorite channels electronically and automate tuning. The interesting thing to me is how much it resembled a modern flat panel when the cabinet was closed (top and bottom left). Unfortunately, those are just doors; when in it’s opened state the Two Thousand looks a lot like any other old tube set from the 70’s. At any rate, the top image is wonderful to look at and downright prophetic when you consider this was designed in the late 60’s. It seems ripe for some sort of Ive-esque re-purposing a’ la the Dieter Rams inspired iMac.

One Comment

  1. I just love the gushing vergabe about how it’s all Computer Designed. And it has computers inside! Woo!
    All that hype and excitement about not having to see an empty channel on the way from NBC to ABC. Imagine trying to explain TiVo to someone back then.

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