1976 General Electric Clock Radio Teardown

ID: 190455

Description: Teardown of a 1976 clock radio. It still works!

Steps:

1. This is a 1976 General Electric Clock Radio. As you can see it still works! The fact that it works demonstrates that vintage devices were made with better quality back then.
2. Inside, it features a Texas Instruments TMS 3455NL microprocessor and a built in AM/FM radio system.

3. To begin disassembly, 6 Philips head screws need to be removed.
4. The screws in the middle are very deep inside the device. A long Philips screwdriver is required.

5. Once all 6 screws are removed, the plastic volume switch cover will need to be removed.
6. To remove the volume switch cover, gently pull it off of the clock radio.

7. After you have removed the volume switch cover, carefully lift up the bottom cover of the clock radio.
8. The speaker is only attached by the radio being held together, the speaker may fall down unexpectedly if opened wrongly.

9. Once, the radio is opened, use a flathead screwdriver to pry away the four clips holding the button PCB in place.
10. Inside the radio there are high voltage components such as a large transformer and multiple large capacitors, DO NOT TOUCH THEM unless you know they are discharged. You can get very hurt from being shocked by one of these capacitors.

11. Next, there are four screws holding the main PCB in place. Remove all of them with a Philips screwdriver.
12. (I only show 3 screws being removed but there are four.)

13. Once all four screws have been removed, lift up the display or the edge of PCB and set it aside.
14. I love seeing hand drawn traces. This clock was made well before CAD software helped PCB development. Someone had to design this entire PCB by hand and probably by themselves.

15. The main PCB connected to the vacuum florescent display is kind of a mess. There are lots of budge wires and components everywhere.
16. In the center of the PCB under a piece of plastic is a small 32 pin DIP microcontroller. This is the Texas Instruments TMS 3455NL processor.

17. On the other side of the clock radio, there is the radio assembly PCB. It is pretty straightforward and has only basic components, such as an antenna, potentiometer, some capacitors, resistors , and a small microcontroller.
18. (I can’t find anything online about this chip but, it does power the radio assembly PCB.)

19. Well, this is the end of the teardown. Thanks for viewing if you did:)
20. To reassemble your device repeat these steps in reverse order. DO NOT TOUCH THE CAPACITORS.