Brand History
I. Birth and Golden Age of the Peacock TV (1970—1991)
Among Suzhou's legendary "Big Four" home appliance brands, the PEACOCK television holds the warmest place in the memories of old-time Suzhou residents. The Peacock brand originated from the Suzhou Television Factory, located on Pingjia Lane, Qimen Road (north of the Humble Administrator's Garden). Formerly the August 1st Electronic Instrument Factory, it was one of China's earliest specialized facilities dedicated to developing and manufacturing televisions. In 1970, the factory assembled and tested its first black-and-white Peacock TV prototype, marking the beginning of Peacock's television history. In 1971, it successfully developed a 2-inch black-and-white projection television, filling a technological gap in China at the time, and produced 200 television sets that same year.
In 1973, the August 1st Electronic Instrument Factory was officially renamed Suzhou Television Factory, producing 2347 TVs that year. In 1975, it built one of the nation's earliest semi-automatic black-and-white TV production lines, enabling large-scale mass production. Models such as KQ35-12 and KQ44-12 received national product awards, and the Peacock B&W TV began entering households in volume. In 1982, Suzhou Television Factory started mass-producing the Peacock color TV. By introducing advanced overseas color TV technology, it launched models with infrared remote control and computerized channel selection, quickly becoming a top seller nationwide.
The 1980s were the golden era for Kongque TVs. Alongside Xiangxuehai refrigerators, Great Wall fans, and Chunhua vacuum cleaners, Kongque was one of Suzhou's "Four Famous Appliances." At that time, approximately 7 out of every 10 households in Suzhou owned a Kongque TV, making it a popular choice for the "Big Three" wedding essentials. In 1989, Kongque TV production reached its peak with an annual total output of 101 million units, including 20 million color TVs and 4 million exported color TVs. The company ranked among the top national electronics firms by total output value, exporting products to over 30 countries worldwide while also supplying complete television manufacturing lines and technology abroad. Multiple Kongque black-and-white and color TV models won National Silver Awards and International Expo Gold Medals. The Suzhou Television Factory became a leading local home appliance export base with independent import/export rights. In 1986, the Kongque Electronics Joint Company was established, followed by the formation of the Suzhou Kongque Electrical Appliance Group in 1989, retaining the Suzhou Television Factory as its core entity. By 1991, annual production reached 62.96 million units, including 21.63 million color TVs.
II. Joint Venture Transformation: Old Peacock TVs Fade from the Market (1992–2010)
In the 1990s, intensifying market competition in China's color TV industry brought major foreign brands into the market. With rapid iterations in CRT technology, Kongque Group opted for a joint venture to transform its business. In 1992, month 4, Kongque Electrical Group formed a joint venture with Philips of the Netherlands, establishing Suzhou Philips Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd. Most video television operations from the former Suzhou Television Factory were transferred to the joint venture, along with the majority of employees. The original Kongque TV product line began to shrink. During the joint venture phase, production focused primarily on Philips-branded TVs, while Kongque's own TV products were gradually phased out. In 2002, Kongque Group sold all its shares in the joint venture to Philips, completely exiting the TV joint venture business. The Kongque brand CRT TVs officially ceased production and left the market. The old factory was subsequently restructured and demolished. Once a national TV icon, the Kongque brand faded from public view, now remembered only as part of Suzhou's industrial legacy by the older generation.
3. Brand Revival: From TV Hardware to Peacock Intelligent Audio-Visual System (2018–Present)
Although the hardware business of the old Peacock TV brand has ended, its intellectual property rights have been retained. Located in the Taihu New City Science and Technology Innovation Industrial Park in Wujiang District, Suzhou, Suzhou Ruihe Information Technology Co., Ltd. has focused on the digital smart audio-visual sector. With long-term authorization to use the Peacock brand, the company launched a revitalization project for this legacy brand. Rather than replicating traditional CRT televisions, the team pivoted to the integrated smart audio-visual systems market, targeting new consumer and commercial scenarios. The new Peacock brand project was officially initiated in 2018. After conducting research across home entertainment, banquet dining, hotel commercial, and outdoor karaoke applications, the team planned next-generation Peacock audio-visual products over a period of 6 years, investing more than 600 million yuan in R&D.
In 2022, the Peacock AV System completed its R&D and entered mass production. Retaining the vintage aesthetic of the classic Peacock design, it features a solid wood lacquered chassis but boasts a completely reengineered core: replacing traditional CRTs with an Android smart OS, it integrates displays, high-power audio, DSP acoustic processing, karaoke, video playback, and cloud-based device management—transforming from a single TV hardware unit into a unified software-hardware AV ecosystem. No longer limited to home TVs, the product line spans multiple form factors: retro all-in-one units for home use, portable large-screen karaoke speakers, commercial SaaS management backends for hotels and restaurants, mobile QR-code control interfaces, and TV terminals. It delivers features including karaoke, video streaming, digital photo slideshows, live TV broadcasting, dynamic scene soundscapes, and remote cloud maintenance, backed by multiple software copyrights and patents.
In the commercial sector, Ruihe Information leverages its mature Aichangxiang SaaS digital management platform to lead the digital transformation of catering banquets. We provide integrated audio-visual revenue solutions for restaurants, banquet halls, farmhouses, and chain dining brands nationwide. The system supports smart private room management, time-based billing, ad placements, performer revenue sharing, and customized banquet ambiance—creating a new business model that combines "dining consumption + immersive audio-visual entertainment." This empowers physical businesses to increase average order value, boost repeat visits, and enhance banquet competitiveness. As a flagship digital transformation project for heritage brands in Wujiang Taihu New City, it sets the standard for industry innovation.
Objectively, the classic Peacock CRT televisions (black-and-white and color models) were manufactured by Suzhou Television Factory and Peacock Electrical Group between 1970 and 2002. As a flagship product of domestic home appliances under the Southern Jiangsu Model, production officially ceased in 2002 following equity transfer, and the original physical factories have since been dissolved. Today's Peacock audio-visual systems are developed by Suzhou Ruihe Information Technology based on brand licensing for Peacock. These represent a new generation of intelligent hardware and software products that inherit the brand's cultural legacy—not a revival of old equipment. The entire technical architecture, manufacturing entity, and product category have undergone full iteration and upgrade, marking a generational leap from cathode-ray tube TVs to AI-powered smart audio-visual systems. From lighting up homes across China with Peacock TVs starting in 1970, to empowering this heritage brand's rebirth through Suzhou Ruihe Information Technology today, half a century has passed. What remains unchanged is the craftsman spirit of precision engineering; what evolves is cutting-edge digital technology. Together, they enable this Suzhou-based heritage brand to soar once more, writing a new chapter for Chinese audio-visual brands.
Authoritative Sources
