why old classics?

[marty59]

We've become such a throw-away, instant on, gotta have it now society that most appreciation for how things evolved have practically been lost. I cannot disagree or would change any of the comments that have been posted on this topic.

The pioneering spirit involved in engineering, design and producing/manufacturing of these sets as well as the all the employment, activity and support that was in the U.S. will never be again. And will you feel the same way about some new flat panel, plastic set as well as being fasinated about it fifty years from now?...Of course not, times have changed.

Old, "classic" sets were designed around proven (analog) circuits, made to be serviced and most of all enjoyed! And most important, that enjoyment part never gets old!!

I grew up in the sixties/seventies and we had our first color set in the mid-sixties. Before we got it, we were always invited to our neighbor's house (who had color before us) to watch the Bob Hope Specials on their CTC 17 Combo. Wow, the things we recall from our childhoods!!

[Dan Starnes]

Originally Posted by zenith2134

For me there are only two reasons:

They're built better.

and two,

They were built here.

[Dave S]

Originally Posted by aidynphoenix

...why this over a large color crt or flatpannel?

Lots of reasons we like the old sets, (few if any which would have anything to do with practicality :-) But for what it's worth I find that I'm watching almost all of my TV shows on an iPod touch these days. That's a screen just marginally larger than my 3" 1947 Pilot.

--Dave

[mbates14]

I tell you why I do it. The feeling you get when firing one up that has that nice warm glow, and working fully functional, with parts and designs that go back 50 or more years. just sitting and thinking about that while the set is in operation puts my mine in awe, what we as a society could do and have done in north america at one point in time.

Tube technology is WAY before my lifetime, I'm just now considered a mature adult at the age of 24, getting ready to turn 25 in the next couple of months. Seeing sets like these, especially ones that operate give me a weird feeling inside. I cant explain it, it just does.

Anyway, Try that with todays sets 50 years from now. HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHA

[AUdubon5425]

Personally, I think a CRT produces a clearer picture than an LCD or plasma screen. While it's interesting, I consider "HD" a gimmick more than anything. Any regular programming ("LD" ?) shown on "HD" sets I've seen looks like crap. Plus, you can't really get the best view of a flat-screen TV unless you're directly in front of it, while a CRT set can be viewed from many angles with no deficit.

[oldtvman]

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

Personally, I think a CRT produces a clearer picture than an LCD or plasma screen. While it's interesting, I consider "HD" a gimmick more than anything. Any regular programming ("LD" ?) shown on "HD" sets I've seen looks like crap. Plus, you can't really get the best view of a flat-screen TV unless you're directly in front of it, while a CRT set can be viewed from many angles with no deficit.

while that is true for lcd screens, the plasma technology is a mirror image of the crt technology with no degradation off center. Personnally i own plasma technology. The reason that these sets are near and dear to my heart is the fact that color was a major milestone in technology for the time while hd is simply an extension of technology that has existed for years.

[mbates14]

the problem with plasma is the expense of serviceability. thats why i wont have one.

[old_coot88]

For those who actually earned a living in the sales, service and repair of these beasties, there was not the 'nostalgia factor' so evident today. We nursed them through warranty, cussed 'em often, and if a color set lasted 5 years it was considered a good service life. If there was any nostalgia, it was for radios of the '20s and '30s. The fact that everything was made in America was simply a given and taken for granted.

Today on these forums, I can vicariously 'work on' the old stuff again and actually always enjoy it. The greatest satisfaction comes of (occasionally) walking someone through the self-same, obscure troubleshooting problem I had encountered a half-century or more ago.

Although not recognized at the time, it is the Americanness of the old sets that is their most precious asset.
Bill(oc)

[ceebee23]

I remember the astonishment of seeing colour tv for the first time as teenager at an electronics show around 1968.

Seeing Fred Flinstone in colour was a shock!!

I also remember the very first colour test broadcast in 1974 ..yes 1974 .... and being astounded by how different colour made everything.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by mbates14

the problem with plasma is the expense of serviceability. thats why i wont have one.

And they don't hold up worth SHIT!! Believe me I KNOW this...I work on them EVERY DAY, at least one or two, and HATE them, as do ALL of the techs I work with!! Even though they are MUCH less expensive than merely 7 years ago(about 75% LESS than then), and are a bit less power hungry...they STILL break a LOT burn VERY easily(I had a channel on one for a few hours, it had the weather on the bottom, and it DID change some, but it STILL burned the bottom--though it WAS removable), are VERY fragile, and on and on. The Y-sustain boards, Buffers, and panels STILL fail a LOT, just like in 2003 and such. Thank GOD we repair them at BOARD LEVEL.

Admittedly, now you can get a 50" full HD plasma for UNDER 1K, but it it STILL a bad investment, in my opinion.

[rca2000]

Tube technology is WAY before my lifetime, I'm just now considered a mature adult at the age of 24, getting ready to turn 25 in the next couple of months. Seeing sets like these, especially ones that operate give me a weird feeling inside. I cant explain it, it just does.

Anyway, Try that with todays sets 50 years from now. HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHA[/QUOTE]

And I will be 43 in a couple of weeks.....and it gives me much of the same feeling. I am getting ready to pick up a 1973 RCA console stereo, the BIG one from then, with the 100+ watt amp and 12" 3 way sealed speakers,(and the LAST good one they made--too..) that I have waited for OVER 20 years to get--and it is NOT that far away--or expensive...FINALLY!!

[mbates14]

hmm. I think there is one upstares being used as a peice of furniture, but i dont know if its from 1973 though. Its not mine, its grandmas she bought new way way back.

[mbates14]

Originally Posted by rca2000

And they don't hold up worth SHIT!! Believe me I KNOW this...I work on them EVERY DAY, at least one or two, and HATE them, as do ALL of the techs I work with!! Even though they are MUCH less expensive than merely 7 years ago(about 75% LESS than then), and are a bit less power hungry...they STILL break a LOT burn VERY easily(I had a channel on one for a few hours, it had the weather on the bottom, and it DID change some, but it STILL burned the bottom--though it WAS removable), are VERY fragile, and on and on. The Y-sustain boards, Buffers, and panels STILL fail a LOT, just like in 2003 and such. Thank GOD we repair them at BOARD LEVEL.

Admittedly, now you can get a 50" full HD plasma for UNDER 1K, but it it STILL a bad investment, in my opinion.

Oh i know, i remember seeing alot of them on the benches at northgate TV, if they are still around.

and i worked on a couple 50X3s i wish to never work on another one again.

[radiotvnut]

I can pretty much take everything that's been said above to explain why I like old TV's and other old electronics.

I'll add that I have no intention of spending one red cent on a new TV because I'm not that much of a TV watcher and what I do watch is usually old programming. And, I'm not going to spend mega money on something that will be in the dump in 5-7 years (or less). As it stands now, I can pick up an old CRT set for cheap or free, fix it up, and get many years out of it.

I grew up during the '80's and '90's and I remember people that still had tube type color TV's and even a few had B&W sets. Heck, we didn't have anything fancy at home. Until I was 5 years old, we had a 9" GE B&W on rabbit ears and were glad to have it. When I was adopted by my maternal grandparents at the age of 5 1/2, they had a '70's 19" RCA knob tuned color set. Around '84, my Dad bought a slightly used 19" Magnavox cable ready remote color TV from our TV repairman for $150 and we watched that set for years. By the time that set died, I had already started picking up old TV's and repairing them. Any set that was here after the Magnavox died was something that I found and fixed. As far as TV's for my room, I had that 9" GE B&W until I was a teenager. Then, I found a 17" RCA VHF-only B&W, then I got a 19" Philco-Ford B&W with UHF, and various color sets after that. And, they were all used with an antenna and, later, a VCR. We had cable at our house; but, my Dad would not let me run it to my room.

Someone was talking about TV's in school. I was in elementary school from '83-'88 and most of the TV's were 23" RCA CTC39 tube type color sets in metal cabinets and they had an assortment of A/V input jacks on the back. Program material usually came from U-matic tapes and the tape machines were either Sony, JVC, or Panasonic. Around '86-'87, the local Coke bottling plant donated a VHS VCR to the school. In the library, there were a couple of early '80's 25" Zenith system 3 color sets on the same type of metal cart with U-matic tape machines connected to them. I think I remember seeing a few old RCA B&W sets in the equipment room; but, they were never used. Most of what we watched was stuff provided by PBS. Sometimes, if we were good, our teacher would show a "normal" movie or cartoon.

In '89-'90, something called "channel one" came along. It was a 12 minute "news" program that was broadcast, via satellite, to all the schools. The company that was behind this news program donated 19" Magnavox color sets to all the schools with the understanding that the school would show this news program. There was a TV in each classroom and they were all connected to a master control center n the library. If a teacher wanted to show a film to the class, all he/she had to do was tell the librarian to show "whatever" tape at 9 AM to room 222. After those new TV's were installed, that was pretty much the end of the sets on roll around carts. Now, they probably have flat panels with full HD cable in all the classrooms. Back in the old days, the teacher had to reserve the "ETV" (that's what it was always called) at least 24 hours in advance of needing it.

As far as my current TV's, a have a wide assortment of old color and B&W sets that I watch. The only LCD set in the house is a 26" samsung that my Mother bought for her room and she thinks it's the greatest thing ever and thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to upgrade.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by mbates14

Oh i know, i remember seeing alot of them on the benches at northgate TV, if they are still around.

.

Not...they are long gone. I got cheated out of OVER 7500 from them last year, AND DENIED unemployment too!! I am STILL dealing with the "tax mess" from them, since they would NOT give me a W--2 last spring!!

Now, I have to get up before 6AM and drive 35+ miles each way, to Hebron KY--to work for LESS than I got there--when "things were good"--which was NOT too often though

But, at least it is paying the bills, and my mom just lost HER job Thursday...so...things are NOT looking too good for me right now...