WHY...are there so FEW tv's..from the late '60's -to mid-80's STILL AROUND?

[rpm1200]

Nice Westinghouse

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Part of it is cabinet quality. Newer sets tended to be particle board, fake wood, plastic or metal, and did not have the 'it is still a fine piece of furniture' excuse to keep it when the repair man eventually advised a newer set would be cheaper than a repair.

Too bad that the manufacturers didn't sell cabinets and sell TV set chassises and CRTs (as one unit) that could be inserted in the above cabinets. And do that later on when the customer wants to replace or upgrade the TV. You'd get a new TV and still have the cabinet that matches the rest of the room.

I don't think the marketing model would work that well, though...

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by wa2ise

Too bad that the manufacturers didn't sell cabinets and sell TV set chassises and CRTs (as one unit) that could be inserted in the above cabinets. And do that later on when the customer wants to replace or upgrade the TV. You'd get a new TV and still have the cabinet that matches the rest of the room.

I don't think the marketing model would work that well, though...

Yeah - much more money was made on the cabinet of a big set than on the guts, especially after makers semi-automated the woodworking and starting using molded plastic instead of wood for details. They would rather try to sell a whole new console than a chassis. Of course, there were a number of people who kept the old non-functioning console and put their new table model set on top of it, so the new console sale didn't always happen.

[wa2ise]

A downside of a standard cabinet for TVs: Some aquarium maker might make tanks that would fit...

[Dave A]

Radio Craftsmen did the cabinet/chassis thing. My dad bought a RC chrome-plated 17" chassis/CRT in 1953 or so to get Chicago television before Rockford was on the air. The set had no speaker attached but had terminals on the back for your speaker. It arrived and he set it on the dining room table and scratched it. I think that was a factor in my parents divorce 7 years later. The cabinet was purchased separately and possibly in Rockford which still had the remnants of its furniture manufacturing history. I picked up the same chassis/CRT...all shiny and restored...and am now looking for a cabinet. Blonde is best to keep family history alive.

[truetone36]

I see quite a few 60's-80's TVs around here. In the last week I've dragged home three color consoles. A Sylvania GT Matic from the early to mid 70's, a Silvertone from '66 or so, and a Curtis Mathes fron the same time.

[sampson159]

truetone,bring that gt matic to the etf!

[rca2000]

If it is an EO-1 or EO-2 set..I WILL be interested..

If newer maybe not. I HAVE and EO-3 set already..

[truetone36]

I haven't opened it up to see which chassis it is. I also have a lead on a early 70's Sylvania B/W portable set in a shed at a friend's place. I' love to come to the ETF but I don't have a way to Ohio right now. If I could get there there's a early 50's Motorola combo I'd be bidding on.

[Sandy G]

Another thing I think is-The 1st generation of TVs were that indefinable SOMETHING called "Cute", & as such, were kept long after they were viable products. My 1st "Collector" TV, a '48 7" Admiral Bakelite, was in the garage of the old lady who owned it, It had belonged to her father, who sold & repaired radios, & owned the only "Moving Picture" place in town. I brought it home, cleaned it up, but this was in the early 90s, B4 the internet or this hobby had really taken off, & I finally sent it off to be worked on later. But EVERYBODY who saw it kept going on & on about how "Cute" it was, You GOTTA get it working !

[sampson159]

i was thinking of rca2000 for the sylvania.i have one myself.try to get there,you will have a blast!

[truetone36]

Since I last posted, I haven't seen any 60's to 80's sets but one, a Panasonic upright console with the storage compartment on the bottom which is from the mid 80's. Of course I have it in my living room now. the only other vintage set I've found is a '53 Admiral 21" console with doors which works as found but could use a little TLC. I'd like to find a 19' RCA with power tuning from 1976 or so as I used to have one years ago and I always liked that set.

[slatton86]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

Yeah - much more money was made on the cabinet of a big set than on the guts, especially after makers semi-automated the woodworking and starting using molded plastic instead of wood for details. They would rather try to sell a whole new console than a chassis. Of course, there were a number of people who kept the old non-functioning console and put their new table model set on top of it, so the new console sale didn't always happen.

I have a post on here about a GE B&W console, it currently has a 50" LCD sitting on top of it in my brother in-law's living room, where I am storing it until I get around to it.

[zeno]

Originally Posted by Radiotronman

I was just reading this thread when my neighbor asked me if I wanted this 1968 Westunghiuse JetLine tv. I don't usually see any, but I just got this one!

A historic set. First with instant on. There is a commercial for
it on Utube. Came in both tube & solid state models.

73 Zeno

[Telecolor 3007]

Old = valuble. Ha, in Romania people dumped a lot of old magazines and almanachs (in which you could find very intresting stuff from the old days) and now some people they are selling them with very big prices. Same with some very early tv's... shees, it's very hard to find in Romania some tv sets.

Other motive: some older sets tend not be that big, so they aren't so bothering when you need space.