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I've been there before - a friend wanted a TV and couldn't afford one, so I offered him a nice 19" set that he could have, it was an old Sampo I think, yeah it was a cheap set, but it worked great - he didn't want it, complaining that he didn't like the way it looked (simulated woodgrain and knob tuning), and it's lack of a cable tuner. "But you don't have cable" was my response. I still have that TV here somewhere.
A different friend wanted a receiver, so I offered to give him one of the extra ones I've got around here - a Harmon Kardon 330c I think, but he wanted something that "wasn't so ugly" and he didn't like the simulated woodgrain or the fact that it didn't have a remote. I think that he's still looking for a receiver, and asks me occasionally if I have anything, to which I respond "nothing you would want".
Fortunately, I have some friends that appreciate the superior quality, reliability and "freeness" of old hardware. I have one friend that's happily enjoying a late 70's Sherwood receiver and Panasonic Thrusters speakers that I gave him - he loves it - it sounds hundreds of times better than the modern Sony plastic box system he had before. He's also got a curb find 1990 black box 27" Toshiba TV I found and fixed up for him, just needed some solder joints touched up. He doesn't watch broadcast TV at all - I have the video from the DVD going to the TV, and the audio going through the receiver, and it sounds great. Granted, this receiver and those speakers were never top of the line, but they sound amazingly better than the crap they make today.
It's also amazing how people scoff at my setup at home - the large stack of unmatched equipment, most 20 or 30 years old, some older - exposed chassis with tubes and tons of wiring connecting it all. Lots of old, huge floor standing speakers, some mounted up on the wall. Funny how they scoff until I turn it on... One reaction was something to the effect of "Oh my god, the bass - that sounds amazing - how is that possible?!?! And that's off a record? No way!"
-Ian
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