Which is Worse?

[Jeffhs]

That RCA console cabinet probably has a flat screen TV inside, since there is a fraction of an inch of space at the left-hand side of the CRT mask (look at the picture of the cabinet in the eBay listing to see what I am referring to). That or else the tube in the "new" TV chassis the seller replaced the old one with isn't quite large enough, again by a fraction of an inch (!), to fit the mask. The seller's statement that he or she "cleaned out the insides" of the cabinet is another tipoff that the old chassis was likely replaced with a modern flat set.

BTW, it doesn't do anyone much good to complain when these eBay sellers offer for sale vintage or antique TV cabinets with flat screens inside, and possibly a modern DVD/VHS or Blu-ray player on top; it happens all the time these days, and shows no signs of slowing down. Please bear in mind that many if not most of these people could not care less about the value of the old TV that was originally in the cabinet, which is why the conversion is made in the first place and the old set gotten rid of. Moreover, these folks are not, by and large, electronics experts, so they probably wouldn't know the first thing about repairing a 50+-year-old TV anyway.

I see no harm in preserving a classic or antique TV cabinet and installing a modern flat screen inside it, possibly cutting a hole in the front of the cabinet where the name plate or original pencilbox formerly resided (with a nice woodgrain border framing the hole if looks are a concern), so the remote sensor and control buttons are accessible. This way, at least the cabinets, which 50+ years ago were made of real wood, were heavy, and deserve to be preserved for future generations, would be saved from a certain death (by rotting of the wood, insects, rodents, etc.) in a landfill.

I would love to be able, someday, to put my video system in a cabinet like that, but since I live in a small apartment, I must make do with a converted utility cart made of pressboard and heavy woodgrain cardboard. (My computer and stereo system are installed on a similar type of desk, with the stereo's main unit on what was the printer stand and my laser printer on the floor.) Too bad, but that's the way of it.