Vintage local TV shop ads from 1970

[Rod Beauvex]

Originally Posted by compucat

In those days when you paid $450 and up for a color tv you naturally expected to get it fixed. When I was a kid in the Seventies, people would generally not replace a tv until it started costing money through frequent repairs and by then the set was usually several years old. Most color sets seemed to last about five years before they started needing frequent servicing. It was not unusual to see people's tvs with reduced vertical or pulling in from one side, in those days we just lived with the little things.

I more or less pointed this out before, and I noticed, with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, that it was promptly ignored. I've since mentally labled this as an inconvenient truth.

It's always amused me when people whine today about modern sets having problems after a couple years, when at one time, extremly expensive sets doing this sort of thing was considered acceptable. That's not to say that arguments like declining build quality aren't valid, but the fact that older TVs, particularly tube chassis sets, needing frequent service, is something to think about.

[zeno]

Originally Posted by Rod Beauvex

It's always amused me when people whine today about modern sets having problems after a couple years, when at one time, extremly expensive sets doing this sort of thing was considered acceptable. That's not to say that arguments like declining build quality aren't valid, but the fact that older TVs, particularly tube chassis sets, needing frequent service, is something to think about.

This is I think why. Sets made between abt 1980-mid 90's peaked in
reliability. Ofter they were put in place & didnt move for 10-15yrs.
If they did break most the time you could bring it to a mom & pop
shop and have it fixed in a few days for a C note or less. Now
that is over. People remember that & get pissed. Have you ever
had to tell someone their $5000 4yr old set is junk? Not fun.
Not pissed at the maker for not having a part but pissed at ME !
He dont understand why the old $500 set is still in the guest room running
after 20 yrs. & I can still order OEM parts for it...................

As far as the old days go yes things were not reliable & people
accepted it. But till SS sets repairs were the norm back to through
the radio days.

enuf fer now
73 Zeno

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by zeno

Have you ever had to tell someone their $5000 4yr old set is junk? Not fun. Not pissed at the maker for not having a part but pissed at ME ! He dont understand why the old $500 set is still in the guest room running after 20 yrs. & I can still order OEM parts for it...................

Makes me think that the guy who gave me that loaded, near-perfect Panasonic console because he "upgraded" is going to regret it down the road. I was told that the thing cost about $900 when new. Too bad, so sad, he's not getting it back.

I recently advised someone who was giving away her 27" RCA CRT TV to keep it if at all possible to make room for it in her new place, citing the high failure rate of flat screen sets. I didn't hear back from her on that one, but the free ad she had posted for it disappeared the next day and so far hasn't resurfaced. She had posted it more than once.