The television set we brought to Vero Beach in 1999 had the biggest screen they made in 1976 when my father purchased it. It would be dwarfed by most today. This TV was also boxy and heavy. It required 2 strong men to lift it.
The final year of my father's life, he was paralyzed on one side. He dropped the remote so many times even new batteries couldn't get it working again. Whenever the channel needed changing or the sound adjusted, I got up out of my chair to do it. I didn't mind! This is what I grew up doing. We didn't even have a remote-controlled set until I was in my late teens. It was our first COLOR set as well.
Color TV existed prior to that, but the quality wasn't good. Plus most TV shows were still filmed in black & white.
When I was 14, a neighbor invited our family over to watch the movie version of PRINCE VALIANT in color. An exciting event to which we looked forward. I enjoyed the evening, but I had to agree with my parents, the color looked fake. Only a few years later, the process was perfected.
Around this time, came a marvel so wondrous, surely it must have been culled from captured UFO technology, a miracle called CABLE!!!
Previously, we received only 5 TV channels and 3 were almost always snowy. On RARE occasions, when the stars were all aligned just right, and angels and faeries danced together, all 5 would come in clear. -- This occurred about twice!
The 1976 television was considered state-of-the-art at its time of purchase.
After my father's death, visitors would take one look at it and exclaim, "Where did you get that antique!"
"It still works." I'd smile.
However, it began showing its age right around the time I lost all that money in investments when I couldn't afford to replace it. I had to be careful with the money I had left.
Whenever I'd change the station, the picture would wobble and transform into a work of modern art. Usually, I could fix the problem by banging the side with my fist. The problem always seemed to be situated in a particular spot. Trouble was, the spot moved. Sometimes I had to beat my set to find it! The illusive V spot, I called it.
I knew the digital transition was on its way. I was determined to make due until then.
Unfortunately, the TV did not survive my bat infestation. Bat turds were falling from my 30 ft. cathedral ceiling onto the TV and surrounding area. (These were American Brown Bats not Mexican Fruit Bats. Fortunately, their droppings were not guano!) The smell of bat urine filled my downstairs. I had all manor of problems! They are a protected species! (Read GOING BATTY IN MY 50's a previous blog of mine.) It was a miserable summer.
Eventually, I found a handyman with a ladder high enough to seal the ceiling. By that time, the baby bats had all grown and flown away. I returned to living downstairs once again. When I turned on my TV, there was no picture, sound, or anything! It was gone with the bats!
A final indignity to a device that had been my faithful companion for 3 decades. At its purchase, I was a 25 year old blonde hottie excitedly preparing for an upcoming trip to Ireland. At its end, I was a post menopausal red-haired woman in her mid-50's unsure of her future.
When my new TV arrived with the 52 inch screen, I remarked that I'd be in my 80's if it lasted as long as the old one.
"It won't!" declared the deliveryman. "Around 12 years is about the most you can expect."
It lasted 4 years!!! I bought a floor model. I didn't know it, but it was already obsolete when I purchased it. -- Guess that's why it was on sale so cheap!
My current TV has a 55 inch screen for which I probably payed too much.
Sounds familiar. Inherited a console, not as old, around 1992, and it worked great until I finally had to give it up during my last move. Just too heavy. I loved the remark from a young cable guy who said, "I've never seen one of these before." Still miss that console. It worked so well until we had to part.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to that!
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