Frazz by Jef Mallett for December 08, 2020

“Kind of old” is “about twice as old as I am” for this kid…

They didn’t even mention that there are two burned out tubes and there’s no way you’ll find someone that still sells them.

Save the cabinet!

You can’t even GIVE those tube TV’s away: even thrift stores won’t touch them. You have to PAY to get them hauled away.

I had a chance to buy a Sony 36" Trinitron long ago, the store had priced them ridiculously low to get rid of them. The picture was spectacular but the thing weighed upwards of 300 pounds and I imagined the nightmare if it ever needed to be moved. I went with a plasma instead, the day of tubes was done.

But is if fun watching the trash folks try to load it into the back of the truck. More fun watching them pull the lever to crush it.

True story: Had to replace my 38" picture tube type tv with a new flat screen by myself and I needed to use a car type hydraulic jack to get it out of the cabinet! The thing must have weighed 85 or 90 lbs!

My last TV was a 12-inch Sony Trinitron. I didn’t replace it because it had become a paperweight.

If it’s one of those old wood cabinet jobs, just leave it on the street. Some enterprising artist or refurb enthusiast will come by in two hours. In two weeks it will be an art installation or a midcentury modern kitchen island. On casters.

Our first TV was a 13-inch portable with rabbit ears. Got stations from three different cities with that. Three networks and PBS. When that finally died, flat screens had come into existence.

My Dad bought our first TV in ‘51. Came with a radio tuner and a turntable. Repairs consisted of switching tubes until the problem was corrected. Billing consisted of adding up the pile of boxes on the floor and tacking on a service call.

But it would make a great anchor.

A few years back, I couldn’t even give an eight-year-old TV to a nursing home. Apparently, everyone demands a flat screen.

Say what you will about the Trintron…Heavy, bulky, etc, but the best picture ever, bar none.

I do believe my tube TV is still working fine. Mind you, it’s been years since I turned it on.

Well, at least Mallett allows comments. Why the hell Brooke McEldowny won’t with 9 Chickweed Lane still remains a mystery to me. I welcome any ideas.

During my grandmother’s last year or two at home we had to get rid of the flat screen CRT that was in the basement rec room and the actual console model that had been pushed into the unfinished part of the basement.

I used to have one of those!

How can it be SMALL, but it’s BIG it makes no sense.