Physical part stores

[adam-aussie-vac]

There’s a couple Of Appliance Repairs stores near me

The ones that I normally go to are all located in the same suburb, and one I have previously brought parts from Mum did buy a washing machine from one of those places but it didn’t really last even three years as for some odd reason it seemed like the Motor started to go after we brought it but it is a three phase motor, though so I had a bit of fun with it

 

[ragnboneman]

Sony Trinitron

I was going to bring that set up
Great picture very stable reliable electronics.

I remember the best one my dad bought.
The TV that never needed service...

That was the high water mark for analog TV in my opinion.
High quality reliability and value all in one

 

[qsd-dan]

Sony Trinitron

Ours never had a single repair but was very limited in hookups, just one speaker (no stereo speakers, or stereo hookups). Did the job well but it was pretty antiqued by mid 2000's standards. The Mitsubishi VCR bought at the same time still soldiers on but hasn't been used much since 2007-ish.

 

[kalanikaau1]

Tube Testers

Now there's a blast from the past, I remember several grocery stores in my area having them, as well a Rexall drug store.

They were as ubiquitous as cigarette machines, carpet cleaning devices one could rent and the pay per ride bucking bronco machines we all begged out Mothers to let us ride...

 

[combo52]

In store tube testers

I got this one years ago. It still seems to work, but don’t use it much of course, going to hang onto it for now.

 

[eronie]

Those were fun.
But if you set the filament voltage wrong you would destroy your good tubes!

 

[rp2813]

Trinitron

I bought myself a 17" Sony Trinitron in 1977 when I got my apartment in Santa Monica.  Olympic Sales  was a bare bones retailer in Los Angeles that consistently advertised the lowest price, even though Sony was similar to Maytag in those days with a "fair trade" type of pricing system that never varied.  Somehow Olympic got around that rule.

 

My model was marketed as ultra-high contrast, and they weren't kidding.  It was annoying at times, but that set worked flawlessly, rendering sharp resolution and perfect hue for 30 years.  It lived at my parents' house for a few years where it was in nearly continuous operation for about 15 hours each weekday.  When I got it back from them, it became a bedroom TV and I put it on a Clapper since it had no remote control.  The only problem with that was if a drawer was closed hard or a door was slammed, the Clapper would respond accordingly. 

 

The set finally developed CRT issues where the picture would have a pink hue for a few minutes until it had "warmed up."  The problem only got worse, so it had to go.   It is certainly one of the best purchases of a brand new item that I have ever made.

 

[qsd-dan]

"would have a pink hue for a few minutes until it had "warmed up."

Sadly, both of our Trinitrons probably could have been revived with a degaussing coil but ours were acting up at a time when you couldn't give them away. Now, they go for decent money.

About 20 years ago, I jokingly made a response that these things would be collectible in about 20-30 years as most of them would probably be trashed and not too many would still exist. I always knew gamers loved them for their quick response and motion clarity, especially with older games.

Here we are...

 

[rp2813]

That degaussing ring reminded me of the demagnetizing pens for heads on tape decks, which were used in a similar fashion.  It seemed more like some mumbo-jumbo fingers-crossed ritual than anything else, walking backwards and making weird gestures --preferably with curtains closed so the neighbors wouldn't start dialing the funny farm.  At least with the ring you can see the restorative results of the odd behavior as it happens.

 

I do think my Trinitron had a CRT failure.  The whole screen was pink rather than just some areas of discoloration, and it did correct itself to a perfect picture after a few minutes.  After several months it began to stay pink.  I checked the pins on the CRT and tweaked any that might have needed it, but nothing changed.  I think the green "gun" (I know Trinitrons got their name from having only a single gun with all three colors) had failed. 

 

[qsd-dan]

I still have a demagnetizer for a reel to reel and use it when I fire it up on occasion. I also use it to demagnetize the heads on cassette decks that were easy to access (unlike cassette decks in vehicles).

I also never noticed much of a difference but that's probably because it was done on the regular.

Make sure to keep the tapes several feet away when using it.

 

[launderess]

CRT televisions and monitors are on long list of things charities will not accept in our neck of the woods. Other things on those lists are periodicals (books, magazines...), compact disks, VHS tapes, maybe VCRs and other "obsolete" electronics.

Time was one could go into any thrift and find row upon row of CRT televisions or monitors. Many high end models such as Sony were among that lot. Now people just leave them out on curb in hopes someone will take.

Recently computer monitor went belly up right when one had major project to complete. Walked into local thrift and found dozens of monitors by Dell and others. None were priced over $20 so took best of the Dell lot and was that well chuffed.

Still have JVC CRT television. Hooked up to VCR, DVD player/recorder and massive "HiFi" stereo system (receiver, tape deck, CD player...) Picture is great and it serves purpose. Should it die probably will be forced to get a new LED sort of television, but don't like em.

 

[kalanikaau1]

CRT televisions

Many years ago I built a 19" color TV in kit form from Heathkit (remember them?), essentially it was a Zenith set in kit form.

The only circuit board I had to assemble was the power supply, as I remember the transformer was quite beefy.

It was a nerve racking experience when I had to hookup the flyback transformer to the CRT, not wanting to get zapped by lethal voltages, I wisely my asked Dad's good buddy who was a TV repairman, to perform all the fine tuning adjustments.

The set provided flawless service for 20+ years.

Heathkit is a name which has gone the way of the unicorn...