Any one here will still use the C.R.T tv's for every day wathcing tv?

[Adam]

Currently in regular use I have: 3 Zenith system-3 era color sets, 2 Zenith chromacolor II era color sets, and 1 Zenith flat chassis ss color set (all remote control models). The newest of those is from '87, the oldest '74.

I also have two Zenith hybrid chassis color sets out in the garage (also remote sets), that if I ever have time to get them working, I would like to put into regular use.

As late as 2017 I still had B&W all tube sets out where I would watch them nearly every day, but I haven't for a while (not since I moved from Lansing, MI).

[rwagoner]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I have not, as of yet, purchased a modern TV. My current main TV to watch is the Zenith in the top right of this photo. I occasionally watch the RCA roundie. And yes, i use that nearly 20 yr old Panasonic VCR on a daily basis since I do not have the hopper!

The LG VCR/DVD on top is a piece of junk.

The TV on the left ... is that an RCA? My grandmother had one that I thought used the same tuner... but I thought her's was black and white and I THOUGHT it was in a cabinet with doors. YEARS ago (she passed away in 1987). That TV was used as a stand for the new color XL100 and later Colortrack portables ...

[compucat]

I still use my 1965 Zenith Roundie, 25MC33 chassis for a few hours a week. I have it hooked to a Kodi box made from a Raspberry Pi 3 computer. I watch the free internet content or stored files from a USB flash drive I keep in the unit. I download good vintage programming, mostly British, from YouTube. If I download at 480 resolution, it looks like broadcast TV on the Zenith. I did have a OTA converter box hooked to it for a while but there is nothing on broadcast TV anymore that beats what I can get online. Plus we lost reception of our ABC affiliate in the repack. I mostly watch TV on my laptop or tablet anymore rather than a dedicated flat panel set.

[Dude111]

Very nice on your 1965 set

[Charlie]

rwagoner: Yes, that is an RCA CTC9... i forget what the cabinet name is. It needs an alignment, but plays pretty decently as is.

[bhegges]

First my apologies if this is a repeat question, I scanned but did not read 27 pages of replies.

Ok, it seems that there are at least a few 60s era tube sets in daily/weekly use. My question how often are you having to work a daily driver set? It was common for sets to need repairs back in the day. I would suspect air conditioning, better modern parts (maybe), and likely less hours all could help stave off repairs, also maybe only the strongest, better designed set are left.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by bhegges

Ok, it seems that there are at least a few 60s era tube sets in daily/weekly use. My question how often are you having to work a daily driver set? It was common for sets to need repairs back in the day. I would suspect air conditioning, better modern parts (maybe), and likely less hours all could help stave off repairs, also maybe only the strongest, better designed set are left.

I have a CTC9 in my living room that gets about 10 hours use per week. It's been 10 years since being re-capped. So far, I've only had to change one tube... it was something in the color or video circuits.

I agree completely... central air and modern capacitors make a difference. I also suspect today's line current is likely cleaner today than 5 or 6 decades ago.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by Charlie

...

I agree completely... central air and modern capacitors make a difference. I also suspect today's line current is likely cleaner today than 5 or 6 decades ago.

Today's line current is also likely higher voltage than the 117 usually stated on the label of old TVs, so running with a Variac or constant voltage transformer helps.

[Electronic M]

My Sony HDCRT is on atleast an hour a day and sometimes all day. My tube sets sometimes see 5+ hours a week.

My 21CT55 is probably my second or third most used set these days and ignoring the horizontal osc and my goofy rectifier situation it's been %100 reliable since I completed it in 2018.

I wanted to replace the seleniums with silicon diodes but didn't want to increase B+ or have another gigantic power resistor so each selenium got replaced by about 12 1N4007s in series (I've heard seleniums drop about 1V per plate and calculating how many .7V Silicone diodes we're needed). It works as intended but the center diodes in the string tend to overheat and burn open once every 2-3 years. Only happened twice so far.

[YamahaFreak]

Originally Posted by bhegges

First my apologies if this is a repeat question, I scanned but did not read 27 pages of replies.

Ok, it seems that there are at least a few 60s era tube sets in daily/weekly use. My question how often are you having to work a daily driver set? It was common for sets to need repairs back in the day. I would suspect air conditioning, better modern parts (maybe), and likely less hours all could help stave off repairs, also maybe only the strongest, better designed set are left.

That's a fair question, and some good pondering points. Unfortunately I still haven't acquired a color tubed set, so I can't weigh in. A working color vacuum tube TV is one of the things that has been on my bucket list for seemingly forever, I just cannot seem to find one I can afford locally.

[CoogarXR]

I still watch our 2000-era 27" Sony Wega. Honestly, I'm starting to feel like having a big TV is kind of a sensory overload situation. Just watching regular ol' TV (not movies) on the big LCD is starting to wear me out. I find that watching the smaller CRT TV is more relaxing.

Just kinda sucks that modern programming expects you to have a huge TV. Like they frame everything more zoomed-out than in the old days.

[mr_rye89]

Honestly my CTC-21 gets too much use. I had to re-silicone the flyback again. I've been meaning to get a smaller LCD for normal half-paying-attention TV watching, use the projector only for movies, and use the vintage TVs a bit less. I did get a good jug for the Radiation King (RCA KCS-94) and have been watching/tweaking that one over the weekend.

[liammc00]

I use a Sony Trinitron kv1925r in my bedroom and works very well after I fixed the TV.the TV is use almost every day. The Sony is hooked up to a an older Sony blue ray player that still has composite out, RCA VCR, Sega Genesis, finally a modern Roku through an HDMI adapter. I also have console tv from 1989 made by Magnavox and I have a PS3 connected to it. Also got an 1980s 9 inch color zenith. My dad uses an 24" funia from 2005 not great crt but it does the job and my grandad use an 19" Toshiba TV/DVD combo from 2004 the crt is little tired but other then that it works perfectly. I'd rather use old CRT TVs rather then give my money to greedy companys that only make junk that normally won't last to be 10. I do mean that in 25 years you probably won't be able to find a TV that is working or can be fixed. Aslo throng a tv away because it's not flat is very wast full and I don't need hd or whatever it is now it just makes my old shows look worse do to upscaling. I now CRT tvs don't last forever but I use them until the have no life to give.

[probnot]

I have two sets that see regular use in the house, but they're pretty modern for this forum. First is an early 90s Sony KV-20EXR20 in my bedroom that I'll use to watch an odd episode of something or the evening news before bed. The second is a Sony KV-13FS100 I use when digitizing old video tapes.

Both see use a few times a week, but not daily.

[YamahaFreak]

Originally Posted by probnot

I have two sets that see regular use in the house, but they're pretty modern for this forum. First is an early 90s Sony KV-20EXR20 in my bedroom that I'll use to watch an odd episode of something or the evening news before bed. The second is a Sony KV-13FS100 I use when digitizing old video tapes.

Both see use a few times a week, but not daily.

I've got a 13FS100 and its less common pearlescent white counterpart, the 13FS110. Both are awesome TVs with loads of features and great picture quality for their size and age.