Millerdog,
I have had a fascination with the technology since my youth and grew up with vacuum tube television, so for me part of the attraction to collect is a romantic/nostalgic connection with the past. I appreciate the complexity of these devices which were an invention still in their infancy in the early post war era, the era from which I collect. They are interesting, often attractive pieces of furniture, made out of real hardwood, not injection molded crap cookie-cuter, throw away boxes like todays TV's. Although they are more than half a century old, you can still make them work as well as new and they still work on the common broadcast format. That is a pleasant refrain, and certainly kinda cool in a world that has turned into an obsolete before you get it home/ throw it away speedway to hell.
Now that is amazing in itself, the good job that the scientists and engineers at RCA , other TV manufacturers, Bell Labs and the NTSC did defining a format back then which is capable of such quality color reproduction magnified on a 6x8 foot screen today in your home, but that is another story in itself!
Some people like to collect vintage automobiles. Collecting vintage TV's is a better hobby than that IMO because you don't need as much room and the old TV's don't leak oil on your floor.
Rob