Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwick
vintage TVs will become unusable objects in the not so distant future anyway... come to think of it, after the DTV transition the only sources of analog video are junk disposable chinese DTV boxes that usually fail within a few years and are likely going to become unavailable soon, the same goes for DVD players and even vintage VCRs have a limited lifespan due to aging and wear of unobtainium rubber parts and video heads
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I disagree with that. Personal experience with my Zenith DTT-901 converter indicates that it is a very cool running converter box. LG/Zenith even went so far as to punch vent holes in the case. I've only known one converter that runs hot, and that's the Apex Digital model that uses a Zoran processor.
Analog cable TV is still out there in many places, and the output of something like a digital cable box or satellite TV tuner could even be videotaped (or recorded digitally) to be played back on an older set.
Many things that might go wrong with an old TV can certainly be repaired...worn plastics, damaged cabinets, broken integrated circuits...even if the replacements have to be fabricated. That's all a matter of dedication to the cause. Making a picture tube is a much taller order.
I'm not even sure how the life of a picture tube in a vintage TV compares to a newer one. Are these old picture tubes really short-lived by comparision to a modern one? Or should they be every bit as reliable (provided they hold vacuum) in a properly functioning restored set as the tube in a more modern set?