why old classics?

[Phil Nelson]

Well, if you have to ask . . .

Seriously, some vintage TVs have screens that are big enough to be perfectly watchable. One of those that's properly restored, with a bright, crisp picture, might be enough to convert you to black and white.

If you think about it, much of the content watched on TV benefits little from being in color. 80% of what we watch is talking heads. You could watch them in black and white -- or purple and white -- without missing anything. Who cares if the newscaster is wearing a red tie or a blue one?

It's interesting how TV/movie watching has become such a background, or medium-ground, activity. In our family, it's rare that we'll all sit down and watch a movie or TV show without doing anything else. More often, our kids keep half an eye on the screen while tapping on their laptops, texting on their phones, etc. In today's paper, I read that the big complaint about 3-D TV is that the glasses make it impossible to do anything else while watching. If you're only half paying attention in the first place, is color or screen size really that important?

For me, much of the interest in these old sets is in the technology as well as the history. If neither of those subjects interests you, then I guess vintage TVs are not for you. Find a flat screen at Wal-Mart or wherever, and watch away (or half-watch, anyhow).

Phil Nelson