70's Zenith TV where to recycle or ???

[lxskllr]

Ah, those old tuners, 2 to 13.....clunk clunk clunk

That's why everyone was thinner years ago. You had to get up to change the channel... Unless you had one of those fancy schmancy corded remotes, but those people were usually fat :^D

 

[NAC4EV]

Ah, those old tuners, 2 to 13.....clunk clunk clunk

I was the remote, my dad made me get up and change the channel..

 

[Jodell88]

Turn it into an aquarium.

 

[Elixer]

best buy wouldn't take it?

i wheeled 2 27" tube tvs in there (a year ago?)and they took them no questions asked

Nope, they said they can't take those. Might try to go to another BB location and see if they say the same thing.

Goodwill?

They rejected it as well.

Put it at the curb with a $100 works great for sale sign.
Someone may steal it. Problem solved.

hehehe, This could work.

I would keep that, it's a classic. Does it actually still work? Even if not, that's an awesome TV just for the cabinetry alone.

They don't make stuff like they used to, those big beasts were built with pride, now it's all about making stuff as cheap as possible and so it breaks and can be replaced within a few years.

My grandparents had a similar TV and it still worked, they finally got an LCD as a gift. Not sure what they did with the old TV though, I hope they did not just scrap it. It was a RCA. I wonder if it was a RCA victor actually... those were another classic.

Oh, if it does not work, check inside, it might have some interesting components like vacuum tubes. You may actually be able to part some of that stuff out... heck, check to see if it's just a bad tube, it might actually be fixable. Not that you'd really want to use a TV like that as your main but it could be a fun project to try to fix it. Stuff back them was made more to fix.

Well, since it only has a RF connection, I don't have any other "source" material except for that pong game. I can flip the stations, and it shows static, so, picture tube still works.

As for if it really has tubes in the back, I was sure the guy (who passed away) the set belong to said it had some. I haven't looked inside the beast to make sure though. I do notice it glowing red/orange when it is on, not sure if that is the CRT tube or not.

As for turning it into something else, while possible, that is one huge, heavy picture tube in there, and I am not sure how to safely discharge that thing and dispose of it as hazardous waste.

How would people connect this beast to something that isn't RF? I know you could use a converter, but, realistically, that would give a crappy picture.

 

[zinfamous]

Man, I loved those things. This was when furniture stores sold TVs, ...because they were intended to be furniture.

Then they were appliances.

...then they became electronics. Go figure.

Yeah, Goodwill no longer takes tube tvs of any kind. Unless you can find a safe way to dispose of the electronics, I say keep it and try to find a way to repurpose its use:

You know--hook up a VHS, insert tape with looped Mr Rogers and old-ass after-school specials from 1960s-80s, some old 50s era "moral behavior" reel clips (all recorded in LP, obviously, so that you can cram 8 hours onto each tape), kidnap local youth hooligans that are loitering near your property and strap them to chairs with their eyelids taped open, facing the TV running your looped video clips to re-educate them with your new behavior modification protocol.

Well, that's what I would do.

 

[William Gaatjes]

I was the remote, my dad made me get up and change the channel..

I know your pain.

Although it was my much older brother...

 

[skimple]

If it actually has tubes in it, I would carefully pull each one, see if you can identify it, and then ebay each one. There is definitely a market for old tubes. You may not sell all of them, but I bet you'll sell a few.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Take it to the MIT Flea in Oct., put "Vintage, Works, make Offer" on it, and you'll probably sell it. Or maybe not. Depends if there are any collectors in the crowd. That really only applies if you're located here in the NE.

 

[mmntech]

Well, since it only has a RF connection, I don't have any other "source" material except for that pong game. I can flip the stations, and it shows static, so, picture tube still works.

When you say RF connection, are we talking about an F Connector (coax cable screw type) or the two fork like prongs? You can still buy boxes that will convert a composite signal to coaxial RF. This will allow you to connect almost anything that has analogue outputs. VCRs, most game consoles, older Roku boxes, DTV converters, most cable boxes, etc. Some of those devices already have native RF outputs built in.

RF picture quality isn't the greatest, but isn't too bad if you're using a digital source. Especially one that outputs at full 480i. VCRs and old consoles tend to look pretty bad because they output at low resolutions.

As for if it really has tubes in the back, I was sure the guy (who passed away) the set belong to said it had some. I haven't looked inside the beast to make sure though. I do notice it glowing red/orange when it is on, not sure if that is the CRT tube or not.

The CRT itself is one giant vacuum tube. The glow you're seeing is probably coming from the cathode on the electron gun. The rest of the electronics inside will all be transistor based.

 

[nakedfrog]

Lava lamp on top, Atari hooked to the back, and two beanbag chairs up front. You're welcome.

Where does the bong go?

 

[lxskllr]

Where does the bong go?

Between the beanbag chairs. Duh... :^D

 

[Hugo Drax]

Back when TVs were literally furniture. I'm a bit surprised the recyclers wouldn't take it. Must be nothing of value inside. Probably best just to dump it.

You sure it has tubes in the back? I assumed everything had moved to solid state by the 70s.

If you want to keep it, it might make for a cool vintage video game setup. Especially if you can snag an Atari 2600. You can also still use it as a regular TV if you get a converter box. Might be nice in a workshop or basement.

There was a period in the 70's where TV's were hybrid. ie solid state and then tubes for things like the higher voltage(ie flyback) components etc..

What killed American TV companies is they had a real difficult time moving from Tube to solid state and that transitionary period was tough for the consumer, real unreliable sets, poor quality VS the Japanese sets that were 100% Solid state and designed well.

 

[Hugo Drax]

Give it to clockboy Mohammed, he'll invent the world's first TV in an armoire.

And the entire police, Swat, Army,navy,etc.. will close down the city carpet bomb the perimeter of the school and send the seals in to disarm the plutonium implosion bomb built by a 14 year old. :biggrin:

 

[mmntech]

There was a period in the 70's where TV's were hybrid. ie solid state and then tubes for things like the higher voltage(ie flyback) components etc..

What killed American TV companies is they had a real difficult time moving from Tube to solid state and that transitionary period was tough for the consumer, real unreliable sets, poor quality VS the Japanese sets that were 100% Solid state and designed well.

I learned something today. I always assumed it was strictly due to pricing. That foreign made sets were more economical.

From what I've head, vacuum tube TVs were pretty unreliable in general. Mostly due to the sheer amount of heat they threw off. Guess it wore the tubes out quickly.