CRT Spotlight - The RCA Console TV - The television that everyone's grandmother owned

[@BlakeHelms]

To be truly authentic, you need a more modern CRT sitting on top of it for when the one in the console dies. When the electronics go out, it reverts to being just a piece of furniture. Circle of life.

[@ThePolaroid669]

There's also the option of fixing it.

[@MKoldbern]

@@ThePolaroid669 Not so much in 1988. It was ubiquitous for people to have their new television sitting on top of the broken one for a shockingly long time before the old one was removed.

[@miaugato93]

UNLOCKED MEMORY omg my parents did the same when i was little

[@donborvio]

Or did as my dad did: gutted the old TV out put the new one in, balanced on some boards.

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

My grandma's RCA console was upgraded with a 25" flat screen in the mid 2000s!

[@rustynail9007]

I loved the wooden cabinet with the crtv. I wanted one so bad even when they were completely out of style. Good ones had a working remote draw. And were works of art. No better way to vintage game, ports on widescreens don't give the same feeling.

[@scatpack68]

My mom still uses her 1984 RCA console she had since new. My dad was a self employed RCA technician since the mid '50's.

[@MaestroSmoke]

I never thought I'd see my family's old TV again. Wow.

[@themagus5906]

My biggest old CRT was a Mitsubishi 35" floor TV; around 1990. I think it was the biggest CRT made at the time. It came with an optional base to set it on. That thing was a true monster, and I loved it. It was the centerpiece of my Dolby Surround theater system. It was so front-heavy, because of the enormous CRT, that it took three people to move it. I think I bought it for close to $3000; sold it for $50. Sometimes I wonder what that thing would be worth now to a retro-gamer.

[@C0mfortCruise]

Your idea for self contained channel surfing is exactly what another KZbinr already accomplished, Wrongdog Reckons. I just ran across his video the other day and he basically created his own TV time capsule with a Rasberry Pi, complete with commericals and even automatically changing program selections depending on the season, i.e. Halloween programs in October, Christmas films in December, etc. It's a project that I'd love to recreate myself, and he goes over the whole process.

[@HD7100]

Fascinating.

[@Deraco1]

Same with clabretro!

[@Joniyah444]

Also add Play my Super Nintendo games on a Snowy day, go for a walk. Sounds like my childhood

[@MarvelDcImage]

OMG yes

[@tonyjones2612]

My favorite Christmas memory is a cold night at my family’s house in the year 2000, sitting on the floor in front of this tv watching Rudolph, wrapped in a blanket and the portable heater about 3 feet away from me keeping me nice and warm. Everyone was in the kitchen and I was alone in the dark living room enjoying fighting off the cold breeze coming through the back screen door and sitting comfortably in the glow of this tv. I think about that moment every holiday

[@Alan-lv9rw]

I remember getting our first color TV in 1967 in Downers Grove, Illinois. My Dad was so happy. It was a 25” RCA console.

[@sodiebergh]

I'm about a decade behind you, my childhood TV was an RCA XL-100 floor console, with cabinet doors! Your video (and passion for preservation) warms my heart. Also, the "tilted camera angle" trend in advertising starting at 8:52 made me literally laugh out loud 🤣

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I would love to find one of those console TVs with the doors/blinds that you can slide over the face of the tube when not in use, I love that design feature so so much. Thank you for the kind words! And yes, the era of dutch angles just screams 1990s video production!

[@sodiebergh]

@@StevesAssortedStuff "dutch angles!" I never knew it had a name. Emailed you a pic of our TV!

[@groovy1937]

We are still using daily our RCA colortrak 1980 console. It just turned 45 years old as the manufacture date was October 1979. We purchased it December 26, 1979. I still have all the original brochures, tags, receipts. It is the top of the line one of a few Limited Editions models that were offered - The Cherbourg. Beautiful wide oak cabinet with incredible sound - two speakers and it has simulated stereo sound which is still incredible. Ultrasonic remote control, just use for volume since hooked to box top. People always comment on the sound. Cabinet is perfect and Picture is still excellent. It is truly a time capsule and believe it our not - I like it so much better than any of the current flat screens. RCA invented color television and built incredible TV's.

[@WJCTechyman]

My Grandmother had an RCA television through all of the 1990s and it finally gave up the ghost 15 years ago? Maybe? I can't remember. It probably played for a good 10 hours a day or more and the thing that gave up in it was the image faded to a point you couldn't really watch it.

[@LotoTheHero]

That's awesome! :D

[@robertriley1569]

My 1993 sharp Linytron still has like new sound & picture. Made in New Jersey. When was the last time a tv was made in America?

[@robertriley1569]

Original Picture tube? Capacitors?

[@groovy1937]

@@robertriley1569 Yes and Yes. It did get a new flyback around 1983 and a new transformer for the on/off circuit around 1986 and a new color IC around 1983. Thats it. At some point, yes is will need recapped I'm sure and maybe some tired resistors. However, the picture is really still perfect. They only degradation that occurs rarely is due to the crappy verizon box top tuners. I do have a full schematic and acquired RCA service manuals for this set in the event of repair - so I am prepared. I also have a NOS flyback I was able to acquire a few years back just in case.

[@williamwilson480]

I have a zenith floor model television and it was built October 1985 and the picture is beautiful on it I really love my TV😍

[@83Roboto]

It's great to see vintage technology being kept alive and enjoyed.

[@shaunny0208]

OMG we had the same exact one! It came with a wide wedge shaped rectangular remote control! I remember going with my Dad and Grandpa to pick it up from the new (at the time) Circuit City store!!!!

[@devonvictor3210]

Love it, really nice old set!

[@DonLorenzo723]

Man...seeing those shots of the beginning of The Price is Right on that beautiful old TV are making me want to call out sick tomorrow 😅

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Just tell them you caught the chicken pox or something 😆

[@ViewpointProd]

God, this is EXACTLY what im looking for! ive been wanting to move out and dedicate my room to an 80s space, and a cabinet unit like this is the dream. A nice NES, Some way (like you brought up) to emulate multiple channels braodcasting ripped content from my PC, a direct link to my PC as well. Wanted to stream some of my own video edits on a TV for a while. Mainly i'd want cartoon running, The Transformers, G.I.Joe, He-Man, Robotech, Voltron, you name it. As well as have some of my vintage action figures surrounding my setup, keep everything tied together. Commercials would also be amazing!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Thankfully these big consoles still seem to be out there and usually tend to avoid the markup that some of the more coveted CRTs end up getting, hopefully you'll be able to find one locally to you for a bargain and bring it home! Trust me when I say that there's no better way to transport yourself back to that era than viewing some of your favorite old content on a television like this. Best of luck to you on your hunt!

[@WJCTechyman]

My grandparents didn't have a console while I was growing up but they did have an RCA monitor in their 80s era wall unit. If you remember consoles, you should also remember wall units, fancy A/V cabinets that held all of your A/V gear. My Grandmother used said wall unit up until recently and she's in her mid-90s now. Her wall unit was filled with knick-knacks up until recently as well. I knew that console televisions did exist as a number of friends and my baby sitter all used to have one. Actually, my Aunt and Uncle had one as well but was more modern than this with a pivoting base to rotate the TV left or right.

[@adamlee333]

I stumbled upon this after watching a 'Technology Connections' video, and I subscribed immediately. So many similarities in shared memories! Subject aside however, it's a very well edited and presented video. Excellent all around. Akin to 'Techmoan'; able to speak in depth about a niche subject, but still produce entertainment that is worth watching. Bravo! I was genuinely expecting millions of subscribers, when I looked.... Keep it up!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Credit where credit is due- Technology Connections, Techmoan, and LGR are three of my absolute favorite KZbinrs so of course I take a lot of inspiration from them with the creation of my videos here. I find that there's a niche of content creators who are very information dense but not overly animated with their presentation style, so I aim to fit into that space as well because it's the kind of content that I personally enjoy the most!

[@brad3042]

The minute I saw the doily on top, brought back memories of my grandmother's house and watching "The Price is Right" from the kitchen table. My parents also had two console TVs.

[@Bagel-the-Beagle-1]

I have my grandparents tv from 1955-56? It’s a zenith with flash matic. It’s never been recapped yet! Picture is bright and clear. I got po’d when the government forced us to get digital ones . It was stuck by lightning way back in 62’ while I was watching the flintstons when they were prime time!

[@glennso47]

And the Flintstones were sponsored by Winston Cigarettes. 😮

[@HerosTheme]

I miss my great grandmother. So many good memories with this TV. The first video game I've ever seen and played was on this tv, Super Street Fighter II.

[@cypherian2]

When I was very young, growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, we had a Zenith color TV from the early '70's that still relied on vacuum tubes to work! I have memories on a hot Saturday afternoon of my Dad taking the back off the set, finding the burned out tube, and then going with him in his old pickup to the hardware store. They had a tube testing machine there that would tell you if your tubes were good or bad. You'd then fill out a slip and give it to someone at the parts counter to fetch your replacement. We'd the go home, put the new tube in the TV and Mom would have dinner ready by then! We were lucky if we got 10 channels in clearly back then. We had an analog Antenna on the roof that was adjust by a motor controlled by a box we kept on top of the TV. In '78 (?) my Mother bought me an ATARI 2600 to help with my eye hand coordination and to sharpen my vision. In 1981, we got a brand new set that was a smaller cheaper variant of the one you have. That was the year we got Cable! HBO was the ONLY movie channel, Nickelodeon, MTV, were all on offer! Thank you for sharing this old set with us, and the stories that went with it, I just could not resist sharing a few of mine!

[@christianelzey9703]

Yup my grandparents had this EXACT TV!

[@Diskoboy1974]

I was raised in the 70's and 80's. Everyone and their mother had a wooden console TV. My dad bought one in 1976. He gave it to my grandparents in 1989. It outlasted them both. My uncle took it and used it until 2004. I could've replaced the caps and probably given it a few more years. But he knew digital was coming. So he just chucked it.

[@bennetfox]

My grandparents had two Zenith console TVs because my uncle worked for Zenith. I also remember watching the first days of MTV on that 19-in Zenith console TV in Granny and Granddaddy's living room.

[@jeremywj]

No doubt the picture quality today is better... but there was something special about sleeping on the floor and having the TV right down there with you as a kid. Oh, and of course playing Nintendo criss cross applesauce with the TV right there in front of your face.

[@BigRobChicagoPL]

I have a 1986 Sears Console TV in my basement! Still works

[@marcparsons1726]

Our RCA lasted so long we bypassed a whole era. Got a Zenith CRT finally 1985 all plastic.

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

Granny and Grampa had a TV like this, but it was a Zenith, and it was from the mid 70's. Lasted until at least the late 90's. I don't remember what happened to it. My Grandma had a GTE Sylvania Superset from the early 80's. Lasted until 2002. Super receiver in that set, and nice sharp picture!

[@garydodson6737]

A CRT and dark-stained wood. Perfect combination

[@johndiloreto3738]

Fantastic video! Glad to see you on KZbin

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Thanks buddy! Yeah it's about time I actually started filming some content with all the various crap that I own lol

[@rantanamo]

Your project is exactly what I have wanted to do for years.

[@njmaugbill]

the first thing I bought when married in 1973, was an RCA XL 100 console. State of the art! It was replaced in 1975 with a Sony console

[@jaygreentree4394]

We had these tvs growing up. Loved the heck out of them. The top of ours actually could be opened and revealed a record player and maybe even an 8-track player if I remember correctly.

[@asasinz2]

This must have been more of a US thing, what was popular in New Zealand where I am from was the Phillips K9 TV in the 70s and 80s. These TV's were assembled in NZ and had the wooden casing but the speaker was below the screen. I am guessing prior to everything being made in China each country had quite unique TVs and other electronics. The Channel Plus I assume is what is used in motels and hotels to deliver TV programming to each unit. Here in New Zealand I have stayed at motels in recent years where the TV still receives an analogue signal to get our free to air channels and pay TV channels provided by Sky. Instead of having a set top box in each room the TV can receive certain channels from Sky or Freeview. Analogue TV was switched off in New Zealand in 2013.

[@kbhasi]

I was thinking so, as I remember a DrCassette video that suggested that in Germany, local brands, like Grundig and Telefunken, were popular at the time (probably around the 70s or so), but some people bought TVs from foreign brands. There were imports too, as that aforementioned video was of the host repairing a Sony TV, and in fhe case of Singapore, archival footage I saw in a CNA documentary about the early days of TV here showed a bit of archival footage of TV Singapura displayed on a retail demo Zenith TV. As far as I can tell, Philips K9 TVs were also sold here in around the 70s and 80s, as I had seen one for sale a while back. I think you're right, as earlier this year, I stayed in a hotel in Malaysia that I think was a 3 or 4 star hotel, and they had an old headend system that was entirely analogue. I think their setup involved a PC for their hotel info channel, external digital TV tuners for each channel on myFreeview, then proprietary receivers for Vision Four (a hotel-only TV network) on their original 2-channel system (hotels with modern IP-based systems could have up to 8 channels, IIRC), then some Astro Byond receivers to provide channels from their business subscription, all of which I think would've been in a rack with many Blonder Tongue analogue PAL RF modulators for a total of what I think was 12 channels. They used early 2010s Panasonic TVs, suggesting to me that their headend system dated from that time, and they fortunately didn't lock out the input menu so I could still use the HDMI input.

[@AbeStephan]

Back in the day you could tell how classy the TV owner was if they had the "clicker" remote control included with their TV .

[@SvennyMcG]

My grandma had a very similar TV console set, what was wild was it had a wired remote. It was literally tethered to the TV and therefore only had a limited range - you also had to make sure to not trip on it as it lay across the floor. Awesome video 📺

[@kevmorris3000]

Beautiful set.

[@dmcintosh1967]

I have an Magnavox 25" console from 1989. the TV still works well except for the tuner which is totally dead and is reason it was retired. However the tv has composite in so i just use that to hook stuff up to the TV. I currently have an late 80s JVC VCR, a Sony Blue Ray player, WII, and SNES.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Glad to know there's more of these wooden beasts out there getting some love!

[@900Yugo]

Hey I still use a digital TV converter box with antenna for today's broadcasts on TVs like this! Better picture quality than streaming,since it's not compressed.

[@johneygd]

I hardly could believe it dates back from 1988. I trought it dates back to 1968. But yeah it’s 2 stereo composite input does makes it ahead for it’s time nontheless😁

[@kennixox262]

Well, my Grandmother born in 1899, lived in a modern home built in 1960 and was not into the "granny" stuff. While there was a console TV probably late 1960's, I think a Zenith and had doors that swung around to the sides when using it and closed in front of it when not in use. Yes, one had to get up and change the channels or adjust the volume.

[@TheMcGuireLife]

Hi. This is Jermey McGuire. I remember growing up in the ‘90s, i use to see these tv consoles. I remember having a Zenith 25” CRT TV In the late ‘90s The button layout on your 1988 RCA CRT TV reminds me of the Zenith CRT TV, I once had that sat on a swivel base. Unfortunately the CRT went out in the early 2000’s I prefer 16.9 widescreen HD over 4.3 SD you can’t get SD now these days.” I’d rather have my flatscreen tv mounted on the wall, and recliner In front of the tv and surround sound system !! I got that setup in my bedroom upstairs that’s the way I roll!!!!!🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@carzak]

This thing was clearly meant to appeal to the old folks of the time who wanted it to match their old radio from the '30s. We had a more contemporary-styled RCA console TV of the time that while still woodgrain, had a much cleaner look. It also had a rotating base, which was a well-used feature. I always loved the remote, which is nothing like that aftermarket looking one you have. It was shaped like a cylinder with two flat sides if that makes sense. Very elegant, it only had 6 slim buttons. Somehow both the TV and remote survived my childhood, but sadly we had to give it away when we moved because it was such a boat anchor. Kids these days don't know the pleasure of laying on the floor a foot away from the screen as you play Nintendo, slowly becoming nearsighted.

[@mark902]

i remember playing mario paint on a tv like this at a friends. the music to that fly swatting game was bumping on that tv. all that empty space makes for some thumping bass.

[@AlexanderDickerson-os7fg]

My Aunts in Nashville had a color console. I remember watching Bonanza when it was on Primetime on a Sunday night. I was about 2 or 3 years old at the time.

[@ericwhitehead6451]

The first color TV my dad got was in 1979 (!) from Sears. It had little buttons that you touched to change the channels, and a little door that adjusted the picture. I was 12 at the time, and I remember that thing getting HOT!

[@brantisonfire]

I was born in '88 so this TV was probably the one she watched the Duke Blue Devils on each season when my sister was over during the Spring breaks, that is until it clunked out and she just sat a newer, smaller TV sat on top the wooden console as a TV stand.

[@gregsnarke610]

My parents had that same exact tv 📺 back in the 80’s but it was a Zenith

[@EthantotheMax]

I used to sit directly in front of a TV like that at my grandma's house in the 90s and watch shows like Pingu. No wonder I need glasses these days.

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

9:55 That little Panasonic in the background is the same model I had as a kid in the 80's! I still have it! Actually I own 2! Darn good set!

[@dmcintosh1967]

I have a JVC 20" table top from 88 and it has composite in and out, S-video, and audio out. I got the tv last year and it came with remote,manual, and the original sales slip of $440 which is around $800 dollars today. The TV works well and has a better picture then my much newer TVs.

[@robertriley1569]

A CRT in good condition will have better audio/video then a new high end flat whatever tv

[@timothyweers8054]

My grandmother had a Magnavox console TV from 1978. All of the controls were hidden on the right side where the panel that matched the left side had. Even within the door, there was another door to control specific things, like tone, tint, vertical hold, color, etc. Yes it was stereo for the time of TV which was rare. It was deep on bass which filled the room.

[@ACBMemphis]

That's a great idea for a Raspberry Pi project! I had a ColorTrak from 87 without the console. It had a silver remote, the internal/external speaker switch was software driven and it had "Expand Stereo" which was some sort of simulated surround sound. That thing lasted forever..

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

Those were great.

[@HD7100]

I have a Colortrak 2000. It is the model with the nearly flat CRT screen and S-video. I play it now and then running video from a laserdisc player, VHS Hi-Fi machine, and an RCA CED player. Your raspberry pi idea sounds intriguing. I use a popcorn hour media player.

[@Godsrocker1970]

I remember when console TV quit working, it was used as a base for new much smaller tv. I also remember a console tv with a special feature, a soace phone. I remember calling a friend and heard him through the speakers.

[@KC-kp4vh]

The watch is a nice touch to the vintage vibe of the video.

[@theforgottenmovies3265]

I’m so happy to see someone using the right word. A lot of people on internet today say retro instead of vintage. Sometimes I joke then and say: "I had no idea it was a copy" because retro means something that should resemble something older from a bygone era. :)

[@Rossturnerphoto]

This takes me back to my childhood. When I was growing up, my parents had an RCA TV that looked similar to that, but ours was a few years older, didn’t have stereo speakers, or most of the input jacks on the back. It had a digital tuner but no remote control so you still had to get up to change the channels. We have that thing from sometime in the 80s whenever my parents bought it until I was in college in the late 90s. We ended up giving it to one of my friends when my parents upgraded their TV. I wonder if she still has it.

[@jckorn9148]

That set with those today's wireless controller adapters would be a dream. SNES, N64, and PS2 would be my setup.

[@ASMRPeople]

That sounds similar to a project I want to try. I'm an old school tape trader from back in the day, sporting events rather than concerts. I've digitized my thousands of games. I wouldn't need to have separate channels, but would want to have some sort of rf remote so I could choose a game without ugly modern sitting on my console crt.

[@gmcnewlook]

I remember watching many a golden girls episode on one just like it at my grandmothers house as a kid

[@theforgottenmovies3265]

It was the best looking vintage TV I have ever seen from the 80's. Thought it was much older at first. I wish they start making similar LCD televisions that are wood coloured. I would buy one straight away as long as there is scart and HDMI on the television. Should be perfect to play both vintage and retro consoles on. ;)

[@cemmy410]

This is great! Looking forward to the next video

[@923EON]

Fantastic video! Love the CRT. I still have my mid-80s 10" Philips 10-channel RF only Color TV! I too have a collection of modulators (2x single composite UHF mono modulators & 1x 4-ch stereo analog modulators) in addition to a selection of Digital TV MPEG2/4 HD modulators that connect in with my existing home coaxial wiring. The coax also carries the standard OTA channels and MoCA traffic. I am pretty sure that my simulated channels "leak" out via my external roof antenna also!! Yet to meet a neighbour sparking up a conversation on why they still get analog!! 😅

[@neorandy]

What memories. Ours was a zenith with the space command (clicker) remote. My maternal grandmother’s console tv had a radio and turntable in it, as well.

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

Oh man, my grandma and grandpa, when he was alive until 2017 they had a classical TV from 1975 until December 2021 that RCA was absolutely long-lived, lol and at my childhood home I had a living room 90's CRT TV that takes me back! in the 90's and mid 2000s

[@MrCalverino]

I still have a 27' in Toshiba from 1997 that still plays but one of the volume buttons have a shortage

[@TheUtuber999]

This TV looks super modern compared to the mid-70s model that my grandma had at her house. Definitely no composite or component inputs or outputs. She also had a console stereo that did have RCA input jacks that allowed me to hook up my Pioneer SX-580 20 WPC stereo receiver... when she wasn't around, of course. 😁

[@raulzavala9061]

OMG we had a similar TV like this in the living room probably lasted us 15-16 years and it was a beast replete with those faux cabinet handles, while it does feel nostalgic watching old programs in a 4.3 format but one advantage I found watching an old 4.3 TV show on a modern HDTV is that without the overscan you can actually see a full square picture I mean so what if the boom mic is in frame.

[@onelphil8832]

Awesome! I have an extremely similar one with the same tube inside. It's gonna need a recap in about a year probably, since it randomly turns off in the first few minutes its on; but afterwards stays on for good lol. The picture quality is insanely impressive, these tubes are slept on!

[@michaelpogue2032]

Ours was a rotary dialed quasar. Waiting for that tv to “warm up” and the picture to slowly come into view was something that even you are missing out on with your console. Also, watching the picture collapse into a single dot of the electron gun, and slowly disappear is something this generation will never understand. We respected the living room television as a piece of furniture in the house, and dude, props on the top loader. My stepdad gave me his for my room when I was little. Quasar again, with wood grain accent panels, but virtually identical to yours. Do you have the corded pause button for filtering commercials from your recordings? Yes, that was a feature. Gawd, it makes me miss analog.

[@LowellMorgan]

My first apartment tv. It cut out every once in a while but a firm slap to the back would bring the image back. When we bought a new tv we turned the old one into a Guinea pig tank.

[@ab1dq593]

Great project idea... keep us updated.

[@jerryn.1823]

I think that these old CRT TVs are much nicer than those HD wide screen TVs made today

[@Benzona]

Passed one of these earlier the semester on my commute to school. Was heartbroken I couldn't get it into my Sedan.

[@ronkemperful]

It was the earlier rounded tube models that I first remembered from the late 1950s. In rich folks' homes would sit the expensive wonder, for it cost nearly 1000 dollars in 1959, before taxes and installation, at a time when a new car cost a couple of thousand. Only about 7 to 8 hours a week were broadcasted in color, so having a color TV was an extravagance. But, in a black and white TV world, the color TV was a goal, a dream for a young child wanting to see Captain Kangaroo in color. I remember the Color TV demonstrations at Sears with a poster saying "Next demonstration at 3:30 PM" when a color program was available. We were literally the last ones on the block to get a color TV, about 1969 just in time for the Apollo 11 moon landing. Though the first moon landing was in black and white, Walter Cronkite and the space capsule was in color.

[@evanrhildreth]

My family had an RCA console tv from about 1979 or 1980. It was digital-look - on the right was a column of 12 buttons, one per channel, but they were purely mechanical, and when you pressed one, the previous popped up. Any button could be tuned to any channel like a radio. And every button had a number beside it, that lit up with a little light bulb, and you could replace of swap the numbers (and they gave you 2-13 and some letters, which you were supposed to use for UHF channels). You could only tune to a maximum 12 channels total, but that was more than most people had, VHF and UHF combined. The neatest part was, you could use it for cable tv without a cable box - cable tv at the packed channels in some of the gaps in the VHF range, but since you tuned it like a radio, you could tune it to any of the channels in those gap frequencies.

[@21cormorants]

Your idea for a home-made television network always airing your favourites is so fantastic! I don’t know enough about Raspberry Pi computers to ever attempt something like that, however it’s such a wonderful idea! As an only vaguely related anecdote, I recently moved house, and visited my new local library for the first time… And it was a bit disappointing. When I got home, I have to admit, my home library, however modest, took on an entirely new value to me, and every day I see it I feel like I’m actually in my very own custom-curated library (which I am!) full of top quality stuff! It’s given me such a deeper appreciation for my existing collection - which, really, is how it ought to be! I can’t help but think of that experience when you mention curating your own collection of channels to surf! Would love to see the process to creating that! Loved our TV that we inherited from my grandmother that was just like this - maybe a bit bigger (or maybe I was just smaller! It was a behemoth to me back then!). Though ours didn’t have a remote, as I recall; dad always said that was his job for Grandma. 😂 Instead, it switched with knobs on the side behind a little door? Love those old designs though.

[@jefferyb304]

We both have a television that appears in a meme. Mine is a 1968 Zenith Console. Sadly, it doesn't work. The picture tube lost its vacuum. Someone just barely put the socket on. When I removed the back, it dropped down and broke the glass. I hope to find the appropriate picture tube someday.

[@Montgomerygolfgator]

You could probably skip the converter box, and run an IR recever to the same window as the TVs, and teach the Pi the codes for the channel up and down. With the TV set with only the output channel as the only valid channel, it may still retune every time, but the Pi could flip to a different folder for each channel. This would let you group them too, so you can have a particular feeling. 1-10 being 70s 11-20 being 80s 21-30 being 90's 31-40 being 2000s. I believe Linux also has some noise libraries that apps like cool-retro-term and a few xscreensaver (Apple ][ and BSOD specifically) use that might help fine-tune simulated signal issues.

[@kbhasi]

Ooh! Your comment reminded me of hotel TV headend systems from the 2000s, as I remember staying in an Ibis hotel in Australia in around 2007 or so which had a "Movielink" headend system that had receivers with their own remotes and an IR box that sat in front of the IR window on the NEC CRT TV it was attached to. The headend system could only control power and volume on the TV, and other control commands went to the headend system receiver, which output over RF and was mapped to channel preset 0 on the TV.

[@stereomann83]

we had a Dumont console TV I'm guessing from 1984,85' it must be rare because i can't find anything about it except in an old newspaper site online. the TV had a remote & red channel display on the front i remember it was mono. i also have a 19" RCA from 1988 that has the same rca jacks as yours but mine doesn't have the speaker jacks.

[@Ken-ut2ez]

I have the same tv. It looks great, and has really nice sound. Only mine has s-video. 1989.

[@LotoTheHero]

What a lovely TV. Great picture on that thing too! For me this was the TV at my friends house in the late 90's and early 2000's. I'm pretty sure theirs was an RCA very similar to this one. I do love these, but I don't currently have the space for one. I've got a more modern 27 inch CRT that I found on the curb on trash day a few years ago though. :)

[@Epic_C]

Born in 1981 we had a console tv up until the late 90s when it finally went out. I wish I could find a working one again.

[@jackiechan8840]

Very cool project 👍

[@adambeck8180]

Woah I didn't realize they made console TVs with the woven lattice speaker covers that late! My Grandma had a similar cabinet TV from the 70s with knobs and a small green rectangular button that glowed when you pressed to click the button in. I think it was labeled "RCA" and maybe boosted the color or something.

[@MarcelVanHoekElvis]

Great television cabinet👍🙂👍

[@eupher2]

I had a console TV as a kid. It was bought in 1990 and lasted until we got a HDTV in 2006. It had composite input and stereo audio outputs. It was a RCA Color Trak as well, but don't remember the numbers.

[@ozzie_goat]

I am the proud owner of an RCA ELR295S from 1985. It is part of their XL-100 line and for the size it has a really nice picture.

[@RobertKliethermes]

I have two RCA console TV's, one's a 1988 and the other a 1993 model. Love the look of those TVs and they have great picture quality. Though my 1988 model is not as fancy as yours is. It just has a single RCA connection and no fancy HIFI out stuff.

[@nyceyes]

Thank you. Very nice. ❤

[@Darkrift666]

dude your idea is amazing, i can never settle on actually watching something this is like my dream

[@bilbobaggins5752]

What I'd love most is a 16x9 crt tv again. I had one in the late 2000s, bought it really cheap at a seconds shop. I loved watching modern media and playing xbox360 on it, but it was destroyed by a freak weather incident.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I used to own one! For a while I had a Sony KV-30HS420, that thing was excellent for 360/Xbone content. The only reason why I eventually gave it away was because I had upgraded the flatscreen in my living room and I wanted a large 4:3 SD set instead for my game room.

[@toptohyekoms]

Make that an aquarium lamp with fishes swimming in a fire place theme lamp! How wild and fancy could that be!

[@sharonpeters7723]

Heeeeey, girlfriend. Fun fact: I wear lemon scented furniture polish as perfume. By the way, I want this set up, but instead of flipping through TV shows, I would put copious amounts of 1970's/1980's adult content on several Raspberry Pis for my viewing pleasure.

[@themagus5906]

You're my kinda girl! I still use Brut 66. Every woman asks me, "What is that?" and I tell them it's a secret. Like a condom; cheap and effective, that's my motto.

[@frank1371]

I collect older consoles from the 1960s and early 70s, and man was that chassis size surprising! For my sets there is about 2 or 3 inches of empty space and then the rest of it is just the chassis with the electronics. Even my later solid state and hybrid consoles aren’t that small!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Yeah the board itself inside this thing is TINY compared to others I've seen in the past, the entire television itself isn't even all that heavy because of it. I've seen some of the RCA and Zenith sets from the late 90s with even smaller boards than this!

[@frank1371]

@@StevesAssortedStuff wow! yes, the later RCAs and Zeniths are nice because of the inputs, however I’ve always liked the styling and engineering of the earlier sets and some of the cabinet designs are great! I heard someone once say these later RCAs look as though a window maker designed it, and I can definitely see that, lol.

[@bc5441]

This was mine. Actually I had a Sony, and I don’t know what the sub-brand was. Given that the cabinet was made of particle board topped with veneer it was incredibly heavy despite how empty the inside of it was, too-not that I know, because I never looked inside. My grandparents had a TV from the early days of remote control, and theirs didn’t have a remote-they had a wire that ran from the TV to a fancy-looking box on a table across the room. The box had one button. You could turn the TV on or off without walking over to it, but you did have to go to the TV to change the channel. But it seemed so exotic. I’d never seen anything like it except at their house.

[@davidfarrell7318]

your tv looks fantastic i hope it runs for many years to come i look forward to seeing your vcr in a future video.

[@MKoldbern]

[1988] My grandmother's TV can reach a bunch of stations. [2024] Let's stuff a bunch of stations into this 1988 TV! 😎

[@christopherthorkon3997]

Well, I guess I am getting very old. My grandmother never had a TV like this -- her TVs were much older. My PARENTS had this kind of TV.

[@DogTheEnderKid]

8:57 If you do eventually make this, (a video would be awesome) you should also make your own or put in accurate channel bumpers to make it more immersive!