Great relief is mine: Disaster averted.

[Berry Cool]

I thought my cable was not working, only to discover that...it's not my cable. My TV picture tube is shot.

Drat. After only 3 1/2 years!

The good thing is, I never threw out the old TV I was using before with the smaller screen. Put that into the cable line and, voila, it works.

The "old" TV is nearly 18 years old.

What does this say about our modern disposable society? Huh?!?

Anyway, it looks as if I will be plugged in for KO tomorrow night.

Thank goodness.

[WhirlyGirl]

1. Planned obsolescence is contracting. Has to be.

. . . Our TV was purchased in 1981. The picture tube power supply has been weakening for years, so it's necessary to wait about 1/2 hour for the image to completely stretch to the edges of the screen.

On the other hand, the sound circuitry and skin tones are far superior to those of TVs I've seen lately, which is why we hold onto this relic.

[Berry Cool]

2. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend me a good TV

Trouble is, any TV that's really, really old and has lasted was probably built by a different manufacturer than the TVs being sold under that label today.

Maybe I should just research on the Web and see what people say. Probably going shopping tomorrow night, even before the show.

[WhirlyGirl]

3. Or look for an older TV at a yard sale or thrift shop, if you don't need-

. . . cable-ready and audio outputs and stuff.

I'm always on the lookout for vintage analog audio equipment because you can control bass and treble levels. Digital gives you 3 or 5 pre-set options which have no relationship whatever to how anyone actually HEARS.