Walk into a Goodwill, walk out with a TV

[ifkz]

I think I might have a bit of a problem.

It seems every time I go into a Goodwill thrift store I end up walking out with a TV of some sort.  Recently I found a 20 inch flat tube TV that was a way better set than the other 'cable ready' set I was stockpiling.  Then, the month after I found a vintage 1984 13 inch color tv with 70's style dials that I had to have.

This past Friday was the last straw.  I walked out with a 42 inch plasma flatscreen that does 1080i because I wanted to play Fallout 3 on a screen that is the size of a door.  It greatly overpowers the room, but, right now it is absolutely incredible.  $70 out the door, the price of a new game (kinda).  I could not say no.

Now I have a self-imposed ban from all Goodwills.  The guilt from buying the set forced me to clean the room up for it's intended purpose as a guest room.  Still, a 42 inch set in an 11ft x 12ft room is a bit much.  It's a lot much...

So, am I nuts here?

My next project may be an s-video mod for my Turbo Duo.  The prior owner already left me the hole in the case    Gate of Thunder at 42 inches?

[BlueBMW]

You are nuts, but most of us are.   At the moment Im residing in an 11x12ft room using a 56" hdtv, a 29" pvm and a 20" conventional crt... Its a little much but meh!

[toktogul]

im here, sitting with a 10" ich ish tv .... cant wait to be back home and buy a huge one!

The plasma tv + a s video mod sounds amazing! pics once u have it set it up please i want ideas!

[xelement5x]

You are lucky, most of the thrifts near me have stop accepting any tube TVs so my source for upgrades has run dry.  I used to occasionally upgrade my set from there when they got a better set in and I'd re-donate the old one.  Right now I've got a nice 27" Samsung that does a great job with SD inputs, but I was hoping I could find an older Trinitron eventually

[Sadler]

You are lucky, most of the thrifts near me have stop accepting any tube TVs so my source for upgrades has run dry.  I used to occasionally upgrade my set from there when they got a better set in and I'd re-donate the old one.  Right now I've got a nice 27" Samsung that does a great job with SD inputs, but I was hoping I could find an older Trinitron eventually

I'm not sure if there are Savers down your way, but they seem to still have CRTs up here.

[TheClash603]

No more CRTs at the ones near me either.  Craigslist is where I got my Trinitron for $50 a few years ago and I am guessing this will be my CRT until it blows...

then sadness.

[csgx1]

You are lucky, most of the thrifts near me have stop accepting any tube TVs so my source for upgrades has run dry.  I used to occasionally upgrade my set from there when they got a better set in and I'd re-donate the old one.  Right now I've got a nice 27" Samsung that does a great job with SD inputs, but I was hoping I could find an older Trinitron eventually

I'm not sure if there are Savers down your way, but they seem to still have CRTs up here.

The local Savers near me also seems to have a good variety (brand & size) of CRTs for like $7-$15. 

[ifkz]

pics once u have it set it up please i want ideas!

Here you go, research says it was an entry level plasma back in the day; only $3000 new.  These Gateways were not well received, most have died at this point.  So, it's a survivor.  No HDMI, but it has a DVI port; I bought a $5 HDMI adapter but it still won't work with the PS3 (something about "locked" content).  But, for the price of a new game, I could not say no.  Looks like it has the lightest of light burn in on the upper right, only visible during absolutely pure white.  I can't be unhappy with it.  My 'it-won't-die-Gamestop-refurb' PS3 runs it on component.  Not as terrible as I thought.

Thanks to everyone that has replied so far, it helps to be in a like-minded crew.  OBEY is off to the right.  Its drive is on order, once it is operational I may post a completed picture with this massive set.  Gate of Thunder using composite?

[toktogul]

thanks for sharing! too bad that there is no hdmi. but thats a cool looking setup! jelly!

[Medic_wheat]

Nice!  I too would like to play Fallout on a tv the size of a door one day


I was at a goodwill a few months back while at my home town and I was tempted to buy an old 50s black and white tv because I love vintage.....but they had it prices at $99 and it was a "tiny" tv. So I passed...


Of course it is no longer there when I went back two weeks ago...sigh....

[ifkz]

Nice!  I too would like to play Fallout on a tv the size of a door one day


I was at a goodwill a few months back while at my home town and I was tempted to buy an old 50s black and white tv because I love vintage.....but they had it prices at $99 and it was a "tiny" tv. So I passed...


Of course it is no longer there when I went back two weeks ago...sigh....

What you described was what was going through my head, worst case, when I saw my 1984 made 13 inch TV.  I had not seen the dial style in years, and even when I did all of them were black and white sets.  But I saw the price tag, paid quickly, and got the heck out of the store.  I did that with this 42 in TV too.  I guess that's the normal thing to do upon finding a great deal:  pay and run!

What would be neat to find one day:  the 70's JVC VideoSphere.  It looks as iconic as the Philco's Predicta sets from the 50's.

I've been spending a lot of time with the THX Optimizer on the Star Wars DVDs (usually under options).  It has already helped out the picture a lot; if anyone likes to tweak image settings as much as I do, it is a great too.  This 42 inch set hates blacks, they tend to devour everything.

I am making good progress in Fallout 3 on this set, next up:  Fallout New Vegas on a TV the size of a door 

[jeffhlewis]

Before this year's MGC we were doing warehouse cleaning/inventory for the show and discovered 2-3 dead CRTs...so we went Goodwill hopping and hit the jackpot west of Milwaukee - I think we bought about 8 CRTs for $30 total (they're pretty much just liquidating the things).

But yeah - it's getting REALLY hard to find them anymore. I think most thrifts stopped putting them on the showroom floor since the digital switchover. Every once in a while you find a couple but not like in previous years.

I'm going to continue stockpiling them though since I finally have the storage space to do so. Might as well give them a good home.

[jeffhlewis]

Oh - and while we're on the topic - the last time I dropped some yard waste off at the Milwaukee city dump, they had an entire SHIPPING CONTAINER full of CRTs. I saw a broken Gateway 32" VGA/CRT in there. I almost went berzerk.

[Medic_wheat]

Oh - and while we're on the topic - the last time I dropped some yard waste off at the Milwaukee city dump, they had an entire SHIPPING CONTAINER full of CRTs. I saw a broken Gateway 32" VGA/CRT in there. I almost went berzerk.

I know.  I still find crts at flea markets and goodwills around here but I'll be honest...


Typically

A). The thing is to heavy for me to lift

B). It litterly won't fit in my car due to the "bubble butt" as my friends 8 yr old puts it when referring to CRT TVs.....

And that is because I drive a Nissan sentra........hoping soon when we buy our next car. Just sold mine as it was getting lemony will be able to handle hauls.....we are looking towards getting a suv.  Apparently I was out voted in the truck idea..

[PunkicCyborg]

i have 5  crt monitors right now so no i dont think you are nuts