Long before Best Buy...

[Guard Dad]

...and all the other "electronics superstores", there was the local TV and Radio shop.

This is a pic from my dad's store in Rossville, GA. I'm guessing around '60, '61 for the date. These were the TV's we watched man walk on the moon on.

Thought you guys might enjoy.

 

[sadie612]

my grannies still works.

my uncle boght her one of those newfangled flat ones for christmas LAST year. It is still in the box

 

[mei lan]

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

 

[Guard Dad]

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were sonic remotes; they had clicker buttons that would make a metallic clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the tuner and volume control.

My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

Yes, I grew up in a TV shop. Maybe that's why I'm so geeky with tech stuff.

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were called "sonic" remotes; they would make a clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the channel and volume controls. My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

 

[sadie612]

These were the TV's we watched man walk on the moon

my mom thinks the moon walk was staged lol

her and my hubby debate about it all the time

 

[mei lan]

And Channel 17 carried the Braves, and we watched them lose incessantly. Oh, and they started their shows at 5 minutes after the hour and half-hour (7:05, 7:35). Say what you want about ol' Ted, but the man is a frickin' visionary.

Just reminiscin'...

 

[mei lan]

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were sonic remotes; they had clicker buttons that would make a metallic clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the tuner and volume control.

My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

Yes, I grew up in a TV shop. Maybe that's why I'm so geeky with tech stuff.

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were called "sonic" remotes; they would make a clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the channel and volume controls. My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

No, I do not remember the first ones.

No, I do not remember the first ones.

 

[Guard Dad]

Sorry, computer had a :brainfart

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

Wow, look at all you Richie Rich types and your fancy Zeniths. We had one of those big wood paneled tv's but it didnt work so we had a smaller/cheaper version that sat on top of the bigger one.

 

[deewee]

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were sonic remotes; they had clicker buttons that would make a metallic clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the tuner and volume control.

My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

Yes, I grew up in a TV shop. Maybe that's why I'm so geeky with tech stuff.

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were called "sonic" remotes; they would make a clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the channel and volume controls. My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

No, I do not remember the first ones.

No, I do not remember the first ones.

:laugh


:laugh

 

[lotstodo]

Our first TV was a Zenith with a perfectly round picture tube. I think it was a 1952 model. I remember watching The Mickey Mouse Club on it.

 

[Madea]

Stores that were staffed with folks who actually knew what they were talking about.

 

[atlantdav]

Stores that were staffed with folks who actually knew what they were talking about.

:firstplace

 

[Guard Dad]

Stores that were staffed with folks who actually knew what they were talking about.

The sales floor was on the right side. On the left was the service department; they serviced what they sold and any other TV or radio. Of course, back then TV's broke down a lot more and they cost more in adjusted dollars than they so do, so it made sense to get them repaired when they broke. They also serviced the police radios. Since this was pre-cable/satellite and in teh Chattanooga area where there are mountains; they installed lots of antennas and many of them on towers to "see" over the hills. OSHA would have had a fit; my dad had me climbing 100' towers when I was in elementary school.

On a related note...I had a BB gun at 5 years old and a .22 rifle (which I could shoot whenever I wanted) at 8. Granted we had a few acres for me to shoot on, but such would horrify people now.

I spent my afternoons (after school) and summers there. I had my own work bench and lots of parts/old equipment to play with. Undoubtedly much of the reason why I have such a love for electronic stuff.

 

[Foxmeister]

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Yeah, we had one of the big cabinet deals. We had to get up off the sofa and change the channel. Of which we had three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Until Channel 17 went on the air (now TBS)...oh, that was AWESOME. "Channel 17 - all day, all night, 24 hours a day."

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were sonic remotes; they had clicker buttons that would make a metallic clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the tuner and volume control.

My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

Yes, I grew up in a TV shop. Maybe that's why I'm so geeky with tech stuff.

Do you remember the first remote controls? They were called "sonic" remotes; they would make a clinking sound that would activate little motors that would turn the channel and volume controls. My mischievous little self figured out that I could rattle my dad's keys and make the channel change. I dern near drove him crazy with that.

The first remote control we had at our house while growing up was my dad telling one of us kids to turn to turn on or off the TV, turn the channel or turn up or down the volumn. :laugh

 

[naturegirl]

wow GD, Allied Radio was my Dad's second home. He was an electronic technician and worked for the steel mill. He repaired TVs during his free time. We didn't have one of those fancy dancy TV sets, he didn't get a color set (why do they call them sets??) until sometime in the 70s. He just kept fixing one like this, forever:

 

[Grey Colson]

My Dad worked for the RCA Plant in Circleville, Ohio for several years. They produced the glass picture tubes for most all televisions there. He took my science class on a tour for our field trip one year. They had a home store for employees. Your photo reminded me of it...it looked very similar.

Dad took me around the home store and showed me the latest inovation....a VCR that was HUGE! Of course, we couldn't afford it. Then he told me, "Son, one of these days they are going to make a TV you can hang on the wall". I thought it was cool and crazy at the same time. )

I just read where the Circleville plant was shut down in March of 2004. Over 500 were laid off. The need for glass picture tubes obviously went the way of the horse and carriage.

 

[Foxmeister]

Maybe the glass picture tube will make a comeback. On second thought...

 

[Guard Dad]

Maybe the glass picture tube will make a comeback. On second thought...

Due to a lack of good suppliers in the area, my dad also started an electronics wholesaler in the area to support the dealers/repair shops. He had a shop in the back that rebuilt the CRT (cathode ray tubes AKA picture tubes) as a cheaper alternative to buying a new one. It was a pretty lucrative business for many years; certainly would not be now.

 

[LisaC]

The sales floor was on the right side. On the left was the service department; they serviced what they sold and any other TV or radio. Of course, back then TV's broke down a lot more and they cost more in adjusted dollars than they so do, so it made sense to get them repaired when they broke. They also serviced the police radios. Since this was pre-cable/satellite and in teh Chattanooga area where there are mountains; they installed lots of antennas and many of them on towers to "see" over the hills. OSHA would have had a fit; my dad had me climbing 100' towers when I was in elementary school.

I remember being sent outside (even in the rain or thunderstorms) to "turn the antenna."