For those who are of the age who remember when this stuff was a big deal. Many will not get HDTV until their current SD TV breaks. They still sold SD tube TVs just a few years ago.
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When did you or family did your first Color TV, VCR, DVD player, etc?
- Thread starter nomadcowatbk
- Start date
Was anyone the last person on the block to have any of this stuff?
nomadcowatbk said:
Possibly, we didn't get colour until 1983 ( we went to grandmas to watch the 1981 Royal Wedding cos they had colour!) and didn't get a video recorder until 1995.
I made the mistake of buying my parents a new tube telly in 2004 (just before flat panels really took off) so they are still on tube TVs and maybe the last on the street again. Works fine with a converter box.
First personal TV (my own, not the family's) -- Spring 1971, when I was 10 years old. I was living with my dad at that point and my mom gave me her old GE 9'' black&white portable on a visit. It was the first that I ever saw a UHF station on (KFIZ-TV/34 Fond du Lac). Watched the GE in my bedroom more than I watched the Sears Silvertone b&w console for the remaining year that we had that one.
First color set -- Summer 1972, a Zenith 19'' tabletop set on a swiveling pedestal. Wonderful set. Lasted ten years.
First cable TV service -- Summer of 1977, Warner Amex TV in Neenah, Wisconsin. Got Green Bay and Milwaukee commercial stations, as well as Chicago's WGN-TV/9 and, on an unusual set-up, WBBM-TV/2 after WVTV/18 Milwaukee signed off for the night. Also WPNE-TV/38 Green Bay, the only PBS station made available (apparently, WHA-TV/21 Madison was available until just before we moved to Neenah).
First VCR -- a Sears VHS in January 1986, while living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The first two movies I bought were Citizen Kane, The Pom Pom Girls and the Bruce Lee kung-fu classic The Chinese Connection, at the same Sears store. First videotape I recorded (which, coincidentally, I'm transferring to a DVD as I write this) were installments of Sneak Previews from KTCA/2 Minneapolis, and At The Movies from WGN-TV/9 Chicago, as well as the three-hour rebroadcast of the ABC News special 45/85 (essentially the pilot for Our World) over WQOW/18 Eau Claire...
First DVD Player -- a Philips item in 1999; the first DVD purchased to play on it was A Hard Day's Night...
First DVD Recorder -- a Magnavox model at a Wal-Mart in Phoenix in December 2007. The first thing I recorded from an OTA signal was a couple of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson programs from KPHO/5...
First color set -- Summer 1972, a Zenith 19'' tabletop set on a swiveling pedestal. Wonderful set. Lasted ten years.
First cable TV service -- Summer of 1977, Warner Amex TV in Neenah, Wisconsin. Got Green Bay and Milwaukee commercial stations, as well as Chicago's WGN-TV/9 and, on an unusual set-up, WBBM-TV/2 after WVTV/18 Milwaukee signed off for the night. Also WPNE-TV/38 Green Bay, the only PBS station made available (apparently, WHA-TV/21 Madison was available until just before we moved to Neenah).
First VCR -- a Sears VHS in January 1986, while living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The first two movies I bought were Citizen Kane, The Pom Pom Girls and the Bruce Lee kung-fu classic The Chinese Connection, at the same Sears store. First videotape I recorded (which, coincidentally, I'm transferring to a DVD as I write this) were installments of Sneak Previews from KTCA/2 Minneapolis, and At The Movies from WGN-TV/9 Chicago, as well as the three-hour rebroadcast of the ABC News special 45/85 (essentially the pilot for Our World) over WQOW/18 Eau Claire...
First DVD Player -- a Philips item in 1999; the first DVD purchased to play on it was A Hard Day's Night...
First DVD Recorder -- a Magnavox model at a Wal-Mart in Phoenix in December 2007. The first thing I recorded from an OTA signal was a couple of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson programs from KPHO/5...
Ultimajock said:
Sorry to get slightly off-topic in regards to WBBM, but it was fairly common in parts of the Midwest for a few hours during the late night of WBBM to be offered on at least major cable systems at least during the early '80s. This happened on cable as well in Peoria, IL and Springfield, IL--and in fact for a few years the Western Illinois edition of TV Guide even carried listings for a few hours of WBBM during late night hours. I don't know for sure when these practices ended--but to this day I can't understand why only WBBM was carried during late night and not the other Big 3 from Chicago (WMAQ-NBC, WLS-ABC).
Our family got a Motorola color set in about 1965. It was NOT a "roundie."
First cable is trickier -- I first saw cable in the early 70s visiting relatives in IThaca, NY -- which is rumored to have had a cable system since 1949. So our immediate family did not get cable until we moved to Ithaca, in 1978. Even then, we tried to live with out at the start -- but the reception of Syracuse/Binghamton on south hill with just rabbit ears was horrible.
Our first VCR -- we were laggards. Did not get one until late '92, but it was a great model for the time -- an RCA. I still have it, and it still works beautifully. We use it all the time, cuz we don't have DVR.
First cable is trickier -- I first saw cable in the early 70s visiting relatives in IThaca, NY -- which is rumored to have had a cable system since 1949. So our immediate family did not get cable until we moved to Ithaca, in 1978. Even then, we tried to live with out at the start -- but the reception of Syracuse/Binghamton on south hill with just rabbit ears was horrible.
Our first VCR -- we were laggards. Did not get one until late '92, but it was a great model for the time -- an RCA. I still have it, and it still works beautifully. We use it all the time, cuz we don't have DVR.
Our first color setw as a Packerd Bel that we got in I think 1967. I think we got cable in 1970, and I watched WKBDa al day every day all summer. I don't remember just when my dad got his first VCR, I was on my own and living in Florida, but it was an RCA VCR with color camera. My wife and I kgot our first DVD player at a flying jay in I think, 1992 and the first movie we bought was a Hellen Hunt one from the same Flying Jay.ll
BMR said:
The original North American standard for connecting VCRs (and later DVD players) to TVs was an NTSC RF connection, via an F connector, usually output on channel 3 but sometimes switchable to channel 4 for use in areas that had strong local signals on 3.
By the early 80s, VCRs started to include baseband composite video and audio outputs on RCA connectors, and we started to see some TVs that had RCA video/audio inputs. By the late 80s/early 90s, such inputs had become standard on nearly all TVs.
RF modulators (accepting RCA composite video and audio inputs and outputting channel 3/4 NTSC video over an F connector) remain fairly widely available for connecting newer DVD players (which often lack any RF inputs or outputs) to older sets.
In the late 80s and into the 90s, some higher-end gear started to include S-video (component) inputs and outputs, and the advent of HD brought about component (R/G/B over RCA connectors) HD inputs and outputs, later supplanted by HDMI, which has become the new standard for connecting external devices to HD displays.
Thanks, Scott. Some UK sets had video/audio inputs as well as SCART, not sure if they are compatible with US standards though.
RF modulators are available in the UK, but they are virtually 'mail order only' now. Any TV without SCART is at least 20 years old and sadly fit only for the dump, unless it is a really old antique.
Even more recent tube TVs are literally being given away- that's how I got my current set, or being relegated to the spare room.
The future (indeed the present)is flat panel
RF modulators are available in the UK, but they are virtually 'mail order only' now. Any TV without SCART is at least 20 years old and sadly fit only for the dump, unless it is a really old antique.
Even more recent tube TVs are literally being given away- that's how I got my current set, or being relegated to the spare room.
The future (indeed the present)is flat panel
My parents got our first color TV shortly before Christmas in 1966. It was a Zenith. My father seemed to buy such products from someone he knew who ran a small shop rather than a store, itself. As a result, on a weekday right about noon, two guys showed up with the set. They placed it on a small stand where the old black & white had been and connected the antenna. The two did very little in proper set-up for a new TV - especially a color set. They didn't have a splitter for connecting the VHF & UHF and one of the guys just connected the wire to both terminals which, of course, produced a less-than-quality picture. I later connected it straight to the VHF terminal and placed a small loop antenna on the UHF. I easily remember the time of them being there was at noon because the set was on WCPO, Channel 9 which had the Noon News. At that time, the only color was the color slides shown during the newscast. The newsman at the desk was in black & white.
I dont remember that my family ever had color TV up until the mid 1970's, when I left home for the first time. The first set I owned myself was a 13 inch color set, given to me by my stepmother..My first VCR was a Shintom Brand which I bought in about 1990..First tapes I acquired were of Canton Baptist Temple's Christmas Pageant in 1989-91..(1990-91 were also aired on WOAC-TV 67..That Shintom, for an off brand lasted a fairly long time..
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
First Color TV - my dad bought a 19" color set from Sears for Christmas, 1974.
He was gong to give it to us on Christmas morning but decided to break it out early
so that we could watch all of the Christmas TV specials in color (a Charlie Brown Christmas,
the Grinch, etc.)
My dad was never an early-adapter and was not particularly anxious to buy a color set.
I think he was persuaded to do so by my mom, as her parents lived nearby and had a color
set, and she got tired of us asking our grandparents to come over all the time to watch
the Thanksgiving Day parades, cartoons, Christmas specials, etc. in color.
First VCR - a Magnavox VHS (made by Matsushita) purchased for Christmas, 1985. I was
working in a mall electronics store and '85 was THE hot Christmas for VCR's. I sold over
300 of them personally from Thanksgiving thru Christmas. A GE unit (also by Matsushita)
went on sale for $350. But something happened and they never shipped, so we substituted
the Magnavox units instead. We bought one for ourselves and one for my grandmother. She
never did figure out how to work it...my mom had to go over and set the timer to record all
of her shows for her. A few months later I bought a reconditioned Teac VCR for myself.
He was gong to give it to us on Christmas morning but decided to break it out early
so that we could watch all of the Christmas TV specials in color (a Charlie Brown Christmas,
the Grinch, etc.)
My dad was never an early-adapter and was not particularly anxious to buy a color set.
I think he was persuaded to do so by my mom, as her parents lived nearby and had a color
set, and she got tired of us asking our grandparents to come over all the time to watch
the Thanksgiving Day parades, cartoons, Christmas specials, etc. in color.
First VCR - a Magnavox VHS (made by Matsushita) purchased for Christmas, 1985. I was
working in a mall electronics store and '85 was THE hot Christmas for VCR's. I sold over
300 of them personally from Thanksgiving thru Christmas. A GE unit (also by Matsushita)
went on sale for $350. But something happened and they never shipped, so we substituted
the Magnavox units instead. We bought one for ourselves and one for my grandmother. She
never did figure out how to work it...my mom had to go over and set the timer to record all
of her shows for her. A few months later I bought a reconditioned Teac VCR for myself.
My family got our first Color TV in November 1969 - a used Sylvania 1963 set that was round and 25 inches - lasted till early in 1974 when the picture tube was replaced - then lasted till 1977 when the transformer was replaced - and then tll 1984 when the picture tube showed signs of waring down and finally dumped that. Had an old Black & WHite Set till 1978 which was replaced in 1977 by another 13 inch BW TV - Second Color Set was a 19 inch Samsung in 1978.
We first got cable in February of 1971 - Garden State Cable getting 2 WCBS TV New York - 3 KYW TV NBC Philadelphia - 4 WNBC TV New York - 5 WNEW TV (ind.) New York - 6 WPVI ABC Philadelphia - 7 WABC TV New York - 8 Weather Clocks with then elevator music station WPAT FM Paterson/NYC playing till 10 AM and then WPHL 17 Philadelphia (Ind) - 9 WOR TV (Ind) New York - 10 WCAU TV Philadelphia CBS - 11 WPIX New York (Ind) - 12 Weather Clocks before 11 AM after 11 48 WKBS TV (Ind) Philadelphia - 13 WNET (PBS) New York - Got a Cable Box in 1975 and that added NJPublic TV on B - C 29 WTAF (Ind) Philadelphia - D HBO - E 48 WKBS TV Full Time - F Weather Clocks Full Time - G - Weather Clocks with WPAT full time. Eventually KYW moved to this area while NJ Public TV moved to 3 with KYW remaining part time - 10 would also move to C and 29 would move to 10 in 1977.
I got the first VCR for myself in 1985 - a Sharp VHS recorder player - Got my second in 1990 a JVC Stereo Hi Fi VCR. First CD player 1988 - first computer 1996 - High Speed 2002 - DVD player 2002 - DVD recorder 2005 - DVD Blue Ray 1008 - HD TV 2006.
We first got cable in February of 1971 - Garden State Cable getting 2 WCBS TV New York - 3 KYW TV NBC Philadelphia - 4 WNBC TV New York - 5 WNEW TV (ind.) New York - 6 WPVI ABC Philadelphia - 7 WABC TV New York - 8 Weather Clocks with then elevator music station WPAT FM Paterson/NYC playing till 10 AM and then WPHL 17 Philadelphia (Ind) - 9 WOR TV (Ind) New York - 10 WCAU TV Philadelphia CBS - 11 WPIX New York (Ind) - 12 Weather Clocks before 11 AM after 11 48 WKBS TV (Ind) Philadelphia - 13 WNET (PBS) New York - Got a Cable Box in 1975 and that added NJPublic TV on B - C 29 WTAF (Ind) Philadelphia - D HBO - E 48 WKBS TV Full Time - F Weather Clocks Full Time - G - Weather Clocks with WPAT full time. Eventually KYW moved to this area while NJ Public TV moved to 3 with KYW remaining part time - 10 would also move to C and 29 would move to 10 in 1977.
I got the first VCR for myself in 1985 - a Sharp VHS recorder player - Got my second in 1990 a JVC Stereo Hi Fi VCR. First CD player 1988 - first computer 1996 - High Speed 2002 - DVD player 2002 - DVD recorder 2005 - DVD Blue Ray 1008 - HD TV 2006.
The first time I saw cable was at my grandparents' apartment in New Britain, CT around 1977-78. The first time that I had access to it directly here was in April of 1981. We had a corded 3-level Jerrold "click box", fine tuning dial and all. HBO was on channel 14, The Movie Channel on 15 and Escapade on channel 16.
My older brother got a Quasar 2 head VCR for Christmas in 1985. It finally went poof around 1991.
Our first VCR/DVD combo didn't come until Christmas 2003. It still works, but is useless now with no digital tuner.
My first DVD recorder was a piece of crap from Ilo, bought at Walmart in 2006. No digital tuner, so it sits in the closet collecting dust. The Magnavox model I have now was likely the last one Walmart sold with both an analog AND digital tuner. I bought that in either 2007 or 2008 and still use it (sparingly) now.
My older brother got a Quasar 2 head VCR for Christmas in 1985. It finally went poof around 1991.
Our first VCR/DVD combo didn't come until Christmas 2003. It still works, but is useless now with no digital tuner.
My first DVD recorder was a piece of crap from Ilo, bought at Walmart in 2006. No digital tuner, so it sits in the closet collecting dust. The Magnavox model I have now was likely the last one Walmart sold with both an analog AND digital tuner. I bought that in either 2007 or 2008 and still use it (sparingly) now.
First color TV--A Sears 19 incher in the fall of '65. VCR--Christmas '84. Top loader, Beta, with the old tethered remote. (Remember when wireless remotes on VCR's were a huge deal?)
First color TV: don't remember
First VCR: 1984
satellite dish: 1985
First time on cable: early '90s
First microwave oven: 1979!
First CD player: 1996
First DVD player: 2004
First VCR: 1984
satellite dish: 1985
First time on cable: early '90s
First microwave oven: 1979!
First CD player: 1996
First DVD player: 2004
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