Black & White TV's

[staffslad]

Re: Black & White TV's

Hi Darren, they are TVs designed to work on 12V DC. They are still available now--I have seen a fair few on Ebay, quite often LCD TV/DVD combos, though from what I have seen they are costlier than the normal 240V AC type.

[Richard1978]

Re: Black & White TV's

Hi Marc, were the caravans you mentioned the static type? i.e. permanently parked on the site? I think the one we rented in the mid-70s had gas for cooking/lighting/heating but I can't remember if it was piped or bottled gas. In the 80s we rented a caravan for a week almost each year, usually in one of the North Wales resorts. I think they all had bottled gas for heating/cooking and mains electricity and water. They were all of the static type. Also I remember that one site had a kind of private cable TV. As well as picking up the normal 4 terrestrial channels, there was a site channel which showed films and cartoons throughout the day.

Yes it was a static caravan.

The TV was only a small B&W set so could be run off a car battery, though it would sometimes run out before the end of the week & have to be exchanged.

My Gran eventually got a bigger caravan which was connected to the mains so the TV was upgraded to a colour one.

[marc]

Re: Black & White TV's

Hi Marc, were the caravans you mentioned the static type? i.e. permanently parked on the site? I think the one we rented in the mid-70s had gas for cooking/lighting/heating but I can't remember if it was piped or bottled gas. In the 80s we rented a caravan for a week almost each year, usually in one of the North Wales resorts. I think they all had bottled gas for heating/cooking and mains electricity and water. They were all of the static type. Also I remember that one site had a kind of private cable TV. As well as picking up the normal 4 terrestrial channels, there was a site channel which showed films and cartoons throughout the day.

Yes, these were static caravans. They were quite large. Too big to be towed behind a car. The caravan site was called Trecco Bay. It's still there, but very much modernised. All the caravans are now wired up and connected with electricity, water and to the main sewer. Not sure about gas. Haven't been there since the 1980s.

[staffslad]

Re: Black & White TV's

Thanks, Marc. Last time I was in a caravan was about 1998 or so, so doubtless they are different inside now.

[teepee]

Re: Black & White TV's

I remember when getting a colour tv was a big deal: my parents got their first one in 1973 to watch the Royal wedding (Princess Anne's). In 1975 for my birthday they bought me a black and white portable from Fine Fare (!) which I used until 1996!

[staffslad]

Re: Black & White TV's

Snap! My parents also bought their first colour TV--a 22" Pye--in 1973 to watch the wedding of Princess Anne. Unfortunately, there was a rush for them due to the wedding and it was about a week after the wedding that the TV was delivered. Fortunately, a friend of my mom's already had a colour TV--a 26" model--and we were able to watch it on hers.

[teepee]

Re: Black & White TV's

Snap!

I think quite a few people were prompted to upgrade by big events: Olympics, World Cup, etc. I can't remember any technical details about the telly - other than it was as deep as it was wide. I still get amazed by todays slim tv sets.

[staffslad]

Re: Black & White TV's

If I remember correctly, we couldn't find any shops locally that had any colour TVs and had to travel about 12 miles to find one. There were no Comet, Dixon's, etc round here then. I can also recall it cost £220, typical for the time but expensive given average wages back in 1973. I know my parents had to save up for a fair while to buy it.

[teepee]

Re: Black & White TV's

Actually, now I think about it, I'm not so sure my parents bought the telly: they probably had it from Radio Rentals, as most people did in our area in those days. To purchase one outright, they would have had to go 'up town' (i.e. into Birmingham city centre) to one of the department stores, or find one of the smaller independent specialist retailers that existed before the likes of Comet, etc. All household appliances were very expensive in those days but at least they did last - I think my folks bought two washing machines in their lives, and probably the same number of cookers.

[amethyst]

Re: Black & White TV's

Actually, now I think about it, I'm not so sure my parents bought the telly: they probably had it from Radio Rentals, as most people did in our area in those days. To purchase one outright, they would have had to go 'up town' (i.e. into Birmingham city centre) to one of the department stores, or find one of the smaller independent specialist retailers that existed before the likes of Comet, etc. All household appliances were very expensive in those days but at least they did last - I think my folks bought two washing machines in their lives, and probably the same number of cookers.

My dad had the tv from radio rentals,until he bought a black and white one because,the tv repair man would be called out if a part needed replacing.My Aunt always had radio rentals well into the 70s

[Twocky61]

Re: Black & White TV's

I have a monochrome (B&W) television primarily used for CCTV & VHS playback

[teepee]

Re: Black & White TV's

My Aunt always had radio rentals well into the 70s

When my lovely neighbour, who sadly died last year, became very frail and then housebound a few years ago Dearly Beloved and I began doing various things for her, including paying household bills. I was shocked to learn that she rented her tv (and video and washing machine). I thought that practice died out yonks ago. I think she appreciated the security of being able to phone up a company if anything went wrong, but it was shockingly expensive.

[Twocky61]

Re: Black & White TV's

Also my 90yr old Grandad had a monochrome portable tv as he was nearly blind but he could see B&W more than he could see colour

[Richard1978]

Re: Black & White TV's

My parents rented at TV from Granada until 1984.

By then the likes of Comet were offering credit so it made sense to do this rather than rent even if the payments were higher.

The set we bought lasted about 20 years, & only once needed repairing, though the channel memory battery went long before that.

[jamesa]

Re: Black & White TV's

We can still rent TV's in Frinton-on-Sea - they are not that expensive to rent - I think older people find it comforting, but these days they hardly go wrong. We can also buy B&W TV's - the retro Art Deco shop in the high street sells refurbished Bush ones with bakerlite cases and a DVD player adapted to work with them - they are old 405 line sets - fantastic for watching old DVDs on - I don't have one but thought it interesting.
I did once think i would prefer a retro TV to a modern one but have looked instead at building one into an old TV cabinet with doors