Our beloved 28-year-old RCA Stereo TV console has been replaced. It is the end of an era and the beginning of something new…again!
1986 was the year we moved into our present home. We had brought with us a 12" black and white TV with rabbit ear antenna that was our only TV for the previous seven years on our rural 50 acres and got two channels. Shortly after we moved into our new home in town, we entered a contest to win a new TV console that was being given away to celebrate that Springfield Channel 10 was going "stereo" in their broadcast and this TV was the first to have the capabilities to use this new technology. The deal was to count how many times the weatherman said "weather" on his nightly broadcast for a couple weeks. So the family was all together at this dinner hour broadcast and we all counted and the entrees were sent in great numbers frequently. The winner would be the closest number of days counted correctly. We were so happy when Keith's name was announced as the winner!
Our neighbor, Clifford, worked at the local Chapman's Furniture store downtown and he got to deliver the console to our home after it was arranged by the TV station. This was the biggest thing Keith had ever won and it sure got us up to date with our viewing! Soon after, videos became available to rent and then we got a VCR. We upgraded our outside TV antenna with a booster and was able to get six channels for free which was plenty for us along with the VCR; a big improvement from what we had on the farm! That satisfied us well until our children were old enough to have developed good study habits and as a reward, we added another TV downstairs that included a Nintendo for gaming. This was well after all their friends had one and not until they proved they could put their studies first. This lasted all through the 1990's and when cable and satellite became available in our area, we declined as we had better ways to spend our money and enough entertainment which included mostly outdoor activities especially as the whole family got involved in scouting. The children left home 1999 and 2000. I began to travel much more especially with my job and Keith started a new career after getting a college degree. TV was not so important and what we had was good enough for no more than we used it during the 2000's.
The only changes for the next decade was an increase in channels available for free especially when government changes mandated that all broadcasts were to be digital. We got our two free converter boxes like everyone else in the country that hadn't updated their TVs. We now had nine channels and new programming available; all free with our outside antenna and booster. As of January 2014, we have 11 channels available and understand that there can be more in the future. We had purchased a couple new small Smart LG TVs since 2011 and have been streaming movies through Netflix and Amazon for a few years now using the Internet and Wii. The Wii system Keith had got free from saving points at his work; what a winner! Finally, we have replaced the RCA console with a large Smart LG TV for Valentine's Day this year. It is time.
Keith moves out our old family friend for 28 years - goodbye RCA!
Not quite 'kicked to the curb' but out in the cold until the city picks it up during spring clean-up. Not a bad run for being free! Thanks for the memories, RCA, you had your day!
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