These were once ubiquitous in radio/TV shops, department stores, some supermarkets and even some drug stores. Before transistorized equipment became standard, you could test your TV and radio tubes at one of these. And in many cases, replace them. For below the tester was a cabinet stocked with the most popular TV/radio tubes available........
YES! I had actually forgotten all about these things until this picture brought it all back. My dad being the fix -it man he is would use these to fix the tv and radios he can work on anything.
ReplyDeleteI actually have one! :)
ReplyDeleteBack around '89/'90 I did a short stint at Radio Schlock. In one of their stores was a defunct Computer Center in the basement, now being used for storage of old off inventory items and junk. The District Manager told us to discard a lot of that crap in the basement - including a "COLOR" tube tester that had not been on the sales floor in about ten years. I asked the store manager if I could have it, paid a token couple dollars, and it was mine. The base was long gone though - no idea what happened to that or any tubes that might have been in it.
No idea what they meant by a "COLOR" tube tester, but it does make for an impressive back lit piece of display glass.