A flat-screen it ain’t
This beast of a Sony (as deep as is is wide) got us through many a rainy afternoon at the lake.
Even with a rooftop antenna and a snarl of cords and cables that, if laid end to end, would reach across Lake Huron, It only delivered a half-dozen channels ... assuming favorable atmospheric conditions.
But I can’t even guess how man times it played, without complaint, “Ground Hog Day,” “Princess Bride,” “Defending Your Life,” “Jumanji,” “A Christmas Story,” “Aladdin” ... and a dozen other house favorites, via video cassette and, later, DVD.
But its day has past. Its plug has been pulled. With great difficulty (What the hell’s inside that thing?) Sharon and I grunted-and-groaned it into the back of the Traverse. Today it will be laid to rest at an electronics recycling place in Petoskey.
As Sharon recalls, the behemoth cost about $700 in 1991, which is close to $1,500 in 2022 dollars. The “smart” flat-screen that has taken it’s place cost about $200, delivers a half-million channels, requires only a power cord and can be lifted with one hand.