Dish Bankruptcy - Business as Usual

[navychop]

I wish I could do that today.

 

[telstar_1]

Well, we kind of did it all over again with C-band and/or DiSH, those of us who did it and weren't a "sell only" "retailer". I liked helping people get better TV. Not so much the corp. in CO seemingly determined to thwart my efforts

 

[primestar31]

I used my Weller soldering gun from 1957 to degauss TVs. Just run the iron in increasing circles around the item while moving it slowly away.

Same here. Those old school transformer based soldering guns worked fantastic as degaussing coils, besides for actual soldering.

 

[ERSanders]

Here it is in all it's epoxied glory!

 

[Cold Irons]

I used to, a million years ago. I have no idea what happened to it. No use for one today.

Same here. My last functional VHS VCR died last month, won't power on anymore. My only remaining tape tech is a dual cassette player/recorder from 30+ years ago...no idea why it's still working.

 

[Foxbat]

We had a Sony Trinatron back in the 1970s that had a bank of buttons on a panel. Open the panel and there was a potentiometer for each button with a 10-1 ratio knob and a concentric shaft around the pot shaft that controlled Lower VHF, Upper VHF, and UHF. To set the channel, you selected the TV band, then twisted the potentiometer knob until the desired channel came in. It had Automatic Frequency Tracking so the channel would stay tuned in and not drift.

The best part was, when we first got cable, the Premium channels used the frequencies just under Channel 7. By using the tuning knob it was possible to tune these channels in. The cable company got wise and started installing the channel blocker in-line filters up on the pole.

But until then I watched plenty of Showtime and HBO. Mama Foxbat was proud of her little hacker son who allowed her to watch movies…

 

[slow_poke_pete]

We had a locals only cable package called "Lifeline cable" for around $10 in the 1980s. I believe that was government mandated. Anyway Dish's Locals pack at $14 is in the same range after inflation. (A bit more than your price but less than ours.) Though I don't think anyone forces satellite vendors to offer it as a separate package.

sat don't have to offer it!!! neither do cable co's offer it any longer. id'e hate to see how much it would cost in todays world .

 

[dishstaller]

Same here. My last functional VHS VCR died last month, won't power on anymore. My only remaining tape tech is a dual cassette player/recorder from 30+ years ago...no idea why it's still working.

Take the top off and check the fuse. Unplug it of course before doing so. The fuse is normally pretty close to the place that the power cord goes in.

 

[navychop]

Unplug it of course before doing so.

You're no fun at all.

 

[Mister B]

When I was a kid, our TV did not have a UHF dial at all. When ABC got their own separate affiliate rather than part time on the NBC channel in Jacksonville, FL it was on UHF 17 and we had a UHF converter box that sat on top of the TV and put out channel 17 on channel 6. The dial on the converter box was continuous like a radio dial but since 17 was the only UHF in the area it did not often need to be adjusted.
However, when we wanted to watch the regular VHF stations a switch on the box had to be thrown to let them pass through. I understood all of this and was only 10 years old.

 

[MikeD-C05]

You're no fun at all.

 

[dishstaller]

You're no fun at all.

Years ago, back in my Radio Shack days, I was repairing a VCR and kept getting interrupted with one thing after another. Finally got back to it and reached in to take out the fuse......guess what I forgot to do first It was one of those "learn it once and done" lessons.

 

[tanman]

When I was a kid, our TV did not have a UHF dial at all. When ABC got their own separate affiliate rather than part time on the NBC channel in Jacksonville, FL it was on UHF 17 and we had a UHF converter box that sat on top of the TV and put out channel 17 on channel 6. The dial on the converter box was continuous like a radio dial but since 17 was the only UHF in the area it did not often need to be adjusted.
However, when we wanted to watch the regular VHF stations a switch on the box had to be thrown to let them pass through. I understood all of this and was only 10 years old.

My Dad(who could be cheap) actually sprang for the converter box AND an outside antenna to get those UHF channels. In the Philly area they carried quite a bit of sports especially Big 5 basketball. As an Athletic Director he had to keep up with things ya know. I was about your age.

 

[tanman]

Back in the day I owned a Radio Shack and I remember we sold a cable box. Seems like you had to rent one from your cable company so buying one was the better option in the long run. Most people are short-sighted however and I didn't sell but a handful.

This is the box we sold at company stores-you probably sold the same one. Always had to tell people "no,this wont get you unscramble the premium channels for you".

Google Search

 

[comfortably_numb]

My Dad(who could be cheap)

Me and my siblings had a joke we'd use whenever dad would get back from the store with a new TV. "Looks like Dad bought the cheapest TV he could find!" ...and he was damn proud of it.

 

[navychop]

We had the same father?

 

[dishstaller]

This is the box we sold at company stores-you probably sold the same one. Always had to tell people "no,this wont get you unscramble the premium channels for you".

Google Search

WOW...blast from the past

 

[Strega]

I had a TV saleswoman tell me that if I bought a TV with enough ohms, I would be able to descramble HBO and there was nothing HBO could do about it.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I had a TV saleswoman tell me that if I bought a TV with enough ohms, I would be able to descramble HBO and there was nothing HBO could do about it.

"More ohms, Scotty! HBO isn't working on the Bridge again!"

 

[slow_poke_pete]

I had a TV saleswoman tell me that if I bought a TV with enough ohms, I would be able to descramble HBO and there was nothing HBO could do about it.

all we had was an outdoor antenna and we picked it up. hbo forgot to scramble the signal in the90's