Goodbye Sony Trinitron

Read in the papers today that Sony is pulling the plug on their Trinitron range of CRT TV's. In normal lingo thats the standard boxy TV's that many of us have grown up on.

They are finding that that end of the market is just too commiditized & that they can't make money. So they are rooting for the Bravia.

More power & good luck to them!

But I'm feeling sad. Back when I was a kid, we had very little TV to speak off. The broadcast was limited to a few hours in the evening covering krishi darshan, chitrahaar & the news. Sundays was a bonus - they showed a picture or two. I saw all of this on our Weston B&W (another long gone power brand of my childhood - where is it now?).

The Asiad in 1982 was a big thing. The govt decided that since they were doing a colourful showcase, all their citizens might as well watch in colour too. So we upgraded to a Bigston (or was it the other way around? Bigston B&W followed by a Weston color? Must ask my dad!). On this I watched Kapil Dev lead us to the World cup. Though I also recall that the live telecast of the semi's & the final were interrupted unceremoniously for the news to be read to us by JV Raman (the finest Hindi speaking Tam, a true embodiment of the diversity of India) & Salma Sultan.

But something was missing in our viewing; we started hearing from our relatives & friends abroad that the Sony Trinitron was THE thing. It had better picture & better sound. Soon there was a thriving black market for it.

We aquired ours when dad went on a trip. He paid the duty required, being an upright good citizen. And it still was below the black market rate prevalent in Delhi! A steal!

On this I watched channel 9 cricket in 1985 for the first time, when Kapil, Binny (that backside never looked better than on a Sony!) ran through all comers.

It had one limitation though, it had only 12 channels. So when satellite TV happened, we had to get something else. Now here's a reflection of the Trinitron brand power - I don't recall what we bought next! (Reviewing this the next day I remember - it was a Panasonic, chosen for its 'hardyness' & suitability to hot & dusty Delhi conditions).

Many years on, and many brands later, in 2004, I once again bought a Sony Trinitron 25" with booming audio.

I've upgraded to the LCD bandwagon (a Samsung, not a Bravia, alas) but my Sony soldiers on; it's with my dad - my 'thank you' to him for all the wonderful memories!