View Full Version : has anyone ever bought a used tv off of Ebay?
I've decided to buy a couple of used CRT TV's to keep in storage for future use, I think in about 10-15 years these TV's will start to become harder to find so I want to go ahead and jump on a couple now. However when I got to Ebay and start looking at TV's 90% of them say "no returns", which I can understand to some degree, but what is there to cover my ass if the TV doesn't work.
Has anyone bought TV's off of Ebay? Can anyone share thougths/experiences?
Jack_Burton_BYOAC
11-23-2012, 11:26 PM
A lot of them that say no returns are being sold by individuals who just want to get rid of the things, and they have no clue how much lifespan is left in them. They could die tomorrow, or they could work another 10 years without a problem. The latter is more likely if it comes from a reputable seller and it's a good brand.
What kind of CRT are you looking for? There's a wide variety out there, and if you're having one shipped you might as well go for a professional model.
What kind of CRT are you looking for? There's a wide variety out there, and if you're having one shipped you might as well go for a professional model.
Honestly I haven't thought about it, I was just looking to spend around $50 up to $100 if it's in good shape and will last a while. I don't need a huge screen. Let me know if you have any suggestions on what to look for. I just have some crappy Panasonic my wife had in college right now.
Natty Bumppo
11-23-2012, 11:53 PM
I would go with Craigslist - that way you can test it out before you pay for it. I think I paid $60 for the last one I bought for the house - a 32".
Anything you get off of ebay is going to be expensive just for the shipping - and you have to hope it is well packaged or it may not fare well in transit.
(Whichever way you go, try to get an original remote - you can get universals but they aren't as nice (IMHO) as the one that came with the set - and tracking down a remote to match a specific unit can be very hard and pricey. )
You can also try thrift stores but from what I have seen (not that I have looked super closely) the remotes are often not with them - either they didn't come in with them, they got separated or someone has copped them from the thrift store.
Parodius Duh!
11-24-2012, 12:17 AM
craigslist is the way to go. You would be surprised how many TVs you could find locally. Ive picked up 4 thus far and all of them were free, just haul it away!
Goodwill and Salavation Army are another good option, they usually have a ton of CRTs for very cheap.
Gameguy
11-24-2012, 01:15 AM
craigslist is the way to go. You would be surprised how many TVs you could find locally. Ive picked up 4 thus far and all of them were free, just haul it away!
This is what I would recommend, I wouldn't pay for a used TV online and pay shipping on top of it when plenty of people are giving them away for free just about everywhere.
Greg2600
11-24-2012, 10:11 AM
I've bought computer monitors on ebay, never a TV. The shipping is a lot, and what if it doesn't work? There are CRT's galore, some free, if you're willing to lift them out of the person's house. However, if the ebay listing is pickup and its local, I still would not go with ebay. Not unless they proved the thing works.
treismac
11-24-2012, 07:16 PM
Hell, I've rescued working tube screens off the side of the road as I was driving by and happened upon them. Much to the chagrin of my wife, I have six CRTs, only one of them I actually bought for like $10 for off of craigslist, the rest were "gifts" ("you want this, Travis?") or roadside rescues.
Dave Farquhar
11-24-2012, 09:12 PM
I agree, buy local. Estate sales would be another option, though the next couple of weeks are pretty much your last chance for the year for those (a week or two before Christmas, they stop for the holidays). Go to www.estatesales.net, punch in your local city, and see what comes up. Go on Sunday afternoon if you want to score a deal. There's not a lot of demand for CRT TVs, so your odds of scoring one late Sunday afternoon for a few dollars will be pretty good.
RP2A03
11-24-2012, 09:15 PM
I wouldn't buy a cathode ray off ebay unless it was small and light. A one hundred pound monitor will not be cheap to ship. You will also have to trust the seller to properly pack it and the carrier not to be too rough with it. Adjusting convergence rings is not my idea of a good time.
If by "I don't need a huge screen" you mean about twenty inches, then you should get a computer monitor since they generally produce a better picture. If you need a TV, then you should pass on anything that is not a flat tube and stay away from the slim models.
Is $30 for a 30" Panasonic too much? I found one on Craig's list today, can you haggle with these people or is that frowned upon when going through Craig's list
Jack_Burton_BYOAC
11-25-2012, 12:37 AM
It just depends. What inputs are on the back of the television? Does it come with a remote? Is the screen flat or curved? Is it 4:3 or 16:9? Just go ahead and give us the link to the TV so we can offer comments, it's highly unlikely anyone on here will jump your claim on the ad.
You can definitely haggle, or try to set up a trade. I would say 30 dollars for a 32" (30" is an oddball size) in good condition is a very reasonable price.
Personally, I have a love affair with late 80s/early 90s TV's with a heavily curved screen. The flat Sony TV's of the late 90's and early 2000's may be technically superior, but they just don't have the magic for me. I use a Commodore 1702 monitor and a RCA Lyceum TV and I think they just look great.
This is not a flat screen, I'm with you in that I prefer the curved screen.
"30 inch Phillips t.v its a regular t.v NOT a flatcsreen asking 30.00"
not really much of a description. I'm not too worried about the remote. All I'm going to use it for is games.
dukenukem
11-26-2012, 12:09 AM
i would since i have bought 4 crt tv's off ebay,2 13 inch,1 20 inch,and a 16inch.
Tanooki
11-26-2012, 11:16 AM
Stick with local the shipping on a CRT would suck. The only exception I would make on that is if you wanted one of those fantastic Sharp NES TVs as they're a pain in the ass to track down as there's not many of those to go around.
You should seriously look into freecycle.org. When I dropped my CRT in a move, I posted a request for an unwanted TV on there and quickly was offered 5 or so sets. Some were crappy, but the best was a 2006 32" Sharp. I was even thanked for saving them a trip to the dump. YMMV, but worth a try.
Greg2600
11-26-2012, 10:00 PM
Is $30 for a 30" Panasonic too much? I found one on Craig's list today, can you haggle with these people or is that frowned upon when going through Craig's list
Probably too much. What inputs does it have? Component?
I had a 32" CRT RCA that died earlier this year, in the basement. I looked on Craigslist, and there were tons of 32, 37 inch CRT's for $25. I haggle via email/phone, before showing up. I wouldn't do it in person. If the listing is old, they are probably willing to take less. I found some really nice ones, but they were simply too big to fit in our cars. We would have had to find someone with an SUV or pickup, not to mention the sets weighed a massive amount. Anything larger than 27" you cannot pickup on your own.
I've decided 32" is a little too large. I'm going to stick to around 20". I can tell my new addiction is going to be to start hoarding CRT's
Jorpho
11-27-2012, 02:06 PM
I've decided to buy a couple of used CRT TV's to keep in storage for future use, I think in about 10-15 years these TV's will start to become harder to findYes, in 10-15 years the remaining ones might be more expensive, but I think the price difference will likely not exceed the cost of paying for storage for 10-15 years!
RP2A03
11-27-2012, 02:34 PM
I've decided 32" is a little too large. I'm going to stick to around 20". I can tell my new addiction is going to be to start hoarding CRT's
Then I would recommend hoarding mostly PC monitors and connecting your consoles through an active VGA converter. Just keep a few TVs for light gun compatibility.
EDIT: I just noticed that you said you prefer curved tubes. Do you also want a picture that isn't too sharp which a PC monitor would likely produce. If so you can adjust the focus pot to correct this. A PC monitor is still a solid choice as it will give you better geometry, unless you also desire the aesthetics of an old TV.
Yes, in 10-15 years the remaining ones might be more expensive, but I think the price difference will likely not exceed the cost of paying for storage for 10-15 years!
I think the biggest concern will be finding tubes without excessive phosphor wear.
T2KFreeker
11-27-2012, 03:38 PM
You know, Goodwill and thrift stores are generally a better idea. Mian reason is that there is no shipping involved which can be quite a bit of money when you look at it. Plus, you can test the Television there in the store usually and get a warranty so you can take it home and run it for a day or two and make sure the tube isn't shot or it's not going to just shut off on you for some electrical reason or such. Just my thought. Carry on.