When they went on the blink, you took all the tubes out of the sockets, put them in a shoebox & went down to the drugstore. They had a machine on top of a cabinet. You just stuck each tube into one (of many) sockets & pressed the "Test" button.
If it was good, you moved onto the next. When a tube failed you picked out a replacement from the cabinet, using the SKU number. Paid up at the front counter, stuck all the tubes back in, put the back cover on to keep the cat out, & Kulyakin comes on the screen in stunning black & white.
I know some of you think I'm making all this up...
Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
