The sad slow death of cathode ray tubes

Most of us want rid of heavy old TV sets: they're piled high in warehouses, a dangerous waste mountain resulting from a huge recycling scam. But some of us are desperate to keep their old CRTs going.

The CRTs slow extinction is also becoming a pressing problem for arcades, especially with the rise of arcade bars over the past decade. Establishments like San Franciscos Brewcade, Portlands Ground Kontrol, and Chicagos Emporium Arcade Bar all line their walls with dozens of nostalgia-inspiring cabinets and by extension, dozens of CRT displays. ... Arcades generally have in-house teams of employees with varying levels of expertise. Ground Kontrol, which describes itself as a hands-on museum, is owned by two electrical engineers and two software specialists. They initially repaired machines themselves, until finally hiring a full-time technician. Barcade employs two dedicated repair specialists, and a number of other staff can do some work on the machines.

The only remaining manufacturer of CRTs left the business just last year.