Whacking a misbehaving old TV which used valves (or tubes) was a potentially useful strategy because the valves / tubes could either get loose in their sockets or their pins could get dirty. A fairly decent whack had the potential to reseat loose or dirty valves / tubes. Not a nice way to treat a TV, though.
“Tinkers and tinkerers and a few wizards who happened by tried to start the clocks with tools or magic words, or by shaking them and cursing, but nothing whirred or ticked.”
Back in the early days, when I worked as a Computer Specialist, the standard hard drive format was “MFM”. One of the many things that could go wrong with them was the mechanism that started the platters spinning would “lock up”. A jolt (with the PC turned off), would allow it to start up when it then got turned back on. When I told one user to do this, his boss got upset with me “telling his employee to hit his computer”. I responded by telling him it was that or buy him a new hard drive, which shut him up…
BE THIS GUY almost 6 years ago
Too bad you can’t do that with a flatscreen.
alaskajohn1 almost 6 years ago
Change the batteries in the remote; that should work.
Templo S.U.D. almost 6 years ago
oh, don’t you miss the days of TVs with channel-changing dials on the main unit?
Bilan almost 6 years ago
That’s a tube TV. The proper step is to replace it with a model from this century.
Robin Harwood almost 6 years ago
Comprehensible technical advice.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member almost 6 years ago
In my circles, that’s known as percussive maintenance.
kaffekup almost 6 years ago
What manual? They’re all online now. Works great for your new computer: “To read the manual, just go on line.”
sirbadger almost 6 years ago
I remember when some stores had tube testers. Maybe we need motherboard and graphics card testers.
erik.vanthienen almost 6 years ago
And if that doesn’t give you the desired result, open up the back, identify the biggest capacitor, and wiggle it about … ;-)
Kind&Kinder almost 6 years ago
Plug it in!
Breadboard almost 6 years ago
Manual written by one Larry Croc …………. Croc Power !
gorbag almost 6 years ago
When our robot overlords take over, the’ll remember this spot of human history and treat us the same way…
dukedoug almost 6 years ago
Whacking a misbehaving old TV which used valves (or tubes) was a potentially useful strategy because the valves / tubes could either get loose in their sockets or their pins could get dirty. A fairly decent whack had the potential to reseat loose or dirty valves / tubes. Not a nice way to treat a TV, though.
Adiraiju almost 6 years ago
Sounds like a friend of mine’s advice: “Do the thing to the thing with the thing and the other thing! You know?”
Masterskrain almost 6 years ago
“Spit in the back and whomp it once!”
(5 bonus points for anyone who remembers the reference)
The Old Wolf almost 6 years ago
“Tinkers and tinkerers and a few wizards who happened by tried to start the clocks with tools or magic words, or by shaking them and cursing, but nothing whirred or ticked.”
It’s a venerable technique.
SkyFisher almost 6 years ago
Oddly, a little “percussive maintenance” usually works!
rmercer Premium Member almost 6 years ago
The proper spelling is $#!+
nosirrom almost 6 years ago
It doesn’t work unless you name your TV “Mole”.
Eristic almost 6 years ago
The Arthur Fonzarelli school of repair, now in session.
bbbmorrell almost 6 years ago
A manual for real people!
garcoa almost 6 years ago
And after you try those 2 obviously ineffectual techniques, you take it to the shop who will tell you it will cost more to fix than to replace.
Rev Phnk Ey almost 6 years ago
I yell “$#@#” all the time. Just not sure if I’m pronouncing it right.
johndifool almost 6 years ago
“SHGH”?
Cameron1988 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
That tv looks beyond dated. No wonder it’s not working
hew888 almost 6 years ago
When something is out of whack, give it one.
willie_mctell almost 6 years ago
Bad point to point wiring and tubes in poorly fitting sockets make whacking a legit problem solver.
Al Nala almost 6 years ago
Say, “Oooooh, babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.”
15803 almost 6 years ago
So, true.
ChessPirate almost 6 years ago
Back in the early days, when I worked as a Computer Specialist, the standard hard drive format was “MFM”. One of the many things that could go wrong with them was the mechanism that started the platters spinning would “lock up”. A jolt (with the PC turned off), would allow it to start up when it then got turned back on. When I told one user to do this, his boss got upset with me “telling his employee to hit his computer”. I responded by telling him it was that or buy him a new hard drive, which shut him up…
chris_weaver almost 6 years ago
The right tool for the right job!
B UTTONS almost 6 years ago
Rat! You’re mistakenly reading Nancy Pelosi’s “Guide to Bully Government”
KEA almost 6 years ago
I have a new TV that’s very difficult to turn on or off without the remote. I don’t consider that user-friendly.
BubbleTape Premium Member almost 6 years ago
what’s with the periods in the “T.V.”? television is one word. This comic is ruined. Ruined!
codedaddy almost 6 years ago
You’re lucky it’s in English
Kali almost 6 years ago
Actually, that’s what you do with a computer. TV’s don’t work the same way. And believe me, I’ve tried. :-)
Sisyphos almost 6 years ago
Sounds like a Practical Man’s Manual to me!
Swirls Before Pine almost 6 years ago
Stop pointing the remote at your face, Rat.
scratchmaker500 almost 6 years ago
Oh My God!!!!! Did Pig Just swear?!?!?!
A random Pearls Before Swine & Big Nate commenter almost 4 years ago
ITS PIG’S SECOND SWEAR WORD! EVERYONE CELEBRATE!