CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[BradTheAggie]

I recently bought a couple of network switches from a company in the D/FW area that specializes in selling salvage business electronics (they buy them by the pallet). When I picked them up, I asked one of the guys working there if they ever see any decommissioned CRT projectors. They guy said they do, but since they do not have a resale channel setup for them, they just throw them away whenever one is in with a pallet of other stuff - including Barcos and Electrohomes. In fact, they just threw away 6 Panasonic projectors a few weeks ago that was in with a shipment. I gave him my card, explained that there are hobbyist still around that are interested in this equipment, and to call me if they get anymore... We will see if I get a call, or he just took my card to humor me.

[mike calcott]

I used to get a lot of these types when universities and companies disposed of them, but the supply seems to have dried up as they have all gone digital

[Elaine Benes]

In the US, there is a company like you describe every 100 miles or so, more near places like Los Angeles and Atlanta. I bought about 2 dozen projectors over the years from a place in the Eastern US. We had a standing deal of X number of dollars, regardless of the make/model of projector(they never cared enough to even Google them...). I could either take them or not, all were "site unseen" by me. Sometimes I got lucky(three 10PG's in one pallet load, one with under 1000 hours) and sometimes less so(6 PG's, all but one with worn tubes), but they were all cheap enough that it never really mattered what I got, I could always recover my costs. Unfortunately, the value of crt projectors has fallen so far, I can't even be guaranteed to cover the shipping costs any more...

But if you find a place like that locally, just go back and make a deal, cash will get them to call you(...maybe, even with my standing deal, I always had to email and ask "did you get any more in ??").

As for digitals, if you're interested in them, they often get thrown out by the institution themselves(smaller and lighter...). I picked up a couple free from a local University, and with replacement lamps installed, I discovered there wasn't even anything wrong with them, they'd just been removed during an "upgrade".

[mike calcott]

I have contacts at all of the local universities, but they always want money, most times too much. But when they were getting rid of CRT's, I got my 12XXX seies with only 24 hours on the clock, it had been installed but never used.

[draganm]

the amount of shear waste in this country is really repulsive. For Electronics esepcially to wind up in a land-fill is just wrong on so many levels. It's sad that these company's and people that work for them don't even care, they're just completely ignorant and happy to stay that way too.

[deronmoped]

I though there was a market for recycling electronic equipment, I know the recycling center where I just went to takes electronics.

Deron.

[BradTheAggie]

I only know of places that will charge you to properly dispose of your surplus computer gear, at a cost of $25 or so per unit. I wish someone would take this sort of stuff off our hands at least for free. I know some municipalities (such as Plano, Texas) have free electronics recycle drop off stations...

[Angus_rg]

[Brian Hampton]

I contacted all my local custom AV installer places and explained to them about CRT projectors and left them my number saying I would come to the job and take down any CRT FP's being removed and haul them away but I could tell these places were all just ignoring me.

I'm not surprised I never heard back from any of them but the thought of CRT FP being trashed is so sad it was worth a shot.

-Brian

[draganm]

here in CO there's a place that actually pays for used micro -chips. Not really sure about the details but when I was there a guy walked in with a small box of all CPU's, like Pentuim 3's and such. They weighed them and handed him 50 bucks which waas pretty cool really. The thought of paying to get rid a computers is pathetic, the State should encourage or even subsiidize proper and enviro friendly ways of disposing electronics. When electronics go into the trash those heavy metals leach into the soil and groundwater.
I try not to think how many great CRT projectors have been buried in land-fills so far, that's really F-ed up.

[papalek]

You can sell the older CPU's and memory on ebay for gold recovery. I sold 10lbs. for almost $300.