We were watching Superbad tonight and the TV turned itself off. We turned it back on and there was a streak of color down the screen, then nothing. That happened once more, and now we can’t turn it on at all. It’s a Sanyo, the non-flat screen type (sorry, forget what that’s called), about 4 years old. We don’t know a lot about electronics, but we’re generally quite handy and would be comfortable trying to fix it if it sounds fixable. Any ideas?
It’s a Cathode Ray Tube, or CRT model. It’s pooched and not worth repairing. You can buy CRTs for next to nothing now.
Yeah-unfortunately, the days of pulling all of the tubes out and using the tube tester at Lafayette are gone, along with 1$/gallon gas. Some integrated circuit in the power section has likely crapped out, and as indicated, the diagnostic and repair charge exceeds the value of a new box.
Do NOT try fixing this unless you know exactly what you’re doing. CRT television capacitors can hold enough charge to kill a person. As others have said, the price to repair probably wouldn’t be worth it, anyway. Time to upgrade to HDTV flatscreen 
It might be broken? 
Thanks, guys. I just thought it might be something simple that we could pop in quickly, but it sounds like it’s time for a new TV. It’s going to be more of a pain disposing of the old one than getting a new one, unfortunately.
Find the site for your local Freecycle and put up a free ad. Someone is bound to want to scrounge it for parts. Best way to get rid of crap you don’t want EVER.
I’ll be damned. There* is* a freecycle group in Okinawa. Thanks!