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1. Embed this notice
   Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 11:50:21 JST Miakoda

   Why are they called television sets? I've only ever seen TVs, even old ones, that are one piece. Tube, tuner, and speaker, all in a box. Were they not one piece at some point?

   • Embed this notice
     Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 11:53:58 JST Miakoda

     in reply to

     Semi-related, why AREN'T computers called computer sets? Those definitely WEREN'T all in one box at the start, and many STILL aren't.
     I've used computers that had a box for the main system, a box for the drive, a box for the display, and a box for power. Definitely a set! And I know even older ones were even MORE SO a set!

   • Embed this notice
     Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 12:01:37 JST Miakoda

     in reply to

     • Poloniousmonk

     @Uair TVs as furniture were fucking awesome! Especially when they were stereo! God, TV sound really went to shit, eh? I remember using TVs you could actually rock out to music videos using the onboard speakers. My modern LCD? I can't even tolerate it just to watch something simple like the news. (Not that I watch mainstream broadcast news anymore)

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     Poloniousmonk (uair@autistics.life)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 12:01:38 JST Poloniousmonk

     in reply to

     @hellomiakoda

     I always thought of the word "set" there as a singular noun, with "television" being the modifier.

     Fucked if I can figure out why. "Settee"? Something that was "set down"? I know old teevees didn't move. They were in giant cherrywood cabinets and weighed a ton. My best guess is that it's an archaic definition, probably referring to some upper-class piece of furniture. Like the way they call fancy dishes "service".

   • Embed this notice
     Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 18:16:35 JST Miakoda

     in reply to

     • A Flock of Beagles

     @burnitdown I ain't paying the BBC shit!

   • Embed this notice
     A Flock of Beagles (burnitdown@beige.party)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 18:16:36 JST A Flock of Beagles

     in reply to

     @hellomiakoda idk sounds like something you'd have to pay a license fee to the BBC for.

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     Miakoda (hellomiakoda@pdx.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 18:29:16 JST Miakoda

     in reply to

     • ideogram

     @ideogram Ty

   • Embed this notice
     ideogram (ideogram@social.coop)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Aug-2025 18:29:17 JST ideogram

     in reply to

     @hellomiakoda
     You piqued my interest with this one. This is the best answer I can find.

     https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/567066/what-is-the-origin-of-set-noun-as-used-in-television-set-tubes