When the crisp black-and-white picture materialised, it showed everything from the first moon landing in 1969 to Dick Tayler's 10,000m victory at the 1974 Commonwealth Games, and Philip Sherry reading the news.
Dunedin radio and television enthusiast Kevin Weatherall said the quality of images produced by modern digital televisions was higher, but his Murphy was still a beauty in his eye.
He is now hoping it is New Zealand's oldest working TV. He acquired it about 20 years ago, to add to his collection of more than 50 televisions and nearly 1000 radios.
"Some of these old TVs are pretty ugly. But some are lovely pieces of furniture.
"I've collected them because I didn't want our broadcasting history ending up in the tip."
He also owns a 1950s Bush television, but it no longer goes.
His humble telly has been entered in a national competition aimed at finding the oldest working television in New Zealand. The search was launched as part of the Government's Going Digital campaign to raise awareness of the switchover to digital television.
The winning entry will be converted to digital format next month, to demonstrate televisions do not have to be new to be able to convert. The Otago region will be going digital in April 2013.
What we were watching in the 1960s
Lassie
I Love Lucy
Perry Mason
Entertaining with Kerr
The Flintstones
Clutch Cargo
Dr Kildare
Z Cars
Bonanza
Steptoe and Son
Mr Ed
Petticoat Junction
Dr Who
Huckleberry Hound
Coronation Street
Country Calendar
Peyton Place
Town and Around
Get Smart
The Avengers
The Dean Martin Show
The Man from U.N.C.L.E
The Andy Griffith Show
Forsyte Saga
Rolf Harris Show
Bewitched
