THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE FIRE HAZARD. MANY TIMES, THE POWER TRANSFORMER WOULD SHORT OUT, OVERHEAT AND CATCH FIRE. THE FILAMENT STRINGS ON MANY OF THESE SETS WERE NOT FUSED. I REMEMBER HEARING OF FAMILIES LOSING EVERYTHING AFTER A FIRE AND FINDING OUT THE CAUSE WAS THE TV SET. THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE JUNK THEY MAKE TODAY, SOME OF WHICH HAVE HIGH FIRE RATES.
THE OTHER BIG DISADVANTAGE IS THAT AN INSTANT ON SET EATS UP TUBES. THE TUBE MANUFACTURERS LOVED THEM. THE PICTURE TUBES WERE HARDEST HIT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A TOTALLY GOOD CRT IN INSTANT ON SETS I HAVE HAD. I DON'T LIKE CHANGING COLOR CRT'S AND TRY TO AVOID IT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. I HAVE ONE INSTANT ON SET (ADMIRAL). THE "INSTANT ON" IS NOW "INSTANT OFF."
I DISABLE THIS FEATURE REGARDLESS. MANY MANUFACTURERS HAVE A SWITCH ON THE CHASSIS, BUT SOME GAVE YOU NO CHOICE. REWIRE THE SWITCHING CIRCUITS IF YOU HAVE TO. THIS FEATURE IS DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE. LOOK AT YOUR SCHEMATIC. DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO MAKE YOUR INSTANT ON SET TURN COMPLETELY OFF. TO ME, "OFF" MEANS THE SET HAS NO PICTURE, NO SOUND AND NO LIT TUBES.
SOME SOLID STATE SETS USED THIS FEATURE WITH THE CRT. MANY OF THE RCA XL 100 SETS HAD IT. THIS IS JUST AS BAD AS A TUBE SET HAVING IT.
THE INSTANT ON FEATURE SOLD MANY SETS, BUT IT ALSO BURNED DOWN LOTS OF HOUSES, SHORTENED THE LIFE OF LOTS OF TUBES, AND, FORTUNATELY, WAS SHORT-LIVED.
ANY HOROR STORIES, WHAT YOU DID TO DISABLE THIS FEATURE (SWITCHING THE "INSTANT ON" SWITCH OFF DOESN'T COUNT), OR REBUTTALS ARE WELCOME. I WILL PUT IT HERE.