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SegwayPimp
Sep 13, 2015
Over the past few years I've been accumulating 70's thru 90's electronics and I was wondering if anyone else here has a fetish for this kind of thing. We have all this new technology sometimes its nice to go back and use some big clunky stuff. Tape players, record players, Cd players, VHS, Laserdisc, Betamax, cameras, camcorders, walkmen, boomboxes, televisions etc.

For example my stereo setup sounds amazing and is made largely of components I bought at Goodwill for under 30$. I keep buying boomboxes and Walkmen for no real reason. I use all the modern stuff too there's just something about the vintage stuff that can be so rewarding. Often sounds better too. I hate to say it but they don't make them like they used to.

Curious to know how many other people enjoy using older products in a non-ironic way. Audio video equipment in particular. Maybe there's just a random VHS camcorder in your attic or your grandpa's transistor radio still used in your home. Share pics!

Some random related pics




[img[http://www.stereo2go.com/fileSendAc...Studio%201M.JPG[/img]







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shadow puppet of a
Jan 10, 2007

NO TENGO SCORPIO


I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.

Ratjaculation
Aug 3, 2007

:parrot::parrot::parrot:



shadow puppet of a posted:

I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.



:captainpop:

SegwayPimp
Sep 13, 2015

shadow puppet of a posted:

I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.



That looks awesome I can't even tell what's what on there. Does it work?

ephori
Sep 1, 2006

Dinosaur Gum

shadow puppet of a posted:

I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.



hey it's the car from The Last Starfighter

Chairman Wao
Mar 5, 2013

go star

shadow puppet of a posted:

I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.



That must have cost you at least $199 USD

theultimo
Aug 2, 2004

An RSS feed bot who makes questionable purchasing decisions.
Pillbug

Chairman Wao posted:

That must have cost you at least $199 USD

Yeah I'm surprised that it exists. Betas are hard to come by.

Ratjaculation
Aug 3, 2007

:parrot::parrot::parrot:



SegwayPimp posted:

That looks awesome I can't even tell what's what on there. Does it work?

probably not that well

Real hurthling!
Sep 11, 2001




lol, spoa

Doctor Butts
May 21, 2002

I don't collect old tech but for some reason I've never been able to bring myself to throw away an old Motorola StarTac phone.

Nierbo
Dec 5, 2010

sup brah?
lmao shadow

limaCAT
Dec 22, 2007

il pistone e male
Slippery Tilde

shadow puppet of a posted:

I got this this old Sanyo Betamax prototype at a garage sale and can see its powerful design notes carry through ladeter decades of VCR and component equipment. I think if you traced its roots you find a Dieter Rams-ian level of influence through plastic-faced equipment from nearly every manufacturer.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdPpRnzO9Aw

SegwayPimp
Sep 13, 2015

That's how I feel explaining what a Laserdisc is to my mates

shadow puppet of a
Jan 10, 2007

NO TENGO SCORPIO



Add in two front teeth and that is me, verbatim.

bigtom
May 7, 2007

Playing the solid gold hits and moving my liquid lips...
I'm the same way - I have an old Sherwood amp/tuner that is my sound system, and I collect old GE radios, as well as old radios in general. AM especially sounds better on older radios (pre NRSC curve specs) - I have a small AM transmitter for playing big band/jazz for older tube radios.

If you ever come across a Sony AM stereo walkman, hold onto those - they are pretty rare and desirable by collectors (and me, since my little transmitter is C-QUAM).

On the upside, I'm never without a radio at station events...

Snowy
Oct 6, 2010

A man whose blood
Is very snow-broth;
One who never feels
The wanton stings and
Motions of the sense



Doctor Butts posted:

I don't collect old tech but for some reason I've never been able to bring myself to throw away an old Motorola StarTac phone.

I wish I still had mine, those were so good. Also wish I still had my old glow in the dark pager.

SegwayPimp
Sep 13, 2015

Snowy posted:

I wish I still had mine, those were so good. Also wish I still had my old glow in the dark pager.

The StarTac should be in a museum somewhere

Radbot
Aug 12, 2009
Probation
Can't post for 3 years!

SegwayPimp posted:

The StarTac should be in a museum somewhere

It is: https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18680321/

revmoo
May 25, 2006

#basta
This is my pride and joy rite here:



They really don't make them like they used to. The workshop manual for this is more complicated than the workshop manual for my BMW. You need some serious skill and experience to maintenance/calibrate these things.

I got it working when I first got it, got everything roughly adjusted, and re-soldered the tape playback head in reverse because the front channels (quadraphonic baby!) were shot and I wanted to get sound out of it. Now as long as you connect your RCAs to the rear outputs you get proper sound. It still doesn't sound great, surely because it needs to be recapped. I'm not touching it though, and I'll never plug it in again until it gets recapped and refurbed by a pro one day.

It's absolutely immaculate on the inside, I'm almost positive I'm the first person ever to open it up. The whole unit is in 99/100 condition, not a scratch on it anywhere. The build quality on these is insane, the toggle switches are like something off a fighter jet and they move with a satisfying clunk. The knobs are very heavy and precise feeling and the whole thing just has an air of high-end equipment. I just keep it around as decoration in my living room (not shown, my Technics 1200s and Technics speakers), but I'll do something with it some day.

SegwayPimp
Sep 13, 2015

revmoo posted:

This is my pride and joy rite here:




That's really pretty. Pioneer makes great things.

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

revmoo posted:

This is my pride and joy rite here:



They really don't make them like they used to. The workshop manual for this is more complicated than the workshop manual for my BMW. You need some serious skill and experience to maintenance/calibrate these things.

I got it working when I first got it, got everything roughly adjusted, and re-soldered the tape playback head in reverse because the front channels (quadraphonic baby!) were shot and I wanted to get sound out of it. Now as long as you connect your RCAs to the rear outputs you get proper sound. It still doesn't sound great, surely because it needs to be recapped. I'm not touching it though, and I'll never plug it in again until it gets recapped and refurbed by a pro one day.

It's absolutely immaculate on the inside, I'm almost positive I'm the first person ever to open it up. The whole unit is in 99/100 condition, not a scratch on it anywhere. The build quality on these is insane, the toggle switches are like something off a fighter jet and they move with a satisfying clunk. The knobs are very heavy and precise feeling and the whole thing just has an air of high-end equipment. I just keep it around as decoration in my living room (not shown, my Technics 1200s and Technics speakers), but I'll do something with it some day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnZXmpMo0XY

This British dude talks about reel-to-reel ownership.

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revmoo
May 25, 2006

#basta
Very cool video
That Akai is beautiful.

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