Other retro electronics

[+atari2600land]

What other retro electronics do you have besides the Atari 2600? For example, I have a record player and a rotary phone.

[ATARIPITBULL]

I never thought about it much, but I do have a record player to hear my Atari LP's and I also have a rotary phone, but its in my garage so when I am working out side, I can get to it.

 

[+SpiceWare]

I have a VIC-20 and a Merlin.

[Video]

The oldest Computer I have is actually a Commodore 16 (I think) Oldest console, is either the Fairchild Channel F or the Bentlyvision (pong ripoff) Not sure which is older. As for Phones, I have an old Rotery, but it doesn't work, the one I use is a Super Mario Bros Pipe Phone with Mario coming out of the side of it. Uh...that's about it. Lots of records, 8tracks, Beta tapes, and even a few Laser Discs, but no players for any of those.

[Lord Thag]

Lots. I have most of the other classic systems and computers, picked up here and there at thrift shops over the years. I also have a fair pile of the old VFD/LCD games from Coleco and Entex, which I rather enjoy.

 

The favorites of the lot are my ADAM, my Bally Professional Arcade, and the Arcadia 2001

[Lemmi]

Macdonald cassette/8 track player

 

late 1970's panasonic portable TV

 

1982 - 13inch color TV zenith (they dont make TVs like this anymore, meaning ones that last forever)

 

a couple transistor radios from the mid 70's

 

TDP 100 personal computer (did this come out before the atari800xl? )

 

a round all metal fan from the early 80's

 

everything still works except the 8track player, it likes to play 2 tracks at once

[MetalSlime23]

I have one of those old Mattel Electronic handheld Football games, the REAL one! Not the re-make rip off.

[MacbthPSW]

The oldest Computer I have is actually a Commodore 16 (I think)

The Commodore PET, VIC-20 and C-64 are all older than the C-16 (just in case you didn't know). Of course, you might have a C-16 made in 1984/1985 and a C-64 made in 1990, and then you'd be absolutely right

 

As for electronics about as old as my 2600s, my Little Professor is probably my most prized. Blip, Digital Derby, Entex Defender (don't have it handy - it might be early 80s), Merlin and my 8-track player are also nifty.

[Student Driver]

I've got a room full of old game systems, computers, LCD/LED/VFD games, etc. Outside of games, but sticking with home entertainment products...

 

RCA CED players and discs. I've got 2 SGT-200 Selectavision players (stereo models!) and about 200 movies. I even have some spare needles.

 

Laserdisc players and discs. I've got 4 LD players (an old top-load Pioneer, an RDI Halcyon, a generic late-model Pioneer, and a nice CLD-D604 that even does digital frame effects and karaoke!) and about 600 discs. This one isn't due to my love for obsolete electronics, though-- high-end video was important to me quite a bit before DVD.

 

A few various record players; an old portable that plays 16s and 78s, and an Aiwa (belt drive, unfortunately) that's in my entertainment center currently to handle 45s and 33 1/3s. A couple of hundred records. My g/f's agreed that we need a Victrola if we marry.

[Atariboy2600]

You want retro electronics? Here you go

[SteveW]

Laserdisc players and discs. I've got 4 LD players (an old top-load Pioneer, an RDI Halcyon, a generic late-model Pioneer, and a nice CLD-D604 that even does digital frame effects and karaoke!) and about 600 discs.

Dude, you've gotta tell us about that one. One of the rarest consoles of all time. Wasn't it supposed to be a computer too? What's it like to use?

[christianscott27]

Move houses a couple of times and you'd be amazed how fast you pare down your collections. Even before I started game collecting I had a thing for thrift stores, yard sales etc. I used to collect old clocks in a big way, especially the GE red dot clocks, at one point I had 30 of em. I was all about bakelite tube radios, man they look so good even if they never work and only get AM when they do. I had a nice boxed 2-XL, a Dark Tower board game and lots of funky lamps. Like I said though, a few moves and you're down to just a few favorites. I guess I've lost the bug where I had to leave a thrift store with something, anything to show for it.

 

I still have a massive handheld/tabletop games collection but to me thats part and parcel of the whole videogame thing, I do draw the line at Simon or Perfection type games.

[SteveW]

I guess I've lost the bug where I had to leave a thrift store with something, anything to show for it.

I used to have that bug too, but lately i've come to realise how much junk i've got. I've got loads of storage tubs filled with all sorts of things. Nowadays, i've started passing things by if I don't have any need for them. I can't pick up everything I see because it's kind of cool.

 

Today, I bught a Coleco Zaxxon tabletop game. I couldn't help it, i've wanted to pick some of these classics up for years, but I never find them for sale. But my local source for all things classic, the guy out at the flea market with all the marvels of early '80s electronics for sale, had one for $35. I couldn't resist. I guess the bug bit too hard.

[Student Driver]

Laserdisc players and discs. I've got 4 LD players (an old top-load Pioneer, an RDI Halcyon, a generic late-model Pioneer, and a nice CLD-D604 that even does digital frame effects and karaoke!) and about 600 discs.

Dude, you've gotta tell us about that one. One of the rarest consoles of all time. Wasn't it supposed to be a computer too? What's it like to use?

 

Sorry to disappoint-- after the disastrous test-market of the Halcyon system, a liquidator sold off the spare Halcyons as stand-alone LD players. Apparently RDI had more badged players than full systems. Most Halcyons out there are bare players.

 

I got the player specifically because of the video game connection, but unless I find the keyboard and stuff out there, I won't know what the full experience is like.

[SteveW]

Well, that sucks. But at least I know to start looking more closely at laserdisk players when I find them in the wild. I usually find Pioneer units when i'm looking, but now I know to keep my eyes open for a Halcyon.

[ewing92]

The oldest computer I've got is a texas instrument home computer TI-99/4A. I have 2 old rotary phones(which I use lol), an old microwave(does that count?).

[+atari2600land]

Sure. Microwaves count. Up until a few years ago, I was using one that was at least 10 years old. We had a VCR that worked for about 15 years when it finally died about 10 years ago.

[Dave Farquhar]

I have a couple of the old Western Electric phones from the AT&T monopoly days (the first time around). I use them too. I like the look, and they're built like tanks so they'll probably still be working in 100 years. I also have the console TV that was in my family room when I was a kid. It still works fine.

 

I used to do some video production as a hobby, and I used a Commodore 1702 monitor connected to the composite output of my editing board. It's hard to find a better monitor for that, and you'll pay more when you do find one. The display is clear and they run forever. I also used a very old Hitachi VCR when I had to do stuff on VHS, but it finally died. That's a shame, because the VCRs made in the last few years are total junk.

 

I'm sure I have more than that, but those are the things I can think of right away that get regular use (or did until recently).

Edited July 31, 2006 by Dave Farquhar

[Dusk2600]

have

 

samsung tv 1970 era used it up till last month, knobs and color. my first tv, i love it, it is now in the garage

vcr 1980's

 

tomy pinball table top game

Merlin

2 old walkie talkies

speak and spell

 

the professor(ti calculator for kids 1978)

Edited July 31, 2006 by Dusk2600

[nester]

Hmm, well I do have a record player, but it is from the mid-90s so it doesn't really count. I guess I do have a couple of old keyboards and an old word processing typewriter. There's just a certain charm to 80s electronics that I can't quite explain.

[SteveW]

I used to do some video production as a hobby, and I used a Commodore 1702 monitor connected to the composite output of my editing board. It's hard to find a better monitor for that, and you'll pay more when you do find one. The display is clear and they run forever.

My uncle has a side business doing videos for weddings, recitals, that kind of thing. He's got a couple of Commodore monitors in his editing room, too. He's never even owned a Commodore 64. It's just that those things are incredibly reliable, and will last until the end of time. When the sun expands and incinerates the Earth, then shrivels to a tiny white drarf until it ultimately uses up it's last nuclear fuel and goes dark, there's going to be nothing left in the solar system except a bunch of Commodore monitors floating in orbit.

[Rockin' Kat]

Hrmm... I have older computer equipment...(like Apple II, C64, Amiga, etc...)

 

I have a couple old portable radios... An old Columbia radio and a little 80's JVC PC100 boombox.

 

I have a big soundesign motorized digital clock radio with a backlit radio display on my nightstand because I just like the way it looks...though I'd really like to take it appart and clean it inside.. I'm just not sure I'd be able to put it back together.

 

I have an old GTE automatic Electric Rotrary phone plugged in here on my desk... and an old bright orange bell trimline wall mount touch tone phone... both these phones have bell ringers.

 

My stereo system consists of a receiver made in 1976, two tape decks made around 1979, a late 1980s 6 disk caddy based cd changer.... all pioneer stuff... also have a Dual 1218 turntable.. I collect music on Records, cassette, and CD...most of my recorded music(excluding Mp3's which I've actually been listoning to less and less) is on Records.

 

I have a couple top loading RCA selectavision Hi Fi VCRs... a side loading Zenith VHS, and a Sony Super Beta Hi Fi and a pioneer laserdisk player....though currently I have no media for the Betamax or laserdisk player so I don't really know if they even work.

Edited July 31, 2006 by SuperPsycho

[eric_ruck]

I have my grandmother's old tube console radio. Size of a large shoebox, sat on the kitchen counter and played AM with that funny tube whine. When she moved to a condo I kept it because I get nostalgic for the sound.

 

Also kept one of my grandfather's old mechanical adding machines for the same reason. You plug it in because it's a deluxe model with a motor to turn the gears rather than that big handle. He'd bring his paperwork home on Sunday and sit for a few hours making that unmistakeable chick-chick-chick-KACHUNK sound.

 

Eric

[Matt Fisher]

I've got a room full of old game systems, computers, LCD/LED/VFD games, etc. Outside of games, but sticking with home entertainment products...

 

RCA CED players and discs. I've got 2 SGT-200 Selectavision players (stereo models!) and about 200 movies. I even have some spare needles.

 

Laserdisc players and discs. I've got 4 LD players (an old top-load Pioneer, an RDI Halcyon, a generic late-model Pioneer, and a nice CLD-D604 that even does digital frame effects and karaoke!) and about 600 discs. This one isn't due to my love for obsolete electronics, though-- high-end video was important to me quite a bit before DVD.

 

A few various record players; an old portable that plays 16s and 78s, and an Aiwa (belt drive, unfortunately) that's in my entertainment center currently to handle 45s and 33 1/3s. A couple of hundred records. My g/f's agreed that we need a Victrola if we marry.

 

Another Indy guy! Truly the land of milk and honey for CED hunters. All those RCA employees must have had rooms full of the things, and they all ended up donating them to the thrift shops. One of my neighbors growing up here was Jim Huck, one of the engineers who developed the system, and he had one in his home. I used to watch them when I babysat for his kid. I didn't know how cool that was at the time. I have an SJT-400 (stereo with interactive!) with extra stylus, an SGT-90, and about 200 movies as well. Just watched Soylent Green on Saturday (great Computer Space cameo).

 

As for other stuff, LD - nothing as cool as a Halcyon, but I have a nice DVL-700 and about fifty discs. Used to have an original DiscoVision, but it gave up the ghost. Atari 800XL with printer, disk drive and casette deck. About 10 handhelds of various kinds. Roland Jupiter 6, Casio CZ-1000, Yamaha DX-7, and E-mu Drumulator synths. Pioneer RT-707, Akai 1800-SS, and Crown 2-track reel-to-reel decks and about 100 tapes (still my favorite music format-analog sound with no clicks or pops!). Technics quad eight-track deck, Pioneer quad receiver, and about fifty tapes. Also have about 1000 LP's and a couple of tables, one with stylus for playing my stack of 78's (don't know how many). Indy also seems to be a great place for old RCA Living Stereo classical LP's from the late 50's and early 60's, of which I have about 150). Rockola 488 juke (although that isn't really HOME entertainment). I'm here, so you should not be surpised to learn that I have tons of game systems, about twenty or so with games to go along with them. I won't go into detail. A floor model Zenith radio that my mom grew up with (fixed for us by Jim Huck, BTW). I guess that's about it...

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: a Victrola XI floor model.

[ComputerCollector]

virtually everything I have is vintage

 

my house

my car

all my electronics

 

everything!