What Is The OLDEST Piece of Working Electronic Equipment . . .
- Thread starter photonrider
- 122 comments
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- 1,600
- ON, Canada
- AMCNUT
- AMCNUT
There's some pretty neat stuff in this thread - it's always cool to see what sort of survivor pieces people have squirreled away out there, still plying their trade long past when most people would have reasonably expected them to stop. Hooray for longevity! đź‘Ť
But... how many people are the original owners of the various bit and pieces in this thread? I know that with my 8-track player, it used to belong to my grandmother and then it was given to me a while ago. Finding tapes is hard, but it's got that cool retro sound - crap quality I'll admit compared to the rest of my stereo, but still cool all the same. I'm just glad that there are other 8-track enthusiasts out there too!
But... how many people are the original owners of the various bit and pieces in this thread? I know that with my 8-track player, it used to belong to my grandmother and then it was given to me a while ago. Finding tapes is hard, but it's got that cool retro sound - crap quality I'll admit compared to the rest of my stereo, but still cool all the same. I'm just glad that there are other 8-track enthusiasts out there too!
- 1,117
- grrlpurple
Aha... I just remembered I have a Cheetah MS6 analogue rack synth from the 80s sitting in it's box in the cupboard too - oh, and it is in immaculate barely used condition too 
- 2,321
- Tijuana
- JuveraTj
Either of these:
A Motorola speaker, and a Raytel multimeter. Both must be from the 70s. I found the speaker on a shed, and got the multimeter as a gift from my teacher.
I'm amazed at how well conservated the multimeter is, it was on its original box, missing only the wrap and the manual (Which I'd like to get, because I don't know how to use the dB meter on it.) it even had the incredibly corroded paper-wrapped batteries, still on their little plastic bag!
A Motorola speaker, and a Raytel multimeter. Both must be from the 70s. I found the speaker on a shed, and got the multimeter as a gift from my teacher.
I'm amazed at how well conservated the multimeter is, it was on its original box, missing only the wrap and the manual (Which I'd like to get, because I don't know how to use the dB meter on it.) it even had the incredibly corroded paper-wrapped batteries, still on their little plastic bag!
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Aha... I just remembered I have a Cheetah MS6 analogue rack synth from the 80s sitting in it's box in the cupboard too - oh, and it is in immaculate barely used condition too
That could be worth a lot of money. Investigate Synthopia.com and you’ll realise that you have a real gem there. The MS6 was cutting edge for its time, and I’m sure that some amateur group would be only to glad to have it. If it’s been barely used, then - convert into cash. Cash = Energy.
Racedude - Wow, don’t you part with that man - it’s real handy, even just as a battery tester. What I like about it is the analog meter. Don’t see too much of that these days. Who knows - Hollywood might call needing it for some movie! Looks in real good condition, too.
Well, as I mentioned before - this is not really a contest (though it would be nice to whack that smug Zenith off its pedestal, haha,) it’s just an exercise in lifestyle management (taking inventory) and I can’t help noticing a slew of game consoles from the past; this shows that we gamers never seem to let go of the gaming stuff we have. More importantly - it shows that there are a lot of gaming pioneers in here!
Looking around now at home I came across my Casio DG-10 Digital Electronic Guitar (hardly play iy now since I’m more into my 12-String Yam’ or my son’s Strat) and discovered that it was made in ’88. Still works. Like new. If it was a car it would be a certified antique.
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
My granddad gave me his old Acorn Electron computer from 1983. It is the slowest thing that I have ever used, I so some occasional programming on it, its kinda weird to see how much everything has moved on in 30 years, at school I do computing gcse with visual basic and it is astonishing the difference.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Very true, lbsf1.
And then just imagine how you would feel about the iPad 3 in forty years, while using your thought-activated brain-implant that is plugged via com-sat into Big BrotherÂ’s Global Cloud 9!
LOL, eh, that iPad is going to meet with a lot of scorn.
"You have to use your fingers....! WUT!" (or the Â’WUTÂ’ of the future).
And then just imagine how you would feel about the iPad 3 in forty years, while using your thought-activated brain-implant that is plugged via com-sat into Big BrotherÂ’s Global Cloud 9!
LOL, eh, that iPad is going to meet with a lot of scorn.
"You have to use your fingers....! WUT!" (or the Â’WUTÂ’ of the future).
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Very true, lbsf1.
And then just imagine how you would feel about the iPad 3 in forty years, while using your thought-activated brain-implant that is plugged via com-sat into Big BrotherÂ’s Global Cloud 9!
LOL, eh, that iPad is going to meet with a lot of scorn.
Slightly worrying that, can we ever come to an ultimate of technology? Anyway that's for another thread.
The acorn Electron is fascinating though its just so simple compared to computers today.
- 15,460
- Orange County, NY
- GTP_GT916
- Nii916
A Really old JVC TV.
You have to hit it for it to work.
You have to hit it for it to work.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Another one from ’88, and in good working order, too; the Casio axe I was talking about:
Aside from a 13" CRT TV from 1999 and an old telephone from the late 80s the oldest equipment would be my dads audio setup.
1977 Pioneer SA-7500 II Amp
1984 JVC T-K100 AM/FM Tuner
Philips 40W Speakers
The amp and tuner work great. The speakers do crackle and pop a little bit though. I couldn't find an exact date of manufacture but they're probably just as old as the amp and tuner.
Notable mention would be my fathers old Olympus OM-10 camera (1979) however I don't know if it still works. Been meaning to get some batteries for it and try it but never get around to doing that.
1977 Pioneer SA-7500 II Amp
1984 JVC T-K100 AM/FM Tuner
Philips 40W Speakers
The amp and tuner work great. The speakers do crackle and pop a little bit though. I couldn't find an exact date of manufacture but they're probably just as old as the amp and tuner.
Notable mention would be my fathers old Olympus OM-10 camera (1979) however I don't know if it still works. Been meaning to get some batteries for it and try it but never get around to doing that.
- 1,105
- Bakewell UK
- dunkrez
- spunwicked
These are probably the oldest electrical items in my house, aside from a small early 80's mixing desk. I just can't bring myself to get rid of them. Hows that for bad taste?
(at least I have the dust covers for them though!)
- 712
- U.K
I have one of those too, at least its in the loft of my mothers house, I think. It still works but I havn't dug it out in years, not much point when there are emulators that work on a PC. Thats probably my oldest still functional item, oh and a couple of speakers from a music centre I bought in the early 80's, I keep meaning to chuck them out...
- 4,209
- Wasilla, AK
Possibly an old Sanyo CRT TV, which I use occasionally for playing old games, since PS2 + HDTV = looks terrible. I'm not even sure when it was made, but it definitely predates my old Gateway computer. Like the TV, I keep it around for old games - this time like NFS High Stakes. It was built in December 1997 and it still works fine. The only non-original parts are the graphics card (because, as I recall, it didn't have one) and the CD drive (becasue the original was slow or something, I forget). The 7.85 GB hard drive is original and still works - no clicks of death, no other funny noises, nothing.
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