Old Tech .. calculators, computers, etc.

Gellyneck said:
Hey, I've got one of them too.(y)
Oh and a Grundig TK141 reel to reel tape deck from 1970.
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I've got hundreds of old tapes from one of those. Ours was an Akai, bought 1969. I say " was " but it might still be up in the loft. I've also got, and still use, a Kenwood Chef food mixer bought in 1969. Somewhere in the family is my mother's Kenwood Chef, bought in Singapore in 1958 and, after a new external gear box and control system built by my dad, still mixing.

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Eeyore said:
I've got hundreds of old tapes from one of those. Ours was an Akai, bought 1969. I say " was " but it might still be up in the loft. I've also got, and still use, a Kenwood Chef food mixer bought in 1969. Somewhere in the family is my mother's Kenwood Chef, bought in Singapore in 1958 and, after a new external gear box and control system built by my dad, still mixing.
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Nearly bought an Akai 4000DS a couple of years after.
 
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I've got a green LED display calculator from the late 1970s still working and I've got a couple of reel to reel tape recorders of 1960s - 70s vintage that still work. The main issue with old tape recorders is the rubber drive belts and capstans perishing. Sometimes you can revive them with a good clean but all too often the insides are covered in a sticky goo which was once the rubber components. I've got plenty of cameras going way back that still work, including a number of 1931 bakelite Purma Specials - the design work on them is superb and the mechanism inside is as simple as it gets.

Because I trade in old toys and technology I get old stuff on a regular basis and do what I can to restore it, but I don't know much about electronics. My favourite recent find was an early digital camera that stores the images on a 3.5" floppy disc. It works when connected to a power pack but the batteries have had it. One day it'll be a collector's item, but not yet.

I recently found out an easy peasy way to get a ZX Spectrum working on a modern TV via the AV input socket instead of an analogue aerial. If anyone wants to try it, look up ZX Spectrum composite mod on Google.

As I write I'm listening to a modern Micro SD/Bluetooth/USB mini speaker that I've put inside a 1954 wooden radio case. I know that's cheating, but the old style tone is lovely as it resonates inside the wooden box, especially if you play old 1940s tracks.
 
hilldweller said:
You mean you had the one with TWO valves ?
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I remember going for an interview at Wolverhampton College of Technology in late 1967. There were several of us prospective students there. They had one of the old Leo machines (I think, may have been some other model) and the interview panel chairman asked if we would like to see it which, of course, we all did so we trooped into a room with massive valves (about man size) held in 4x4 timber frames.
There has to be one bright spark in any group of course so he (not me) asked "Where's the computer then?". The answer came "You're in it son". :D
 
Commodore Pet computer and disk drive from 1981 in the loft. Plenty of magazines and the manuals. Just can't throw it away. Switch on and straight into use, 8k ram.
 
Still got the Atari with a few games, PacMan Space Invaders, River Raid, Warlord, Air Sea Battle and one or two others. The joy sticks are a bit iffy and the martians tend to win more often than not now.
 
Not a calculator but I still have my eldest sons Commodore 64 that in itself was the beginning to the very lucrative career that he has developed for himself so it has loads of sentimental value to both himself and myself.
 
Nothing like a PC or calculator but my parents still have a microwave they bought in the mid/late 70's, they have used it in the couple of pubs they owned and as back up for my dads cafe's and is still in daily use in their house. They also have an uptodate one but mum prefers the old one even though the timer know has broken several times and been clued back together.
We also have a fridge freezer we bought for our first house 25 years ago it's only used in the garage for drinks.
 
GJH said:
2) Casio SF-4600 Digital Diary, bought around 20 years or so ago, but don't know if it works as it needs new batteries.
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Bought some new batteries today, installed them and pressed the On button. The unit gave a few beeps then died. It's so long since I tried to use it that maybe that was why I replaced it :)

The user manual still works though :LOL:

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I still have my first record player a Crown stereogram which my uncle brought back from Singapore in 1963 the radio works but the turntable drive belt has snapped ,I cant throw it away as its part of my growing up I used to lie on the floor with a speaker to each ear:LOL:
 
mike mcglynn said:
I still have my first record player a Crown stereogram which my uncle brought back from Singapore in 1963 the radio works but the turntable drive belt has snapped
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I bet you could find a replacement belt online.
 
Ty mother had a shop it was the early days of calculators my brother was a bit of a tech guy he bought a calculator showing my old mum.
Who was a walking calculator my old man set a challenge my mum against the calculator mum had it worked out before he even had it switched on.
She would go to the wholesaler I used to go with her she would get all her stock it was always amusing as she worked talked in guand could work it out to the penny before the guy could write the invoice
She was amazing I remember it like yesterday
BILL
 

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