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May 7, 2021 4:10 pm  #1


Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

The DAT thread reminded me of obsolete tech and those who can't let them go. 

And here's where I have to make a confession - I still have three VHS VCRs, all of them in working order and excellent condition. It's not that I've used them more than once or twice over the past dozen years, it's just that I can't quite bring myself to throw them out. 

They still work, and I have hundreds of tapes dating as far back as 1977 that have some vintage stuff on them. Will I ever play them? Doubtful. But there's a certain comfort in knowing the machines are there in case I ever decide to go back to one of them. 

I remember when VCRs first came out and I realized this was exactly what I'd been waiting for. I was working my very first paid radio job at CKEY on the evening shift and missing all my prime time shows. And then this gift from the tech gods appeared and I knew right away it was everything I'd been looking for. 

I spent a whopping $1,000 for one of the first RCA Selectavisions back in 1977. (Who knew the prices would fall so hard in later years that you'd be able to get a far better one for about $100?) That original is long gone, but I became so dependent on them that when prices came down, I bought a combo VCR-DVD player, used it once when my other machine was in for repair, then put it back in the box where it remains to this day, forever on standby. I assume it still works. 

I'd love to know what's on all those tapes I also saved. Maybe one day...

In the meantime, I can always go back to my TEAC reel-to-reel (with 7 1/2 and 15 IPS) and my old Pioneer stereo cassette deck. Still have those, too. Those are mostly used to dub old tapes off for friends who can't play them anymore. 

And then there's my grandmother's old Victrola, that sits upstairs as a real antique. It came with a box filled with dozens and dozens of needles, used when the originals wore out playing all those 78s! It has a memory attached to it, too - my late father, gone since 2006 at the age of 86 - recalls he broke it when he was a kid. I don't think they ever fixed it!

Working VCRs




The back-up, only used once.



My all-time favourite VCR - a Panasonic, that allowed you to transmit the setting wirelessly through the remote, at right. Way ahead of its time!


The Victrola. (Note the box of needles on the turntable.) 



The Very First Walkman (note the analogue dial.) 


The Other Walkmans (Note the Aiwa knock-off)






The TEAC Reel-To-Reel



The Stereo Dual Cassette Player

 

May 7, 2021 5:07 pm  #2


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I have a DVD/VCR combo recorder. I can convert VHS to DVD with it and it still works! 
I think it's at least 20 years old, give or take a few years.
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

May 7, 2021 5:24 pm  #3


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

If you have tapes dating back to 1977, I bet Ed at Retrontario would be interested in seeing them.

 

May 7, 2021 5:25 pm  #4


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

RadioActive wrote:

The back-up, only used once.

My parents have this model.

Their VCR before this was a top-loading (!) JVC model from the early 80s, still in use into the early 2000s. I never knew anyone else with a top-loading VCR after about 1991.
 

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (May 7, 2021 5:26 pm)

 

May 7, 2021 5:36 pm  #5


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

MJ Vancouver wrote:

If you have tapes dating back to 1977, I bet Ed at Retrontario would be interested in seeing them.

He might, although I often cut out the spots and IDs, which is what he likes. I'd have to get inspired to do that for him to get them all. But it's an interesting idea. 

MJ Vancouver wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

The back-up, only used once.

My parents have this model.

Their VCR before this was a top-loading (!) JVC model from the early 80s, still in use into the early 2000s. I never knew anyone else with a top-loading VCR after about 1991.
 

I believe it's an LG, the only time I didn't buy a Sony or a Panasonic VCR. Man, those two brands were great machines - until they started eating your VHS tapes.

     Thread Starter
 

May 7, 2021 5:56 pm  #6


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Yup. Video - VHS, Laserdisc and Blu-Ray. Audio - tape deck, minidisc, CD player and turntable. Portable - Minidisc and Walkman-style tape player.

And my kitchen radio:

 

Last edited by Chrisphen (May 7, 2021 5:57 pm)

 

May 7, 2021 6:18 pm  #7


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I'm a bit of a minimalist, so no, mostly not.

The one exception being that I love a good one-purpose table radio, and I've bought quite a few of them over the years. Over the past few, it's made sense to replace some of them with smart-speakers in some locations. So I've got a few of those in storage. That's about it.

Last edited by RadioAaron (May 7, 2021 6:21 pm)

 

May 7, 2021 8:06 pm  #8


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Yes, I still have 3 VCR's including one that is the VCR/DVD combo.

I agree that the VCR was as big of a shift for the consumer as the introduction of tape was to the broadcast industry.

We shot a number of family videos with a camcorder that used the mini-VHS tapes.

I used the VCR's to convert all the VHS tapes to digital and now I can enjoy them (or not) at any time on the computer.

One of the growing limitations however is finding a device that will accept a composite video input.

 

May 7, 2021 8:19 pm  #9


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I had the same combo DVD/VCR from LG that RadioActive showed pictures of.  I chose it in 2005 because I had a Sears branded RCA portable TV with click knobs to change channels with.  The only way to hook cable up to those was with the RF converter.  That LG model was THE ONLY ONE that allowed DVD output through Channel 3 on the television set.

I also had a heavy 1983 29" SelectaVision TV, with great sounding speakers.  I loved that thing.  I've had some nice turntables pass through my apartment, including a Revolver fitted with a Linn Basik V arm, a Luxman PD-277 direct drive table, and a Dual CS-5000 with an OK-ish Sumiko Blue Point high-output MC cartridge.

Alas, I listen to most music on a PC now so, most of that stuff is gone.  I have a Sony linear tracker for my LPs but nothing top-flight

 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

May 7, 2021 8:23 pm  #10


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Hey @RadioActive, what are your impressions of the Teac X1000R?  I've played briefly with an X2000R, and I recall they're both quarter-track machines, right?  How does yours sound?
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

May 7, 2021 8:25 pm  #11


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Bought my first VCR in 1983 for the specific purpose of taping my favourite show, St. Elsewhere. I soon branched out to other shows. VCRs were a godsend for TV buffs back then.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

May 7, 2021 9:31 pm  #12


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Now you're talking my language. I am obsolete technology. I'm a radio guy. Rarely watch TV. I never ever stream audio or video.

Between our place in Ontario and our place in Florida, I have about 40 radios.

The flagship of the fleet here at home is this Palstar receiver.

 
My top radio in Florida is the Grundig Sat 750


 
Several Walkmans that get used regularly. 



 

 

 
 



I have a Kenwood stereo receiver with matching dual cassette deck and matching CD player.

About ten years ago our son gave us a DVD player but we've never used it. Don't know how.

Our phone is on the kitchen wall.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

May 7, 2021 9:36 pm  #13


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

That SONY is the best portable AM receiver I've heard. Full frequency response. Well processed stations sound just great. Mine doesn't have the weather band, though.

turkeytop wrote:

 

 

 

May 7, 2021 9:43 pm  #14


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

RadioAaron wrote:

That SONY is the best portable AM receiver I've heard. Full frequency response. Well processed stations sound just great. Mine doesn't have the weather band, though.

turkeytop wrote:

 

 

Are we talking full 10 Khz response?
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

May 7, 2021 9:46 pm  #15


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

RadioAaron wrote:

That SONY is the best portable AM receiver I've heard. Full frequency response. Well processed stations sound just great. Mine doesn't have the weather band, though.

turkeytop wrote:

 

 

The other unit in that pic, the Sangean sounds really good, but isn't as convenient as the Sony to operate.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

May 8, 2021 6:17 am  #16


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

grilled.cheese wrote:

I've seen a VCR at my parents' house.  They also have a landline.

Hey? I have a landline! It gave me something to talk on when Rogers cell phone service went out for a day.
I also use it to call my cell phone when I can't find it...god help me if someone ever answers though... lol

 

 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

May 8, 2021 7:57 am  #17


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I . .ditched my JVC VCR about five years ago when I upgraded my entertainment system. There was no room on the power bar for it. The only things still in use from my original stereo system [March 1979] is the dual 504 turntable and the AR15 speakers.

 

May 8, 2021 8:04 am  #18


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Radiowiz wrote:

grilled.cheese wrote:

I've seen a VCR at my parents' house.  They also have a landline.

Hey? I have a landline! It gave me something to talk on when Rogers cell phone service went out for a day.
I also use it to call my cell phone when I can't find it...god help me if someone ever answers though... lol
I still have a landline also and yes there have been several instances where I have called my cell to locate it
 

 

 

 

May 8, 2021 9:38 pm  #19


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Jody Thornton wrote:

Hey @RadioActive, what are your impressions of the Teac X1000R?  I've played briefly with an X2000R, and I recall they're both quarter-track machines, right?  How does yours sound?
 

The TEAC X1000R is, indeed, the machine I have and it can be adjusted for single track or quarter track - although I don't think I've ever used the latter. It's pretty good for a home machine, and I wanted the 15 IPS option. I'm not really familiar with the 2000R, but I find TEAC's stuff was pretty reliable. 

In general, the sound on mine is quite good, but I will say a lot really depends on the quality of tape you use or the levels on it when it was recorded more than the machine. As long as you keep it maintained - heads cleaned, lubricated etc. - it's a very nice piece of equipment. Since so much of my old radio stuff that I did started out life on reel, I'm very glad I had it or there would have been no way to save it digitally and my radio past would have disappeared.

I bought a special interface that allows me to hook one end up to an analog machine and the other into my laptop. The real challenge, though, was simply getting motivated to actually do all that dubbing in real time. I finally managed it a few years ago, when I was home from the hospital after an operation. 

It was physically hard and I had nothing but time as I recuperated, so I decided to get it all done right there and then. It took me almost three weeks but almost everything is off tape and now in digital form. A long-term project if you can ever find the time. 

     Thread Starter
 

May 8, 2021 10:01 pm  #20


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

One technology I never used was a Pager. Are they still around? Or have cell phones rendered them obsolete?


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

May 8, 2021 11:10 pm  #21


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

turkeytop wrote:

One technology I never used was a Pager. Are they still around? Or have cell phones rendered them obsolete?

I wore a pager for years.  The best was the two-way Blackberry 950, which allowed the user to type a short response instead of calling a central message centre.  It was a great tool. Today we would call it "texting".  I still have my 950 pager.  The "original" Blackberry.
.

 

May 8, 2021 11:40 pm  #22


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

One thing I've got that nobody's mentioned yet is a working U-Matic deck.  i bought it for $20 through Kijiji from a video production house that -- go figure -- had no further use for it and just wanted the carbuncle out of there.  Still works great.  Used it to transfer some tapes I had and now, the carbuncle takes up space in my office.    And it's a heavy bugger too!

Among my most favourite is a Nakamichi CR-20 cassette deck I bought from someone in Toronto on Ebay for the magic sum of $20 about 10 years ago.  I just transferred a few cassettes to my Sony PCM-M10 recorder and the deck still works like a top.

I've got a JVC semi-pro VHS deck along with a working Beta deck (packed away), an Akai Reel to Reel deck with several boxes of reels ready to be transferred not to mention Digital 8 and minidv cassettes and their camcorders waiting to put into service one last time.

Sometimes, I do wonder if this is all worth it.  When I moved, got rid of a bunch of tapes with tv shows on them.  Nothing the least bit collectible.  Maybe someday I'll get around to transferring all this stuff but it begs the question, who will really care?

A data hoarder's life isn't easy.

 

May 9, 2021 12:17 am  #23


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

In Phase wrote:

turkeytop wrote:

One technology I never used was a Pager. Are they still around? Or have cell phones rendered them obsolete?

I wore a pager for years.  The best was the two-way Blackberry 950, which allowed the user to type a short response instead of calling a central message centre.  It was a great tool. Today we would call it "texting".  I still have my 950 pager.  The "original" Blackberry.
.

Are pagers still useable? Is there a service they can be subscribed to?


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

May 9, 2021 12:30 am  #24


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?


Ah yes, VCR Plus. I never did understand why it was easier to set a 12-digit number than just tell the machine when to record a show. But I guess some people used it. I wasn't one of them.

Looking back at this menu, I'd long forgotten that this VCR was the only one I ever saw with something called "Smart File." It was a system where you could buy some relatively expense special labels (about 10 for $5) to stick on the VHS tapes. They would then capture the name of the show(s) you recorded on those tapes and display them when you put the tape in the machine.

You could then edit them so whenever you wanted to know exactly what was on the tape and in what order, you just stuck it into the machine and it would list the entire contents. This was well before the age of the DVR and I thought it was one of the neatest things I'd ever seen on a VCR, eliminating a problem that used to drive me crazy. (And as I've said before, that was never a long drive!) 

     Thread Starter
 

May 9, 2021 12:38 am  #25


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Peter the K wrote:

One thing I've got that nobody's mentioned yet is a working U-Matic deck.  i bought it for $20 through Kijiji from a video production house that -- go figure -- had no further use for it and just wanted the carbuncle out of there.  Still works great.  Used it to transfer some tapes I had and now, the carbuncle takes up space in my office.    And it's a heavy bugger too!

Among my most favourite is a Nakamichi CR-20 cassette deck I bought from someone in Toronto on Ebay for the magic sum of $20 about 10 years ago.  I just transferred a few cassettes to my Sony PCM-M10 recorder and the deck still works like a top.

I've got a JVC semi-pro VHS deck along with a working Beta deck (packed away), an Akai Reel to Reel deck with several boxes of reels ready to be transferred not to mention Digital 8 and minidv cassettes and their camcorders waiting to put into service one last time.

Sometimes, I do wonder if this is all worth it.  When I moved, got rid of a bunch of tapes with tv shows on them.  Nothing the least bit collectible.  Maybe someday I'll get around to transferring all this stuff but it begs the question, who will really care?

A data hoarder's life isn't easy.

I've got you beat...   I have an Ampex VPR-6 1" VTR w/ the TBC-6 ... I forgot how heavy those things were...   (and a full set of manuals in case, you know....)  Excellent condition....

And a Sony BVW-75 Beta SP deck...  it had really low hours when pulled from use...  again, it weighs a ton...

Sadly, if I ever dared to bring them into the house, my wife would have me bulk erased in divorce court....

 

 

May 9, 2021 7:23 am  #26


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

Glen Warren wrote:

I've got you beat...   I have an Ampex VPR-6 1" VTR w/ the TBC-6 ... I forgot how heavy those things were...   (and a full set of manuals in case, you know....)  Excellent condition....
And a Sony BVW-75 Beta SP deck...  it had really low hours when pulled from use...  again, it weighs a ton...
 

wow

Those VTR's (and their cousins) powered the TV broadcast industry for many decades
 

 

May 9, 2021 7:51 am  #27


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I have a fair share of older tech.

Still owning from back in the day:

Marantz 2235 Receiver

Realistic Receiver

Sony FM and AM stereo Receiver

Custom made but no name speakers from the 70's that sound really nice but my daughter's friend blew one of the pair . Such a shame as they went really well with the Marantz but one speaker still works.

JVC VCR that can record a separate secondary audio track in stereo that is different from the audio on the video. Recorded a few air checks on that including one from David Pritchard on Q 107 from 1992 on which the video and audio on the first track is a music special hosted by John Sebastian. A great machine and the audio on the stereo track was quite good. Kick myself for not using that function more as in slow speed it could record up to 8 hours.

Sony Turntable

Sony VCR

Sony Boombox with radio, CD and cassette

Giant Cerwin Vega speakers that I never really liked but still have

An earlier and smaller Sony Boombox with cassette and radio.

A Sony Transistor radio

Sony CD Player

A CD Walkman

Early generation of Blackberry from maybe 1999 that could do internet and email in black and white that I originally got from work.

Philips and Zeineth DVD players

Realistic Bookshelf speakers.

A 90's era small GE TV set which I have not used for many years but which should still be working fine when hoopked up through tne proper digital to analog eqipment. 

Lots of LP's and 45's and I seem to discover stuff that I bought back in the day that I don't remember buying like the first Country Joe and the Fish album. I always knew that I had their "Electric Music for the Mind and Body" but last week found the first album.

One thing I will add about vintage equipment is that some sounds really nice but I have new and less expensive equipment that can match or beat the vintage stuff in sound quality.

old stuff acquired more recently:

A few 8 track players and a Pioneer 8 track player and recorder. Got these just for air checks as I was never a fan or user of the format back in the day but they have come in handy for air check purposes. With 8 tracks though one lives in perpetual fear that the tape may be playing for the last time before it croaks and they are a pain to repair.

3 reel to reel decks

Pioneer 525 X 70's vintage receiver

Dynaco FM tuner

Sansui receiver

A big set of Realistic speakers. Still sound nice.

Two vintage cassette decks from Sony and Techniques with the analog VU meters. I picked up each from thrift stores for under $ 10.00 each but both have developed issues. May get the Sony repaired and I currently use the Sony Boombox to transfer air checks as the cassette on that is still running fine.

A few items that I now regret parting with. Am not a hoarder but like to experment with diffrent set ups and these  have sentimental value and could have been put into some practical use.

My original and first Realistic FM receiver which I got as a bday present in grade 8 and with which I listened  to CHUM FM and the Buffalo FM stations. Got rid of that about 12 years ago but wish I had not.

A higher version of the Sony FM AM stereo receiver than the one I kept. Got rid of that maybe 6 years ago before I went on my rediscovery kick of AM stereo. The thing was heavy and had some issues but I'm sure it could have been repaired back to full service.

Two Daul Turntables

A Sony Boombox that had RCA inputs and outputs on the back. Was still working whe I got rid of it about 12 years ago and I could have probably used it today to transfer old cassette recorings.

The first Family Sanyo reel to reel on which I recorded many air checks. Got rid of that maybe in the early 2000's and I think that one could have been repaired back to full service. 

Last edited by Fitz (May 9, 2021 8:42 am)


Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

May 9, 2021 9:36 am  #28


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

I'm amazed at the response to this thread. I thought I was the only packrat in this category! Apparently not!

I don't have one of these, but I'm sure there are a ton of people who still do. These Sony TC-142 cassette machines were the workhorses of newsrooms in Canada for decades. They could be carried over your shoulder and even though you wouldn't think radio stations would be satisfied with the sound off a cassette, they were pretty well broadcast quality. Every reporter in the newsrooms where I worked had one. They were almost unbreakable. 



I actually have a great story about the Sonys. We were doing a report on something called Bendectin, an anti-nausea drug for pregnant women that at the time, appeared to be causing major problems for those who took it. The woman who took on this story was a tough old bird who was not easily intimidated and she managed to get an interview with the head of the company that made the drug. 

She plugged her mic into the proper input, placed the recorder on the floor of his office and began asking him some pretty uncomfortable questions. As she was checking her notes, the exec kicked the mic cord right out of the machine, without her noticing. At one point, this smug jackass picked up the cord and showed her that nothing they talked about was caught on tape, smirking at her. 

She got righteously exorcised at him, plugged it back in and finished the Q&A. What this guy didn't know, though, was that the Sony had its own internal microphone that kicked in when the other mic was kicked out. So even though it wasn't as good quality, we enhanced the sound and used it on air, including the part when he jeeringly told her what he'd done. 

It was the best part of the piece and it wouldn't have happened without that Sony. What great machines they were. 

Probably the oddest tape machine I ever worked with was a Nagra. This was a portable reel-to-reel machine, a format that was normally very heavy and not really good for transport. But this thing was quite small and we used to lug it from one interview to another. The quality was great and editing was a lot easier than off the cassette, which had to be transferred to a reel. Although shlepping reels around with you was a huge pain!

 
 
By the way, I don't have any of these machines, but some of the pics came from a great website fans of vintage tech might really like. It's called "Retro Thing" and it explores some of the best tech from days gone by. 

Retro Thing

     Thread Starter
 

May 9, 2021 10:49 am  #29


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

OK, one more and it comes with a personal story. Pictured below is one of the first home reel-to-reel tape recorders, made by a Michigan company called "Wilcox-Gay." (And yes, I know the innuendos of that name write themselves.)

It came with a lid, a handle and a small storage section for tape and ran at speeds of 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 IPS. We always used the slower mode because it saved tape, never realizing what it did for quality. Who knew back then? 



My father bought this before I was even born and I somehow inherited it when I moved out of his house many years later. It doesn't really work anymore, and I've been tempted to try and cue up some of the tapes still in there on my TEAC to hear what's on them, but the tapes are so old I'm not sure if they'd even play without breaking. And I don't have enough splicing tape to try it.

Plus they'd all be on the wrong speed and would have to be slowed down.

Now for that story. As mentioned, my dad bought this long before I was born and one day - when I was still an infant and just starting to talk - my father snuck this in my room, shoved the microphone near the crib and just let it run. He captured the usual baby noises of me trying to speak. (As you can tell, I'm still trying to master that skill!) He treasured that tape and would play it sometimes until the recorder got put in a back room somewhere, long forgotten. 

But I didn't forget. Some 30 years later, I was trying to figure out what to get my dad for Father's Day. He was tough to buy for, and by this time, I was in radio, knew something about production and had a brainstorm. I pulled out the recorder, found the tape and mixed it into one of his favourite songs, put in on a cassette, and then played it to him while we were driving somewhere in his car.

My father was raised in an era where men never showed much emotion, though he was a soft hearted guy. When he heard this mix, it was the only time I ever saw him cry. It was the last thing I ever expected for this impromptu "present" and at first, I felt bad. But after thinking about it, I realized it had deeply touched something in him. And it may have been the best gift I ever gave him. 

He was an amazing man and I miss him to this day.

Anyway, that's what I think of whenever I see this tape recorder.


     Thread Starter
 

May 9, 2021 11:00 am  #30


Re: Do You Still Have Your Old VCR Or Other Equipment?

i find it quite amusing how things & priorities have changed over time.

several moves plus back & forth to university lugged around Studio Lab SL10 speakers, Sony amp,  technics receiver, panasonic turntable + 5-6 milk crates of LPs.

now a days most of my music is via my desktop heard thru Creative Gigaworks T20 desktop speakers : )) .. 

LOL a much smaller footprint ! ..  & yes all that earlier equipment & LPs are still in the TV room basically collecting dust.

Studio Lab SL10 speakers
[img]https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDYwMA==/z/3WEAAOSw241YaFbd/$_59.JPG[/img]

Creative Gigaworks T20 desktop speakers