Old tech you still regularly use?

[Mousse]

Corded phones on a land line. I've even got the Red Phone.😎

Push the button near the bottom front to reveal the dialing buttons.

 

[jerwin]

Broadcast television.

atsc or ntsc?

As for myself, I like Nikon's screw drive lenses-- mainly because they're cheap. Of course, my camera does have a flippy mirror, but Nikon still sells these.

I would like to get my SACD player's laser realigned so that I can listen again to that obsolete format. I do have LPs around, but no turntable.

 

[SuperMatt]

I’m trying to get my first gen iPod so I can use it in my car. Does anyone know if this is compatible with iTunes? It does not appear in iTunes like my other iOS devices do, except this is not an iOS device so I guess not. 🙁 It’s been in my desk for a decade, trying to figure the best way to manage the songs on it. Besides the obvious get a new one, there still a way to back it up to transfer over songs?

View attachment 761930​

I have a working 1st-gen iPod that I bought right after it was first released (around the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002). It loads up normally in the newest version of iTunes. I recently used it to listen to music on a coast-to-coast flight. That way the iPhone can be shut off and have a full battery when I land. I updated its hard drive and replaced its battery recently. If your iPod is a 1st-gen, you'll want to find an old firewire car charger on eBay to charge it while in the car, and you might need a firewire-to-something converter for you current computer if you don't have firewire on the current computer. You can also get an old-school FM transmitter to plug into its headphone jack if your car stereo doesn't have a 3.5-inch jack in it.

Also on the old-tech front, I am typing this post on an original Mac Pro (2006) that I got for free on craigslist.

 

[jdechko]

I’m trying to get my first gen iPod so I can use it in my car. Does anyone know if this is compatible with iTunes? It does not appear in iTunes like my other iOS devices do, except this is not an iOS device so I guess not. 🙁 It’s been in my desk for a decade, trying to figure the best way to manage the songs on it. Besides the obvious get a new one, there still a way to back it up to transfer over songs?

View attachment 761930​

Well, that sent me on a ~1 1/2 hour journey. 😉

I have an old 2nd gen iPod that doesn't work anymore (it was my first Apple product and ultimately what brought me to this site), so you got me thinking what it would take to get it back up and running again. Unfortunately, I stopped using it when the headphone jack broke off, so first thing would be to find a working logic board, then upgrade the battery and put in a CF/SD reader.

I have a working 1st-gen iPod that I bought right after it was first released (around the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002). It loads up normally in the newest version of iTunes. I recently used it to listen to music on a coast-to-coast flight. That way the iPhone can be shut off and have a full battery when I land. I updated its hard drive and replaced its battery recently. If your iPod is a 1st-gen, you'll want to find an old firewire car charger on eBay to charge it while in the car, and you might need a firewire-to-something converter for you current computer if you don't have firewire on the current computer. You can also get an old-school FM transmitter to plug into its headphone jack if your car stereo doesn't have a 3.5-inch jack in it.

Also on the old-tech front, I am typing this post on an original Mac Pro (2006) that I got for free on craigslist.

Nice. Any reason why you opted to put in a new hard drive instead of upgrading to a CF or SD card?

 

[SuperMatt]

Well, that sent me on a ~1 1/2 hour journey. 😉

I have an old 2nd gen iPod that doesn't work anymore (it was my first Apple product and ultimately what brought me to this site), so you got me thinking what it would take to get it back up and running again. Unfortunately, I stopped using it when the headphone jack broke off, so first thing would be to find a working logic board, then upgrade the battery and put in a CF/SD reader.



Nice. Any reason why you opted to put in a new hard drive instead of upgrading to a CF or SD card?

I do not believe any iPod older than the 3rd gen can be updated to flash memory at all. I've scoured the inter webs many times and have never seen anybody do so successfully. If you want to watch somebody fail miserably at this, feel free to watch the video and its follow-ups below. You can see the person basically gives up by switching out for a newer model iPod at some point in the 2nd video. If you have a 3rd-gen or newer, search for iFlash.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I'm a vinyl hobbyist. I have hundreds of LPs, several turntables, and a collection of cartridges. I don't use much other vintage tech, but vinyl is excellent 🙂

 

[SoggyCheese]

atsc or ntsc?

PAL 😉

 

[tominco]

Regularly listen to LP's.

My 19 year old son has started listening to LPs, 45s, and yes, even 78s!
He's a double major EE and Music!

 

[Clix Pix]

I don't seem to use any old tech any more (unless you count my 5G iPod from 2005, and I rarely play it nowadays). In one corner of my living room, though, stands a cabinet with some old tech in -- my old stereo system, complete with tuner and turntable. The speakers make a dandy stand for my Apple Airport Extreme Base Station, though! Haven't played the stereo in years and not sure of how good the needle and cartridge in the turntable are these days so am leery of firing up to see what happens.

 

[OLDCODGER]

Telescopes - both refractor and reflector.

 

[MacDawg]

Telescopes - both refractor and reflector.

Had cheap telescope as a kid growing up
Always wished I had gotten into that more
Same with a microscope
Fascinated with both

What do you usually check out?

 

[artfossil]

Just returned my 2008 30” Cinema Display (last of the matte screens) to my university. Amazing display that still works flawlessly (even though it requires 10 pounds of adapters to hook up to a MacBook Pro.)

Also turned in my 2013 MacBook Pro. Best laptop I’ve ever had.

 

[762999]

mac mini! 😉

just kidding

 

[Huntn]

I have a working 1st-gen iPod that I bought right after it was first released (around the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002). It loads up normally in the newest version of iTunes. I recently used it to listen to music on a coast-to-coast flight. That way the iPhone can be shut off and have a full battery when I land. I updated its hard drive and replaced its battery recently. If your iPod is a 1st-gen, you'll want to find an old firewire car charger on eBay to charge it while in the car, and you might need a firewire-to-something converter for you current computer if you don't have firewire on the current computer. You can also get an old-school FM transmitter to plug into its headphone jack if your car stereo doesn't have a 3.5-inch jack in it.

Also on the old-tech front, I am typing this post on an original Mac Pro (2006) that I got for free on craigslist.

I have a USB plug that is compatible with it’s connector and when I plug it into my MBP it says it is charging but the charge bar does not seem to fill up, should it? Mine does not appear in iTunes, but it appears like it is functional. I assume maybe incorrectly that If I plugged in the compatible USB cord to my USB port in my car, that the car might pick it up. I guess I should try it. I realize I should be getting a new ipod, and my interest is transfering all of it’s music over to a newer model iPod.
[doublepost=1526515485][/doublepost]

Well, that sent me on a ~1 1/2 hour journey. 😉

I have an old 2nd gen iPod that doesn't work anymore (it was my first Apple product and ultimately what brought me to this site), so you got me thinking what it would take to get it back up and running again. Unfortunately, I stopped using it when the headphone jack broke off, so first thing would be to find a working logic board, then upgrade the battery and put in a CF/SD reader.



Nice. Any reason why you opted to put in a new hard drive instead of upgrading to a CF or SD card?

The battery can be upgraded? Should I be fixing this iPod up or replacing it? 🙂

 

[ActionableMango]

I’m trying to get my first gen iPod so I can use it in my car. Does anyone know if this is compatible with iTunes? It does not appear in iTunes like my other iOS devices do, except this is not an iOS device so I guess not. 🙁 It’s been in my desk for a decade, trying to figure the best way to manage the songs on it. Besides the obvious get a new one, there still a way to back it up to transfer over songs?

I thought you could put those in Firewire disk mode and copy MP3 files over directly.

Frankly, I'm surprised the battery still works.

 

[Huntn]

I thought you could put those in Firewire disk mode and copy MP3 files over directly.

Frankly, I'm surprised the battery still works.

I’m researching it.
[doublepost=1526517342][/doublepost]

I’m trying to get my first gen iPod so I can use it in my car. Does anyone know if this is compatible with iTunes? It does not appear in iTunes like my other iOS devices do, except this is not an iOS device so I guess not. 🙁 It’s been in my desk for a decade, trying to figure the best way to manage the songs on it. Besides the obvious get a new one, there still a way to back it up to transfer over songs?

View attachment 761930​

GUYS, MY BIG MISTAKE, I have a 4th gen iPod, 40 Gb. 😳

 

[OLDCODGER]

Had cheap telescope as a kid growing up
Always wished I had gotten into that more
Same with a microscope
Fascinated with both

What do you usually check out?

I usually use the 4" refractor for Solar System events, and the 6" reflector for wide angle Milky Way viewing and solar flare viewing - though not so much now that age is a limiting factor.

 

[rhett7660]

Someone else mentioned it, Vinyl records. That is pretty much the farthest I go back when it comes to "old" technology.

There is something about putting a record on, or any type of media playback for that matter, sitting back in a nice comfortable location, with a glass of your favorite beverage, and just relaxing and listening. Yes you have to flip the darn thing, but that is the excuse to get yourself another beverage... "Since I am up anyways!" 🙂

 

[whooleytoo]

I still use a Marantz 2245 receiver, manufactured sometime around 1973. It cost $449 45 years ago!

That's great! I hate that most/all receivers look almost identical these days. I'd love to see something a bit different.

 

[SuperMatt]

I’m researching it.
[doublepost=1526517342][/doublepost]
GUYS, MY BIG MISTAKE, I have a 4th gen iPod, 40 Gb. 😳

Then you can put a flash drive in it. Go to iflash.xyz and there are connectors you can get.

 

[Huntn]

Then you can put a flash drive in it. Go to iflash.xyz and there are connectors you can get.

Thanks for the info!
Does it currently have a flash drive? Sometimes I hear noises coming from it. My concern centers on moving the music on it to a new device.

 

[SuperMatt]

Thanks for the info!
Does it currently have a flash drive? Sometimes I hear noises coming from it. My concern centers on moving the music on it to a new device.

I don't know what's wrong with your iPod, but every iPod classic comes with a hard drive, not flash drive. Flash drives could be added by anybody who wanted to take them apart by a 3rd-party adapter like the ones from iFlash (3rd gen and later only). I highly doubt you have one that was modded in that way.

 

[Tech198]

This one:

My Amiga joystick 😀 QuickJoy Topstar

 

[0388631]

Vinyl records and FAX off the top of my head.

 

[bradl]

A VCR.

Yes, I said it, an RCA VHS VCR. Back in the day when both MTV and VH1 played music videos, I recorded them on a T120, T130, or T160 tape. at SLP speed, the T-120s got you 6 hours of recording time, while the T130s got you 8 hours, and the T160s got you 10 hours. I filled up 3 or 4 of those with nothing but 80s music videos, and still have them to this day. I'm getting those converted to a single stream digital format, because not even dual layer DVDs or Blu-Ray has that length for contiguous recording.

While it's more sentimental for me (hell, I put a lot of effort into recording those videos, some of which haven't been seen since they aired!), there are a lot of gems on there. Outside of those, I have some old 1980s toons that haven't been seen in a while, let alone episodes of something like Star Trek: The Next Generation, even with the commercials. While cut commercials save time on the tape, they are more rare and nostalgic than the actual shows themselves.

BL.