You haven't listened to Bob Dylan until you have heard him on the original 8-track. And you haven't heard that unless it was through a failed Learjet product with dodgy belts.
@mykelevangelista6492 Жыл бұрын
It sounded like a parody of a drunk wedding singer.
@TheAntibozo Жыл бұрын
When re-gluing a plastic post as you have done here, a zip tie around it is handy to clamp it, and may be trimmed and left on unless it interferes with some other protrusion.
@Damien.D Жыл бұрын
I use a copper tube of a right size. Maybe it's a bit too much but it's a definitive repair. If the screw is loose (thread ripped), just stick a wooden toothpick before screwing it back!
@Stefan- Жыл бұрын
I have had good luck with using fiberglass mesh drywall tape that i had lying around as reinforcement on plastic things i thought would never hold up for gluing and it has worked surpricingly well, i usually use it with cyanoacrylate glue, i would totally glue that around that post. I just put the tape on and cover it with glue. Im a pro in electronic repairs but i came up with this method on my own by chance, its just something i have used for my own things at least so far and it would be more of a last resort solution in a pro scenario. Using zip tie may certainly be a good option as well in this case, the fiberglass mesh is great in that it can be adapted to reinforce many different shapes of objects as well, you can take off single strands etc.
@andrealotito4412 Жыл бұрын
an alternative to zip ties i use is heatshrink tubing! once you first glue the broken post together, you wet its surface by cyanoacrylate and quickly slide the heatshrink on it and heat it up. The combination of tightly shrunken tubing and superglue makes it nice and sturdy! if there's enough room surrounding the post you can do it twice to make it even more solid
@xaenon Жыл бұрын
@@andrealotito4412 That's a really good idea! I'm gonna have to remember that!
@erwindewit4073 Жыл бұрын
@@xaenonI thought exactly the same thing!
@ScottGrammer Жыл бұрын
I'm a big fan of your videos. May I make a suggestion about measuring belt diameter? Fold the old belt so that it's flat on the table and straight, and measure the inside length in that position. Divide that reading by 1.57 and you have the actual diameter of the old belt. Then order one a tad smaller and you're good to go. This from an audio repair tech who's been fixing stereos since 1977.
@Techmoan Жыл бұрын
thanks for the tip.
@ScottGrammer Жыл бұрын
@@Techmoan You're welcome. Keep up the great content. I never miss your videos.
@ade1963 Жыл бұрын
easy as Pi
@Smileyrat Жыл бұрын
I am curious where those numbers come from. Why 1.57 and the inside of the ring?
@lekobiashvili945 Жыл бұрын
@@Smileyrat The circumference of a circle divided by π equals the diameter. Since we measure half the circumference (belt is folded), then we need to use half the π too (~3.14 / 2 = 1.57).
@ThatSoddingGamer Жыл бұрын
When the light went on, I was like _"Wait, it's working now for some reason? Will he notice?"_ and so he did. It's a happy if inexplicable occasion when things you thought were broken just start working again for no good reason.
@OneRoomShed Жыл бұрын
New Techmoan videos hit like 80's Saturday morning cartoons for us western folk.
@perrybarton Жыл бұрын
Or, for some of us, ‘60s Saturday morning cartoons. 🤓
@macdaniel6029 Жыл бұрын
I love the style of this "boombox", nobody would expect an 8-track player in it.
@stvlu733 Жыл бұрын
I got the Panasonic stereo "Swiss cheese " player and the GE mono version of this one shown in the video. The mono sounds the best because it has a slightly bigger speaker. There is another version called the "loud mouth" like this.
@CantankerousDave Жыл бұрын
Nobody expects the-
@stvlu733 Жыл бұрын
@@CantankerousDave Dead parrot, comfy chair, nigh nigh!. I don't know what?
@georgejones3526 Жыл бұрын
@@CantankerousDave - “Spanish Inquisition”!
@jimdayton883711 ай бұрын
@@stvlu733 I have one of those too! The GE Loudmouth and Blaster sound great as well.
@stormstereo Жыл бұрын
I occasionally tinker with electronics myself and this video gave me that warm feeling again, from when you've really not done anything specific to the light, but it just decides to start working again. Love it!
@Techmoan Жыл бұрын
Yes I think it was just oxidisation on a contact, so it cleaned off with a bit of use - always good when something like that happens.
@kaitlyn__L Жыл бұрын
@@Techmoansince it looks like neon bulbs, my bet is the one contact that’s activated on DC was too dirty but the other contact (only on AC do both activate) was fine. Since neons need a higher strike voltage than operating voltage, the higher resistance probably impeded that initial strike on DC. Hopefully once it ran a while on AC it got through any oxidation and will work on DC!
@mrnmrn1 Жыл бұрын
@@kaitlyn__L Not much chance they are neons. Incandescent bulbs with orange filters. This thing operates on 12V, neon lamps need 60-80V to strike. It was just a bad contact, it is common enough with low voltage stuff that a very faint layer of oxide/dirt will prevent any current flow, but if it's a wiping contact, some usage might just clean that unwanted layer off.
@kaitlyn__L Жыл бұрын
@@mrnmrn1 unless there’s proof of no capacitor boost circuit the battery native output voltage doesn’t mean much, neons were the most common indicator lamps and there’s the characteristic slight flicker when it’s powered from AC on the Jackery.
@mrnmrn1 Жыл бұрын
@@kaitlyn__L That would have been quite a Rube Goldberg approach to make a voltage booster just for the track display... I can't notice any flicker, only during track skip, and that is due to the contacts. BTW incandescent lamps do flicker slightly on AC, Mat probably used his camera in 50Hz mode, so any slight 60Hz flicker should be visible - I can't see any. The track display runs on DC most probably. The only benefit of neon lamps in this application would be their longer lifespan, but if the goal is an orange glow like this, an underheated incandescent bulb works just fine, and has a lifetime that exceeds the lifetime of the tape transport.
@davebirch1976 Жыл бұрын
It isn't officially Saturday morning until I've watched the latest Techmoan video.
@erichobbs4042 Жыл бұрын
Saturday night for those of us in Australia, but yeah. It's part of my Saturday evening ritual 😊
@xiaoka Жыл бұрын
I was about to say ‘is it Saturday already?!’ (Evening here in japan…)
@richardadamson1438 Жыл бұрын
Agreed.
@attack0nmem0ry Жыл бұрын
An early morning cheers, indeed. ☕
@shnibby69 Жыл бұрын
Waking and baking with Mat here in the Hoosier state!
@Phryj Жыл бұрын
It's almost like the GE machine actually WANTED to work normal again. The one part you can't get to decides to fix itself. Very nice!
@BobBell808 Жыл бұрын
I'm going to go against the grain, but I believe the Lear Jet Stereo 8 is the real "diamond in the rough" device here. I'm sure it would require quite the restoring to get it back to it's intended condition, but comparatively speaking, I'm way more impressed with the engineering of the Lear Jet. Full disclosure, I knew Bill Lear, I was his attorney's son, and I had a friend who had this same machine. The intended design of the machine was to leave it in a semi-permanent location, like a dorm-room. Then, you detached the one speaker and took the player as a single-speaker player. There's missing hardware that would secure the two sides together and would separate by pressing that button on the side. I believe this unit was originally sold as early as the late 60s, which makes it considerably older than the GE, which appears to me to be a Sanyo OEM, and probably has a lot of the electronics shared with a cassette version. Don't get me wrong, if I wanted an 8-track 'boombox' to listen to, I would go with the GE. I just appreciate the engineering that went into the Lear Jet. Great video!
@davidbutler8096 Жыл бұрын
Just read his profile...interesting man with an unbelievable story. My condolences, although he's been gone a long time.
@thomasmcd Жыл бұрын
I think I realised my favourite musical genre is any music played at the wrong speed... it is glorious
@attack0nmem0ry Жыл бұрын
I got right to about @11:28, and instantly agree. 🤣
@perrybarton Жыл бұрын
😆
@Zadster Жыл бұрын
It always reminds me of Mark and Lard from Radio 1 back when it was actually worth listening to. Lard's Classic cuts. "Is that record hard to find?" "In that condition, yes"
@florianm3170 Жыл бұрын
I started imagining Johnny Cash doing Bob Dylan Covers at one point!😁
@bobblum5973 Жыл бұрын
One of the few good things about waking up at 4AM US time, is finding a fresh Techmoan video to make insomnia worth it! On with the watching! 🤩
@xiaoka Жыл бұрын
6pm out here in Asia already.
@Shineyongs. Жыл бұрын
Let's watch the video at 7pm Korean time
@toposebi95 Жыл бұрын
Really like the look of the GE boombox, nice industrial design aesthetic.
@OriginalRitz Жыл бұрын
Agreed. The orange accents really pop. Very appealing design.
@Breakfast_of_Champions Жыл бұрын
You can always give ancient plastic parts like this one a soak with glycerin first and a silicone oil rubdown second. This works well against the plastic drying up and becoming brittle with fine cracks eventually.
@HeyMJ. Жыл бұрын
Thanks for commenting re hydrating & protecting older plastics. Do you prefer a specific brand of glycerin and/or silicon oil? Is there any product that you’d avoid using? Thanks again!
@Breakfast_of_Champions Жыл бұрын
@@HeyMJ. Not really, I just got the pure glycerin from the pharmacy, they'll fill little bottles for you. And silicone oil is available as a lubricant, should also be pure, at most with an evaporating solvent for use in a spray can.
@SonicBoone56 Жыл бұрын
Never heard of this technique before
@Breakfast_of_Champions Жыл бұрын
@@SonicBoone56 Plastics tend to become brittle by losing evaporating additives, it's worst with flame retardant and soft parts.
@rickard9294 Жыл бұрын
Is this a treatment that can be applied to belts in plastic bags to prolong their life if they are i.e. likely they will be untouched for a long time before use?
@piccolo1976 Жыл бұрын
Love the rare and obscure equipment demonstrated here, it's always an entertaining education watching this channel
@Rossv2motion11 ай бұрын
Love the rare and obscure equipment demonstrated here, it's always an entertaining education watching this channel
@nickk6518 Жыл бұрын
In another time, Techmoan would have been the perfect presenter on Tomorrow's World, or The Open University!!
@stephenemmett9753 Жыл бұрын
I know, right? Techmoan definitely does have the Tomorrow's World or Open University type of presentation that I just love!
@stvlu733 Жыл бұрын
The reason the tape came out of the cart is that you were playing it upside down. This wasn't a problem with very early made carts because it had a mechanism inside that kept the tape spooled on the reel. Modern carts just mostly re-spool using a guide in the plastic of the tape housing and gravity to spool. If a tape is played upside down, it will unevenly spool and may even jam once it reaches the middle, causing a stuck tape.
@stvlu733 Жыл бұрын
Don't store your tapes upside-down if you are in a vehicle moving with vibrations, which also causes the tape to unspool. They can be left like this, maybe only for a very short while.
@KarlAdamsAudio Жыл бұрын
Who knew that the 8-track 'program select' button would serve as a 'copyright strike avoidance' button decades later? Also, I love the blue anodized panel on the Learjet unit, that colour really 'pops'.
@JauneMacReady Жыл бұрын
Another outstanding show. Thank you. Not sure how you can tell if something's not playing right by using Bob Dylan though! Poor Bob 😂
@peterlarkin762 Жыл бұрын
Bob has built in wow and flutter:)
@gwishart Жыл бұрын
Bob Dylan's the perfect test for 8-tracks. If the singing is in tune, with a consistent tempo; then you know something's wrong with the player.
@JauneMacReady Жыл бұрын
@@gwishart 🤣 brilliant!
@JauneMacReady Жыл бұрын
@@peterlarkin762 🤣 True! And he's not done bad for himself 😃
@wilneal8015 Жыл бұрын
@@peterlarkin762 😮 It's Gonna Be A SAD💔 Day when Bob D.😇 Passes Away😔🥇💤🌟🙏🌀
@undefined40 Жыл бұрын
At 21:05 you can see that there is also a black screw that attaches the black plastic you tried to remove to the front. The knob seems to go to the cog visible in the yellow-ish metal below that black plastic, it may not hinder you removing the black plastic once you loosened all three screws. Edit: Well, as the light is magically working now, there is ofc no need to remove it anymore.
@jayschafer1760 Жыл бұрын
I love that metallic blue color around the knobs on that first device. Gorgeous color blue, would look awesome on the right type of vintage sports car.
@RonnieBarzel Жыл бұрын
Techmoan’s reputation is so great that No. 1 light bulb knew it was going to work one way or another, so it just fixed itself.
@NaoPb Жыл бұрын
That light coming on on the #1 channel in the end means that it's happy that you restored it and that you're a #1. P.S. what a great looking boombox that is.
@Wurlyscope Жыл бұрын
That Lear-Jet model reminds me of my younger years at the beach as my neighbor had one. It spent many nights outside but each years it was there to entertain us. The simple 8-track mechanism was not affected by the sand they way cassette system were. Thanks!
@Brookspirit Жыл бұрын
A fiberglass pen cleans up battery contacts well, also, winding string around the back of a knob will lift it off without damaging the plastic surface.
@mikefellhauer3350 Жыл бұрын
Tip about the knob that wouldn’t come off…sometimes there’s a setscrew in it in the end of the raised section, usually opposite the side with the indicator arrow.
@paulsmall5122 Жыл бұрын
It's always amazing to see how much more pleasing mechanical electrical devices were, compared to todays devices. Guess I'm getting old and nostalgic.. :)
@LakeNipissing Жыл бұрын
General Electric radios from this era had some of the best AM tuners to be found in portables. The track 1 indicator light was likely out due to oxidation of the mechanical track position switch linked to the tape head positioning mechanism. Operating it a few times scratched through the oxidation.
@djdoo Жыл бұрын
When I saw the 1st program light coming up I really felt that it was a way of the device to say Thank You for bringing me back to life and for your kind words! Great video as always mate keep up, cheers from Greece
@johnkendrick7304 Жыл бұрын
It was very common for 8-tracks to sound like that even when there was nothing wrong with them but we used to do is wedge a matchbook with the 8-track cartridge until it sounded correct usually done the trick
@Dave01Rhodes Жыл бұрын
I’ve heard of that trick to fix misaligned tapes and stop bleed-in from the other programs. Does it work for speed issues too?
@johnkendrick7304 Жыл бұрын
Yes I added my message before I realized there was an elastic rubber band for a belt
@johnkendrick7304 Жыл бұрын
I guess not really for speed? You know what I cannot really remember to be honest. It was a long time ago
@jimdayton883711 ай бұрын
@@Dave01Rhodes I think he's referring to the pressure pad. They were a piece of foam or felt that's job was making sure the tape properly contacts the playback head. If the foam denigrates with age (And they often do) it can cause crosstalk (multiple tracks playing at once) or loss of audio quality. Has nothing to to do with speed issues thought, If you're having those, it's caused by the player.
@Lethgar_Smith Жыл бұрын
Yes, that olive drab, military hardware look was very popular in the late 70s. Every piece of portable audio equipment had that styling. I remember it well. Oddly, it's hard to come by now. I've looked for it in the usual places like ebay but I rarely see examples of it
@Hugmir Жыл бұрын
Thanks to people like you we can still collectively actively remember these devices and continue to have them in our discourse, re-learning them and re-considering their values. This witness/memory duty is a really important part of our existence, I would dare think.
@andrewchapman2039 Жыл бұрын
Love the light coming back on for no particular reason, always nice for the gremlins to throw you a bone!
@nmccw3245 Жыл бұрын
I imagine the internal switch contacts were a little corroded and a few cycles through the track steps rubbed them clean just enough to work again.
@nvrndingsmmr Жыл бұрын
My face lit up when the GE roared to life at 20:07 and sounded so loud and clear! I gasped out loud when I saw the light for Channel 1 flicker on for a split second at 23:54, did it start working again?! Brilliant! Thanks for the great video, it's so nice to see these machines getting restored and coming back to life!
@igorszamaszow171 Жыл бұрын
6:08 you just switch the radio on and it's playing "Gimme Shelter". I love it
@Bleats_Sinodai Жыл бұрын
The Learjet reminded me that there were a few pesonal stereos ("walkmen") that would come with a pair of speakers to use it as either a mini stereo set, or would attach to the tape player to become a mini boombox. I wonder if you ever stumbled upon those.
@thomaswilliams2273 Жыл бұрын
My parents had a dual cassette boom box and one of the tape players was removable to use as a personal portable. I discovered I could plug something else into the input and use it as an amp. I also had a set of boom box speakers that held a radio you could remove.
@Blitterbug Жыл бұрын
Competent yet down to earth as always, Mat. Very enjoyable. Loved the cynical pop at the 'ooh, you can't mix batteries' brigade! Extra points for the epoxy; I'm so tired of youtubers trying to repair structural elements with CA glue.
@antking8847 Жыл бұрын
Best I've ever heard Bob Dylan! Great stuff takes you right back
@pustulioyo Жыл бұрын
Random sentimental thought, but when I heard "The Times They Are a-Changin'", I thought about my friend Brian. He unfortunately passed away of a fentanyl overdose 4 years ago and they played that as everyone walked up to his casket at the funeral. Thank you so much for the countless hours of entertainment!
@my3dviews Жыл бұрын
That is similar to how my Dad's reel to reel tape recorder from the 60s had speakers attached. They did latch on better, buy you had to hide the wires inside every time you put it back together. It did sound pretty good though.
@padraigcollins6525 Жыл бұрын
Another brilliant video, Mat. Makes me wish my parents hadn’t thrown out the eight tracks and the player they had in the late 70s, early 80s. I was too young to object even if I had seen them being chucked, though. I was far more upset to discover that my football cards had been deemed surplus to requirements.
@wilneal8015 Жыл бұрын
😮🗿Did You Remember to Thank Yer Parents?¿?¿😵‼️💔😠☠️
@michaelscheel9533 Жыл бұрын
Sounds like my stepfather. He hated anything that wasn't his. Can't tell of the things he that he thought was trash, If it wasn't his that is.
@benji.B-side Жыл бұрын
As an old school B-Boy, I would have happily carried that RCA 3-5531A Boombox, as me and my crew carried our rolled up canvas/cardboard, down to the shopping centre, to bust some moves. 😃 Love a Saturday morning with a cuppa and A Techmoan video upload, so relaxing. B-Boys will always be boys!! Respect, peace and love!
@m.k.8158 Жыл бұрын
Not RCA, But General Electric
@thaddeusmcgrath Жыл бұрын
GE carried quality electronic products in those days. I found a GE 1985 19" TV at a antique store that I just plugged in and worked with just a few adjustments to the pots inside to bring back the picture brightness. Was made in Indiana but was close to the last few TV models made in the US. I have not found any GE products from the 80's with leaking caps yet, knock on wood.
@kingforaday8725 Жыл бұрын
When looking through electronics sections of catalogs from stores like Radio Shack, Penneys, Sears, Wards and countless others (Im sure the UK had their equivalents) Im amazed at the variety of models!!! Always wondered where these designs came from as they varied from store to store. There were name brands like Sony, GE, RCA, etc, store brands, and then just generic names.
@rizzlerazzleuno4733 Жыл бұрын
When this stuff was being made it all came from factories in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong. The 8-track mechanism came from just a few factories, the electronics were very similar, but the thing that set them apart was the exterior design. Plastic production had replaced most wood or metal and thus, even before computer modeling, it was quite easy to customize the audio devices. There was a never ending array of faceplates, knobs, buttons, switches, etc, all in lovely chromed plastic. Many models changed exterior appearance every year, but the stuff inside was mostly the same. All Radio Shack (Realistic) audio stuff can be found with other brand names, but often with very different cosmetics.
@P_RO_ Жыл бұрын
When these portable 8-Track players were new they were noted as battery-eaters because of the excess friction of tape feeding from the center. That also made tape breakage more likely. When cassettes came along everyone was more than happy to abandon the 8-Track, and portable players would play 3- 4 times the music off the same set of batteries.
@SkyChaserCom Жыл бұрын
Bob Dylan too ... My parents had that same album on 8 Track! These old devices you demo are just plain awesome. And the fact you get most of them back up and running is even more awesome!
@mathuetax Жыл бұрын
I love the look of that Lear Jet 8-track.
@briankeenan4901 Жыл бұрын
Hail from Chicago. I've had the honor of repairing an early Lear Jet automobile 8 track player. Lear himself invented the eight track player. On an early model, It did not have a belt. The flywheel was mounted directly to the capstan that drove the tape and it was also the armature of the motor,it was direct drive.. It was a wonderful piece of engineering. Very heavy and industrial looking. I don't believe the unit was repairable, but to see it in use was a marvel in itself.made in the U.S.A.
@jordantomblin2302 Жыл бұрын
Those GE boomboxes really were the last great 8 track players in my opinion. They were built like absolute tanks and you still see a ton on eBay from what I remember.
@illgiveyoustars Жыл бұрын
A boombox with an 8 track player that's so frigging cool. Your channel has reignited my passion for "old school" audio equipment (particularly boomboxes). Have so many fond memories of using them
@leemaniac9091 Жыл бұрын
I was so happy when bulb 1 started working just because you talked about it and wiggled the bit near it.
@JTabarlet Жыл бұрын
The loose belt on the LearJet 8-track transforms Bob Dylan into Kris Kristofferson!
@GenericSweetener Жыл бұрын
Ooh, got a Varta battery in there. Best get that sorted! These repair videos are always great, I always really appreciate how you keep things in chronological order rather than just saying it needs a new belt, here’s one I ordered earlier. Regardless of if the thing under repair works at the end it’s a joy to see inside these machines with you!
@HandyAndyTechTips Жыл бұрын
Well, that's my Saturday night sorted 😁 A new Techmoan video is one of the highlights of the weekend these days.
@ferrero8 Жыл бұрын
We used to make a concoction of cleaning agent for plastics when we had a computer shop back then. It's just a combination of Wipe Out and Denatured Alcohol. It cleans the discoloration of plastics like that. We use it on CRT monitors. My older brother taught me about that because thats what they use in the company where he works. They service big companies (they are one of the official service center of IBM) that uses POS, computers, typewriters etc. that has plastic housing on the machines
@daShare Жыл бұрын
I'd say the track 1 lamp not working initially is down to a dirty switch contact on the selector cam.
@Many_Sparrows Жыл бұрын
I like to think Mat goes to lots of local dance battles and that’s why he is always after the next best boombox!
@leonardomarquez9551 Жыл бұрын
Also explains that vinyl boombox lol
@gtretroworld Жыл бұрын
I wasn’t aware 8 track was a thing in a compact boombox design especially so late in the 70’s.Thanks for the video.👍
@NikkiM11 Жыл бұрын
what a delightful video, so happy that old belt worked and that light turned on! pure joy
@jerrygerza7565 Жыл бұрын
The "Lear Jet" design/concept reminds me of the Hitachi TRQ 233s portable cassette player I had as a teenager in the late 1970s. It was from the early 1970s and had detachable flip out speaker "doors". That really looked like a "proto boombox"!
@randyariddle Жыл бұрын
A much more successful "two speaker detachable" 8-track portable stereo design is one I used to have back in the day - the Channel Master 6201. On this one, the speakers had a metal hinge, could detach from each other, and, for carrying, folded up into a kind of little suitcase. GE made a very similar model - the M8614A
@Jewellerybybarrie Жыл бұрын
Brilliant video as usual, I never got into 8 track (although we had a stereo at home with a player/recorder) and I think one of the cars we had did have a player in the early seventies but not as standard. Considering 8 track was designed to go into Leer Jets originally, its amazing how popular they became. I might have to look at getting either a car one or finding a recorder to add to the home system I have just to be completist... That will please the wife no end.....
@coletrickle-km7cl Жыл бұрын
Jewellerybybarrie---I have a add-onto your home stereo system Panasonic 8 track player for sale. Comes with 30 or so country music 8 track cartridges STILL NEW in the wrapper.
@Ciborium Жыл бұрын
The advantage of wobbly audio is that it will defeat KZfaq Content ID.
@martinda7446 Жыл бұрын
The Lear Jet logo is soooo cool. That player is wonderful.
@c128stuff Жыл бұрын
That RCA player sounds quite nice, and actually seems a pretty nice device if you still have a use for an 8-track player.
@rikkinadir7979 Жыл бұрын
Hello Mat. Thanks, as always, for a very entertaining video. Must say I'm glad to see you looking so well - you're obviously looking after yourself properly...which I'm happy about. We, your audience, value your work hugely and would like to see many many more interesting videos in the future! Take care.
@logicn.reasoning9744 Жыл бұрын
I LOVE the the blue color of the knob panel.
@charlestaylor3195 Жыл бұрын
We had one that speakers that snap together like the one you have but smaller with six inch speakers which sounded quite good because they were insulated well and you could set them 8 feet apart This one had a feature I've never seen anywhere else, it was able to record on to 8 track tapes. We were able to get a blank 8 track tape from Radio Shack, and that was also the brand name that was on the 8-track player. Radio Shack was the go to store for electronics in the 70s and 80s. Great Video.
@mjg263 Жыл бұрын
The portable tape player technology definitely improved very quickly between the early and mid 70’s. I don’t think that market was taken seriously at first, but once the tech improved they really caught on and manufacturers couldn’t wait to outdo each other and make better players.
@petercarter9034 Жыл бұрын
I love your repair videos Matt, very entertaining
@The4ndres Жыл бұрын
I actually got hyped when that #1 light went up! Wow, my Saturday is on fire 😂
@edster512 Жыл бұрын
Your videos have the best outro soundtrack on KZfaq and with that Six Million Dollar Man computing sound at the end, it’s just brilliant. Never change it.
@andrestorres4715 Жыл бұрын
Maybe not as convenient but I loved the separating speaker concept!
@briangoldberg4439 Жыл бұрын
this is great. it's good to see you back to exploring old audio/video devices. it's really my favorite kind of video you do!
@teo7em Жыл бұрын
For removing the black plastic behind the lights there was another black screw in the middle of the plastic bracket, maybe that needed to go and not the input knob
@TonyBanks21 Жыл бұрын
Continuing to love your videos !! When I was in America,back in 1980, I remember seeing that model 8 Track/radio you featured in this video ,there was also a boombox with a Cassette recorder,as well as 8 track on sale at Montgomery Ward !!
@Techmoan Жыл бұрын
The Yorx K6061?
@ronwilgenbusch1961 Жыл бұрын
Montgomery Ward model GEN3995 has both cassette and 8 track, built like a tank. I think GE was the manufacturer.
@lesliespeaker668 Жыл бұрын
Another wonderful episode. Very appreciated on a lazy Saturday morning. Thank you, Mat!
@tonybossaller4074 Жыл бұрын
The Learjet unit reminds me of one I used in grade school as a child. And I suspect that’s the most common market where a teacher would set it up for the classroom and not move it much throughout the day/week/semester depending on the class. It wasn’t really portable as much as presentational. I could see that similar to a slide presentation stereo.
@user-yg5yk2kg7d Жыл бұрын
the condition of the plastics or that all these buttons and lights still work astonish me!
@steverogers508 Жыл бұрын
When you’re sure that a knob has to be removed and your fingernails or screwdriver aren’t up to it, try a pulling on the loose ends of a shoelace fully wrapped around the shaft. The pulling force mostly acts in the direction of OFF. A flat sports lace for very difficult removals has worked for me (thanks to the tape-heads forum who helped me when the big flat knobs on my Revox reel2reel tape recorder wouldn’t budge. Thanks Matt!
@triplefret Жыл бұрын
@Techmoan In case it breaks again you might have missed a screw on the lamp cover. Looks like there's a horizontal one on the piece of plastic covering the bulbs: it's visible at 21:08.
@ziginox Жыл бұрын
Matt, one thing I'd really suggest for prying is picking up some of those plastic pry tools. There are ones made from glass fiber reinforced nylon, and they work great for popping things apart without marring plastic! I want to say Menda made the ones I have, but there are others. Also, for some reason the design of that General Electric model seems very familiar to me. I know they did some other ones in similar designs, but I can't for the life of me remember where I saw them.
@BLUE_OCTOBER-TRIX Жыл бұрын
A guitar pick works as well or an old credit card
@ziginox Жыл бұрын
@@BLUE_OCTOBER-TRIX indeed they do, especially the fake cards they used to mail out
@andrewensor317 Жыл бұрын
Its all about that track 1 selection light.❤🎉
@tomaszdamas2911 Жыл бұрын
I love how You tune in to the radio broadcasting "gimme shelter", suits in perfectly
@peterpowell815 Жыл бұрын
Great video . I hope I don't sound foolish but i honestly never knew portable 8 track cartridge players existed .
@zmaxx21 Жыл бұрын
As always, very interesting videos.
@300poundbassman Жыл бұрын
Hi. In America, we had one just like that Branded for a chain over hear. Western Auto. 8D cells. Thank you. Was about 72. My mom's. She died in 75. Didn't get to use it long. Thank you for the memory. 8 tracks. Cool sir😁😜♥️
@rizzlerazzleuno4733 Жыл бұрын
Ah, Western Auto, they were like a miniature Sears. Very popular and successful in small towns that were not large enough to support a Sears store. FIrestone also had similar stores. The Firestone name was on all kinds of stuff not related to tires. I have two Firestone radios, one with a Voice 0f Music record changer.
@Jammerk40 Жыл бұрын
It was a lot of fun to watch ya fix those old buggers! I liked the tape you were playing! I like Bob Dylan!
@Tomppa8.2 Жыл бұрын
You most definitely will need your own knob cleaning brush😂😂
@Lachlant1984 Жыл бұрын
Bob Dylan never sounded better once you replaced the belts on those players. Like you, I do think the General Electric one is the best out of all 3.
@AudioFileZ Жыл бұрын
Brings back memories. As a kid I used to look at the Allied Radio and Lafayette Radio catalogs and dream about getting a 8-track portable. My dad vetoed it and since he held the pursestrings I never got one. Good things come to those who wait as several years later I had a component stereo system and my folks got me a Wollensak 8-track recorder for Christmas. I think I was about 13 or 14. My first car at sixteen was the perfect opportunity to experience my own tapes on the go. The thing that bugged me most was the track change which would either require expert planning in my recordings or, as I came to prefer due to ease, just let it segue right into the next track with that little glitch in continuous sound. By the time I graduated high school I had to have a cassette though and I got a Pioneer Supertuner one which was pretty good. I actually still love cassettes for probably nostalgic reasons and the fact they were mini reel-to-reels which before all the portable stuff I had a Wollensak 4-track 1/4" recording deck in my component system. There's just something about making your own tapes. Anyone in the US remember Burstein & Applebee Electronic Company? They specialized in parts and close-outs so I got that reel to reel when I was about 12 from them. Those electronic catalogs were my personal Sear's Wish Books! I definitely enjoyed this trip down 8-track memory lane.
@discopants68 Жыл бұрын
It’s funny how the songs playing on the various radio stations were time appropriate.
@misterhoeflak Жыл бұрын
Great video, as always! Sorry to hear yr voice is giving you trouble. I like the grading you used on this video, the warmer tone and bit of extra contrast looks great.
@g-r-a-e-m-e- Жыл бұрын
Nice machine. 8-Track never looked more attractive.
@Balrog-tf3bg Жыл бұрын
That second one really looks like the direct ancestor of a boombox. Love your channel!
@byersbw Жыл бұрын
@techmoan Hey Mat! I find it funny you give the twits any time by bringing up the fact that you put the right speaker on the left side accidentally. You should just let them stew in their own juices. Those of us like me thoroughly enjoy your videos BECAUSE of who you are! Please keep them coming! This takes me back to when I’d ride around with my dad in those old trucks he used to drive, delivering paint and whatnot. Please take care and have a great rest of your weekend!
@Icefumy Жыл бұрын
I feel like that the handle on the first should lock the loose part of the radio in place.. but it doesn't. Other issue is the 'feet' part of the extra speaker being the same height as the radio part, hence it 'pops off' when you tilt it.. design issue!
@fecundity10 Жыл бұрын
Yes that’s what I though when I watched. Maybe when new the handle locked the rear speaker in place when engaged. But you can’t pick it up using the handle as it will be flush against the speaker.
@Icefumy Жыл бұрын
@@mycosys Great catch!
@efficiencygaming3494 Жыл бұрын
Are those 8-track "ghetto blasters"? 😂 Great video!
@UHF43 Жыл бұрын
With those speakers they won't blast a thing.
@pb_zep3838 Жыл бұрын
I normally like my videos around 10-15 minutes long, but with your videos, I really like them around 30 minutes.
@mrskizzot Жыл бұрын
When the first light started working , I was more excited than anyone should have gotten. lol