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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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23rd May 2012, 2:28 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Hi folks,
Every time I see Bargain Hunt with an auction from Gaze's Auction room I wonder what this is? A PA amp perhaps, or a computer; it has a Philips look from the 80's about it but I don't recognise it. The little unit on top appears to be plugged into a phone socket on the wall; a router perhaps. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, Mike. |
23rd May 2012, 2:34 pm | #2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,939
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
The small box is probably a router or ethernet switch. The big box looks like a PC system unit, though the front looks a bit odd.
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23rd May 2012, 2:36 pm | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I thought the front looked a little odd; not seen a PC that looked like that before.
Mike. |
23rd May 2012, 4:42 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
The big box looks more like a midi hi fi unit
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23rd May 2012, 6:21 pm | #5 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 4,872
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Tape drive? Optical disc? It looks like some sort of computer peripheral from the early 1990's. The small box on top could be almost anything: router/switch, external disc drive etc.
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23rd May 2012, 7:34 pm | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Thanks chaps; another clue with the top box; those leads coming out the back of it look like the High Quality Ethernet cables.
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23rd May 2012, 7:59 pm | #7 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 4,872
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Could it be logging telephone bidding? i.e. a multi-track recorder?
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23rd May 2012, 8:40 pm | #8 |
Pentode
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 149
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I buy from Gaze's Auction Rooms regularly and in room 3 there is a quantity of computer equipment near the rostrum. I usually leave bids via the internet, assuming their server is working, but it can be a frustrating process as it can be veeeeery slooooow. I wouldn't be surprised if the mystery box dated from the 90's, as I bought one of their old computers a couple of years ago, and it was at least that old (did enable me to "upgrade" to XP though).
Mind you, I always thought that Bargain Hunt used room 2 (the posh antiques room) like they did on Cash in the Attic. Gaze's have anything up to four separate auctions running at the same time, it's a busy old place. Rick. |
23rd May 2012, 10:46 pm | #9 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Blyth, Northumberland, UK.
Posts: 858
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
That Larger thing on the bottom looks a lot like a Hitachi CD system I owned at one point. You can see the round dial at the right hand side and the bit at the front is the 3-CD drawer.
Dave. |
24th May 2012, 7:32 am | #10 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Thanks folks; I think we may be getting nearer to an answer.
It's a pity I don't live nearer to the sale room or I would pop in and find out. I'm afraid curiosity always gets the better of me when I see a bit of equipment that I don't recognise. Having been in the surplus electronics industry for 7 years in the 70's and repairing all manner of things for another 30 years I can't avoid trying to identify units and find out what they do. I have a suspicion I'm not the only one on here with that problem, LOL. Mike. |
24th May 2012, 5:49 pm | #11 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hythe, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 630
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Hi Mike,
The top box is either a 3Com Switch / Router or a US Robotics modem. I can say this without a doubt as I was involved in testing these devices when they were first developed. They also employed a neat stacking arrangement comprising of 4 blue plastic clips that snapped into the grooves on the sides. See the picture attached (although this is a much newer version of the ones I worked with) Don't know what the other box is though. Hope that satisfies your curiosity! Peter |
24th May 2012, 8:02 pm | #12 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Thanks Peter; that's one down, one to go.
I've still got two minds as to what the lower larger one is. I suppose it could be a computer connected to the router but I've never seen one like that before. Mike. |
24th May 2012, 8:14 pm | #13 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I'm 100% sure the bottom one is a midi stereo system of some sort. I had something similar a few years back.
Jan |
24th May 2012, 8:23 pm | #14 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Thanks,
Any idea of the possible make Jan so I can Google it? Mike. |
24th May 2012, 9:41 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,553
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
It is not by any chance a 12 inch DVD player?
The curve is about the right radius for the disk to fit in. |
24th May 2012, 9:43 pm | #16 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
Panasonic sa-ak640 I'm sure
Jan |
24th May 2012, 9:56 pm | #17 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I Googled the Panasonic and got this Jan; a different looking unit...
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24th May 2012, 10:03 pm | #18 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,553
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I had a quick look with google.
They are called Laser disc players and the "DVDs" were 200mm so closer to 12 inch than 5 1/4. No idea what make though. |
24th May 2012, 10:15 pm | #19 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I had a laser disk player once but it wasn't that model if that's what it is.
However I'm not sure what one of those would be doing there next to the rostrum. They obviously use it and it's been there a long while; years. |
24th May 2012, 11:52 pm | #20 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,553
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Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?
I think it is down to the shape of the case and the personal taste of a TV producer.
It is most likely a static display item. |