UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 23rd May 2012, 2:28 pm   #1
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Gaze1.jpg
Views:	531
Size:	51.7 KB
ID:	66898   Click image for larger version

Name:	Gaze2.jpg
Views:	482
Size:	51.3 KB
ID:	66899  
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 2:34 pm   #2
paulsherwin
Moderator
 
paulsherwin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,787
Default 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.
paulsherwin is online now  
Old 23rd May 2012, 2:36 pm   #3
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 4:42 pm   #4
yampy187
Hexode
 
yampy187's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
Default Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?

The big box looks more like a midi hi fi unit
yampy187 is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 6:21 pm   #5
G8HQP Dave
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 4,872
Default 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.
G8HQP Dave is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 7:34 pm   #6
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 7:59 pm   #7
G8HQP Dave
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 4,872
Default Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?

Could it be logging telephone bidding? i.e. a multi-track recorder?
G8HQP Dave is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 8:40 pm   #8
ricksteptoe
Pentode
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 149
Default 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.
ricksteptoe is offline  
Old 23rd May 2012, 10:46 pm   #9
davegsm82
Heptode
 
davegsm82's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Blyth, Northumberland, UK.
Posts: 858
Default 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.
davegsm82 is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 7:32 am   #10
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 5:49 pm   #11
PJC58-Hythe
Heptode
 
PJC58-Hythe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hythe, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 626
Default 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
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	3Com.gif
Views:	108
Size:	17.9 KB
ID:	66951  
__________________
Peter - M0HYT - BVWS Member - GQRP Club

http://www.retroworkshop.co.uk
PJC58-Hythe is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 8:02 pm   #12
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 8:14 pm   #13
yampy187
Hexode
 
yampy187's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
Default 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
yampy187 is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 8:23 pm   #14
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?

Thanks,
Any idea of the possible make Jan so I can Google it?
Mike.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 9:41 pm   #15
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default 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.
Refugee is online now  
Old 24th May 2012, 9:43 pm   #16
yampy187
Hexode
 
yampy187's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 374
Default Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?

Panasonic sa-ak640 I'm sure

Jan
yampy187 is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 9:56 pm   #17
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default Re: Anyone identify this bit of equipment?

I Googled the Panasonic and got this Jan; a different looking unit...
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Panasonic.jpg
Views:	95
Size:	7.2 KB
ID:	66959  
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 10:03 pm   #18
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default 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.
Refugee is online now  
Old 24th May 2012, 10:15 pm   #19
Mike-repairman
Heptode
 
Mike-repairman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 613
Default 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.
Mike-repairman is offline  
Old 24th May 2012, 11:52 pm   #20
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default 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.
Refugee is online now  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 7:38 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.