Oldest electronics item you still use?

iamstop · 09-11-2015 05:21AM #1

It's crazy how often we update electronics nowadays. Just think back a generation or two. In the event that something broke (which was FAR less frequent, it's be brought into a local repair shop if it couldn't be fixed at home. Places like Peats flourished with bits and bobs to fix stuff.
These days its almost if the batteries need replacing you replace the whole thing. Stuff isn't designed to be fixed either! The parts cost more than half a brand new one ffs!
Built in obsolescence and all that to boot. :rolleyes:

So, mini rant over, what is the oldest bit of electronics that you own and still use?

I've set of turntables and a mixer that turn 20 this year. One cue light gone on one of them and a fuse blew in the other one a while back, which I got fixed, but other than that they are still solid. My amp is about 15 years old.

Apart from those I'm struggling to think of anything else over 5 or 6 year old. :eek:

Wompa1 · 09-11-2015 05:43AM

I'm only on my second smartphone ever. It's only 4 years old but I think I'm getting decent wear out of my phones. I had a Nokia 3310 up until I got my first smartphone which an HTC Desire HD (I still have it and it still works, the only reason I'm not using it is because it doesn't work properly in the US)

Chain Smoker · 09-11-2015 05:44AM

Anything high quality with relatively simple functionality should really last ages altogether.

In terms of more complicated stuff, I've a PSP I bought over ten years ago I still use for GBA, SNES and PS1 emulation ...no clue how it still has an hour or so of battery per charge in it! Also an eight year old laptop, but it's had a few transplants and whatnot to keep it going.

Valentina · 09-11-2015 06:05AM

I still occasionally play the original Gameboy I got for Christmas in 1992.

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, such a good game

Buona Fortuna · 09-11-2015 07:27AM

Fleshlight

stoneill · 09-11-2015 07:29AM

I have a sanyo radio in the shed that is still used when pottering about. Bought in 1984.

Banjo String · 09-11-2015 07:44AM

Wompa1 wrote: »

I'm only on my second smartphone ever. It's only 4 years old but I think I'm getting decent wear out of my phones. I had a Nokia 3310 up until I got my first smartphone which an HTC Desire HD (I still have it and it still works, the only reason I'm not using it is because it doesn't work properly in the US)

I found an old jacket in my upstairs wardrobe that I hadn't worn since 2001, and I found one of these in the inside pocket.

Still turned on, and had 124'missed calls.

It still be 3 bars of battery on it.

corcaigh07 · 09-11-2015 07:49AM

Banjo String wrote: »

I found an old jacket in my upstairs wardrobe that I hadn't worn since 2001, and I found one of these in the inside pocket.

Still turned on, and had 124'missed calls.

It still be 3 bars of battery on it.

Har har.

It was a 3210

Diabhal Beag · 09-11-2015 08:01AM

One of those casio brick calculators from before Judas betrayed Íosa.

AndyBoBandy · 09-11-2015 08:03AM

Sony MiniDisc

Doodah7 · 09-11-2015 08:07AM

Still use a solar Casio calculator that I used for my Inter Cert in 1985. Still as good as the day it was bought...

boobar · 09-11-2015 08:11AM

TV that I bought in 2003, 32 inch Sony Trinitron for €699.

Still working and is used every day as it's in the living room. Find it hard to upgrade as it still works.

ejabrod · 09-11-2015 08:18AM

Commodore 64 from 1982/1983 (original), still works

fizzypish · 09-11-2015 08:20AM

Valentina wrote: »

I still occasionally play the original Gameboy I got for Christmas in 1992.

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, such a good game

That ****ing game. Twas on the original game boy I think? Could never find the 3rd nightmare key....

mad muffin · 09-11-2015 08:44AM

My Technics stereo bought in 1992 from Harvey Norman in Sydney. I bought it for $2000 on a payment plan, after I got my first full time job at 18.

It's a separates system. Amp, radio, double cassette player, and CD player. To look at its design you wouldn't think it was 23 years old.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 09-11-2015 08:53AM

I have a Pioneer hi-fi stack system. Bought brand new in 1985, comprising of turntable, radio tuner, double cassette deck and graphic/equaliser/amp and two huge wall mounted speakers. Still works 100% although I haven't used the cassette player in a looooong time.the whole lot is in a glass cabinet.

09-11-2015 08:53AM

Up until 2 years ago we still had a tv from 1991 in the living room in my family home.

inforfun · 09-11-2015 08:54AM

iamstop wrote: »

It's crazy how often we update electronics nowadays. Just think back a generation or two. In the event that something broke (which was FAR less frequent, it's be brought into a local repair shop if it couldn't be fixed at home. Places like Peats flourished with bits and bobs to fix stuff.
These days its almost if the batteries need replacing you replace the whole thing. Stuff isn't designed to be fixed either! The parts cost more than half a brand new one ffs!
Built in obsolescence and all that to boot. :rolleyes:

So, mini rant over, what is the oldest bit of electronics that you own and still use?

I've set of turntables and a mixer that turn 20 this year. One cue light gone on one of them and a fuse blew in the other one a while back, which I got fixed, but other than that they are still solid. My amp is about 15 years old.

Apart from those I'm struggling to think of anything else over 5 or 6 year old. :eek:

Technics SL1200 mkII i suppose?

Those things survived Hiroshima

CINCLANTFLT · 09-11-2015 08:57AM

My Philips Clock Radio... I got it back in the early 90's... It is on the locker next to my bed... On the other locker is my wife's Philips Clock Radio... More or less the same devices and bought around the same time, several years before we met!

Dord · 09-11-2015 08:57AM

Have a SNES and phat Sony PS3 that still in use. The PS3 was GTA4 launch model. I upgraded the hard drive a while back to keep it ticking.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 09-11-2015 09:06AM

44 year old kettle.

Agricola · 09-11-2015 09:33AM

A philips digital clock radio that a school friend gave me when I was visiting his house one weekend back in the 90s. It was ancient then, must be 30+ years old now. Have it out in the garage and listen to it when working on the car etc.

biko · 09-11-2015 09:37AM

One of my laptops is about 7 years old.

AndyBoBandy · 09-11-2015 09:43AM

biko wrote: »

One of my laptops is about 7 years old.

I still use my first laptop from 2004, a big Dell beast of a thing, I wiped it and reset it, and only use it for torrenting, but she still does a job.

Duggy747 · 09-11-2015 09:48AM

We have an ancient pong console that was given as a present in the 70's. Still gets taken out for a game though the aul' aerial could do with being fixed since it doesn't tune too well on newer TVs.

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I still use my first laptop from 2004, a big Dell beast of a thing, I wiped it and reset it, and only use it for torrenting, but she still does a job.

When I was working in an IT shop I still saw those machines working in good nick, was usually a software problem with them more than hardware. I actually have one right beside me on my desk too :pac:

SEPT 23 1989 · 09-11-2015 09:56AM

All hail the clock radio

the survivor of the electronics world

AndyBoBandy · 09-11-2015 09:58AM

Duggy747 wrote: »

When I was working in an IT shop I still saw those machines working in good nick, was usually a software problem with them more than hardware. I actually have one right beside me on my desk too :pac:

When I got it, it came with an 80GB HDD, and 256MB of RAM

:D:D
No wireless card, so I had to get one of those wifi cards that you plugged into the side of it, a few years later I bought & installed a Dell internal wireless card!!, and also maxed out the RAM to 2GB.

Ah, memories...

razorblunt · 09-11-2015 10:01AM

Got a present of a scientific calculator when I was 7 (back in 1992) for Xmas, thought it was pretty crap at the time.
I don't think it was a Casio, I have Sharp in my head for some reason, it was grey with the slip on/off case, that you could put on the back of the calculator when you weren't using it.

Decided to play up on the morning of my Accounting exams in the Junior Cert on question 2. I gave it an unmerciful slap in the middle of the hall, apologised to the Cigire and everyone around me and its still working today.

I wish I hadn't written my schoolname in tippex on the cover though. Sat in a professional exam with it a few times.

Akrasia · 09-11-2015 10:03AM

I think people underestimate how hard wearing the electronics in their car is

I've got a 2004 Mondeo, almost 12 years old now, used every day, shaken, jolted, subjected to dampness, heat, frost etc, and every bit of electrics still work as new except for the 12v electricity socket, but that's because my kids used to drop things into it and jump on the centre console.

Obviously, none of the above applies if your car is French or Italian

murpho999 · 09-11-2015 10:19AM

iamstop wrote: »

It's crazy how often we update electronics nowadays. Just think back a generation or two. In the event that something broke (which was FAR less frequent, it's be brought into a local repair shop if it couldn't be fixed at home. Places like Peats flourished with bits and bobs to fix stuff.
These days its almost if the batteries need replacing you replace the whole thing. Stuff isn't designed to be fixed either! The parts cost more than half a brand new one ffs!
Built in obsolescence and all that to boot. :rolleyes:

So, mini rant over, what is the oldest bit of electronics that you own and still use?

I've set of turntables and a mixer that turn 20 this year. One cue light gone on one of them and a fuse blew in the other one a while back, which I got fixed, but other than that they are still solid. My amp is about 15 years old.

Apart from those I'm struggling to think of anything else over 5 or 6 year old. :eek:

I really don't agree that things break down more than they used to.

I grew up in the 70s which was a period of cars being much more unreliable than nowdays.

Also electronics are completely different now than then so repairs might not be possible.
The theory of deliberate obsolescence is a bit of a myth in my opinion. Apple always accused of it, but I have an iPod from 2004 that still works fine and my previous smart phone iPhone 4s, is still goes strong as I gave it to a friend.

Beasty · 09-11-2015 10:20AM

Still have a calculator on my desk that I got when I started working for my current employer - powered by solar cell, so never needed any batteries, and still in perfect working order (albeit a little battered) 27 years later. Think I've got another at home that I picked up 2 employments previously which would make it 32 or 33 years old by now.

fryup · 09-11-2015 10:23AM

30 yr old krups toasted sandwich maker

Markcheese · 09-11-2015 10:23AM

I've an ancient technics cd walkman from 92 . Skipped when it was new, still does.
Theres a vic 20 in my mams attic hasnt been brought out in a while though.

_Kaiser_ · 09-11-2015 10:23AM

Probably the hoover... bought it in 2008 when I was moving, has survived 3 moves since then and still working perfectly. Miele FTW

Suppose you could also include the car.. 2005 A6 and all the toys and electrics still work perfectly with almost 300,000 km on the clock

seamus · 09-11-2015 10:25AM

"That you still use" is the loaded part. I have bits and pieces of technology that still work but aren't in use, like an Amiga 500.

It's either the amp I bought for my first electric guitar in 1998, the watch I got for my birthday in 2003, the Nintendo Wii I got in 2006*, or the UPC DVR I got in 2009.

Guitar amps though are old tech in general, I'm not sure if that counts, because there's never any real need to "upgrade" an amp except to get a bigger and louder one rather than a newer one.

*It's still plugged in and attached to the TV but I haven't actually used it in about two years.

fleet_admiral · 09-11-2015 10:47AM

Valentina wrote: »

I still occasionally play the original Gameboy I got for Christmas in 1992.

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, such a good game

My favourite of the series, better than OOT

My SNES is my oldest piece of kit that still get use, Donkey Kong Country and Mortal Kombat 2 being my most played games

Turtyturd · 09-11-2015 10:49AM

Probably a first generation Ipod touch that I picked up in New York shortly after its release (2007). Still gets daily use and while the battery isn't as strong as it was it still gets a few hours per charge.

Valentina · 09-11-2015 10:50AM

fryup wrote: »

30 yr old krups toasted sandwich maker

That reminds me, I have my parents' old electric carving knife and whisk. Both Krups and from 1969 I think.

jimgoose · 09-11-2015 10:52AM

I have a Nokia 6310i that I use a car-phone. It is a magnificent bit of kit, pure quality. I spent about €30 on it a couple of years ago, on a new battery and front cover. Good as new. Last time I checked they were available as boxed new-old stock for around €160.

RhubarbCrumble · 09-11-2015 10:57AM

The microwave is about 15/16 years old and works perfectly. It is a bit of a big awkward looking eyesore though.

Stranger Danger · 09-11-2015 10:57AM

I've speakers that are about 15years old that are still part of my home cinema system.

Son Of A Vidic · 09-11-2015 11:04AM

iamstop wrote: »

Oldest electronics item you still use?

A Sony HiFi system that I have from 2000.

Liamario · 09-11-2015 11:08AM

Sony Bravia from 2004. The very early days of HD tvs- 720p.

bonzodog2 · 09-11-2015 11:09AM

I have a small analogue multimeter that I think I bought around 1972-3. In the original box, but you can't read the writing on it now.

CelticRambler · 09-11-2015 11:15AM

I took my Siemens C35 (1995) into just about every "we unlock phones" shop along Moore Street/Parnell St only to be faced with a

what's that?

(eventually found the Russian (?) guy on the corner with Henry St who's apparently as bad as me for keeping old stuff and he did the necessary)

Other than that, have my 1992 Sony stereo tower with 5-CD tray, listening to it right now. The belts in the cassette player are knackered but I've found a site that does replacement parts so will try to get that back in action.

If that works, I'll be able to load my old games software (home-coded pac-man, space-invaders, etc) onto my ZX Spectrum 16K (SIXTEEN - :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:) from Christmas 1983, still booted up regularly to show the next generation how easy they've got it!

And on the side, my Texas Instruments statistical calculator that I got for 1st Yr in UCD, 1986. On its third set of batteries now, 2+2 still equals 4 and the screen has never cracked.

Frynge · 09-11-2015 11:17AM

Tumble dryer in my ma's gaf from '78. It even travelled from across the pond with them when they moved home. Now it doesn't get used everyday but a couple of times a month. The timer hasn't worked in about 10 year and the faceplate is nearly rusted through. We also have two newer ones in the garage but never had a need to get ride of the old one yet.

The Backwards Man · 09-11-2015 11:24AM

Click radio for me too. Must be near thirty years old and still going like a . . .er. . clock!

sonny.knowles · 09-11-2015 11:26AM

I have a Creative Soundworks 740 Radio CD that I bought on Amazon in 2005 which is working perfectly 10 years later, use most days.

I have a Sony Bravia KDL32D3000 from around 2007, works fine, will replace when (or if) it dies.

I have a first generation iPad which works fine with decent battery life still. Used only for surfing, I haven't updated it in years so the browser crashes on many sites.

Just checked my school calculator from early nineties, looks like the battery has finally died.

Frynge · 09-11-2015 11:27AM

Also forgot that the kitchen radio is a PYE from 1921. Only has am, lw and mw I think. It gets used every single day and in the depths of winter you can be waiting nearly 10 minutes for it to actually turn on.

sonny.knowles · 09-11-2015 11:28AM

I'm considering putting this back in use: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Sports_Walkman_WM-BF59_DSC04952.JPG

Wibbs · 09-11-2015 11:28AM

Frynge wrote: »

Tumble dryer in my ma's gaf from '78.

Snap!

Well it's one year older. Like yours the timer's gone, but is used three four times a week. Other stuff I have would be an electric mantel clock from the 50's but that's not so much "electronic". I've a Casio calculator from the early 80's, still on its original batteries. :eek:. Probably the oldest electronic items(that have IC's in them) I use regularly are my very early quartz wristwatches from 1971/72. This one even makes a selling point of it having a "silicon chip"(made by motorola) by putting the design of same on the dial.
At the time this would have been majorly "space age". Put it another way, the Apollo moon missions which were still going on were using non microchip tech in the machinery that flew there and back.

Oldest electronics item you still use?

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