I'm curious to know if this can be beaten, i know someone somewhere will but I'd love to know what others still use and why

When i say "hardware" i mean something that pre-dates the digital era and is regularly used in conjunction with a digital device... e.g. connected to a PC, Tablet, Laptop etc and is used regularly.

When i was 21 my mother bought me a 'music centre' that consisted of a turntable, amplifier, tuner, twin cassette tape deck etc manufactured by Hitachi in Japan, 32 years ago!

The amplifier has been connected to every PC/Motherboard/soundcard I've ever owned and has supplied me with endless amplified headphone (i live in an apartment/flat so speakers are pretty much ruled out, that said i do have them connected and 32 years ago i wasn't afraid to crank everything up to 11 lol!) fun ever since, originally via cabled headphones and later via wireless headphones, but now the 'balance control' appears to have taken on a life of its own i may have to replace it soon... the volume control long since stopped being reliable but as long as it wasn't touched it wasn't an issue.

It's an Hitachi HA-12, nothing extraordinary in the world of audio but when connected to any Soundcard I've ever owned it came into its own... anyway, my point is, it's 32 years old and still going... btw, CRT TV'S etc don't count LOL

c.f. https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_libra ... a-12.shtml

I don't know if this will count but how about a VCR? I don't have one connected yet but intend to do so through the RCA jacks on my TV tuner. This will be used to convert VHS tapes to DVD.

<edit>
Won't be as old a unit as your audio but still pretty antiquated hardware. LOL! I remember when I built my first media system... an AMD 550 MHz processor was considered fast... I used a VCR as an A/V router or switchbox. Actually it worked quite well. I plugged all the sources, computer, cable, etc. in the VCR and used it to select media sources.

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My goodness, Doddie, you're still a youngster! No, I don't think anyone can beat you on that. Hitachi was a respectable name. What an awesome thing!

My hubbie suggests you clean the controls.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

LOL! If people notice numbers (as I believe Patty did) you have given up your age as 53.

Start another thread if you want some insights as to the possibility of cleaning those flakey controls.

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Do stereo speakers count as hardware? I have a pair of KLH speakers that I bought in 1973. I keep wanting to replace them (if anyone still sells the real stuff) but they still sound so good.
Acadia

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The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

I still use my Sansui 7 [made 1973-5, I got it in the 80s] receiver. Works great. I have it my shop and use it when I'm piddling down there. I have a little problem with receiving stations in the basement until I came up with the idea of using my HVAC ducts as an antenna. I stuck a wire into the aluminum covering of the duct [shown above the receiver] in the attachment. Works nicely like that.

It cost originally, as I just learned, $469 when it was new.
http://audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing ... ui/7/73918

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Best regards,
Manny Carvalho
MS-MVP since 2002

Yup and i just knew you'd be the first one to publicly announce that!

I also guessed Patty would be the first one to spot it but would probably be far too ladylike to openly comment on such matters

It's interesting to hear of old equipment still in use today, don't ask me why i find it interesting because i have no idea other than i do

Yes I'd include speakers and VCR's in this, especially if they're used in conjunction with digital hardware... actually more so things like VCR's simply because they have so many moving mechanical parts in them that i would expect to wear out with continual usage long before well made transistors etc.

I love Manny's ingenious usage of the HVAC Duct as an antenna extender!!
(sheepishly admits having to Google what an HVAC duct is, we don't really need air conditioning in Scotland, heating yes... air con no! )

As for cleaning the flaky controls in my amplifier to get them working again i don't think that's possible without removing the controls from the circuit board and soldering in place new ones.
I remove the facia and case every so often (years) to clean out dust build up because I (rightly or wrongly) worry about it becoming a fire risk.
With the internals of the amplifier exposed as far as i can tell the slider for the volume control, and the knob for balance, are sealed units that can't be opened or cleaned and can only be replaced. I could probably do that, I've got the tools, but sourcing replacement parts would likely be nigh on impossible today?

Anyways, fascinating to hear of your hardware that still works in today's world... i do wonder sometimes if anything made in today's culture of throwaway goods stands a chance of being around in another 30 years... maybe if i make it to Jaylach's age I'll know the answer!

Ha ha...I believe Jay is slightly younger than I am. Right, Jay?

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Does an abacus sitting on my desk count?

If I remember right I am younger by about a month Patty. I turned 62 last October.

Pete I think that would depend on if you have managed to interface it to a digital device...

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My audio equipment, except speakers, dates from the mid 70's and is connected to the computer. The speakers are were purchhased two years ago.

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HP Pavillion, Intel i5 5200U CPU, 2.20 GHz, 8.00 GB Ram, 64-bit OS, x64 based processor

Make that 11 months, Jay.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

I also have a 1950's working Grunding tube radio that belonged to my grandfather. I turn it on once in a while. That's it in the back, playing away. In the foreground is an 1920ish radio that does not work. This was taken at our historical society's show and tell program last year.

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Best regards,
Manny Carvalho
MS-MVP since 2002

Manny, did you mean "Grundig"? My father had one and I wish I still had it.
Acadia

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The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

I'll be 74 in August and until last year I had a set of Christmas tree lights that were bought for my eldest daughters first Christmas and she was 52 last year.

I was always surprised each year when they still lit up, think it was because I couldn't get the bulbs for them anymore I stopped using them. The new lights tend to have push in bulbs but they were screw in bulbs.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Remarkable, Joan.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Those litle typoos just crep up dont dey?

Yes, I meant Grundig, the well know German company. Apparently, it got sold to a Turkish firm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundig

It's still a great radio.

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Best regards,
Manny Carvalho
MS-MVP since 2002

I used to have one of the old Grundig tape recorders, it was a good many years ago and I can't remember what happened to it.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com