We've come a long way, baby

[N2CHX]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/02/16/133692586/8-track-tapes-belong-in-a-museum?ps=cprs

An entire museum devoted to 8 Track. I was born at the tail end of the 8 Track era, but I worked on dozens of 8 Track's cousin, the cart machine.

[n2ize]

I lived through the heart of the 8 track era and, guess what ? I never owned a single 8 track cartridge. I was stricktly into records (aka LP's) and reel to reel tapes. Matter of fact I've still got a couple of working reel to reel machines. These days I'm strictly into digital audio and video. Digital may have some small drawbacks but I think it's far superior to anything we had in the past.

During the 8 track era I fixed a couple 8 track players for friends. What a PITA they were to work on. I remember the advertisements for albums on TV back in those days... "$6.99 for the records... uh... $9.99 for 8 track tapes"... The 8 track version was always more expensive.

Oh, almost forgot, for recording/listening I was an early adopter of the cassette tape. I would simply record the contents of a record onto a cassette tape and I was good to go. Of course casette players were bulky then too. The Walkman style tape player hadn't been born yet.

[suddenseer]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/02/16/133692586/8-track-tapes-belong-in-a-museum?ps=cprs

An entire museum devoted to 8 Track. I was born at the tail end of the 8 Track era, but I worked on dozens of 8 Track's cousin, the cart machine.I have "fixed" a few of those in my day. I almost hated those as much as 2" VTR on the blink.

[NQ6U]

Here's one for you: you can still buy a new 8-track player. Why you'd want to do that I don't know, but you can.

http://www.jackbergsales.com/electronics/electronics-8-track.htm

[KG4CGC]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ksye_commercial-virginia-slims-cigarette_ads

[WA4TM]

I too had 8 track , Reel to Reel, LPs, and even had a 4 track player in my first car in 1964.. (old fart ain't I?)

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Anybody remember 4 track?
I so totally hated 8-track, to the point to where I never bought one new, same with records.
But I loved cassettes.
Now it is digital music.
I have several 8-track players that I use, just not as players.
Anyone remember the 8-track to cassette adapter?
I take this one step further.
I take the ones where the drive no longer works for some reason and disconnect the motor and head with a relay after repairing them.
I put 2 jacks flush with the tape line both TSR.
I also use the tape track selector.
Next I rip an old 8-track housing apart and extract the everything, 2 halves, nothing more.
I place 2 plugs and a contact shoe inside that is mounted on a bit of plastic and a bit of perfbI use oard with caps for smoothing as well as a relay that is wired in series with the channel select shoe and perfboard.
I use an IC preamp and 2 electret microphones that are noise canceling along with whatever cables are needed and an LM-7xxx voltage regulator.
Drop in the modded cartridge and you now have a stereo cellphone adapter that supports MP3 devices.
Pull it out and plop in an 8-track and that works.
The 8-track is so massive that an iPhone will fit inside the cartridge, with room to spare for the perfboard, and why I did this.
It looks vintage and works original, but with a modern twist.
Factory radios are noted for being somewhat modular, the same chassis is used all the way from the base AM radio up to the AM/FM stereo 8-track player.
Remove the 8 track parts from a rusted unit and put a transmitter inside, use the converted 8-track cartridge and you have a short range 160 meter radio.
For some odd reason, car radios make excellent 160 meter AM transceivers for short range.
5 miles is not uncommon but 2 to 3 is more the norm.
What I am saying is that if you can find a use for that thing you are more likely to keep it.
And, anyone remember these things?
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/tompkins_tunaverter_1564.html
Yes, slope detection of the FM broadcast band on your AM car radio.
This was done with still another converter.

[n2ize]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ksye_commercial-virginia-slims-cigarette_ads

Those ads were total BS. Women smoked for centuries. It was connsidered fashionable in parts of Europe

[KA5PIU]

Those ads were total BS. Women smoked for centuries. It was connsidered fashionable in parts of Europe

Hello.

In Texas it was against the law for a woman to be in the smoking parlour with a man.
Smoking was acceptable, for a man.
Now, smoking is banned pretty much everywhere so it is not much of an issue.
But I remember when I woman was shunned if she

[X-Rated]

Hello.
...
Remove the 8 track parts from a rusted unit and put a transmitter inside, use the converted 8-track cartridge and you have a short range 160 meter radio.
....
Then add a keyboard and monitor for PSK.

[NQ6U]

Then add a keyboard and monitor for PSK.

You can use that to control the Motorola radio in your Bell 47.

[N2NH]

You can use that to control the Motorola radio in your Bell 47.

No, only the APU.

[N8YX]

Here's one for you: you can still buy a new 8-track player. Why you'd want to do that I don't know, but you can.

http://www.jackbergsales.com/electronics/electronics-8-track.htm
Because your 60's-era muscle car isn't "period correct" with a cassette or CD player in the dash.

[KA5PIU]

Then add a keyboard and monitor for PSK.

Hello.

I am sure somebody is going to try. ;)
And they can mount it on their boat even!

[N5RLR]

Here's one for you: you can still buy a new 8-track player. Why you'd want to do that I don't know, but you can.

http://www.jackbergsales.com/electronics/electronics-8-track.htm
Or even a vintage AM pocket radio or other electronics. I'm tempted... :yes:

[kb2vxa]

What's so hard about fixing an 8 track player? Yeah I know OEM replacement parts were impossible to get but between Rat Shack grab bags and Budweiser cans a friend and I easily serviced what we sold. An ohm meter told us if it was npn or pnp, that's all we needed to know and using the Bud cans left from the night before we fashioned all the springs and heat sinks we needed. Electronics and cars, pretty much the same, the better they get to use the worse they get when it comes to fixing them.

[KA5PIU]

What's so hard about fixing an 8 track player? Yeah I know OEM replacement parts were impossible to get but between Rat Shack grab bags and Budweiser cans a friend and I easily serviced what we sold. An ohm meter told us if it was npn or pnp, that's all we needed to know and using the Bud cans left from the night before we fashioned all the springs and heat sinks we needed. Electronics and cars, pretty much the same, the better they get to use the worse they get when it comes to fixing them.

Hello.

The only thing hard about fixing 8-track machines is when the motor and capstan is rusted solid.
But here is a nice writeup.
http://www.vintage-electronics.net/
The audio amplifiers in old tape players was crap, noisy and low power, built to a price.
Think of replacing all the usual caps, but also give a thought to upgrades on components.

[kb2vxa]

Rudy, I was talking about the repair business, not trying to fix some junk left out in the rain for a couple of years.

[KA5PIU]

Rudy, I was talking about the repair business, not trying to fix some junk left out in the rain for a couple of years.

Hello.

But that is where you find vintage electronics, in vintage cars, and quite a few of them are found as junk left out in the rain for a couple of years.

[KG4CGC]

Because your 60's-era muscle car isn't "period correct" with a cassette or CD player in the dash.
I take it you've seen those period correct car radios with the face that extends, folds out and reveals a digital tuner with CD?

[N7YA]

I hated 8-track. If i wanted to hear a particular song, i needed to push through the other 4 tracks to get to it, couldnt go backwards. And if the cart got old, the wheels inside would squeak loudly over the music, and not to mention the paper on the casing would bubble up and peel off, leaving you with a "mystery tape" that you had to put on to find out what it was so you can grab a marking pen and write it on the residual torn paper.

I still have an original alligator textured 8-track case with the push latch and about 8 old tapes in storage somewhere.

I believe i will eBay them.

[KA5PIU]

I take it you've seen those period correct car radios with the face that extends, folds out and reveals a digital tuner with CD?

Hello.

Period correct may mean several things.
In my case with the old GMC, I looked at the styling and safety and said yuck!.
This damn thing had a display console with almost nothing to display, a giant speedometer with a tiny needle to indicate speed.
The passenger side had the exact same style, except there was a glove box where the speedometer was.
There was a place for a radio, but no radio.
Did not come with AC, and the seat sucked, in short, chit.
Now, matched steering wheels, complete with duplicate electronic controls.
The shift controls are now in the center console along with all switches.
There are no longer any controls on the dash, nothing.
I kept the V styling but that was it.
This has the awning style roof vent and an add on ARA air conditioner.
Behind the seat was the fuel tank.
Now there is a dropped ceiling and the vent goes from front to rear, to be removed altogether.
The external styling is perfect, right down to the teardrop spotlights.
The inside styling is not bad, but hard to understand unless it is on, there are no displays, no switches, nothing, just a bunch of black.
Remember, no switches on the dash, and the center console looks like nothing special.
In short, other than the steering wheels and the 8 pedals, 4 per side, it makes no sense.
First thing, adjust the seat and put on the seat belt, it will tell you what you need to do from there.

[VE7DCW]

Hello.

Period correct may mean several things.
In my case with the old GMC, I looked at the styling and safety and said yuck!.
This damn thing had a display console with almost nothing to display, a giant speedometer with a tiny needle to indicate speed.
The passenger side had the exact same style, except there was a glove box where the speedometer was.
There was a place for a radio, but no radio.
Did not come with AC, and the seat sucked, in short, chit.
Now, matched steering wheels, complete with duplicate electronic controls.
The shift controls are now in the center console along with all switches.
There are no longer any controls on the dash, nothing.
I kept the V styling but that was it.
This has the awning style roof vent and an add on ARA air conditioner.
Behind the seat was the fuel tank.
Now there is a dropped ceiling and the vent goes from front to rear, to be removed altogether.
The external styling is perfect, right down to the teardrop spotlights.
The inside styling is not bad, but hard to understand unless it is on, there are no displays, no switches, nothing, just a bunch of black.
Remember, no switches on the dash, and the center console looks like nothing special.
In short, other than the steering wheels and the 8 pedals, 4 per side, it makes no sense.
First thing, adjust the seat and put on the seat belt, it will tell you what you need to do from there.

O.k. .......sorry Rudy i've tried. I would've had a better chance deciphering the enigma code than this silly speak ..... translation anyone? :shock:

[N7YA]

Good luck. Personally, i think hes out of his focking mind.

[KA5PIU]

Good luck. Personally, i think hes out of his focking mind.

Hello.

Actually, I am in my element. ;)
What I am saying is a response to what was said about vintage car electronics.
Sometimes you find that rusted car in someones field.
3975
Inside that old rusted car is where you may find this.
3976
Or this.
3977
The same post, in pictures!