probnot
@probnot.bsky.social
Mostly posting about old tech and whatever piques my interest.
A TV Show from 1976, being played on VCR from late 1976, and shown on a TV from 1976.
Sorry for the vertical video, it was the best way to fit the extremely tall TV!
Sorry for the vertical video, it was the best way to fit the extremely tall TV!
November 23, 2025 at 3:39 AM
A TV Show from 1976, being played on VCR from late 1976, and shown on a TV from 1976.
Sorry for the vertical video, it was the best way to fit the extremely tall TV!
Sorry for the vertical video, it was the best way to fit the extremely tall TV!
I have never heard it called a "Phone Answerer" before.
November 15, 2025 at 12:22 AM
I have never heard it called a "Phone Answerer" before.
Reposted by probnot
Huh, I just assumed Memorex was a fancy sounding name with no meaning.
October 6, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Huh, I just assumed Memorex was a fancy sounding name with no meaning.
Decided to dip my toes into using an ultrasonic cleaner on knobs. This was just the cheapest one you can find I got for $10 at the thrift store, but it did a damn impressive job. I'm sold.
September 28, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Decided to dip my toes into using an ultrasonic cleaner on knobs. This was just the cheapest one you can find I got for $10 at the thrift store, but it did a damn impressive job. I'm sold.
I'm an adult, yes, but not a very mature one.
September 21, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I'm an adult, yes, but not a very mature one.
I couldn't resist this for $1, even though I already have too many projects on the go. No info online for the model (BPC2009W) or chassis (CT1928UB), but I think it's early 1970s. Screws never removed, all RCA branded tubes, and it works reasonably well. Still needs some new caps for the linearity.
September 18, 2025 at 3:41 AM
I couldn't resist this for $1, even though I already have too many projects on the go. No info online for the model (BPC2009W) or chassis (CT1928UB), but I think it's early 1970s. Screws never removed, all RCA branded tubes, and it works reasonably well. Still needs some new caps for the linearity.
Definitely needed a good cleaning. Unfortunately the paint is in rough shape, so it's not going to look much better, but at least the 30+ years of garage dirt is gone.
September 13, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Definitely needed a good cleaning. Unfortunately the paint is in rough shape, so it's not going to look much better, but at least the 30+ years of garage dirt is gone.
I've wanted one of these for ages. Had to pounce when this came up locally.
September 12, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I've wanted one of these for ages. Had to pounce when this came up locally.
Anyone know what this information is stored on the sides of this TV signal? It's recorded from a PayTV channel (WSBK out of Boston) on our local cable in the 90s (present from at least 1993-1996). Not visible at all with overscan on a CRT, but my capture card shows it.
September 7, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Anyone know what this information is stored on the sides of this TV signal? It's recorded from a PayTV channel (WSBK out of Boston) on our local cable in the 90s (present from at least 1993-1996). Not visible at all with overscan on a CRT, but my capture card shows it.
VFD meters are always lovely.
Bonus points if anyone recognizes what model VCR this is.
Bonus points if anyone recognizes what model VCR this is.
August 29, 2025 at 3:31 AM
VFD meters are always lovely.
Bonus points if anyone recognizes what model VCR this is.
Bonus points if anyone recognizes what model VCR this is.
Great for listening to some classic rock, or getting called to the principal's office.
August 25, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Great for listening to some classic rock, or getting called to the principal's office.
Do you trust your VCR repairman?
August 24, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Do you trust your VCR repairman?
A perfectly accurate RDS time signal.
August 23, 2025 at 8:32 PM
A perfectly accurate RDS time signal.
Welp, my Google Pixel 7a experience went from annoying (countless software bugs, locked settings, lack of customization) to shit.
Battery died a few times and now it's starting to swell. Guess I need to buy a new phone sooner than planned.
This was the first and last Google phone I'll ever buy.
Battery died a few times and now it's starting to swell. Guess I need to buy a new phone sooner than planned.
This was the first and last Google phone I'll ever buy.
July 30, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Welp, my Google Pixel 7a experience went from annoying (countless software bugs, locked settings, lack of customization) to shit.
Battery died a few times and now it's starting to swell. Guess I need to buy a new phone sooner than planned.
This was the first and last Google phone I'll ever buy.
Battery died a few times and now it's starting to swell. Guess I need to buy a new phone sooner than planned.
This was the first and last Google phone I'll ever buy.
For your perusal - almost an hour of me mucking about with a budget VHS VCR.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBS...
Funai Hi-Fi VCR from 1991 (FHL-1150)
YouTube video by probnot's tech
www.youtube.com
July 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
For your perusal - almost an hour of me mucking about with a budget VHS VCR.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBS...
Printers are in season at the thrift store
July 22, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Printers are in season at the thrift store
I finally figured out why the camera audio on my Pixel 7a is often so muffled. The 2 audio channels are slightly out of phase from each other and I've been converting to mono since the left channel is flaky. Setting the right channel as a mono source seems to fix this.
So many bugs with this phone
So many bugs with this phone
July 16, 2025 at 10:42 PM
I finally figured out why the camera audio on my Pixel 7a is often so muffled. The 2 audio channels are slightly out of phase from each other and I've been converting to mono since the left channel is flaky. Setting the right channel as a mono source seems to fix this.
So many bugs with this phone
So many bugs with this phone
Dragged home a broken RCA TV from 1976 that has these factory castors on the bottom. One capacitor and one fuse later and it works! Despite the CRT being tired, I really like this TV.
RCA FA465B 19" XL100 from 1976
RCA FA465B 19" XL100 from 1976
June 20, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Dragged home a broken RCA TV from 1976 that has these factory castors on the bottom. One capacitor and one fuse later and it works! Despite the CRT being tired, I really like this TV.
RCA FA465B 19" XL100 from 1976
RCA FA465B 19" XL100 from 1976
I picked a cheap little 19" LCD TV at a garage sale this weekend, and my expectations were low. But wow, it still surprised me. No deinterlacing on the analog inputs, the worst viewing angle, and it defaults to overscan ON for digital signals (Why do flat panel TVs do this??).
June 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
I picked a cheap little 19" LCD TV at a garage sale this weekend, and my expectations were low. But wow, it still surprised me. No deinterlacing on the analog inputs, the worst viewing angle, and it defaults to overscan ON for digital signals (Why do flat panel TVs do this??).
"Is that a hair on the telecine?"
"Ah, who cares"
"Ah, who cares"
May 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"Is that a hair on the telecine?"
"Ah, who cares"
"Ah, who cares"
Rare doesn't necessarily mean good. But in this case it's something that is (in my opinion) really cool. This Marantz VR-200 is the only Beta VCR they sold and was the only consumer Beta VCR to offer linear stereo. It was made by Sanyo, so probably nothing special performance-wise.
April 27, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Rare doesn't necessarily mean good. But in this case it's something that is (in my opinion) really cool. This Marantz VR-200 is the only Beta VCR they sold and was the only consumer Beta VCR to offer linear stereo. It was made by Sanyo, so probably nothing special performance-wise.
This right here is why I've fallen out of love with new tech. Requiring an internet connection, an app and an account, and putting a dang computer in everything! If I ever need to replace my dishwasher I'll need to make sure I buy a "dumb" one (and not a Bosch).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_h...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_h...
I won't connect my dishwasher to your stupid cloud
YouTube video by Level 2 Jeff
www.youtube.com
March 25, 2025 at 4:15 AM
This right here is why I've fallen out of love with new tech. Requiring an internet connection, an app and an account, and putting a dang computer in everything! If I ever need to replace my dishwasher I'll need to make sure I buy a "dumb" one (and not a Bosch).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_h...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_h...