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.
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.
After fiddling with a loose solder connection somewhere in the amplifier circuit (distortion, low volume, no VU meters), it came to life and sounds amazing! Great reception too - this is with no antenna connected. Tape deck, however, is stone dead right now.
September 13, 2025 at 1:48 AM
After fiddling with a loose solder connection somewhere in the amplifier circuit (distortion, low volume, no VU meters), it came to life and sounds amazing! Great reception too - this is with no antenna connected. Tape deck, however, is stone dead right now.
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.
The remote for one of those tuner boxes you showed early in the video looks identical to the one for this Viking (Eaton's dept store) branded TV that was fairly common up here in Canada.
August 22, 2025 at 2:10 AM
The remote for one of those tuner boxes you showed early in the video looks identical to the one for this Viking (Eaton's dept store) branded TV that was fairly common up here in Canada.
Printers are in season at the thrift store
July 22, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Printers are in season at the thrift store
My grey and white cat does the exact same thing. I guess arms make good cat pillows.
July 18, 2025 at 4:32 PM
My grey and white cat does the exact same thing. I guess arms make good cat pillows.
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 is the most 1970s calculator I've found to date. It looks like an AMC Gremlin from the same year.
March 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This is the most 1970s calculator I've found to date. It looks like an AMC Gremlin from the same year.
Hyper obsession complete. I have them all except for the cerise/orange one that is super hard to find. I did however find a very neon orange variation instead, that I can't seen to find much info on.
March 17, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Hyper obsession complete. I have them all except for the cerise/orange one that is super hard to find. I did however find a very neon orange variation instead, that I can't seen to find much info on.