Oldest electronic technology you still use?

[Drago]

Ooh, yes, my 1969 Precision Bass.

I bought it believing it to be a 68, so the same age as me, but when I took the neck off the markings indicate it's a 69. No matter.

 

[All uphill]

I have probably had more unkind thoughts, and shouted more abuse at this object than any other. It's performed faultlessly since 1990, waking me when I would rather have slept.

 

[presta]

Wish I'd kept my Sinclair Spectrum from the early eighties.

That reminds me, I've still got my Sinclair Cambridge calculator from September 1975, in full working order, complete with case, instruction book, box, and Boots till receipt.

My vacuum cleaner dates from the mid '70s.

I had my grandma's old 1949 Hoover Junior 119, which was 43 years old and still working when I pensioned it off for the Electrolux I have now. It must have been getting on for 30 years old when I managed to buy a new armature for the motor after it spat a segment out of the commutator.

 

[Dadam]

That reminds me, I've still got my Sinclair Cambridge calculator from September 1975, in full working order, complete with case, instruction book, box, and Boots till receipt.

Was that the one with the red nixie tube numbers*? I used to love playing with my Grandpa's as a kid. Especially as it didn't have code to catch divide by zero and went berserk if you tried it

*Might have been LEDs, not sure

 

[presta]

Was that the one with the red nixie tube numbers*? I used to love playing with my Grandpa's as a kid. Especially as it didn't have code to catch divide by zero and went berserk if you tried it

*Might have been LEDs, not sure

This is a Cambridge (they're LEDs), and yes, it does do its nut if you divide by zero:

These are Nixie tubes:

 

[wiggydiggy]

Wish I'd kept my Sinclair Spectrum from the early eighties.
Not sure it would still be working mind, but there's only so much ping-pong I could endure.

For 80s 8bit memories I'd really recommend a browser based emulator to try some out, then theres a whole world (can be expensive lol) of buying old hardware or emulation. But browser based is the cheap and easy way: https://online.oldgames.sk/

Here is me on The Hobbit:

 

[Marchrider]

I have probably had more unkind thoughts, and shouted more abuse at this object than any other. It's performed faultlessly since 1990, waking me when I would rather have slept.

View attachment 760611

5:30 of the am ? jeez, shivers at the thought of going to work

 

[All uphill]

5:30 of the am ? jeez, shivers at the thought of going to work

That was on Monday to get me up for a hospital appointment.

 

[lostinthought]

This is a Cambridge (they're LEDs), and yes, it does do its nut if you divide by zero:

View attachment 760615

I've got one of these somewhere!

I seem to remember it ate batteries, that screen wasn't very efficient. Or maybe it was just me as a kid that couldn't stop playing with it.

I'm gonna find it and try dividing by zero. What will happen?!

 

[Chislenko]

Like most people a few old calculators / Casio stop watches

My pc, in regular use, is still running XP so that must at least 15 years old, maybe more?

However the one thing I really hope never breaks and gets used regularly is my iPod Classic 160gb. Gets me through many a boring turbo trainer ride in the garage during the winter. I have two hi fi set ups still with a docking station, have to hope they keep going as they are increasingly hard to find.

 

[MontyVeda]

a 20 year old nokia 6230 wakes me up most mornings, but beyond being an alarm clock, it has no other use.

my main mobile phone is a 14 year old Samsung galaxy ace.

I have a Roland SH-101 which i play with occasionally but not enough, that's early 80s and beside it a Hitachi turntable of a similar vintage.

 

[Chris S]

This clock which dates back to the late 1980s
View attachment 760568
Sold as a 'Magic Wand Clock' using 7 LEDs on a wand and persistence of vision (apparently) to show the time and short programmable messages (I set "Merry Christmas My Arse" to display for the appropriate week in December many years ago and now don't kow how to cancel it).

I'd forgot about clocks. My living-room one dates back to 1981.

 

[Chris S]

not that old realy 2012 ? but in terms of mobile phones it is decidedly prehistoric
View attachment 760588
works for what I need, a text when I'm out to say what time I will be back, such as " ETA 730 " only switch it on to send a text so battery stays charged for several months, £5 will last me a year

I've got the same model. It won't work connect to modern networks. I still use it as an alarm clock every morning.

 

[tyred]

By amazing coincidence, I just saw the oldest electric heater I ever saw in the antique shop window this evening. A wood veneer cased bar heater, similar case design to a 1940s wireless.

Perfect for making toast or burning your house down!

I suppose it would work indefinitely, as you can probably buy resistive wire to rewind it if the bars fail.

I had a more recent version of it in my bedroom in a house share many years ago. I could light cigarettes on it!

 

[Punkawallah]

A Casio digital watch that I first bought at a Lost Property auction in the 80’s. Bit of a ‘Trigger’s Broom’, with the batteries and straps replaced. Eventually the watch itself failed a few years ago. I bought the same model again.