Features - QOTW: What's the oldest gadget you still use?

[B0FHY]

A Panasonic VHS player still gets used (on a nice LG 1080p LED tellybox!)

[tnecniv102]

we had 80' tv black and white and you have to stand in front of the tv to select channel you what and there's only 12 channels to choose and no cable option until now still working.

[csgohan4]

Nintendo NES, Snes and Mega drive, those were the days.

[Saracen]

My goodness are most of you lot amateurs in the old gadget stakes?

Let's see now.

Stereo system? 1970's valve amp? Check. Back up 1970's-ish Yamaha hybrid Class A/B amp? Check.

I wonder if I'm the only person listening to music where one of the sources is a modern MP3 player, and one of the output devices is a late '70s (maybe early 80's, I'd have to check) set of Stax electrostatic headphones? Maybe.

Or there's the old Kenwood Chef. I think they stopped making that model in 1976. Do kitchen gadgets count?

But even those are distinctly amateur. I have a couple of electronic devices made in the 60's, and even 50's. I won't go into details because most of you wouldn't have a clue what I'm on about, though G8ina and a few others would, but suffice it to say, for all that there are modern transistorised and computerised equivalents (which I also have) those old valve units still have a very good reputation, and for a very good reason.

So my oldest gadget? One of those old valve devices, which I have to point out was 'born' before I was .... though sadly, not by much. And it still works as well as the day it was made, which again sadly, is more than I can say for me.

[MrJim]

Does an iron qualify as a a gadget? If so, then my Mum & Dad still use one which is 47 years old! My Dad's rewired it about four times in all that time, but other than that, it just keeps on going

[donkiddik]

My Pioneer PL-12D turntable (mid 70's), a Technics SL-J1 Linear drive turntable (80's) an old Trio KR-55L amplifier/Reciever (80's) and up until last year my old Texan Amplifier built by me as a project in Practical Electronics in the early 70's. Oh and I still have an old ZX81 with a 16K rampack!! How old and sad am I?

[Gunbuster]

If we allowing microwaves I have a MK2 Belling Compact Delux electric cooker (early 80s). It's great, I replaced a ring at the two elements last year for £25. I would be reluctant to change it for a newer one.

I also have a Charlie Brown alarm clock for 1985 that just got a fresh C battery, I have been using it since I was 8.

Genuine techwise I got my Amiga A1200 back from my parents in September. Man that thing still boots to desktop very fast. Got a nice new scart cable for it. So when the Cylons take over I have my non-network machine to fall back on.

[=assassin=]

My mobile phone is about 9 years old

[Mehta23]

This is a very good thread :-P interesting...

My TV is about 6 years old. Don't think there's anything else that's lasted as long.

[Onkston]

I guess the oldest thing I use is my kameleon 6 in 1 remote, it's only about 7 years old though. I do have older stuff but don't use them.

[Oswald]

I still use pen and paper...

[Andrew McP]

Another vote for MiniDisc here. Last time I used it was at Hastings last year to record waves on the shingle, but I keep it charged in case something interesting catches my ear.

Superb recording quality, which I guess is why they only just stopped making them.

[Noxvayl]

The oldest electronic device I still use regularly is my Sharp EL-531VH calculator which is 10 years old, next on the list would be my Dell E176FPf monitor which is 6 years old now and the only other electronic device I have that I consider old is my 2Gb Cowon D2 MP3 player which is 5 years old(the first MP3 player with a touch screen, still has the plastic screen shield on).

I'm not old enough to have hoarded really old devices, my calculator is from my first year at "high school" when we still called it that. Despite this I favour recycling old devices by either giving them to friends/family that have a use for them, selling them or just putting them into the electronic tip at the dump so I doubt I would manage to keep anything longer than a decade with the exception of my calculator which will be with me until its battery runs out.

[eagle123]

Let me see i have a nakamichi dr3 cassette deck, connected to a roksan kandly l3 amp, roksan l3 cd player, a panasonic cd ghettoblaster, late 90s, a nintendo ds

[jnutt]

Rega Planar 3 with RB300 tone arm, Original Audiolab 8000a, Fimally replaced my B&W DM4's with CDM7NT floor standers. All tapes long gone but Vinyl still used regularly

[spraint]

My dad's old wood case and glass fronted wireless from the 40s. It proudly displays things like the BBC Light Programme. Still works fine for MW/LW and SW with a green sectored light that completes when the signal tuned into is at an optimum frequency. Also a gramophone and shellac 78s of similar vintage. These get trotted out on occasion.

I have older stuff from my parents, but they are just kept for sentimental reasons in the attic and don't really get used although all are in working order.