Ergh

[averygoodun42]

I didn't realize that it was possible to scorch things in our microwave. Other microwaves? Sure. But not in our failing, 1986 little wimp machine. Oops.

It really is failing, the poor thing. It's taking more and more force to open the door (the button has slipped, somehow), it's taking longer and longer to defrost things and, well... Yeah. Of course, the fact that it's over twenty-years-old has nothing to do with it.

That reminds me that the stereo, of the same year, is also starting to fail. *laughs* No, that's not true. The remaining components are starting to fail. We are already tunerless, as that got fried (it probably would have lasted a bit longer had we not tried to fix it during one of it's problem episodes) a couple years ago. Now the CD player is having more and more problems playing the CDs without skipping. The tape player seems to be pretty much eternal, however.


But this makes me curious. What is the oldest piece of working electronica that you use on a regular basis? Do you cherish it or are you looking forward to replacing it?

Comments

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

my Hewlett-Packard HP-15C calculator, over 25 years old and still uses its original batteries. it's also still smarter than I am. I don't think it will ever be replaced.

we also have a pair of speakers that are 25+ years old and still wonderful. the company that made them is no longer in business, so we're hoping these last forever.

I think CD players and other entertainment system components are being designed to not last, because the industry wants to keep selling - which means they have to make things that will break, but not break sooner than their competitors' products . sort of like the auto industry - you won't buy a new car if your old car still works.

hmm, I sound cynical now.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

We have a c. 1972 Maranz radio tuner that's older than both of us. We bought it on eBay because you get way better performance with analog. It's a big, clunky machine that only does one thing, but for stereophiles like Mr. 42, separate components of that sort are good for street cred. :D

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I can't remember how old my parents' tuner was before it finally bit the bullet. I loved watching it, though, how the needle would spike with every station. :-)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm positive that in the last ten to fifteen years they started deliberately designing things (esp. electronics, but not confined to them) to break down after only a few years. It's really, really obnoxious. Instead of designing things so that they'd be more appealing because of features or whatnot... But that is part of this disposable lifestyle we've created.

Oops. I'll just get off my little soapbox now. Sorry bout that. ;-)

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

No - it's true. Try getting a washing machine repaired these days. My mum's old hotpoint was about 25 years old when it finally bit the dust, after various minor repairs over its last ten years. You can't expect a washing machine to last more than 8 yrs now, apparently. And then all that metal and plastic and so on just goes to the local dump and is gone. What a waste.

I was brought up to repair what could be repaired, and so was Mr Dicky (admittedly, this has led to him spending a month messing about with the laptop to install and up-to-date Linux on a machine which does not have an up-to-date processor and the result is fucking appalling - but can I tell him?), so we do tend to try our best to keep things going. I sometimes wonder if I am the only person I know who has a mending bag, and who can be bothered to repair a dress which cost ten euros on a market. Everything is so throw-away now, and it's disheartening. We bought a dishwasher last year and were told it had an expected life of eight to ten years with regular use. My thought was "Is that all?" It's a mid-range. Cheap ones go for five years, and then if you double what we spent then you can expect fifteen, and it might even be worth repairing (I kid you not - it's what the salesman said) if it goes wrong. The others you just chuck away.

In answer to your question, I have a stereo including an LP player which still works, though it's creaky. I'm hoping it will survive long enough for us to transfer the LPs to MP3. We're currently working through the massive student tape collection... The 19 yr old tape player/CD player is still going strong.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

You can get things repaired, but they do advise you to think about the age:cost ratio. If it's more than 5 years old and the repair will be over something like $100, they say just buy a new one. 8 years is all you're supposed ot expect (and this on things that cost hundreds of dollars! And I thought the expression was that money does NOT grow on trees!). Bah!

When I went shopping for my couch, I deliberately looked for an old one. The one I got isn't really old enough, it's only about 30 years old, and they stopped making really good quality furniture (mid-price range) about 40 years ago. Covers and cushions can be replaced, but the springs and frame? They should last forever, but nowadays, you can only expect them to last for 10 years or so. Ridiculous!

That reminds me. I need to look for a replacement needle for our LP player. *sigh* It might be worth it to just buy one of the LP-disc recording machines, though, instead.

[muggle-prof.livejournal.com]

Anectodal evidence sure supports that. In our old house, we had an ancient dishwasher that worked just fine. When we moved into the new neighborhood, with new houses and brand new appliances -- several neighbors had to replace dishwashers after just THREE YEARS!

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Of course, sometimes it's just that people don't realize that things can actually be fixed.

[timestep.livejournal.com]

I have my grandmother's sewing machine. My thinks it might be from 1964? I remember it from 1971.

It works wonderfully and I don't plan on replacing it at all.

OK, some might not consider it electronic, but it does plug in.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Hmm... I should discount sewing machines... ;-)

I was also considering discounting large appliances, since ranges last forever and ever amen (as long as you're willing to replace heating elements every now and then, that is). The old ones, especially from pre-70's, seem to be eternal, just like tape decks.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Oh - I forgot my sewing machine. 29 yrs old and still going strong. A little temperamental, but it's been like that from the beginning. My sister is still using my grandmother's.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but sewing machines... they're more machine than electronics, and machines should last for ages and ages. With care and repair, that is. ;-)

[timestep.livejournal.com]

Well, if you consider large appliances - then my oldest working item is my stove/oven from when the house was built - in 1946.

[timestep.livejournal.com]

As for electronics - some of DHs stero components are from the mid-late 80s.

The TV/VCR from the '90-93 broke, but a $50 trip to the electronics repair shop have fixed them.

My TV/VCR are from the early 90s too.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Pretty old, then. For electronics, that is. :-)

I don't know how old our TV is. The color is starting to go, though, so it's only got a few years left, I think.

[muggle-prof.livejournal.com]

Lamps probably don't count, huh? In that case, I'll have to copy timestep and say a sewing machine my mom bought about when I was in middle school. (Old sewing machines have a rep of living forever -- don't know if the new-fangled ones do or if they've been so loaded down with real electronics that they die out fast now, too.)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

No, lamps most definitely don't count! LOL. Although if you've got one that's over seventy years old, you definitely get credit!

The more basic the electronics, the longer they last, it seems. And nowadays it seems that although there's a vogue to 'basic,' it's not really basic that they're selling, just something that looks basic while still having all the doodads of modernity. It seems.

[angelmischa.livejournal.com]

My roommate set fire to chocolate in our microwave the other day. About a square of the stuff resulted in billowing smoke (coming out the back because we didn't want to open the door) and the fire alarm going off.

I don't have any old electronica around the house, sorry, but I do have some very old clothes!

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

The last fire I remember in the kitchen was many moons ago when my mum went to heat up a muffin in the new microwave. We didn't know that high-sugar, low moisture things were considered combustibles. We learned quickly. XD

Yeah, I'm going to make a somewhat related post about old clothes soon. It'll be more philisophical, though. This was just sheer curiosity.

[millennia2.livejournal.com]

I have a shirt I still wear that is 15 years old. I had it in high school (It is an XL even though back then I wore a M). Now if I could just fit into my high school size jeans.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Granted it is one of my painting shirts, but I have one that's from junior high (it wasn't originally mine is why it still fits... I was gone from school for a long time and when I came back, it and a sweater were stowed in my locker. Thinking about it now, I realize I should have put them in the lost and found, but I didn't even think about it then.)

I'm actually rather happy not to fit into my high school size jeans. I like having a butt. :-)

[rosedemon.livejournal.com]

There are several things I wish would burn up and die. However, the handy man I am with is capable of repairing almost anything so the crap stays. I am pretty sure my Microwave is from the late 80's early 90's and is still buzzing along due to Spencer's abilities.

I was happy when the Sonic Care toothbrush gave out. The batteries are shot and cannot be replaced. It about killed Spencer but I was over joyed at getting a new one.

[millennia2.livejournal.com]

It's too bad a few parts can't go missing from the microwave. :)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

There are benefits to repairing things, but I kind of wish I could just chuck the old, brokenish stuff and start again.

I hadn't even thought about the lifespan of electronic toothbrushes. Hmm.

[millennia2.livejournal.com]

A television that I bought in 1995 is having problems with the buttons. We replaced the 1997 computer monitor tonight because my hubby bought a new 19" screen for his computer and gave the "old" smaller LCD monitor to the kids. My washer and dryer are from 1997. Hmmm, I guess all of our current electronic equipment is from the mid 1990's. You've got me beat.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

And it's astonishing that most of the 90's are over a decade ago!

[zalena.livejournal.com]

Great thread!

It's not just that things seemed designed to break, it's the disappearance of fix-it shops because the cost of fixing something is more than the cost of buying something new.

I actually think about this issue whenever they talk about 'green machines.' I wonder: 1. will it last and 2. will it's energy savings off-set chucking a perfectly good piece of working machinery

Needless to say, I believe all this to be changing, though I'm kind of horrified by the idea of everybody going digital and having heaps of televisions (and radios, too?) that no longer work. (It was supposed to happen this year, but apparently we have until 2009.)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I know. Geoff bought a very good, very expensive VCR years and years ago that broke down last year. He took it to the repair shop and the guy said he'd look it over, though Geoff would probably be better off to just buy a new VCR. (Geoff insisted and the guy did admit after looking it over, that the VCR was actually worth repairing.)

And the bill was about what the cost of a new, cheap VCR would be, though. If not more.

The hype over the CFL bulbs really annoys me because, a) they are packaged to death with plastic, and b) they are manufactured with mercury meaning that they are really rather poisonous for the earth (and us). It's nice that they use less energy, but, at the same time, what's the true energy savings?

Oh, and you know, don't you, that the move to digital is a conspiracy borne of the electronics industry? I'm only half joking. Once again, capitalism proves that the best products are not necessarily the ones that survive. It'll be interesting to see the film students fifty years from now dig around for ancient VCRs and tapes and marvel at how much money the past's filmmakers must have spent to make fog and fade outs look so smooth...

Sigh.