|
Likewise, Sweden only had two terrestrial channels until 1992. I grew up in the south of Sweden though, and if you had a good antenna you could pick up the two danish channels as well. If you wanted more channels you had to get a satellite dish. Commercial TV was illegal in Sweden until 1992, although of course they couldn't do anything about satellite reception as long as the channels weren't sent from Sweden. The first commercial channel in swedish (TV3) started in 1987, but due to the law they transmitted from London via satellite. In response to TV3 there were a few nutty politicians from the leftist block who proposed an outright ban on the ownership of satellite receivers. Collateral Damage has a new favorite as of 14:59 on Dec 6, 2013 |
# ? Dec 6, 2013 14:39 |
|
|
# ? May 23, 2024 15:50 |
|
This came up in m Facebook feed today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJaft0a5VXc It's the analog switch off in Syndey, Australia. Kudos to channel 7 for actually doing something to mark the occasion rather than just flipping a breaker.
|
# ? Dec 6, 2013 14:57 |
|
Groke posted:That poo poo didn't happen until 1992 in Norway. Of course a significant percentage of the population lived close enough to the border to get Swedish channels (and I believe some in the south could get Danish brodcasts as well), but for the rest of us it was one glorious channel. One effect of this was that everyone had seen the exact same shows (if they had been watching TV at all). Oh yeah, tell me about it. Getting TV 2 was awesome, especially the morning show (much better than the one on NRK, at least for a boring kid like me, and all the amazing American shows that we suddenly got access to …) My aunt had a satelite dish, though, so the few times a year we visited them, I'd either stay glued to the TV screen or being educated in hard rock and Civ 1 (from '91 at least) by my older cousin.
|
# ? Dec 6, 2013 15:46 |
|
Collateral Damage posted:A significantly less failed computer in Sweden was the Z80-based ABC 80 which was popular in many schools and homes, and still has a minor cult following. It held a significant market share until the C64 came along. Ha, I have one of those. Still works fine, and given that the thing is older than me, that's kind of impressive. I've got a tape drive for it, though I wouldn't bet on too many of the tapes working anymore; never got my hands on a floppy drive (or any of the crazy modem/network action). Also, the real way to get more TV channels in Norway was to live close to Sweden. I still think Swedish is a better language for dubbing Disney cartoons.
|
# ? Dec 8, 2013 01:45 |
|
Came across this on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ibm-10SR-Hard-drive-/231110449329?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item35cf4198b1 An ancient IBM mainframe hard drive. That lid lifts up on a hinge, and the platters are RIGHT THERE. They aren't sealed at all.
|
# ? Dec 8, 2013 02:12 |
|
German Channel 2 Analog Shutdown Fitting music too...
|
# ? Dec 8, 2013 02:59 |
|
Collateral Damage posted:That's a Mobira Talkman. My father had one, and it's still collecting dust in my parents' basement.
|
# ? Dec 8, 2013 08:03 |
|
An ex colleague of mine was disappointed in the battery life of his phone, so he jury rigged an external battery pack (wrapped in brown packing tape) attached to the back of the phone. Not a bad idea, except the whole thing looked like a phone with a block of C4. I suggested he never try to take it flying.
|
# ? Dec 8, 2013 16:45 |
|
Collateral Damage posted:An ex colleague of mine was disappointed in the battery life of his phone, so he jury rigged an external battery pack (wrapped in brown packing tape) attached to the back of the phone. Not a bad idea, except the whole thing looked like a phone with a block of C4. When I was taking a security course one of the speakers talked specifically about how many commercial and almost all home made batteries are pretty much indistinguishable from explosives on many scanners.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 03:41 |
|
El Estrago Bonito posted:When I was taking a security course one of the speakers talked specifically about how many commercial and almost all home made batteries are pretty much indistinguishable from explosives on many scanners. I want to meet the guy trying to get homemade batteries on a plane.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 04:48 |
|
El Estrago Bonito posted:When I was taking a security course one of the speakers talked specifically about how many commercial and almost all home made batteries are pretty much indistinguishable from explosives on many scanners. Batteries generally consist of two highly reactive materials with a large amount of potential energy. They pretty much are explosives.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 04:56 |
|
eddiewalker posted:I want to meet the guy trying to get homemade batteries on a plane. Microcline posted:Batteries generally consist of two highly reactive materials with a large amount of potential energy. They pretty much are explosives. Except that the energy density of any chemical battery is total and complete poo poo when compared to the feeblest of high explosives.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 04:56 |
|
Phanatic posted:Except that the energy density of any chemical battery is total and complete poo poo when compared to the feeblest of high explosives. So what you're saying is that instead of developing electric cars, we should focus on cars driven by an explosive substance with high energy density? Nonsense.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 10:04 |
|
If wikipedia is anything to go by, Lithium ion batteries have about 2/3rds the energy density of gunpowder, weight for weight. Much nastier reaction products, though. Compared to e.g. gasoline, both are rather puny. Computer viking has a new favorite as of 10:14 on Jan 3, 2014 |
# ? Jan 3, 2014 10:11 |
|
Computer viking posted:If wikipedia is anything to go by, Lithium ion batteries have about 2/3rds the energy density of gunpowder, weight for weight. Much nastier reaction products, though. No, non‐rechargeable lithium batteries (expensive cameras used to use these) have two‐thirds the energy density of gunpowder (which for the record is not a high explosive). Rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries are more like a quarter. KozmoNaut posted:So what you're saying is that instead of developing electric cars, we should focus on cars driven by an explosive substance with high energy density? Nah, energy density isn’t everything. Just look at wood beating the crap out of TNT in energy density. Should we use wood‐fired cars? Just don’t operate a sawmill incompetently and have ærosolised wood dust everywhere.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 10:28 |
|
Oops. I looked in the table and noticed both were in there, and then picked the wrong type. And I know gunpowder isn't a high explosive, but it's good enough to count as "explosive" in the context of airplane safety.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 10:34 |
|
Platystemon posted:Should we use wood‐fired cars? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas#Internal_combustion_engine
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 10:34 |
|
My job is in the field of hazmat transportation and lithium metal cells and batteries are a BIG problem. As in, at the last meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Secretary submitted a paper proposing to ban transport on passenger and cargo aircraft. Explosiveness is not the problem, raging fires are. I can't think of any technology to post myself right now, but can anyone tell me about obsolete or failed musical instruments? F'r instance, I remember reading that the guy from Neutral Milk Hotel used an electronic sax that had the amazing design of slowly trapping saliva inside until it broke and they went through a few of them on Aeroplane.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 14:56 |
|
There's the Casio DG-20. Kind of a mix between a guitar and a synth and a MIDI controller. I've always wanted one but can never justify buying the odd ones on ebay.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 15:23 |
|
Nemesis Of Moles posted:There's the Casio DG-20. Kind of a mix between a guitar and a synth and a MIDI controller. I've always wanted one but can never justify buying the odd ones on ebay. A couple years back Line 6 (I think) came out with an emulated guitar, it had real strings and frets but the actual sound was created by software and it used something that looked like a cat5 ethernet cable instead of a patch cord, it only worked with like 1 or 2 proprietary amps and there was only one model of guitar. Supposedly it could emulate the sound of almost any amp/guitar combo.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 15:38 |
|
KozmoNaut posted:So what you're saying is that instead of developing electric cars, we should focus on cars driven by an explosive substance with high energy density? If electric cars worked by combusting their batteries, that would be pretty funny.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 16:19 |
|
Lithium batteries can be dangerous on airplanes, you say? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH6GpXAXmx8
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 16:27 |
|
vxskud posted:A couple years back Line 6 (I think) came out with an emulated guitar, it had real strings and frets but the actual sound was created by software and it used something that looked like a cat5 ethernet cable instead of a patch cord, it only worked with like 1 or 2 proprietary amps and there was only one model of guitar. Your thinking of Line 6's Varaix guitars; which are pretty much regular guitars, but they have modelling hardware built into them. They was only one model back in the day, though in the interm there has been a new series introduced of several more interesting models. But even then, the old and new Variax's could still be used with any amp as they still had the regular 1/4" jack. The cat5 jack was used so it could interface with certain propriety hardware so that the two could communicate and control each other (though the number of such hardware hasn't really changed). But the amp/guitar combo emulation comes when you buy 'the Dream Rig™' which involves buying their most expensive amps, their most expensive foot controller, and one of their expensive modelling guitar; then you can sound like anybody you want 'authentically'. Meanwhile other guitarists just find equipment they like, and carve out their own sounds (or pay top dollar to buy the same equipment their idols used).
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 18:46 |
|
Nemesis Of Moles posted:There's the Casio DG-20. Kind of a mix between a guitar and a synth and a MIDI controller. I've always wanted one but can never justify buying the odd ones on ebay. Yamaha put out something called the EZ-EG a few years ago that was somewhat similar, but I think it's discontinued. It doesn't look like it has a full fret, though. There's also something called the Q-Chord that I've watched demos of and I still can't figure it the hell out on how it's supposed to work.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 18:48 |
|
JediTalentAgent posted:There's also something called the Q-Chord that I've watched demos of and I still can't figure it the hell out on how it's supposed to work. Are you talking about this piece of poo poo? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI9qbR-398o Cause it's amazing how lovely it is.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 18:58 |
|
Lucy Heartfilia posted:Are you talking about this piece of poo poo?
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 20:39 |
|
Sham bam bamina! posted:I don't know what's worse, the fake plastic autoharp or the absolutely depressing people praising it. Dear god, I have been searching for the name of that thing for years, back in grade school my music teacher brought one in and we thought it was the coolest thing ever. This was like in 3rd grade
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 20:59 |
|
That's the one. The sad truth is that I ALMOST bought one of these years ago before I knew what it was. There's a musical instrument called 'the chapman stick' that sort of interested me for a while and I think is legitimately still cool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GS0nKIebCc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT6GScX-Yh0 JediTalentAgent has a new favorite as of 21:03 on Jan 3, 2014 |
# ? Jan 3, 2014 21:01 |
|
Manky posted:I can't think of any technology to post myself right now, but can anyone tell me about obsolete or failed musical instruments? Well, there's always the shagbut, the minikin and the Flemish clacket.
|
# ? Jan 3, 2014 21:28 |
|
JediTalentAgent posted:There's also something called the Q-Chord that I've watched demos of and I still can't figure it the hell out on how it's supposed to work. I have one of these. It is an overly complicated piece of poo poo meant to replace the Omnichord, which is a much better electronic autoharp.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 06:07 |
|
BigHustle posted:I have one of these. It is an overly complicated piece of poo poo meant to replace the Omnichord, which is a much better electronic autoharp. I looked up the new models and apparently they still use those cartridges that look like they belong in a late 70s video game system.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 15:15 |
|
I don't know about the Qchord, but the Omnichord is badass and I will hear no criticism of it
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 15:39 |
|
JediTalentAgent posted:There's a musical instrument called 'the chapman stick' that sort of interested me for a while and I think is legitimately still cool: Haha, the Stick was actually the first thing I thought of, but as far as I know it doesn't really qualify for either. It is a cool idea. It even makes a cameo in David Lynch's Dune! Jedit posted:Well, there's always the shagbut, the minikin and the Flemish clacket. Cool! I can't even tell what's going on but I like it. I think a good candidate for this thread would be the Gibson Firebird X. Not only is it ugly as sin, expensive as hell ($4,000), it's definitely a solution in search of a problem. Cramming every hyped up piece of electronics into a guitar is sort of interesting on an engineering level but it makes no sense. For instance, "the audio engine has the power and resolution needed to create sounds with a true analog feel." You know what else has a true analog feel? A regular loving guitar! Or "Optimized to create sounds like Gibson’s acclaimed J-45 acoustic guitar and others, the basic acoustic guitar sound is virtually indistinguishable from an acoustic guitar’s electric output." I bold "virtually" to show that at least Gibson can't lie about that. Ignoring the fact that most would say you can only get good amplification of an acoustic with a microphone or soundhole pickup. Also ignoring the fact that you could get two J-45s instead. Or "the internal battery lasts for well over two hours of heavy, continuous use — and should the power run out, the battery can be swapped out in under 10 seconds with commonly available, inexpensive camcorder batteries." Commonly available camcorder batteries. Jesus. Direct digital output is just about the only good thing here. Kirk Douglas from the Roots is quoted as saying "With the Firebird X I can plug directly into my amp and have access to all my quality effects. All I need is a cable. Truly revolutionary!" and I have to imagine he said it tongue in cheek. Manky has a new favorite as of 15:55 on Jan 4, 2014 |
# ? Jan 4, 2014 15:51 |
|
Delivery McGee posted:
This is a laaaate quote, but god dammit my car was made in 2006, which in case you can't remember because it was apparently eons ago was well into the digital music age. It came with no aux in, and I still have to use one of these every day. It's infuriating, sounds awful,I feel like a silly techno-Grandpa, and I can't replace the dash audio unit with a new one (without going to the dealer and paying a mint) because it's integrated into the console.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 15:57 |
|
Manky posted:I can't think of any technology to post myself right now, but can anyone tell me about obsolete or failed musical instruments? Talking about more classical instruments, the harpsichord family is a small niche these days, after a long dominance, and the hurdy-gurdies have gone from a common instrument to a historical curiosity. The former is best described as a piano that plucks the strings instead of hammering them, and the latter is, uhm. A keyed violin with a rotating wheel instead of a bow? I do like the sound of harpsichords, but they have some fundamental issues compared to the pianoes; mostly that there's no way to control the volume or duration of each note (it's either plucked or not). Larger models had two keyboards with different amounts of force, but that's still a rather rough solution. Bonus modern (well, in this context) harpsichord use: Golden Brown, by the Stranglers. As for the hurdy gurdy, it's more of an ... acquired taste, kind of like the bagpipes. There's an explanation of the thing here. Computer viking has a new favorite as of 16:24 on Jan 4, 2014 |
# ? Jan 4, 2014 15:59 |
|
Calliopes are rather obsolete.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 16:09 |
|
Manky posted:"Commonly available, inexpensive camcorder batteries."
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 16:12 |
|
Computer viking posted:Talking about more classical instruments, the harpsichord family is a small niche these days, after a long dominance, and the hurdy-gurdies have gone from a common instrument to a historical curiosity. Janis Ian's famous civil rights song Society's Child opens with a harpsichord solo solely because the studio offered to provide any instruments required for the song and she'd always wanted to play one. Manky - it is explained in excessive detail what is happening with the shagbut, minikin and Flemish clacket. This is because none of the instruments actually exist - it's a BBC radio comedy sketch. You seriously thought there was a two-man trombone with a 25-foot slide operated using grappling hooks?
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 16:15 |
|
Computer viking posted:Talking about more classical instruments, the harpsichord family is a small niche these days, after a long dominance, and the hurdy-gurdies have gone from a common instrument to a historical curiosity. Harpsichords are 70% of the reason I dislike baroque music, but obviously that's a gross generalization and a personal opinion. Hurdy gurdies are neat. Jedit posted:Manky - it is explained in excessive detail what is happening with the shagbut, minikin and Flemish clacket. This is because none of the instruments actually exist - it's a BBC radio comedy sketch. You seriously thought there was a two-man trombone with a 25-foot slide operated using grappling hooks? Er, I was browsing the forums while listening and wasn't giving it my full attention. Missed that it was meant to be a comedy sketch, man I don't know. Maybe I just WANTED it to be real (and shagbutte is a real term!) Fake edit: I was also somehow conflating it with the Shaggy Butte series.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 16:25 |
|
|
# ? May 23, 2024 15:50 |
|
Jedit posted:Janis Ian's famous civil rights song Society's Child opens with a harpsichord solo solely because the studio offered to provide any instruments required for the song and she'd always wanted to play one. That seems like an entirely appropriate reason to use one. Manky: I can understand getting tired of them after a while, it's not the most varied of sounds. edit: Also, I think I need to stop continuously updating my posts after submitting them; there's two different versions of my previous post quoted, and the in-thread one is different from both.
|
# ? Jan 4, 2014 16:33 |