8-Track Boomboxes fixed up (includes uncut Edition) - UPDATED

I just watched the coolest video. Old vending machines with Nixie tubes. They count down the time for the noodles to be done or even your hamburger to vend. They are in Japan. It would be the best jaunt import. Search “vending machine extravaganza” 100 vending machine Japan or something like that. Experience Japan channel

I'm sure its something that I've forgotten from a previous 8 track video, but why does it sound like they tape is coming up to speed when changing between program numbers? Isn't the tape always moving and it's just the head bouncing down to the next track on the tape?

I rarely read YT comments, but this one popped out at me. No idea what it means: @ivonedev9449 2 days ago Matt is the Jeffrey Archer of old and obscure tech…

I truly enjoyed the LP "rough-cut" version. It was a special Patreon treat on a subject that I particularly enjoyed: boomboxes!

Would it be accurate to say more movies have cars with 8 tracks than compact cassettes? I think the loading has more cinematic flair

I just got round to watching the video on "normal" YouTube. I thought it was really pleasing that the Lear Jet logo incorporated an 8 between the L and J.

Yikes, Mat... so, you currently have to plan forward and essentially get 3/4 month's worth of videos in the bag prior to your holiday at the end of September 😵‍💫 - I thought - September is a long way off, but it's closer than it feels.

Have you tried "Rust-oleum"?

Mat, here's a suggestion: Cleaning battery contacts can easily be done using white distilled vinegar applied to cotton swabs. Multiple wipes might be needed, but it works, and it cleans the contacts organically. It won'd damage the contacts at all. Give it a try sometime. Really, you'll be delighted.

I had no issues with the Patreon player. If I may suggest, and if you feel inclined to publish two cuts on Patreon and YouTube, using the Patreon player could be a way to play copyrighted audio without worrying about YouTube's ruthless strikes.

I haven't watched the cut version, but I thoroughly enjoyed the uncut one.

I thought the patreon video was fine. it played perfectly on my android phone.

Watched the short version, then HAD to watch the long one to spot the differences... Loved how you measured the power consumption with your battery power supply. The Patreon player worked fine on my Windows PC. I have my TV as a secondary monitor, so that the Matt binge viewing happens in my sofa. Congrats, you make me nostalgic of a tech I never owned!

I was going to moan about the Patreon player, but then I discovered I can right click on it and do picture in picture and it overlays the browser, even when changing tabs so that's awesome :)

Unlike rotary pots, sliders are very easy to clean from the front, outside of the case. Usually there's a layer of black fabric to stop dust from entering, press your extension tube through the gap in the fabric, squirt and slide..

Matt, the fact that this set has a 12V input means it uses a low-voltage DC motor. It would only run slow if it had a main-operated synchronous motor (synchronous means synchronized to the mains frequency). In all likelihood, the power-pack on the back converrts the 120V AC to 12V DC to run the set. Synchronous motors can often be identified by being larger, having fans on them and the copper windings visible..

Finally, a foolproof method of avoiding content matches on Bob Dylan songs

Mostly joking, but I would be extremely curious for you to review one of these.... things: https://na.store.square-enix-games.com/final-fantasy-xiv-direct-drive-turntable-system-ffxiv-sq-1500

Having watched both versions, the shorter one felt a bit rushed. I didn't miss the scenes you left out entirely, but the ones you chopped up into short clips seemed too hurried.

Hi - loved this one - yes, I like the design as well, it reminds me of the very good Marantz cassette recorders. you could try and treat the yellowing plastic with a wipe of Peroxide, that usually works on PC beige. For removing tight knobs the best way I have found is with a pair of bicycle tyre levers protected from the surface with a pice of cloth. It applies even pressure to both sides at once. The Patreon phone app plays the video ok but it doesn't seem to want to go full screen.

That was fun. Also outed Dylan as a light baritone who just got played too fast.

I'm sure it has already been mentioned, but the fact that the LearJet player can run on batteries or 12 volts DC means it uses a DC motor, and therefore the frequency of the AC mains doesn't matter -- whether it's 50 or 60 Hz, it just gets converted down to DC to run the motor, so the speed will be unaffected.

I'm trying to imagine Radio Raheem rolling through Brooklyn, pumping Public Enemy...off of an 8-track. It's a difficult image to conjure.

I personally love the option of uncut version

Techmoan Uncut all the time, everytime. Thanks for this great vid Mat.

I laughed very hard when i saw the belt envelopes with "do not bend" on them, that's my kind of humour.

I did a re-enactment of the dicaprio finger pointing meme when I saw the track one lamp flicker on. I enjoyed the long version.

I watched the "uncut" sausage video via Patreon, and what actually worked well is using the app on my phone to cast to my Google TV. I definitely see why you'd remove the segments working on the Lear unit. :-)

Hard to tell - was that a Lear unit? Or just branded that way because it played 8-track cartridges? The 8-track was (along with executive jets), a Bill Lear joint. As for 1977. new cars were still coming with 8-tracks if you wanted it. Cassettes were making big inroads into the car market by then and (from the 8-track point of view) about to take over.

I'd like to make a quick comment on the Lear Jet player. (Showing my age), my best childhood friend actually had and used this player when we were growing up. I'm thinking that would have been, maybe a year or two before 1970. I also had the definite impression that the blue top was red on his, but that could be a memory-colorblindness issue. How he had it set up was he kept the player in his bedroom with the 2nd speaker running along his desk and bookshelf. He left that there all the time. When he wanted to use it as a 'portable', he simply unplugged the connection and used the single speaker. I'm now wondering if that meant he lost the 2nd channel, or if the player could sense the single speaker and adjust for it, (probably not). I remember thinking it was neat that he could bring along his 8-track when we went to the neighborhood pool. I remember it sounded pretty good at the time. Your degraded performance could be aging electronics. Also, the connectors that holds the 2 sides together were much more robust on his. His never came apart once they were connected. I'm thinking there's more to that middle connector, with the metal on top, that, perhaps held the 2nd speaker when it was connected. I can't remember, but I know when he was carrying it around with both speakers, I don't think it ever came apart like yours did. Thanks, Matt, for the memories this has brought back.

I didn't see any issue with the 'uncut' video, I enjoyed it. I however, echo others in that I prefer watching videos on YouTube where possible. I wouldn't mind the odd video on Patreon only though.

If I may add my US anecdotal two-cents worth, I actually prefer the patreon app version approach of patreon-only videos. I watched the video on both my iPhone, and iPad; both worked fine. You do have to manually select the full-screen option in the corner, (I think YouTube does it automatically when you tilt the screen. But, generally, the quality of the video stream was better when watching the Patreon feed. Of course, it's the content that matters and yours are the best! Send me a VHS tape version, and I'll resurrect my old tape player, just to watch it. (Yes, in my subtle, American way, I'm saying I like your Patreon-only videos).

I'm afraid same thing here. I like the longer videos, but can't use Downie to download. Not really that big of a deal, I normally watch everything on my TV, but it also works on the computer of course... More video means more fun parts, so eh :)

I report my experience with videos on Patreon, if that helps. I have 1000+ patrons on my Patreon page and almost all of them shot me down when I proposed videos uploaded directly to Patreon. The main reason is that the Patreon app is a pain in the neck. Almost everyone prefers YouTube because they can watch the video horizontally and also on other devices than computers or smartphones.

I saw the longer video it's great. Now I need to find out how to rip it to the Linux PC as a backup. Any ideas anybody?

Thanks for making this! I appreciated the longer version.

Streamed from the app to my android tv. Worked like a charm. Love the "patreon cut" idea. Keep em coming, mate.

The uncut version is a great look behind the curtain. I’m sure there is a genius out there that has final cuts jump from their minds right into bei g published, for the rest of us creativity is a process. Thanks for the peek at the Lear player, never seen one before.

The uncut Patreon feed worked great for me. Thank god you used matching D cell batteries. Loved this one!

Haven’t heard those Dylan/Cash collaborations before… 🤣

I appreciate the option of longer videos for patrons. And I enjoyed it. Patreon's player seemed to work fine for me, through Firefox, on my desktop machine. Thanks!

A "boombox" one is just what I've been looking for, as I really don't want a set of extra speakers hanging around (and am out of sockets on the amplifier, which I don't have the health to move out anyway!)

Can't get it to go full screen without it orientating the wrong way round.

A few comments are saying they can't watch the embedded videos on their tv. If you click the video to bring up the pause control, it has Cast in the top right as you'd expect, and it works just like YouTube.

I enjoyed the uncut video. The Patreon player worked fine on my computer.

I like very much the idea of having the longer cut available to watch! I suppose the only issue is patreon itself - the video auto stopped while I typed out this comment. It also stops if you turn off the phone screen. That might cause issues for those listening to the audio podcasts you upload, not sure if it's the same tech. Minor issue, if it means Patreon gets longer Techmoan vids!

I had the little brother of that same General Electric player, which I purchased with my allowance savings in 1979. My player was half the length and mono, but I recall it sounded really good. It was the same gray chassis, big orange button and slide volume control. Like the one you have, mine also took 8 D-cell batteries and my weekly allowance barely kept up with the cost of batteries, so I never roamed with it, much. I could plug it into the mains and there was a headphone out jack, but that jack was only mono. My dad found an adapter to convert the stereo headphone plug to mono, so I didn't disturb the house too much. Back then, disco sounded just as good (or awful if you don't like disco) in mono as it did in stereo. BTW: I like the uncut version. I am a big nerd and I like all the extra bits thrown in.

I'd always choose the longer version of your videos, given the option. Good idea to post the longer version on here only.

The "Lear Jet" device reminds me of a Geiger counter. Something that would have seemed eerie to consumers during the early Cold War era, which is when I had originally assumed the unit originated The second unit also looks out of time, as you mentioned. Except it appears more futuristic. I feel like I saw a million of those in 1980s, which is why the sticker shock hit so hard! That's nearly $400 adjusted for inflation! But I get the impression that a high value was placed on portability back then and therefore the price reflected that. I wonder if the price was comparable to other similar units of the same function in 1977. Inflation rates from 1972 through the early 1980s were very high.

I'll always opt for a longer version of your vids Mat, even if it means I need to watch on my phone. Great video btw

I'd recommend getting a hot glue gun too. It does a great job holding things in place whilst the other glue sets. It's also spot on for reinforcing even after the epoxy has cured.

Never owned an 8 track device before, I may go see if I can find something like this.

Is there any benefit in uploading videos to Patreon rather than maybe an unlisted YouTube? For me, it introduces a problem. I can watch YouTube videos on my TVs but I can't cast Patreon vids.

so glad that number 1 light got autofixed.. it really triggered my OCD when gave up on it 😂

I’m sure others have already said it, but I’m not going to consume a long video on my iPhone, on the Patreon app so, I’ll watch the YouTube edit on my tv

Loved the longer version. As mentioned, would be nice to have it on YouTube, but not the end of the world to have to cast it.

13:51 - That's a very rare album you've got there - Barry White sings the hits of Bob Dylan. Quite the collector's item!

Always watch on my TV and cannot watch the longer version on it sadly

I think the machine was making a comment on Bob's vocals by converting Dylan to Wayne Newton! I sort of don't hate it... the revised voice sounds more like the Country Western singer Mr. Zimmerman always hoped he would be.

I guess you missed that the Learjet unit states "220V 50Hz" on its back at 4:32 in the uncut video. So connecting it up to 120V would probably not work.

Anybody else noticed the glowy head grew hair and weares glasses now? :)

From the tongue in cheek department: Cat comes to the rescue after Techmoan has a black eye after a neighbour saw the nail brush in the video and told the boss. Have a great week Mat.

Another episode of "Mend it Matt".

The frequency of the mains to the Learjet branded 8 track player (mentioned around 21 minutes) will make no difference to the playback speed as the motor is of a DC type.

As others have states, it's nice to be able to cast youtube version to TV so would be nice to have the longer cut unlisted on YouTube for that reason.

I watched the long one - I don't want to miss anything.

This was very satisfying to watch. Glad you got the GE sorted out, it seems like quite a good model.

Thanks for the uncut version. I liked it very much, 40 mins passed quite quickly.

• Can you believe the audacity of those people who mix manufacturers in the battery compartment? 😠 It's like cats and dogs and lemurs all living together! • Yes, indeed - the GE was grey before it greened: https://ibb.co/7jHcMjt (BBoQM c.1978) • I'm so glad you found the broken piece in the GE - I noticed the screw pillar was broken when you had the machine apart. • Yesterday I had a Sound Burger-A-Thon, and my next record in the pile was going to be Dylan - I'll have to break it out again today. • I only watched the Director's Extended edition. That's the really real one... sort of. • Nice new bathroom sink you have there💎. I'll write the Mrs. immediately and I'll kindly notify her you'd never use a nail brush implement to clean your electronics or use her hair dryer to soften your pinch rollers. Addendum: commenter below reminded me to add: • Handsome glowing head with its glasses, hair, and beard. 😗 Sincerely, take care 🤍 and enjoy your future 8-Track boombox sessions.

LIked LP version. Wonder if there was a boombox with 8-track AND cassette? Update: Made me want to play a couple of 8-Tracks. Most don't sound very good but there are a couple that sound better than they have any right to. One of them is a quad 8 of Live and Let Die soundtrack from Canada. It sounds VERY good. It does however, have one major flaw... the tracks are shifted 90 degrees to the left on program A. I made a corrected recording to quad reel-to-reel but of course never played it again after the first time. I just turn to the left when listening to the 8-track :-)

Thank you for posting the uncut version! I will watch the YouTube version for the traffic but I love longer versions! I recognize I'm a fan and not an avg YouTube watcher though.

Nice founds, I like the completely different design of the different players, I guess in the 1960s nobody ever thought about how a boombox should look like... I know about reel to reel tape recorders with similar designs, having separate speakers that can be put on like doors on the device for transporting. BTW: if the device runs on DC power as well, of course, the mains frequency is not important as the motor runs on DC anyway... Good thing to tape off the lose mains connector, I guess it should go somewhere to a transformer, but didn't see it so quickly...

I totally understand why you trimmed down the YouTube version, but it was nice to have the alternative one here, I enjoyed it.

Are you even a true fan if you don’t watch the LP version 🤓?

For some reason I can't play the embedded uncut version video, it just goes black :(

I'm going to need two phones for this to watch simultaneously so I can see what's cut. I know, I need to get out more.

I would love the uncut version as an unlisted video on YouTube so I can watch it on my TV. I can't watch Patreon embedded videos on TV.

I don't mind the longer version