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Things that used to be common place in people’s homes

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43021HST

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woodchip wallpaper,

Very glad to see the back of that, right git to get off the walls.

I'd put these more in the list of things that seem to get increasingly rare: Those wooden barometer things, wall mounted can openers and walls that aren't painted either magnolia, white or grey.
 
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dgl

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Add Bush, Rank, EMI, English Electric, Ferranti, Alba ....

Bush still exists somewhat as a brand Argos use for cheapo electronics, they also used to use the Alba brand as well.
My step-mum used to work for Ferranti and I work for a company that used to be owned by the Rank group. Our local theatre has a Rank Strand lighting controller on display in the foyer, obviously a remote control system but in a stand up case,

There is a Bush VHF64 here that amazingly is in full working order despite it being all original, one of the finest valve sets ever made.

Also add mains plugs branded by the local electricity board, coffee percolators and old style flat radiators which had no fins like more modern ones.

WP_20210112_21_28_40_Pro.jpgWP_20210112_21_32_43_Pro.jpg
 

takno

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Also add mains plugs branded by the local electricity board, coffee percolators and old style flat radiators which had no fins like more modern ones.
What do modern ones look like then? That just looks like a radiator to me
 

dgl

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What do modern ones look like then? That just looks like a radiator to me
Modern radiators are either single of dual walled with some sort of finning either between the panels or on the back, see:
the one in the picture is thinner and has no finning. Note that said radiator would have been fed off the back boiler originally and this one and the 4? others were not replaced when the central heating system was fitted.
 

takno

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Modern radiators are either single of dual walled with some sort of finning either between the panels or on the back, see:
the one in the picture is thinner and has no finning. Note that said radiator would have been fed off the back boiler originally and this one and the 4? others were not replaced when the central heating system was fitted.

AHH fair enough. I've never seen them without the fins at the back so I just assumed they were there on that one! I've seen quite a few systems that were on back-boilers, but none that were more than about 50 years old.
 

dgl

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AHH fair enough. I've never seen them without the fins at the back so I just assumed they were there on that one! I've seen quite a few systems that were on back-boilers, but none that were more than about 50 years old.
This picture should give you some idea, there is literally about 1" between it and the wall, it's not the clearest as there is a window sill above it.
radiator.jpg
 

Butts

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Bush still exists somewhat as a brand Argos use for cheapo electronics, they also used to use the Alba brand as well.
My step-mum used to work for Ferranti and I work for a company that used to be owned by the Rank group. Our local theatre has a Rank Strand lighting controller on display in the foyer, obviously a remote control system but in a stand up case,

There is a Bush VHF64 here that amazingly is in full working order despite it being all original, one of the finest valve sets ever made.

Also add mains plugs branded by the local electricity board, coffee percolators and old style flat radiators which had no fins like more modern ones.

View attachment 88535View attachment 88536
Bush still exists somewhat as a brand Argos use for cheapo electronics, they also used to use the Alba brand as well.
My step-mum used to work for Ferranti and I work for a company that used to be owned by the Rank group. Our local theatre has a Rank Strand lighting controller on display in the foyer, obviously a remote control system but in a stand up case,

There is a Bush VHF64 here that amazingly is in full working order despite it being all original, one of the finest valve sets ever made.

Also add mains plugs branded by the local electricity board, coffee percolators and old style flat radiators which had no fins like more modern ones.

View attachment 88535View attachment 88536
Work for a Company that used to be owned by The Rank Group.......????

Cinema (Odeon) ?
Hotels ?
Cinema Advertising ?
Nightclubs ?
Holiday Camps ?
Ice Rinks ?
Motorway Services?
Amusement Arcades ?
Film Making / Pinewood Studios ?
Rank Audio Visual ?
Rank Xerox ?
De Luxe Film Labs London?

Can't think of any more !!!
 

Springs Branch

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Smoking stands - basically an ashtray on a pedestal to sit next to one's armchair - like this.
I think some deluxe versions also included a separate shelf for pipe tobacco, matches and sir's other requisites.

I also remember the ashtrays having a spring-loaded rotating lid so the ash, butts etc were kept covered and out of sight.

[EDIT] - Seems that style of ashtray is still available for sale, so maybe still common in smokers' households (can't remember the last time I visited anyone who still smokes). For example https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashtrays-Creative-Stainless-Spring-Ashtray/dp/B00MI73JDI. Other models & sellers are available.
 
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Whistler40145

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Very glad to see the back of that, right git to get off the walls.

I'd put these more in the list of things that seem to get increasingly rare: Those wooden barometer things, wall mounted can openers and walls that aren't painted either magnolia, white or grey.
It was an absolute bugger to strip off walls
 

DelW

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Smoking stands - basically an ashtray on a pedestal to sit next to one's armchair - like this.
I think some deluxe versions also included a separate shelf for pipe tobacco, matches and sir's other requisites.
I have one a bit like that, complete with the little circular shelf, inherited from my parents. When they stopped smoking many decades ago, the ashtray insert was replaced with a wooden disc making it effectively a small circular table.

It's now ideal for a mug on the top, and remote controls on the shelf, both right next to my armchair.
 

trainophile

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My mum used to have a decorative wooden cigarette box, that packs of ciggies were decanted into.

When my sister and I were little we always knew we were in trouble when she had a smoke and a small sherry (from the decanter) before lunchtime!
 

trebor79

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Smoking stands - basically an ashtray on a pedestal to sit next to one's armchair - like this.
I think some deluxe versions also included a separate shelf for pipe tobacco, matches and sir's other requisites.

I also remember the ashtrays having a spring-loaded rotating lid so the ash, butts etc were kept covered and out of sight.
My grandparent had one of those, all in shiny steel and the ash and buts dropped down the central tube into the base. It used to fascinate me as a kid.
My grandmother used to let me light her fags for her, and I never understood at the time why it made mum sad when it made me so happy.
 

Steddenm

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Techwise..

Binatone games console
Screenshot_20210113-232006_eBay.jpg

Barcode Battler handheld games console
Screenshot_20210113-232039_eBay.jpg

3.5" floppy disks
Screenshot_20210113-232112_eBay.jpg


5.25" floppy disks
Screenshot_20210113-232155_eBay.jpg

ZIP drives
Screenshot_20210113-232230_eBay.jpg

Parallel LPT1 Printer cables
Screenshot_20210113-232308_eBay.jpg

Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) players
Screenshot_20210113-232331_eBay.jpg

LaserDisc (LD) players
Screenshot_20210113-232450_eBay.jpg

MiniDisc (MD) players
Screenshot_20210113-232520_eBay.jpg

I know everything has been superceded by new products and technology. Did anybody have a DCC player?
 

takno

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Techwise..

Binatone games console
View attachment 88587

Barcode Battler handheld games console
View attachment 88588

3.5" floppy disks
View attachment 88589


5.25" floppy disks
View attachment 88590

ZIP drives
View attachment 88591

Parallel LPT1 Printer cables
View attachment 88592

Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) players
View attachment 88593

LaserDisc (LD) players
View attachment 88594

MiniDisc (MD) players
View attachment 88595

I know everything has been superceded by new products and technology. Did anybody have a DCC player?
I've still got half of those in my flat. Don't think I ever saw a DCC - barely even heard of them. I'm not sure anybody really had laserdisc players either did they, at least not in the UK?
 

dgl

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I have a minidisc player, a zip and Jaz drive somewhere, parallel printer cables and a few 3.5" FDD's both DD and HD versions. The FDD's have two uses, the DD ones for my Roland S330 sampler (that won't function without a FDD as it's boots it OS from it and has no other form of storage) and the HD disks for my Generalmusic/GEM S2 workstation keyboard, again essential as it's the only form of storage on the keyboard with only the turbo models gaining a battery backed ram disk.

As for game consoles, I do still have my original SNES and a later acquired N64, and my step-mum still had two Atari 2600's.
 

birchesgreen

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I've still got half of those in my flat. Don't think I ever saw a DCC - barely even heard of them. I'm not sure anybody really had laserdisc players either did they, at least not in the UK?
I remember HMV having a small section of laserdiscs on sale so there must have been some people with the players, though probably few.
 

pdq

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Techwise..

Binatone games console
View attachment 88587

Barcode Battler handheld games console
View attachment 88588

3.5" floppy disks
View attachment 88589


5.25" floppy disks
View attachment 88590

ZIP drives
View attachment 88591

Parallel LPT1 Printer cables
View attachment 88592

Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) players
View attachment 88593

LaserDisc (LD) players
View attachment 88594

MiniDisc (MD) players
View attachment 88595

I know everything has been superceded by new products and technology. Did anybody have a DCC player?
Not sure any of those were 'commonplace' in people's homes.
 

GusB

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Printers? Virtually nobody I know has one anymore, and of the one or two that do, they're gathering dust.
I tend not to print much these days, but the scanner and copier functions can be useful.
 

pdq

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I got two, everyone i know has at least 1. Probably all gathering dust like mine.
Use mine regularly for printing documents, music scores, photos, etc. I'm on a 300 page / month from HP which is about the right average for us. Some things are simply easier to read and annotate on paper than on a screen.
 

DelW

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I have a minidisc player, a zip and Jaz drive somewhere, parallel printer cables and a few 3.5" FDD's both DD and HD versions. The FDD's have two uses, the DD ones for my Roland S330 sampler (that won't function without a FDD as it's boots it OS from it and has no other form of storage) and the HD disks for my Generalmusic/GEM S2 workstation keyboard, again essential as it's the only form of storage on the keyboard with only the turbo models gaining a battery backed ram disk.
3.5" floppy disks live on in the"save file" symbol on a lot of software. I wonder how many users under about 25 years old even know what that symbol represents?
Printers? Virtually nobody I know has one anymore, and of the one or two that do, they're gathering dust.
I had to buy one a year ago when I retired and could no longer use the ones at work. It's had a moderate amount of use, as a copier and scanner as well as for printing.
 

3rd rail land

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Printers? Virtually nobody I know has one anymore, and of the one or two that do, they're gathering dust.
Quite a few of my colleagues have printers. In my case my printer is mostly used for printing work stuff but it does occasionally come in handy for personal things as well. Mine tends to gather dust whether it's used regularly on not as it has been located in the same spot in my flat for several years. :D
 

trebor79

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Printers? Virtually nobody I know has one anymore, and of the one or two that do, they're gathering dust.
Essential. In fact I just persuaded work to buy me a colour laser multifunction device. Perfect.
Except it's defective and as it's been bought by the business we can't just send it back for exchange from the retailer, and I'm currently waiting for Kyocera to (in 10 working days!) to arrange for an engineer to come to my house and go "Yeah, that's bust", then they will arrange a repair or exchange.
Seriously wishing I'd just bought it as a consumer and expensed it, as I'd have had the replacement here already. As it is, it's sat gathering dust :D
 

dgl

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Again on the printer front, I indeed brought a new one this year a Brother colour laser all-in-one to replace a similar OKI unit that I had got fed up with, I was printing off my grans memoirs and so needed a printer with a good cost per page and this one can take 9k cartridges so all good there. Used up the supplied toner in a matter of days.

And another thing, woodgrain finish on electrical goods. Even stuff that was the lastest thing at the time like the 2600 had wood grain on it.
 

py_megapixel

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Inkjet printers are terrible. Not sure I've ever seen an inkjet in perfect working order, ever... they're also terribly wasteful and the manufacturers have some dubious business practices.

Lasers are far superior for everything but photo printing. And it's not like photos printed on them look awful, it's just that they don't play nicely with photo paper. However, unless you're printing a large number of photos it works out less hassle and better value just to order them to be professionally printed.
 

gg1

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I still have a printer, main use is for printing recipes and shopping lists but there are occasions when one has been essential due to the need to print an online document requiring a physical signature.

I've still got half of those in my flat. Don't think I ever saw a DCC - barely even heard of them. I'm not sure anybody really had laserdisc players either did they, at least not in the UK?

I only ever knew one person who owned a DCC player, a former housemate in the late 90s, Minidiscs by contrast were briefly very popular. The sound quality on DCCs was superior to Minidiscs but they were more expensive and there was a lag if you played tracks in a different order to which they were recorded due to the need to rewind/fast forward.
 
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