Retro Thing

Hamilton: The Once American Watch Company

The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in 1892, "to build only watches of the highest quality." Their pocket watches became known across America for reliability, but it was the 1917 introduction of a military wristwatch that truly established them. Those early wristwatches used tiny 0-sized 17-jewel movements originally designed for women's pendent watches.

The company went on to produce the world's first electric watch in 1957, but they faced increasing competition from Japanese watchmakers. In an attempt to compete, they teamed up with Ricoh to produce electric mechanisms in their Lancaster, Pennsylvania factory which were then sent to Japan for final assembly. The venture failed, and Hamilton acquired Swiss watchmaker Bueren in an attempt to fight the Japanese onslaught with quality. It didn't work, forcing the American factory to close in 1969.

The brand eventually ended up in the hands of Swatch, who revitalized the lineup with a series of respectable timepieces featuring automatic ETA movements. Prices start at around $300 (street), which is downright reasonable for a Swiss watch.

My favorite Hamiltons are the understated Hamilton Khaki series, which includes this $495 model that houses a 25-jewel ETA movement in a 40mm stainless steel case.

The series is available with leather or steel bands and features a brilliant luminescent dial for those panicked moments when you need the exact time in pitch darkness.

The Official Hamilton Watch Site

Fujifilm's Stunning New Retrocam

The Fujifilm FinePix X100 large sensor compact camera is aimed at wealthy hedge fund managers with great taste. It offers impeccable retro styling, along with a fast 23mm fixed focal length lens and a hybrid optical/LCD viewfinder. Its body houses a newly developed high performance 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor that can capture 720p HD video at 30 fps.

Pseudo-vintage glory doesn't come cheap. The X100 is slated to hit store shelves sometime next spring at a price of around $1000. Given the stratospheric price tag and the fixed focal length lens, I'd be more inclined to pick the svelte new $449 Nikon Coolpix P7000 instead. 

Fujifilm FinePix X100. More than you imagined. [via dpreview.com]

Ride The Sprocket Rocket

The quirky 35mm Sprocket Rocket from Lomography captures panoramas with a super-wide angle lens that exposes the image past the sprocket holes. It includes dual winding knobs that make multiple exposures easy, along with a b-setting for long exposure, zone focusing, a flash hot shoe and a standard tripod thread.

It's compatible with all types of standard 35mm roll film, although getting a place to print a panoramic shot that includes sprocket holes could be a tad difficult. Conveniently, Lomography offers a kit that includes the DigitaLIZA 35mm Scanning Mask to ease the task of capturing your film on a digital flatbed scanner.

The Sprocket Rocket is €79, or €100 with the DigitaLIZA 35mm scanning mask.

Stretta: Analog Synthesis For The 21st Century

Long-time RT reader Stretta writes, "I recently released a new album rendered entirely with a modular synthesizer. While modular synths are undergoing something of a renaissance these days with dozens of manufacturers producing interesting new modules, there aren't a lot of examples of pure modular synth music made today that transcend the banal.

'A Funneled Stone' is a pure modular synth release, tracked in the old-shool, 1970's way: one monophonic line at a time. Every sound you hear was created, patched and recorded for that moment in time. When a new sound is needed, the patch is torn down and a new one is built. Polyphony is achieved by tracking each voice individually.

A modular album is, by definition, unapologetically synthetic. I also tried to take a more minimalist approach to orchestration, so the individual sounds can be more fully isolated and appreciated. I spent much of the final month of production taking elements out, and editing for length. Sometimes this results in the remaining elements merely hinting at the underlying harmonic movement.

As you can imagine, this process is very time-consuming, but fun. I hope you enjoy the results as much as I enjoyed creating it."

It's easy to get stuck in the past with vintage technology, but Stretta manages to push the boundaries of analog sound in a decidedly modern direction. Aided by a modern digital recording setup, his multilayered compositions range from moody soundscapes like the sharpest function to the rushing glitch-inspired rhythms of the future never spoke that make me wish for a long, aimless drive along a lonely stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway with the stereo cranked.

You can download A Funneled Stone in exchange for a tweet, or buy the album from Amazon, iTunes or Bandcamp. Stretta has also launched a kickstarter campaign to see if it's possible to collect enough pre-orders to fund a limited edition 180g vinyl release.

Listen to A Funneled Stone on Soundcloud
Pre-order the album on vinyl

Hackvision DIY Retro Game Console

Hackvision is a tiny 8-bit video game console based on an Atmega 328 microcontroller (of Arduino fame) capable of driving an NTSC or PAL TV at 136 x 96 pixels in glorious monochrome. The entire system is the size of control pad and comes preloaded with Space Invaders and Pong. There's even an online guide to writing your own games using the Arduino TVout library.

The platform supports Wii nunchuk, Super NES and paddle controllers and all unused microcontroller pins are available for expansion. It's even configured to save high scores in the microcontroller's eeprom when powered off. To top everything off, it's an open source project with Eagle PC board layout files and source code available for download and modding.

My only complaint is the lack of color output. It wouldn't take much to add an R2R DAC. Still, it's definitely worth $37.95 ($47.95 fully assembled).

Hackvision: The tiny, hackable, Arduino-based video game system

This Isn't My Parade Of VCR's

Okay, I know I have a weird name and I own a lot of stuff, but you guys can stop forwarding me this video asking if this is me. It's not me. That isn't my giant pile of VHS VCR's. That isn't my accent, nor am I greenscreening myself on top of wildly panning footage of my proud collection. 

There are some interesting brands represented in the video, to say nothing of the aesthetics of how to Youtuber Markorepairs chose to display and discuss them all. If you don't see your favorite VCR in this 8 minute epic, maybe you can check out one of Marko's more than 900 other videos.

I don't know what I like best about this video. Pronouncing "hi-fi" as "hee fee", the many different background music choices, or that "Panasonic is best mechanics" (sounds like a new tagline to me). I do like Marko's collection, and he's got a couple VHS players in there I'd love to have myself. Oh, and always remember, "when factory models is stupid drop off carbitch when maschine still running life." So may it be said of us all.

YouTube homepage of Markorepairs

A Gentle Kodachrome Reminder

Dwayne's Photo would like to remind the world that December 30th, 2010 is the last day of processing for all types of Kodachrome film. Any film that isn't in their lab by noon that day will be returned undeveloped. If you're in Europe, Kodak will accept prepaid Kodachrome film pouches until November 30th and forward them to Dwayne's at no charge.

The elderly Kodachrome developing system will be dismantled after the final run, although Dwayne's will remain open to process all types of modern C-41 compatible film.

Dwayne's Photo - film processing and printing

eBay Pulls The Plug On Retro Thing

Retro Thing has been a member of the eBay Partner Network for years. It's a program that helps websites earn money by linking to eBay auctions, and we've used the income to pay some of the costs of running the site.

We got an email from eBay last week telling us that our account was under review. They demanded a "detailed explanation of how you are driving traffic to eBay, or you risk the termination of your account and 100% reversal of commissions." They even wanted server logs.

I responded immediately but received an email last night stating that they're terminating our account. The form letter wished us good luck in the future. It also curtly stated, "You are not permitted to rejoin the eBay Partner Network,"  and concluded with a cheery admonition that  "At this time, we are not reconsidering our decision." We seem to have been tarred with the same brush as Internet ad spammers.

This is a nightmare scenario for several reasons. Since I started this site five years ago, we've frequently recommended eBay as a source for hard-to-find classic technology. I suspect we've made a great deal of money for the company by encouraging people to scour less visited categories in search of cool gear.

The second problem is more serious. Retro Thing has always been a daftly impractical labor of love. The loss of income from eBay puts the site in a situation where it may not be able to pay its way. We're not talking a huge amount -- eBay has generated under $1000 so far this year -- but it's a large enough shortfall that it could spell the end.

It has always been a challenge to convince advertisers that placing their products alongside "old junk" is a smart move, yet most Retro Thing readers are technology junkies who appreciate clever design in any form. You're the kind of alpha geeks who enjoy juxtaposing iPads and classic console stereos. You're the guys (and you are mostly guys) who know how to hook up an entertainment system. And you're the serious gamers who also appreciate the brilliant simplicity of Mario and Galaga.

This is the point at which we ask you for help. If you know of a company that would be a good advertising fit for Retro Thing, please encourage them to contact us. And If you can afford it, a small donation will help to keep the lights on. I've got a couple of copies of Essential Retro on the shelf  - donate $50 or more and I'll sign one for you.

[Update: eBay contacted us a few days after this ran because of complaints from Retro Thing readers. They reinstated our account.]

The Death of the Telephone

We didn't know it at the time, but telephone call quality peaked in the mid 1990s. Many ordinary folk still relied on landlines, and computer-based calling services like Skype were a decade away from widespread acceptance. We grumbled about the lack of competion and high prices, but at least we could make decent calls using our telco's recently upgraded digital switching systems.

Fast forward fifteen years and things have changed for the worse. Sure, we all have data-enabled mobile phones that can Google, surf and play Angry Birds. Services like Google Voice and Skype allow us to make inexpensive (often free) calls through a computer or iPod. It's all wonderful... until you actually try to talk to someone.

Latency, compression artifacts and dropped calls were once relatively rare. Now, it's commonplace for me use Google Voice while the person on the other end struggles to understand me on their Skype-equipped iPod. The audio quality often rivals the best sci-fi movie special effects -- slathered with digital noise, misframed packets and disconcerting delays. The urge to end every sentence with "over" is overwhelming.

A friendly call from my mom the other night made me realize how far things have slipped. She called our landline from her home phone -- a rare thing these days. The call was crystal clear, artifact free and enjoyable. Just the way things used to be. Over.

25 Years of NES

The Nintendo Entertainment System was released exactly 25 years ago in the USA. It remained on the market for a full decade, selling over 60 million units worldwide in several versions.

For its first Christmas in America the system was marketed as a $249.95 Deluxe Set that included Duck Hunt, Gyromite and R.O.B. the Robotic Operating Buddy [see Justin's remarks in the comments]. The release of Super Mario Bros in March 1986 saw the arrival of a cheaper mainstream bundle with 2 controllers and the Bros for a mere $129.95. 

Infamously, the NES was marketed with a lockout chip that disables unlicensed cartridges. While this helped to stem piracy, it also required third party developers to pay hefty license fees to Nintendo -- a highly controversial move that foreshadowed the locked down future of the gaming industry.

Retro Thing's Bohus Blahut suggested we celebrate by posting this video of some well known Super Mario Bros glitches. It seemed entirely appropriate, so enjoy!

Don't Call It a Hum-back: Accutron Spaceview 214 Anniversary Edition

Can you hear the hum? Watch-maker Bulova is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its famed Accutron by selling a Spaceview 214 remake. The company says only 1,000 will be made and each will be individually numbered. With a stainless steel caseback, sapphire crystal, luminous hands and markers and an alligator strap, the new Spaceview 214 will set you back 5,000 Swiss francs (about $5,200), complete with glass display case and a plaque.

Since the model's debut in October 1960, Bulova has applied the Accutron name to a bunch of other watches — both quartzes and automatics — but it initially stood for a unique timekeeping mechanism: a tuning fork that vibrates 360 times a second. Put your ear to an Accutron and you hear not a tick, but a hum. The mechanism had fewer moving parts than manual-wind watches, and the company touted it as the world's most accurate watch.

You can still find old tuning-fork Accutrons for much less than $5,000. The Spaceview models have always been popular, because they show off the innards so nicely. Some of the old Spaceviews sold today are actually "Spaceviews" — other Accutron models that have been stripped of their faces.

The new version is not a part-for-part remake. You can plainly see a few small differences between the new version and the old ones. The original model also was powered by a 1.35-volt mercury battery. Back in the day, those cells were prized for their consistent voltage output from birth to death. With mercury cells long gone — they do have mercury in them for goodness sake — the anniversary model is instead powered by a 1.55-volt silver-oxide watch battery.

The company still bills the Accutron as the world's first all-electronic watch, a claim I am not sure I buy. After all, it needs pawls and wheels to turn the tuning fork's predictable oscillations into a readable time display. (I would think LEDs would have a better claim.) But the tuning fork seems to me to slot in nicely between some of the other early electronic watches, which used motors or simple circuits to drive the balance wheels of mechanical watches, and the now-ubiquitous quartz movement.

Bulova Spaceview 214 Remake

Bell Labs Soundsheet Foretells the Future

We've covered Flexi-Discs and Soundsheets before — those ultra-thin, essentially disposable records that were widely used as promotional materials in the vinyl era.

This one is a product of Bell Labs, but its raison d'etre is lost on me. It seems it might have been some sort of sales tool.

One side, labeled only as "Early Hi-Fi," contains samples of a symphony recording. I suspect it's of the Philadelphia Orchestra from the 1930s and probably is on here because the music was recorded with Bell technology. (A little Googling turned up people selling such recordings on LP.)

The other is a dry, detailed and somewhat amusing explanation of Bell Labs' then-new "1A Voice Storage System" — or, as humans call it, voicemail. On this track, called "Talking to Machines," the narrator explains how voicemail is going to improve the world by letting people leave messages for each other — even when the other person is on the phone! — without having to buy new equipment. (Sample important message indicating how voicemail will change your life: "John, this is Cathy. I want to let you know that our part of the project is finished but you know we can't go ahead without your report. I need to know when we can expect it. Thanks John.")

Based on back issues of Bell Labs' in-house academic journal that I found online, it looks to me like this particular voicemail system dates to the early 1980s.

Aside from the real-life examples of voicemail in action, there's minimal technical explanation. But the highlight is the way it ends, as you can hear in this sample.

Bell Labs on "the future"

Hey, Buddy! Got a light? Andy does.

Collections of esoterica tend to languish, forgotten, in attics and musty cellars. Andy Resek decided to do something different with a collection of vintage matchbooks that had been squirreled away by his grandparents over the course of a lifetime. He snapped close-ups of his favorites and posted them on the web. It's the sort of thing that more of us should find time to do, because it keeps the always-tenuous link to the past alive.

Andy reminisces, "There was one drawer in a bureau in their entryway that was overflowing with matchbooks from all over the place – they traveled quite a bit in their retirement years. I always thought it was funny that they had bothered to keep these things around.

Gramps died while I was in high school, preceded by Grammy a few years earlier. While we were going through their belongings, deciding what to keep and such, I came across their matchbook collection. At that age, it wasn’t really my place to decide about who was keeping the bigger things, but I felt really strongly about holding onto the matchbooks. I wasn’t as into old/vintage things back then, but it was all of a sudden really important to me to hang onto these artifacts that seemed so ephemeral and easily tossed out."

Check out some of Andy's favorites at World of Wonder. While you're at it, pester him to post more.

A Very Curious Vespa

Tony Rabassa writes, "Take a look at this link that I stumbled on. This seems like a labor of love from a hell of a craftsman."

Yes, indeed. You're admiring the world's first Vespa Woody. This beautiful machine was crafted in Portugal by Carlos Alberto, who christened it Daniela in honor of his daughter. His website captures the intricate build process in painstaking detail -- it's unnerving to see the gracious curves of a Vespa frame carved from precious little more than laminated hardwood. For once, I am speechless. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Visit Carpintaria Carlos Alberto for more pics.

Reissued: David Ahl's BASIC Computer Games

Here's exciting news for anyone who learned BASIC programming in the late 1970s and early 1980s -- Philip Conrod has republished David H. Ahl's classic Basic Computer Games book.

I learned a lot from the dog-eared copy in my local library, especially since one has lots of time to think while laboriously keying in a program line-by-line. The modern e-book edition has been updated to work perfectly with the new Microsoft Small Basic compiler. And, unlike days of yore, the e-book allows you to cut and paste code directly into Small Basic.

Conrod tells us, "You can now relive all those classic games like Super Star Trek, MUGWUMP and Lunar LEM Rocket. The 2010 Small Basic Edition includes almost all the classic BASIC games that inspired a generation of programmers but now in Microsoft Small Basic for a new generation of kids."

Basic Computer Games SBE ($14.95 / $17.50) is available in several versions. The least expensive doesn't include the whimsical George Beker robot illustrations that made the original so much fun to browse. My advice? Spend the extra couple of bucks for the full visual experience.

Microsoft Small Basic is a free download (XP, Vista and Win 7), making this an ideal platform for educators, parents, nostalgic senior business analysts and tenured professors who wish to relive their long-haired youth. 

It's great to see this classic coding book back in print, especially for under $20. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some typing to do...

Small Basic Computer Games