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Friday, August 5, 2011

Way back when - Spin Cycle

You know if I get a free Spin I have to use it to talk about old crap I've got around my house right?



Like I really need an excuse but 
Thanks Jen!

Way back before VCR, DVD players or all the cool audio/video toys we have now this was cool.

A View Master
It was very cool. 
And, we all had them. 
Though I have to admit I was as 'uptown' as JR because I didn't have the battery powered thingy to provide light on a rainy day or nighttime.



For those of you that are not acquainted with this device let me give instruction on it's usage, so you slip the disk of film into the slot at the top. Hold it up to your eyes, face some sort of light source and magically (or not) you saw the image. To change the picture you pressed down on the lever on the side. Sometimes the lever didn't advance the slide so you would have to keep pressing down on it. Get a roomful of kids pressing down levers and you can bet a migraine was in the making. No wonder parents felt fine leaving their children alone with these things. 

This is wasn't a new concept. It was really a high tech form of the old magic lantern from the 19th century. 




And, just like the magic lantern of the past this toy could take you to places and events that you wouldn't be able to go to before.


There were stories on these disks of film.


And, everyone got into the act. 
It was cool for it's day.

Isn't it amazing how technology has evolved? 
For good or for bad.

Thanks for letting me share my old stuff and go visit Jen and the gang
Also, go see what I brought home from New Orleans for my friend Sher.

Peace,
M

8 comments:

  1. As a kid there was three reasons that I hated my Chicago cousins. That view master, it was called something else but I cannot remember what. The trolley, basically a trailer for kids with a pivot for the front wheels, and colours in clothing. They had polyester reds and greens. I had tweeds and corduroy.

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  2. We actually have one of those floating around the house right now. It's red plastic and you need a light source, but we have one. We got it for Turbo ages ago, all the discs are gone and Bruiser uses it like a camera. Yeah, we are old school enough to remember how cool they were when we were kids.

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  3. I think my dad still has his old one! I remember looking through the Disney serials, and my sister and I had to share a red one. We fought over it for a while too. Wow, way to bring back memories, Michele! You're linked!

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  4. the older stuff always required a bit more brain power than the self automated toys of today....man i sound like some old fart ha!
    By the way i found my way here by the 'next blog' button and got a laugh from the bullshit quote

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  5. I remember the slides, can't remember the actual viewer. Wonder what became of all that stuff?

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  6. I love those things yet!!! We have the kids collection somewhere. Put away for the grandbabies!

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  7. I am not good on saving things. Long gone any view master over here. Fun trip back in time and love how you remind me of details I had forgotten.

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  8. Hey, I grew up with those! We had a old black one and a newer red mickey mouse one. Most of what we had was pics from Disney, I even think we had that one in the green envelope. I have no idea when or why we got them. Probably something my grandma had lying around & gave to my siblings before I came along.

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