Radio Shack, miss them ?

 
grumpy
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Post by grumpy » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 7:19 pm



 
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 7:25 pm

Maybe if it were 20 or 30 years ago. Last time I was in one it as like a small version of Best Buy and that is not a compliment. If you wanted some small electronics it might be a place to stop. Looking for RCA to mini jack adapter which they would of had years ago good luck finding it.

---edit---
That was actually a pretty good video on their history.

 
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Post by cabinover » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 7:30 pm

Yup. Unfortunately the last time I visited one you had your choice of batteries, headphones for ipods, and cell phones. Couldn't find anything I really needed nor anyone working there that knew anything besides cell phones.

 
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Post by grumpy » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 7:36 pm

Yeah 20 years ago, I always went there for parts...

 
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 7:52 pm

Do I miss them??? Yes and no.

I have been working on electronics for the past 45 years. In the old days, when you were building or repairing something you would go to Allied Electronics or any one of a dozen other electronics stores. Radio Shack was a last resort.

In the 80's all the electronics stores where you could buy resistors, capacitors, transistors and tubes all went out of business. Radio Shack was the last man standing. Unfortunately, as the years dragged on, most of these stores stopped selling parts and started selling things like cell phones. Only a few Radio Shack stores sold parts in the end so you had to know which ones to go to.

Now days, consumer electronics, TV's, Stereos, CD players are pretty much disposable and not worth the parts and labor to fix. This is because all of these items are built in the Asian market where labor is super cheap.

The Radio Shack is part of a by gone era and a place where I spent a lot of time so in that respect, I will miss it.

-Don

 
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Post by franco b » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:02 pm

I miss Cortland St. in NYC, which was radio row. Demolished to make way for the abortion World Trade Center.

Lafayette Radio hung on for awhile, and then there was just Radio Shack left of a legacy of build it yourself electronics enthusiasts. That died with the flood of cheap imports. The spirit of a time in our country died with them.

 
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Post by grumpy » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:04 pm

Now days, consumer electronics, TV's, Stereos, CD players are pretty much disposable and not worth the parts and labor to fix. This is because all of these items are built in the Asian market where labor is super cheap.
Have you looked at a modern day PCB, you can't even see what your looking at, everything is so small. The tip of my iron is a giant to many components today..


 
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Post by grumpy » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:06 pm

franco b wrote:
Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:02 pm
I miss Cortland St. in NYC, which was radio row. Demolished to make way for the abortion World Trade Center.

Lafayette Radio hung on for awhile, and then there was just Radio Shack left of a legacy of build it yourself electronics enthusiasts. That died with the flood of cheap imports. The spirit of a time in our country died with them.
I remember Lafayette Radio, went there to test tubes, how about Heith Kit..

 
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:13 pm

grumpy wrote:
Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:04 pm
Have you looked at a modern day PCB, you can't even see what your looking at, everything is so small. The tip of my iron is a giant to many components today..
Ha! Yah I know! I work on this stuff every day. I can't see for chit anymore so I need a microscope. :lol:
grumpy wrote:
Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:06 pm
I remember Lafayette Radio, went there to test tubes, how about Heith Kit..
Wow, yah, Lafayette! I totally forgot about them until you said something. The Lafayette store near me was pretty big and it had guitars, amps and stereos. We spent a lot of time in there as kids.

-Don

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:13 pm

I have always been interested in the history of TV. It was always interesting to go into the Chester RS and peruse the 20 year old TVs that they had for sale. I considered it a privilege when a sales person condescended to serve me.

 
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Post by franco b » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:20 pm

grumpy wrote:
Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:06 pm
I remember Lafayette Radio, went there to test tubes, how about Heith Kit..
Heath Kit had the reputation for high quality, but you worked for nothing when you could buy an import already built for the same or less money. There were other kits available too. I built a multi meter from one and a motor speed control from a design in Popular Science magazine.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 11:15 pm

grumpy wrote:
Sat. Mar. 09, 2019 8:04 pm
Have you looked at a modern day PCB, you can't even see what your looking at, everything is so small. The tip of my iron is a giant to many components today..
A replacement bios chip on my computer had 8 legs and could stand on top of a pencil eraser.

 
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Post by WNY » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 7:54 am

They were good for small parts, etc. thats all we had were I lived and went to school. I worked for them in college (for electronic engineering, go figure). perfect place for parts for school projects. of course, for inventory counting, they always made me count the resistor section (ugh! ) oh well. it was a decent part time job while in school. made some good commission(s).
I still have quite a few things in the basement. the small bookshelf speakers (minimus 7) are still kicking for my surround sound.

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 8:33 am

I have a trash 80 in the basement complete with floppies... I will see if it boots this morning as it is lousy day and I have nothing better to do..

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 8:49 am

I still have the Rat Shack "Clairinette 114" stereo combo turntable and double cassette player and the cabinet speakers that I bought back in the 1980s. Still works.

Paul


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