RCA SFT-100w CED Player from 1981. Explanation and Demonstration. (SFT100)

[@KeyFilmation]

Love these short snapshots of forgotten analog video history!

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Fun piece of forgotten tech. So many people unaware of it’s existence.

[@taunusv4power]

Glad to see one of these still working. I remember watching another video around 10 years ago where they replaced the stylus. It was such a shame; i took trip to japan 7 years ago and i found a bunch of these discs super cheap at a second hand store but they didn't have the player so i was thinking what was i gonna do with those discs.... I should've bought at least one as a memento or put it on a record player and see what happens!

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

You did yourself a favor by not purchasing the discs way back when. Otherwise, you would’ve had to lug them back from Japan. There is no shortage of discs and hardware on eBay.

[@DelCampoProductions.]

I knew this video was special!Awesome Ced player!

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

I still remember seeing one of these players at a friend’s house back in 1981 and was mesmerized. I hadn’t seen anything like it.

[@erickleefeld4883]

I like the idea of a caddy system for discs. Kind of wish we’d actually kept up that sort of thing with CD, DVD, etc. (Maybe if LaserDiscs had done it?)

[@CharlieHustle1687]

Just picked this one up at the local thrift for $10. Thanks for the breakdown

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

You’re very welcome and good luck! The 100 can be very persnickety piece of tech.

[@JoePlett]

Thanks for keeping the memory of this mutilated unicorn alive. It's a cautionary tale that could serve as a lesson today. ......such squandered potential.... (sigh)

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Hey Joe! Thanks for watching. I highly recommend reading the book; The Business of research - RCA and the Videodisc. It’s a fascinating look into how RCA wanted to invent the next big technology and just got into its own way while doing so. I can’t recommend it enough.

[@fredfunk4049]

Rebuilt a realistic selectavision disk player years ago. Have many disks. Sadly, hard to find diamond stylists cartridges to replace.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Hey Fred, Because of the scarcity of stylists cartridges, I seldom will use my CED player for casual viewings. Typically I will fire it up only on very special occasions.

[@lutello3012]

My RCA SGT-200 skips through the whole disc because the motor insists on running the carriage too fast. Anyone know how to fix that? Hope it's not an IC or something.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Hey Lutello, I had purchased my sft-100 from a guy who refurbishes them. His name was Jim and I believe he was from Indiana. That being said, I purchased my CED player @ ten years ago and don’t remember beyond that. If I come across his info, I’ll be sure to pass it on to you.

[@marumble]

I have one

[@Capturing-Memories]

I have the title Neighbors CED, If you want it I can send it to you at no charge.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Hey CM! Thanks for the offer. I might sell my SFT100 CED player - not sure yet, but I will let you know. Thanks!

[@Capturing-Memories]

@@davesretrovideolab2709 No problem, I have no use for it.

[@erin19030]

Thirty years of R& D went into this machine. RCA dropped it too quickly. They charged too much fir the player and didnt reakize they would make millions from the Discs, just like they did in the early 1950’s with the 45 auto changer record player. The original player costs $12 , but every teenager collectively spent millions of dollars buying 45’ and 45 extended play records. In the 1980’s sgort sighted bean counters were running RCA, so much that they thought the merger with GE was a good idea. It was the end of a great American company that was like family to work with.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

There’s a great book, which I mention in my video, about how the CED format contributed to the downfall of RCA. One issue which really stood out to me was the CED’s timing. The CED player hit the consumer video market when VCRs and video rental stores were really taking off. Consumers could record a tv program with their VCR or rent a movie for a few bucks and watch it home then return the movie when they were done. I think consumers saw better value with a VCR then they did with a CED player.

[@warbucks920-]

Just found one new in box!!

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

Wow! What a find. Does it work?

[@warbucks920-]

@@davesretrovideolab2709 I’m scared to disturb the perfect interior packaging, I’m assuming someone opened the box then never took it out. It also came with a demo disc.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

@@warbucks920- that’s a tough call. Chances are it works though the rubber belts may be dried up along with whatever grease is used for the gears, etc. maybe take several good quality pictures of the 100 in it’s box before deciding on what to do.

[@warbucks920-]

Update: Haven’t touched it. Anyone want to buy it?

[@ricosuave9060]

Did you sell it yet?

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

I still have it and I would like to sell it. Though I’m worried about shipping it however.

[@ronny332]

The topic is nice, the reason why I found this channel. But the way the footage is presented feels very strange to me. I'm not native English/US, but even to my it feels like a movie for kids or a kind of humor I can't get. Very strange.

[@davesretrovideolab2709]

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. - John Lydgate (poet)