The Reason Why Retro Tech Is So Popular in 2024

[@VladiDusil]

People are increasingly more aware that they are being used by tech, instead of being a user of tech. Personally, I love my basic Jeep with its crank windows and manual everything. Society, as a whole, it slingshotting more and more towards the vision the movie Wall-E painted for the humans of the future. So many conveniences everywhere are making us less skilled, unable to be self-reliant. I am glad to see that people are pushing back. Not everything has to be easy in life, a little inconvenience enriches the experience.

[@Bljat47]

The Wall-E comparison is on point. I feel the same and im just starting my adult life

[@prophetzarquon]

Modern devices aren't even necessarily easier; devices 20 years ago often made seemingly obvious things _simpler_ than devices today do: Obfuscation pays off when users no longer know how to do things without your XaaS.

[@lyianx]

hah.. Wall-E is being too optimistic. Its more like Cyberpunk (as in the RPG) where corporations blast advertisements constantly, and they control things instead of the government. The only reason tech is making us less skilled is because companies Selling you the tech dont Want you to learn how it works, so they advertise a "we will take care of it for you" ease of use (the biggest example being Apple). Having tech that makes something convenient for you isnt itself bad, but it means alot more if you have to learn how it works and configure it TO be convenient for YOU. When you let copo's do all that, it breeds ignorance and they then take advantage of that ignorance to start harvesting your data.

[@EggTamago7]

I'll throw another factor out there that's at least true for me: I like the idea of getting a lifetime of use out of stuff I own. Sitting next to me at my desk is my first Game Boy. I got it for my 6th birthday in the early 90s, and it somehow still works just fine. It's one of the best gifts I ever received, I pretty much always had it close at hand throughout the 90s, and it's still something I can just throw a few AAs into and have fun with like 30 years later. My old Walkman, my portable CD player, and my iPod have the same appeal. They all actually just still work fine (granted the Walkman needed a new belt). I've been moving more towards being a "buy once, cry once" type of person, and this old tech somehow validates that concept.

[@Sykxezn]

hey, ever try donkey kong on that thing? its a pretty quality game for the consoles power

[@EggTamago7]

@@Sykxezn I haven’t! You mean Donkey Kong Land, or straight up Donkey Kong (ie. including Mario) from 1994?

[@ambiarock590]

This is why I've been building a local music library like I did before I had money and a job. Get MP3s and hold onto them forever. Nowadays I have an iPod collection and I love using these.

[@sixdemonbag17]

I’m still recording & rocking a VCR as a 30 year old vet in college. Folks from school come over and are blown away by my VHS collection!

[@comradestannis]

Damn, I would like to see that.

[@Warp2090]

I am attemping to grow a VHS collection lol. I have a nice sylvania vcr released in 1985.

[@Washedintheblood1988]

Record players got manufactured again I wish they'd start making VCR's again

[@adamwragg4606]

That's amazing, I've got a load of vhs as well, absolutely love it. Would love to see the collection

[@djlolerkoster]

@@Washedintheblood1988 not possible. the last vcr heads factory (owned by funai) was closed in 2016 due to the lack of interest although the other, more important reason that there arent any new factories is the fact that there arent any operational machines that could now make them. youd have to spend like 100-200m bucks or so on a new factory and glhf finding someone who will do that

[@petesime]

I'm engaging in a personal rebellion against the subscription economy and planned obsolescence. "Retro" is another word for proven and durable. So I look for alternatives. A simple car with a manual transmission over one that charges you a subscription for heated seats. My own music and movies. Frequent use of the public library. Open source software. Every time I adopt an alternative, it feels like a blow against corporate enterprises who constantly seek to squeeze me for my money.

[@spencers-adventures]

I love this mindset! Even though society keeps going further in the other direction, with a little bit of creativity we can find great alternatives that better serve us 👍

[@josephcontreras8930]

FIGHT THE POWER!!!!! FIGHT THE MACHINE!!!

[@slapshotjack9806]

There’s no such thing as planned obsolescence it’s called tech evolves as it updates and it becomes slower as new software features require more system resources which causes the device to stop working the way it used to when it was brand new. Y’all need to stop throwing that phrase around like it’s what every device is designed to do

[@RealBadGaming52]

So did u cancel your prime and netflix account and Xbox live or PSN ?????

[@Bored_Barbarian]

6:44 I’m mid 30’s, getting back into dvd collecting to escape the streaming switching nonsense, may buy CDs too. 🤷‍♂️

[@LilannB]

I find that retro tech can last for decades because it does not have to be updated. It can also be easy to repair. I found a portable cassette player I purchased in the 1990s. The player had batteries that had corroded. The exp date on the batteries was 2015. With a few pennies worth of vinegar and a Q tip I cleaned the corrosion and the cassette player works perfectly. I also have a portable CD player that is 20 years old and looks like new. The old devices also use disposable batteries so you do not have the problem of modern tech with built in batteries going bad.

[@9852323]

Nobody should be using disposable AA/AAA batteries anymore even for retro devices. Everyone should be using rechargeable AA/AAA Batteries now.

[@generalpacman6414]

2:22 I’ve been hearing that even the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 being considered “retro”. They’re 18-19 years old at this point.

[@spencers-adventures]

Wow crazy to put that into perspective!

[@dimas.8300]

I recently bought a ps3 for 10 bucks which is crazy. You can also get a Ton of cheap games for it

[@slapshotjack9806]

They all still feel new though probably because their designs have aged very well

[@andrewmah2962]

​@@spencers-adventuresWhen you are young, like 20-23 it seems like you have a ton of time, but you do not. I was 20 when the PS3 came out

[@andstrings2307]

Plus jailbreaking scene for these consoles is beautiful

[@SmartWatchDumbPhone]

Great video! I've given up my smart phone for a dumbphone and an iPod and I've never been happier, more productive, and less distracted! One of the amazing things about retro-tech items: after doing a little research many of us can repair these items ourselves! I've never taken apart electronics in my life, yet I was able to replace the battery, case, screen, and motherboard of an iPod classic after watching a few videos on KZbin. And WOW what a rewarding feeling to take something broken or in need of a simple repair and make it work properly again! Keep up the great content!

[@CragusMaximus]

Do u watch and comment youTube on a laptop now then? Like I did back until around 2013 😅

[@ambiarock590]

I've done quite the tech purge this year. I removed all my files off of my google drive, I cancelled streaming and started running iPods for music, I use a bike to get around, and I have bought a Nokia 6300 (I don't daily drive this yet, but sometime I think it would be pretty neat). As a computer science major all the concerns with big tech are justified

[@dudemetoo2053]

It's collectability. Something which many people back in the 80's were very proud of. Their collection of LPs, Tapes, CDs, VHS movies, VHS recorded TV shows, Laser Discs, and yes even Mini Discs. All this went away and left this big void which surprisingly noting new came along to fill that gap when everything went digital to the point that you no longer were able to hold and proudly display what you were so proud of collecting at one time. I've even bought me camcorder from 2009 because I missed the function of making videos with a camcorder that a modern phone makes too easily to do now.

[@Mikehero69_]

I can really appreciate the push people make to enjoy retro tech because it shows that we all aren't just mindless consumers wanting the newest shiny Apple phone every years. One thing I've noticed about myself is that I don't really use much retro hardware, but I'm always enjoying retro media on good quality modern devices: classic movies on my PC, retro games on my Steam Deck or Anberbic handheld emulator, reading older manga or something like The Lord of the Rings on my Kobo e-reader, and of course music from 00's to the 70's on my phone (would like a dedicated music player but my phone is more than fine for now!). If I wasn't aiming to be more minimal, then I'd totally go back to my old ways of collecting lots of physical media. There is something special about playing retro games on original hardware with a CRT!

[@AlexT0210]

I love that there's a huge crossover on this channel of people who enjoy retro games, DAPs, wired headphones and stuff.

[@insertnamehere9481]

nothing wrong with emulating, sometimes you can get better quality, and considering prices its perfectly logical, I have a friend who couldn't afford anything pokemon game, but played through all with emulating, really good at the game and still plays showdown and firered, often buying games leads to hordes and most of them being unplayed, case in point my friend has 40 steam games yet has above 2 hours on only 6

[@Mikehero69_]

@@AlexT0210 funny you mention wired earphones, I actually ordered my first pair of IEMs this morning!

[@Mikehero69_]

@@insertnamehere9481 oh, I love emulation! Having all those classic games on one device is a godsend! Nintendo is missing out on a ton of money by not having those classic Pokemon games playable on Switch 😅

[@AlexT0210]

@@Mikehero69_ Very nice. I've been through a few pairs of IEMs and my favourite so far is the budget category Ziigat Nuo. Amazing sound.

[@MrHeff]

I recently went down a rabbit hole trying to find wired headphones from local stores to no avail. Even Amazon had slim options. It wasn’t until I went to Japan and found a lot of old tech is still manufactured. In one store with an equivalent vibe to a Best Buy, I say wired headphones, blank cds/dvds, am/fm radios, blank vhs, blank mini vhs for camcorders, you name it! It was so cool to see.

[@wildace4535]

reject complication embrace simplicity

[@semectual]

@@wildace4535 ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@asahi.w]

2 things as a Gen z. First off, quite a few of these techs are a spillover from when I was a kid as well as in we grew up with them to some extent. Another factor is speciality will always beat a jack of all trade. I use iPod and other MP3 player, or use a hi-fi CD player. I still use a DSLR camera because it shoots better. These retro tech not only is relevant but often does the task better than what are phone can do. Last thing I need while gaming or listening to music is being interrupted by notifications. TLDR: Gen Z and 90's kid have a lot more similarities in tech and also a lot of these retro or specialty tools does the job better than phones.

[@shattered-reflection8045]

I love using wired headphones even over the ear open back cans. I also love retro video games and have an entire RGB setup with a professional video monitor to play them

[@comradestannis]

Yeah, I also love the artwork of retro video games.

[@djlolerkoster]

@@comradestannis the first sentence does not make any sense.

[@nathanglynn7443]

Social media is distracting and draining. People don’t live for the moment anymore, we spend our lives scrolling. We feel the need to post and share everything, even that gameboy we obligatory post. I remember I got back into my old gameboy color around 6 years ago after being tired of all the noise around me, it was great while it lasted, but then I joined an online community where we thought up mods we could do to the system to make it more modern, fast forward to today and gameboys are super expensive, mods are out of control and that tiny community is just another pebble on the mountain that is the social media dilemma. Teaching ourselves to let go and break the addiction is one of the most empowering things we can do, because at the end of the day, life is fleeting, being present is more important than recording everything (just take one photo if you feel the need for an album) and just live. No one cares who you are or what you do at the end of the day and every second person thinks they’re a content creator because they copy and paste what they see online. Everywhere I go people are head down on their phones and it’s sad to see, we are leading more and more false online lives in a plethora of misinformation and obsolescence. Crazy world huh?

[@TheFlareMind]

I agree some people think their celebrities and super important on social media that they need to project/share everything they do everyday on social media. There's also herd like mentality on there which is so cringe. You've hit the nail on the head about living in the moment and be more present. I think this stuff needs to be reinforced in schools/work setting.

[@lyianx]

Its more than distracting an draining. Its also unforgiving. (most) People change over time. Who we were 10 years ago isnt who we are now. Yet people seem to loove to dig up old social media posts from someone from years ago, pointing at how they used to be, so they can damn them today. The internet never lets you forget your mistakes, missteps or past self. So its a lot harder for people to push past them and move on when there is the potential to be constantly reminded of it. "Forgive and Forget" isnt a thing with the internet.

[@easyfromtnbtw3555]

Retro gaming is going crazy. Some of crappy games that nobody bought back in the day are very rare now and some of them that are sealed in the box go for thousands for 1 game that no one wanted 😂

[@prophetzarquon]

It's this simple: Single-use devices do what you want them to do, _without doing things you didn't ask for._ *Your* task is the sole priority. That's just not true in modern product/service design, where the priority is ongoing monetization.

[@craigdavidson5613]

I’m very much a fan in retro technology. I constantly go to the local Charity shops in search of retro tech. I mean, I once found an Atari Lynx console, in good condition, with two games, for $5AU. And it still works fine! I even obtained a Laserdisc player for $60AU. And it’s an NTSC model!

[@Joan6856]

I am a big fan of iPad nano 7th gen, it’s a touchscreen device that actually ditches WiFi and internet, also it has a radio app for offline streaming, I have a few songs on my iPod nano and have movies and photos and podcasts as well. It’s one of the best way to own digital media, and not requiring internet. iPod can also be used for productivity such as relaxing and using timer and stop watch and seeing the time when setup manually

[@YogiTheBearMan]

3:06 wow my LG oven works fine despite my completely ignoring the WiFi and never once connecting

[@marioalfonsoarreolaa.flore2882]

When I was a kid, my dream was to have a gameboy so I could play games on the go. That never happened. As a young adult I was able to buy a small collection of consoles like the gba sp, micro, nintendo ds, but had to sell them in the end to cover my college tuition. Now as an older adult, with a retro itch to scratch and more disposable income I have my own collection of portable emulator consoles like the powkiddy v90, the R36, the SF2000 and the Miyoo A30. That way I can focus on retrogaming without distractions. Also I like to tinker, so I turn old cellphones into single use devices with minimal connectivity. So far I've made an audio player/recorder, a photo/video camera, an ebook reader, a VR video player and a desk smart clock. I like to give old devices a second chance and avoid ewaste as much as possible.

[@katherinetaylor6575]

I’m 22 years old. I’ve always had an “old soul”. I got my first typewriter at 16, and started collecting them. I use a sewing machine from 1890 to sew. I’m currently waiting on the lite phone 3 to release so I can get that. Yet oddly enough, I work with AI robots. I’ll tell you this. Working with AI really opens your eyes to how bad modern tech really is. All of your data is collected and used to teach and program AI, and it’s used to make your phone and other devices more addictive. I’m ready to step away from my iPhone for sure. I’ve never had social media unless you count KZbin, that’s it. No streaming subscriptions either. My friends and family that used to make fun of me are now coming to me for advice on their phone addiction and want to try a typewriter and a dumb phone. It’s a wonderful thing to see, like people getting out of the matrix.

[@v3y3rs]

For me one thing I love is the tactile feel of physical buttons. I got a mp3 player and love having buttons to skip pause change volume etc. There's something infinitely more satisfying about pressing a physical clicky button then touching a screen to control your music. That and the fact it plays audio at insanely high resolution and I have all my music offline makes it so satisfying. Plus no notifications to interrupt my music. But above all I love the buttons

[@djlolerkoster]

i wouldnt exactly say that mp3s are "insanely high resolution"

[@v3y3rs]

@@djlolerkoster it's actually a DAP I just said mp3 because most people don't know what a DAP is lol

[@djlolerkoster]

@@v3y3rs who cares if they know it or not? if you do, use the proper name. its as simple as calling a turntable a turntable and not a gramophone. by the way. im assuming that youve got 16bit 44,1KHz flac-5 files because why would you have something else? well 21 bits are the treshold of human hearing and assuming the absolute maximum of theoretical sensing ability of human, which would be 27KHz and adding the 1st harmonic just in case, we can conclude that all files "better" than 24 bit 88,2 KHz (or DSD128 which is 1 bit 11289600 Hz) make no sense whatsoever. if you use 32 bit 384KHz files or DSD512 just to say that youve got "extreme resolution files", you are silly at least. And no, PCM 16 44,1 is not an extreme resolution file either.

[@samdavidh]

i just turned 20 and throughout much of my teens had nostalgia for tech like this - i didn't grow up with it in the traditional sense, but i had access to ipods that the family used daily - and carried on using them even after my parents had just kinda stopped listening to music that way (or at all until they started streaming). i was obsessed with technology from a crazy early age so at like 5 i was getting my grandma's old Nokia handsets from 2002 and trying out literal bricks from 1999. i had my dad's old razr as a hand-me-down literally at that time and it introduced me to mobile technology as i know it. recorded videos, took loads of photos, did everything you could do on these single use devices and got to know them inside out - since there was only so much you could do. then the ipod touch came around, i was too young to know how to use the internet but i thought the touch screen might have been the coolest thing ever invented, so even though it was largely used for offline games etc i loved using it. a stark difference to now, where anything offline seems disconnected, less worth investing time into. less efficient.

[@spencers-adventures]

By the sounds of it you’ve got retro tech running through your veins! The Razr is a phone I always wanted growing up - very cool you got to try all these devices throughout childhood 👍

[@ThomatoSauce]

Zoomer here. I was practically raised on and/or around a lot of this stuff. I still have fond memories going to the library with my parents to pick out a new Magic School Bus VHS to take home that week.

[@spencers-adventures]

Love Magic School Bus! I used to love playing the old computer games of that show growing up

[@Funkteon]

What you're describing of Gen-Z's love of things from before their existence is actually called 'Anemoia', which is a 'longing for a past that you've never experienced'.

[@careottjuice]

I always thought I was the only one who felt that way. At least the internet is good for finding people who are alike 😂

[@dougsmith4602]

There’s also the very simple and overlooked fact that younger generations always rebel against whatever’s currently mainstream because the mainstream is dictated by their parents’ generation. It makes sense that millennials went full throttle into tech because their parents didn’t. Now, kids are using tech their parents don’t anymore.

[@careottjuice]

Good point

[@adziak]

There is another aspects like curiosity & simplicity. People often buy older device just to try it out, experience how it work. Also older tech had limited options and use cases not like today's smartphones that can do literally anything.

[@marioalfonsoarreolaa.flore2882]

My 6 year old wanted her own cellphone because several of her classmates already have one. Instead of buying her one, I've bought her a cheap chinese portable emulator console called GB300. No wifi or internet access, only the games you can load on the micro sd card for a handful of retro consoles. Also bought her a FM radio so she can hear some local radio stations that have age appropiate songs. So single use retro tech is kinda helping me keep my child entertained and safe from the dangers you could find on the internet... For now. The next step for when she gets older is to have a local backup of Wikipedia as a reference for her assignments.

[@ethans166]

ThinkPad Laptop as well

[@PomKillsLove]

This comment made my day, if only more parents were like you... :')

[@amadeusfuzz4320]

SD cards are today's cartridge. I have a cart for my camera, one for my field recorder, and my one for my retro emulator handheld. New Nintendo games are on proprietary SD cards. It's much like CDs where you have a physical thing, but you also have the file. I guess I wish they were a little bigger haha.

[@RhysAngulatta]

So I'm a 35 year old guy and grew up with most of this tech (minus the type writer) but yearned for a time when things were more intentional. Like many, I've been moving towards these types of technology and the funny thing is, I also picked up a pocket radio last week! I'm happy with how many FM independent stations still operate locally (even if the music is questionable) but it's great for doing chores in the garden or on the car! Love the content, keep it up!

[@NeilRamsay-q4z]

The iPod nano 7th gen has a radio built in. So it might be a solution for carrying an extra device (pocket radio). I use it as a camping radio. To listen to weather radio warnings. It’s super light weight.

[@aguyandhisbible]

For me it is the disconnecting factor... If I did not have to have it for my work, I would have a basic dumb phone that only made calls and texted ... I recently picked up a Sony NEX 5R for pictures and have a 160gb ipod classic in my bag with me beside my journal and actual Bible at all times. It is such a great feeling knowing I will not have my phone sending me notification every 30 seconds about the latest picture posted by a friend.

[@ShadeofJeremy]

I still write on my AlphaSmart most of the time. It's great to keep me focused on what I'm working on. And I've still been playing games on my childhood Atari 2600 Jr. Though the joystick did quit working a while back so it's shelved at the moment. Oh, and I still listen to most of my music on an old Spider-Man kids record player. I could go on, but I don't want my comment to be longer than the video.

[@careottjuice]

I don't want to live in a world without cassettes or dvds !!! Yes because it's part of my childhood. And I like owning stuff I like, which is why I've always avoided libraries 😂 I prefer to buy books

[@msandrini]

I'm repairing my old Sony Walkman cassette player to listen to my old tapes again. I can't wait to hear those tapes and relive the nostalgia! ☺

[@BreakifyTV]

6:38 I totally agree. Gave you a "like" just for that statement

[@DthBakesh]

I'm a bit of amateur writer, and could say that typing on an Alphasmart (in my case Dana) not only feels different, it sets the mood. Having a dedicated device only, and only for writing for me personally is kind of flipping the switch: if I had my Alphasmart on my lap, it mean I WILL write, without any distractions that modern laptop ot tablet provides

[@XoaGray]

I've been finding myself more using more retro tech lately for several of the reasons you mentioned. Ironically, it's started me down the path of having small typewriter and fountain pen collections. Because I like the lack of distraction and feel of working on paper. I'll eventually probably choose my favorites and slowly pass the others off to others. Spread the love. :)

[@spencers-adventures]

Love this approach. I love my fountain pen too - I think it’s likely my favourite way to write. Thanks for the comment, I love to hear how people approach life offline!

[@jonathanmeyer1164]

Just today, I found my old MP3 Walkman. So far, it still holds a charge, and now has 3000 songs that were all ripped from my large cd collection onto it. I feel like a teenager again. As well as the VHS tapes, cassette Walkman, NES, and PS2. Now, as an adult, I can finally see how good PS2 games could look using HD component cables. And dare I say it, I mentally feel better not relying so much on my all in one smart phone.

[@spencers-adventures]

Love this comment Jonathan! It’s not about ditching the phone completely as you said, it can be as simple as finding meaning and value elsewhere 👍

[@SFStransit]

Simple: people are tired of subscription everything and want to actually own the stuff they buy. It’s less about privacy.

[@comradestannis]

It's that and privacy and something that out can use ad infinitum.

[@Adem-Bam]

I’m 17 and I currently bought an iPod and a typewriter, I love old tech

[@jaynedavies2757]

sometimes the older stuff, is actually easier to use too, and your more likely, to get the results you want.

[@AlexT0210]

My favourite purchase this year was a Miyoo Mini + to play all my old retro games. We literally live in the age of Mega Man Battle Network these days.

[@comradestannis]

I will look into that. I have the previous Retroid Rocket retro console.

[@AlexT0210]

@@comradestannis I was looking at the Pocket 2S. Reason I like the Mini + is it has the best custom software and it's extremely tiny for a 3.5" screen device. I really love it.

[@comradestannis]

@@AlexT0210 Weird question, but does it have Linux? Like the Steam Deck?

[@AlexT0210]

@@comradestannis yes it runs Linux

[@comradestannis]

@@AlexT0210 Neat!

[@jree8239]

Great video! Nice shots of the wildlife! It is also about being purposeful your time. Convenience seems to reduce character. You probably have such great stories to tell about using the film camera. The time it took to make each picture just increases its value. I have so many pictures of no value on my phone that I have to delete. I am always putting that task off. Then I get desperate to delete random photos when it gets full.

[@spencers-adventures]

I’ve always felt that way with phone photos too! Because we have that near-infinite amount of photos we can take we are much less intentional with what photos are shot. And the storage becomes an issue for sure! Thanks for the comment!

[@RealBadGaming52]

Retro tech is cool , like flip phones, tapes, CD’s and iPods but i draw the line at VHS tapes and Type Writers, in saying all this , Ill never give up my ipAd and iphone ever, retro tech is a novelty for me

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s totally fair!

[@LordDementus1987]

I have still have my OG FiiO X1 which is a quasi-iPod. The only difference is it supports flac files, supports microSD cards and you do not need an entire software suite installed just to load music onto it. iPods are cool but they had their shortcomings.

[@joeyghostx]

If you have an always online presence these days, the 5G is just god awful compared to an offline gadget. These days if a gadget doesn't have internet, it just doesn't work. When you go camping or try to go on a budget, that is just too inconvenient where they made the problem to sell the convenience. The fact kids these days buy trackers because they got peer pressured into buying some overpriced piece of plastic to browse a social media site that you can do for free is just showing how unreliable they are in the work place or trust them to actually be realistic. I still have my PSP and it still does more than any of these modern day phones, even after the 3G networks got torn down. Think the reason they took down 3G was because they just wanted a reason to sell more devices to track you. lol

[@lilPopper]

For me it's not only environmentally friendly, but also still functional for it's original use or if it can be repurposed as something else. I think it's pretty cool that we have slowly gone back to the "Batman utility belt" while at the same time are becoming a little more active. If it ain't broke, keep using them. But if the modern thing is broken, repurpose it as something else. My relatives were in shock and in aww when they saw my old phone on an inexpensive car mount I bought stuck on my car's dash board. Only when they realized I'm using the phone as a dash cam.

[@JoseRamirez-sq5ft]

The most retro tech I have are cds of EDM artists I love, I mainly do it to never forget them since there’s a lot of albums coming out each year that I wanna have my favorites in my hands The downside is that most artists have preference for vinyls, so they don’t release cds. That’s why lately I’ve beee thinking of finally starting a vinyl collection but I feel they are expensive (considering more the shipping factor). Do you all think it’s worth to take the chance and start the collection?

[@polandman07]

What artists do you listen to?

[@Mike-t5r9q]

This is why i want a N64 again i want to go back to my childhood. No wifi and just escape

[@ObsoleteMark]

Idk if this would classify as retro but I’ve got a desktop BluRay/DVD drive inside of an external enclosure hooked up to my PC. I use it to listen/rip my music CD collection to FLAC and watch/rip BluRay movies and shows as well

[@currentphonograph7487]

A few thoughtful moments there. I bought an Alesis ADAT 8 track recorder from Goodwill for $15. They where $4000 back in the 1990's. Still obsolete although very cool

[@spencers-adventures]

Great find!

[@thelifeofjools8384]

A 12" vinyl record, on a solid deck, played over a big night club system....walks all over any digital file. Incomparable bass.... 👍

[@MichaelBecx]

I still play games on my Super Nintendo & Nintendo 64 all the time. I use emulators too but nothing beats using the actual retro tech.

[@YogiTheBearMan]

What do you do for N64 controllers? Mine were shot over 20 years ago! The joystick specifically

[@MichaelBecx]

@@YogiTheBearMan Especially when it comes to the N64 I tend to use modern clone controllers. So they look like the old ones but have a better stick for example. I prefer to use the original ones but for the N64 this isn't as easy due to the horrible stick design.

[@NinjaRunningWild]

Yes, & I own nearly all the 8 & 16 systems hooked up to a 32” Sony Trinitron. That said, MiSTer FPGA is pretty great.

[@NinjaRunningWild]

@@YogiTheBearMan There’s good aftermarket replacements now like the Brawler 64 or Retro-Bit Tribute. You can also take apart & repair the joystick. There’s places that sell new parts if they’re truly toast.

[@lifeonmars478]

that townes record is really good, i dont see many people talk about townes

[@charles.personal]

I started photography on my grandfather's tlr, I still primarily photograph on my Nikon f2 and accompanying first gen nikkor lens collection also ipods since those are technically 'retro'

[@CDTucker336]

Physical media is great because you be selective on what you listen/watch. In a since it makes you a rebel.

[@comradestannis]

Yeh

[@chuckstube2]

It’s hard to let go of the past. I still have my Coleco Vision + Atari extension, Nintendo Classic, Moto RAZR phone, a few Discman’s and a few dial up telephones. It’s part of my childhood!😊

[@learnt2love]

It's for sure form and function. As a younger member of the social ladder, I agree with a lot of what you said.

[@VentusDerGamer]

The point with the internet connection is a thing that bugs me. At this point I can't buy a tech device (released in recent years) that needs or at least try to connect to the internet to get my data or advertising way too frequent for my taste. Why do my fridge need to have Wi-Fi ? devices like the iPod ensures that first I don't get advertisements on a product I bought, but also having the peace of mind owning the music on it and nobody can interfere with it. I restarted buying CDs and DVDs again, so I not have to pay to streaming services and consuming the Media more mindful.

[@turokforever007]

I have an Xbox series x and all the games I have cannot be played without internet.

[@Leofwine]

When I was 15, I got interested in retro computers - twelve years later, I got an Amiga 500 from a relative. With some modern quality of life upgrades and a new operating system thrown in, I use it mostly for non-serious story writing and to colourise whatever drawing I could come up with on a piece of paper. Basically, it's a badly yellowed, glorified typewriter and paint box (the latter of which I'm still on a long way of practicing and improving). I didn't experience the 80s, but I have a certain admiration for parts of it (thanks to the music and Back to the Future). Owning a tangible item from a period one admires is like having a personal time capsule/portal that gives you a part of the experiences when using that item. Bonus points if that item can be used in modern contexts: I can export the texts, drawings, and animations, and use them in conjunction with my modern tech - e.g. send a story to a friend, or illustrate/animate a section in a video, create a fun GIF animation, or print a personalised (and unique!) birthday card. Graphics and animation are the area where the Amiga once shone at - I'm giving it this opportunity again, just without the VCR tape in the middle.

[@fnsmike]

Another factor towards sometimes choosing retro tech or retro media is keeping control over your own experience. Too many times new tech comes with constant updates, pushing new features you don't want, taking away the functionality that you do rely on, and changing your UI because some market research thinks this will make you spend more money. Or streaming media that asks you to maintain a dozen different subscriptions, keep track of which service has the things you want to watch or listen to this month, and risk losing media you supposedly paid for because two companies had a fight over license agreements.

[@dogbot94]

Marty Robbins and Bass Drum of Death? Hell yeah.

[@gdutfulkbhh7537]

I think the really great thing about 'dumb' products is being the owner, instead of being a 'mark' or client. I'm not on the hook for somebody's continuing revenue stream and the planned obsolescence has already been and gone!

[@spencers-adventures]

Great way to put it!

[@semectual]

Praise to the Retro Tech! All of what was mentioned in this video, I still have in my home since I was 10. A few years ago, I bought a 1961 non-electric Smith Corona Typewriter and I have that next to my 1987 electric Smith Corona Typewriter that was a gift from my Mother. I'm so glad that the "Retro Tech" is Finally Fighting the "Big Tech" and what "They" "Think" the consumer's future should be!

[@southtexasatlatl]

That's interesting, my 20 year old daughter wanted a simple CD player last Christmas instead of any new tech.

[@ekims_echoes]

There are aspects of retro tech I do really enjoy and I 100% agree with the tactile nature of older tech as well as the need to slow down and focus. However, I don't think I'll ever understand the resurgence of audio cassettes or, apparently, VHS tapes. They are notably poorer quality and make it difficult to listen to a specific song/watch a specific scene. Hardware malfunctions can eat the tape - sometimes causing permanent damage. While cassettes were portable, unlike records, and could be easily recorded on, CDs are a better physical format by almost any metric. I had many cassettes growing up, but have zero nostalgia for that particular format.

[@JCWGTR]

Good luck finding a car made after 2018 with a CD player built in. Love mine!

[@NinjaRunningWild]

You can just replace the stock one. Kenwood or Sony have good options. Plus, buttons!

[@JohnIlko]

I use a fountain pen with cursive handwriting. No printing or ballpoints unless I am forced.

[@spencers-adventures]

I’m with you! Love my fountain pen

[@Roxy53280]

if you have an iPod classic, please PLEASE install Rockbox firmware

[@ReaganScottPhoto]

Hey bro, love your stuff. Wondering if you have a journaling system (notes, plans, etc) -- would love to see your method!!

[@KBorePC]

Not to diminish anything said in this video but I think an important thing to remember, to a lot of people "retro" tech is a trend/aesthetic and that is why they use it. To the point Chanel just launched a set of wired headphones as an accessory piece. That's where the resurgence of Vinyl came from, the popularity of the instax camera etc. They don't actually care about disconnecting from technology. I mean if you look at that article you included in the video, every picture they are still holding their shiny new iPhone and it talks about the Y2K fashion trend. There are certainly those who will retro tech in a mindful way, but there are certainly those who only do it for the look.

[@josephcontreras8930]

Retro joe here saying I still rock my 8th gen black ipod and the vcr and the later gen Walkman and records and all the os game systems

[@SimplisticallyDigital]

I grew up on all of the retro tech shown in the video. I have a flip phone in my collection, and I want a typewriter or old school typewriter keyboard.

[@spencers-adventures]

The typewriter has been a super fun addition. I have been keeping my eyes peeled for an old Underwood Portable like Hemingway had but I’m still looking!

[@SimplisticallyDigital]

@@spencers-adventures Nice! You will find it! I’m keeping my eyes peeled for a miniature portable typewriter with all of the same components of a standard, old school typewriter, including the paper. 🙏🏿

[@Solitaire001]

I like a mechanical keyboard (one with actual physical keys) so I purchased a gaming keyboard which has those. I find it difficult to type on a modern flat-key keyboard.

[@SimplisticallyDigital]

@@Solitaire001 Very nice. Thank you. I will look into that as well.

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

What I don't like about some MP3 players they don't even put a FM tuner in them. Its harder to put AM tuner in and I looked into the parts are larger. Apple did release a FM tuner headset and I don't think it works on newer phones. I really don't even use the apps that much on my phone. I do think a smart phone is still better then a flip phone for a few reasons. One you can use maps if you ever get lost. Two there are apps that can track you so if something happens a family member can find you. For example a wife ran her car off the highway and everyone was looking for her even the state troopers. It took a week to find her I think it was another drive that had to pull over for some reason. Most of the apps now are garbage back in the day yes I had a lot of fun with apps. The iPhone for kind of like a Sony PSP. But then the play for coins model came into play.

[@Solitaire001]

The Sony Walkman Digital Audio Players do have an FM radio that works as long as the headphones are plugged in (it uses the headphone wire as the antenna).

[@cherkas009]

What explains it is the Gen Z Nostalgia from their past life when they use this retro Tech

[@yesterdaysjam2405]

My old tech in my drawers: finally, my time to shine, again 😂

[@iShredStreets]

I’m collecting CD’s again. So sad I got rid of my old CD’s. 😢

[@RetroEdUK]

Definitely something nice about being engaged and involved in tech as opposed to having full automation e.g. a point n’click camera may produce nice results but at the same time feel lacklustre to use. I use my wired Apple earbuds as I had some of the early AirPods, the batteries failed over time, and I can’t justify the cost of a replacement. A very insightful video as always. Have a nice weekend.

[@heyalexjota]

Ooooh, Goosebumps! I still watch that tv show in my 40s haha

[@D3lorean85]

I buy vinyl records and stream music, vinyl to me is an experience, the enjoyment of going to record stores, the warm sound and crackle of the needle and admiring the artwork, no skipping forward etc. however streaming is convenient, it’s the equivalent of a home cooked succulent meal vs a microwave ready meal or a classic car vs a Tesla!

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I think there is a middle way where you can have a bit of one and a bit of the other. I love my old vinyl for the same reasons you mentioned, and I can see the appeal of streaming as well. Thanks for the comment!

[@crash_test_dummy_1]

I recently went back to incandescent lights for the inside, and kerosene lanterns tor the outside. The light quality is so much better and soothing than LEDs.

[@spencers-adventures]

Very cool! I would love to fire up my kerosene lamp again - you’ve inspired me!

[@Diecastinator]

This is another great video man! I dig my Old school tech. I have a game boy advance, the alpha smart PS2. It's nice to have Have something personal? It's not networked etc.

[@c.r.devries3072]

Makes me feel so old when I hear GameCube is retro 😂 but honestly it was such a fun system to use and so many great games. I’ve loved retro tech and gaming for years now, but I’ve also noticed lately that a lot of people have started learning how to mod the retro systems and honestly? I love that. It’s so much fun to learn how your tech works and really make it yours.

[@comradestannis]

I remember when I first played Mario 64...

[@NottyGurlStyle]

I use to have collection of tapes and vhs I got rid of when I moved out and replaced them with cds(which I still have) .. it sucks not being able to walk into a store these days and buy cds… if there was a band I’m enjoying I would get the cd to support them… I would comb over the booklet, read the lyrics or notes and just vibe out… digital is not the same.. I learned how to type on my mom’s typewriter and they got me my own back then…. There is so much I had from Walkman’s, rotary phone, classic Nintendo, Sega etc… I still have my GameCube ❤ but it was just simple and easy times…I miss when watching tv was free… everything now is just a money grab.. all these companies wants to shake you down and we as a society are getting tired of it… Us who are older could appreciate how easy and simple life was… so we buy items from the past to give us the feel & focus we use to have then. Plus it just unlocks good memories from childhood… Newer generations discovering what we were once use to are looking for that sense of peace too from all this buy now or pay now life we are living now..

[@Topher3088]

Pagers we’re getting a little too popular in the Middle East for a moment

[@MattAitia]

Great video Spencer!

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks buddy!

[@jillyidle6462]

I miss my VCR. I have so many VHS tapes…. Wish I still had my Betamax too!

[@djlolerkoster]

just buy one again?

[@GeordieBoy700]

I regret selling my iPod classic. However can not remember last time I used a CD or DVD.

[@lordapophis93]

Ive been eyeballing iPods on eBay cause I miss using one.

[@kalonecho]

in my light phone era 🥰

[@adrienplazas554]

The GameCube is more than 20 years old now, it's the literal definition of vintage! We're getting old.

[@sarahbannon4752]

Am I the only one old enough to get the MC Hammer reference?! 😂

[@Sakurasan2023]

Great video 📹 👍

[@adamwragg4606]

I have a vcr and HD dvd player as well, love them and about 50 vhs I'd say, maybe more now. Love the gameboys most of all though I think, started collecting those again

[@spencers-adventures]

Gameboys are a ton of fun! I love my Advance SP and my family even has a first gen Gameboy tucked away somewhere

[@adamwragg4606]

@@spencers-adventures oh nice, a lot of nostalgia for the original gameboy, going to get the one I bought the other day, modded with an ips screen and usb c port with a new case as well. I still need an sp again!

[@Sakurasan2023]

Point and shoot camera

[@halfsourlizard9319]

Protip: Social media is optional. Just delete it.

[@briangonigal3974]

When it comes to vinyl LPs at least, part of the "magic" of vinyl is actually how they are NOT magic, they're actually understandalbe. Any device that produces music by reading a digital file is basically a Black Box: it reads some sort of invisible code of what we abstractly describe as "ones" and "Zeros" and converts it into sound by means that are basically more or less magic as far as any person is able to really, intuitively understand. But a stylus reading a record groove is a mechanical process that we can fully understand and even actually hear for ourselves exactly how it works: turn on the power on a turntable but don't hit the button that starts the platter spinning and place the needle on the record's surface, then slowly spin the record by hand with your finger, you'll hear the music coming through the speakers very slow and distorted. but then slow down the rotation enough and not only does the music become completely unrecognizable, at a slow enough speed you can actually hear for yourself what is really happening: the highly amplified noise of a tiny stylus tip being dragged through a series of pretty much microscopic bumps along the walls & bottom of a groove. The fact that this amazingly crude, 19th Century technology can actually reproduce sound in such sublimely high fidelity that it produces the modern insufferable vinyl audiophile is absolutely astounding in a way that we can really fully appreciate.