I don’t buy the Model T argument either. The energy density of petrol is much greater than a battery (or steam, which was also an early power source for cars) and so I think it quickly became the obvious choice of fuel in the early days.
Old Tech thread
- Thread starter Danny McG
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hitmouse
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More to the point, the energy density of petrol is much greater than that of horse.
That article is not very good.
One thing I thought of the other day*, which is related to this, is why do cars still use lead/acid batteries? It is 1860's technology. Almost everything else in a modern car has been changed.
They are cheap and reliable (generally, until they aren't anymore) but they are extremely heavy. They are slow to charge (14-16 hours for a full charge). They have a limited cycle life (5 years is very good), a low specific energy and a poor weight to energy ratio.
*I was visiting Standen, East Grinstead, which is one of the first houses that ever had electricity (built 1892-1894). It was supplied by lead/acid batteries that had to be carried in and out of the house, charged by a steam engine in the garden. Armstrong's house, Cragside, in Northumberland, (built 1869–1895) was the first house with electricity, and it used an Archimedes screw to generate hydroelectricity.
They are cheap and reliable (generally, until they aren't anymore) but they are extremely heavy. They are slow to charge (14-16 hours for a full charge). They have a limited cycle life (5 years is very good), a low specific energy and a poor weight to energy ratio.
*I was visiting Standen, East Grinstead, which is one of the first houses that ever had electricity (built 1892-1894). It was supplied by lead/acid batteries that had to be carried in and out of the house, charged by a steam engine in the garden. Armstrong's house, Cragside, in Northumberland, (built 1869–1895) was the first house with electricity, and it used an Archimedes screw to generate hydroelectricity.
They’re relatively cheap to manufacture (no exotic materials required) and can produce a good strong current. The engine starter motor needs a good bit of oomph to turn over. These might be factors in why they’re still used.
CupofJoe
Some medals you wear on your heart not your sleeve
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A few years ago I heard an article about Iron - Air batteries that are being tested. Apparently, they have a huge capacity and are cheap to build but are [at the moment] incredibly delicate as it is effectively a mesh of rust flakes. Last I heard they were trying to bond the rust to Graphene sheets to make them more practical. The scientist/researcher believed that a functional battery was 10 years away.
phys.org
Renaissance of the iron-air battery
Iron-air batteries promise a higher energy density than present-day lithium-ion batteries. Their main constituent, iron, is an abundant and cheap material. Scientists from Forschungszentrum Jülich are pursuing research into this concept, first reported in the 1970s. Together with Oak Ridge...
This morning, I was busy recording some new music on my fancy new recording software. I'd just finished laying down the bouzouki and guitar tracks and was ready to tackle the vocals. Plugged in the mike. Nothing. I could record but couldn't hear myself (and therefore couldn't stay in tune, it's difficult enough without this malarky). No monitoring available.
After a couple of hours searching t'internet for a solution and then following up the negative results with a range of expletives and much yelling at the screen, I gave up and went off in a rage to cut the hedge. It was only when I returned to try again that I realised that I must have accidentally hit the 'direct monitoring' button on the interface when plugging in the mike. Button pushed and problem sorted. The simple old tech of button pushing beats the latest software drivers any day in my book
After a couple of hours searching t'internet for a solution and then following up the negative results with a range of expletives and much yelling at the screen, I gave up and went off in a rage to cut the hedge. It was only when I returned to try again that I realised that I must have accidentally hit the 'direct monitoring' button on the interface when plugging in the mike. Button pushed and problem sorted. The simple old tech of button pushing beats the latest software drivers any day in my book
This morning, I was busy recording some new music on my fancy new recording software. I'd just finished laying down the bouzouki and guitar tracks and was ready to tackle the vocals. Plugged in the mike. Nothing. I could record but couldn't hear myself (and therefore couldn't stay in tune, it's difficult enough without this malarky). No monitoring available.
After a couple of hours searching t'internet for a solution and then following up the negative results with a range of expletives and much yelling at the screen, I gave up and went off in a rage to cut the hedge. It was only when I returned to try again that I realised that I must have accidentally hit the 'direct monitoring' button on the interface when plugging in the mike. Button pushed and problem sorted. The simple old tech of button pushing beats the latest software drivers any day in my book
So you just ‘turned it off and on again’.
Ori Vandewalle
Well-Known Member
Reminds me of the soundbar I got last year. Finished setting it up, connecting it to the TV, working out all the settings... and then for some reason the TV remote no longer worked! Stared at the whole system for quite awhile, fiddling with options and trying to figure out what was wrong, until I eventually realized the soundbar was sliiiiightly too tall and was blocking the TV's IR sensor. I was defeated by line of sight.This morning, I was busy recording some new music on my fancy new recording software. I'd just finished laying down the bouzouki and guitar tracks and was ready to tackle the vocals. Plugged in the mike. Nothing. I could record but couldn't hear myself (and therefore couldn't stay in tune, it's difficult enough without this malarky). No monitoring available.
After a couple of hours searching t'internet for a solution and then following up the negative results with a range of expletives and much yelling at the screen, I gave up and went off in a rage to cut the hedge. It was only when I returned to try again that I realised that I must have accidentally hit the 'direct monitoring' button on the interface when plugging in the mike. Button pushed and problem sorted. The simple old tech of button pushing beats the latest software drivers any day in my book
Danny McG
"Anything can happen in the next half hour!"
Not really 'old tech' but I was browsing through the Argos online catalogue looking for a watch for one of the kids.
After a few minutes I changed the view to 'lowest prices first' and I was bemused to see the Casio F91-W appear (for less than ten pounds).
Surely this must be a design classic? It's been out since 1989 and still selling strong with no changes.
After a few minutes I changed the view to 'lowest prices first' and I was bemused to see the Casio F91-W appear (for less than ten pounds).
Surely this must be a design classic? It's been out since 1989 and still selling strong with no changes.
I had to look this up to see it. I vaguely remember having something....like it. In the dim mists of history before I switched to smartphones.
But I noticed this come up in the search:
Casio F-91W
According to secret documents issued to interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, obtained and released by The Guardian, "the Casio F-91W digital watch was declared to be 'the sign of al-Qaeda' and a contributing factor to continued detention of prisoners by the analysts stationed at Guantanamo Bay. Briefing documents used to train staff in assessing the threat level of new detainees advise that possession of the F-91W and the A159W – available online for as little as £4 – suggests the wearer has been trained in bomb making by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
On July 12, 2006, the magazine Mother Jones provided excerpts from the transcripts of a selection of the Guantanamo detainees. The article informed readers:
"More than a dozen detainees were cited for owning cheap digital watches, particularly 'the infamous Casio watch of the type used by Al Qaeda members for bomb detonators.' "
Might be cool for the right sort of kid!
EDIT: Also - £10 today and they say it was available for £4 in 2006. Either watch inflation has gone through the roof or you aren't looking in the right websites.
@Danny McG , is the child in question named Al?
Err... didn't James Bond own a '80's digital watch too?
And you've all been ripped off. It says $1.29 for one here...
And you've all been ripped off. It says $1.29 for one here...
“Plus tax”
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It was considered "amazingly primitive" but the humans of Earth considered it to be a pretty neat idea
Danny McG
"Anything can happen in the next half hour!"
Before eBay and Amazon you could (one day!) choose presents by television
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"Hello? Television? I want a giant man for Christmas. Yes, big enough to pick up an aeroplane. Excellent. I'll send my robot around with a postal order for 3 shillings and sixpence."
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