Rigger's diary: this week's absurdities (1)

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:28:20 -0000, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

In article , Gm6trs wrote:
I had the same problem - with harmoniums. Maybe they had a point - they*
are bigger than Ferrographs.

Seriously, do you know the best way to find a good home for a harmonuium?
I rescued one from a fate worse than death from my neighbour before he
moved out, but I can't play the thing and it takes up quite a bit of room
in my hall. I've seen a few on Ebay, which is what I might end up trying,
but I really have no idea what I'm dealing with. It works, but is quite
battered and should really go to somebody who can restore it properly. Are
there specialist websites for harmonium enthusiasts?

Rod.

I'll mention it to my friend.

Marky P.

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:28:55 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Ashley Booth wrote:
As I used to repair Nagras for a living from '69 to '74 I have a
fondness for them. I have a III, a 4D, 4L, 4Stereo-TC, SN, 2 off
T-Audio and a D (records onto a hard disk in a caddy)

Here is one of my T-Audios
http://www.snglinks.com/pics/T.jpg

Thames TV ordered a load of T-Audios just after they came out. And none of
the first few supplied worked properly. (They were bought as effectively
audio only VTR machines). They were returned and the order cancelled.
Studer A 812s were purchased instead. Never did find out just what the
truth of the matter was.

We had afew of those for use in VT editing. They shoild have been good
for that as they would follow time code. Unfortunately the control
panels must have been designed by a computer programmer. The first
version was completely unusable unless you spent hours studying the
manual. As I recall even making a recording was difficult, you'ld
press what seemed to be the right buttons, but nothing would happen,
except maybe an LED would start blinking at you.

They did produce an improved control panel later, which would let you
do the basics almost intuitively, but by then it was too late for that
market.

Bill

In message ,
Marky P Proclaimed from the tallest
tower:

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:28:38 -0000, "gm6trs" . wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:15:40 -0000, "Ron Lowe"
ronATlowe-famlyDOTmeDOTukSPURIOUS wrote:

My parents always groaned when I arrived home with another piece of
salvaged
electronic junk!

Had the same problem with my parents. I collected reel to reels
for a while.

I had the same problem - with harmoniums. Maybe they had a point -
they are bigger than Ferrographs.

My mate (who's an obsessive collector of keyboards) has a harmonium.
I might use it on my next album.

Marky P.

Your next album?? What sort of music do you make then?

--
Regards,
Chris.
(Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)

"ChrisM" wrote in message
...
Marky P.

Your next album?? What sort of music do you make then?

Oh my God! Now you've done it!

Bill

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:36:16 -0000, "ChrisM"
wrote:

In message ,
Marky P Proclaimed from the tallest
tower:

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:28:38 -0000, "gm6trs" . wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:15:40 -0000, "Ron Lowe"
ronATlowe-famlyDOTmeDOTukSPURIOUS wrote:

My parents always groaned when I arrived home with another piece of
salvaged
electronic junk!

Had the same problem with my parents. I collected reel to reels
for a while.

I had the same problem - with harmoniums. Maybe they had a point -
they are bigger than Ferrographs.

My mate (who's an obsessive collector of keyboards) has a harmonium.
I might use it on my next album.

Marky P.

Your next album?? What sort of music do you make then?

Check out www.myspace.com/thebromhamhospitalband

:-)

Marky P.

"Roderick Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
In article , Gm6trs wrote:
I had the same problem - with harmoniums. Maybe they had a point -
they
are bigger than Ferrographs.

Seriously, do you know the best way to find a good home for a
harmonuium?
I rescued one from a fate worse than death from my neighbour before he
moved out, but I can't play the thing and it takes up quite a bit of
room
in my hall. I've seen a few on Ebay, which is what I might end up
trying,
but I really have no idea what I'm dealing with. It works, but is
quite
battered and should really go to somebody who can restore it properly.
Are
there specialist websites for harmonium enthusiasts?

There are a few - Google will find them (use the term 'reed organ' too).
As for finding a good home, it has to be local doesn't it, unless you
happen to have an especially rare item that someone is desperate for.
IANA expert, but I get the impression that they are not as sought after
or as valuable as other beautiful period pieces.

I do own one, a Story & Clark (Chicago) 1903 IIRC, in pretty good nick,
and I love it dearly, but we moved from a large house to a much smaller
one, and I have to admit it's a bit of a liability. I'll probably keep
it, but if I did let it go, it would be via the local auction house.

--
Martin

"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:28:38 -0000, "gm6trs" . wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:15:40 -0000, "Ron Lowe"
ronATlowe-famlyDOTmeDOTukSPURIOUS wrote:

My parents always groaned when I arrived home with another piece of
salvaged
electronic junk!

Had the same problem with my parents. I collected reel to reels for a
while.

I had the same problem - with harmoniums. Maybe they had a point - they
are bigger than Ferrographs.

My mate (who's an obsessive collector of keyboards) has a harmonium.
I might use it on my next album.

Marky P.


I had a virginal once, but not for long.
--
Graham

%Profound_observation%

Kay Robinson wrote:

The fact remains that there are a larger than you realise number of
such people. I am in regular contact with two neighbours, one, an
elderly lady, terrified of the coming disaster of digital changeover.
When I offered to fit her a STB, free of charge, she said I couldn't
because her TV is rented and as it wasn't hers only the owners could
fit one (rented for 16 years at over £11 a month). Her daughter gave
her a DVD player last Christmas, same result, it just sits there
unconnected.

If it's rented, presumably the rental company will change it for an iDTV
at some point.

Another neighbour and friend, aged only 45 and with a university
degree, but a technophobe. Is adamant that he'll be able to record the
new programmes onto his ancient VCR (manual because he can't cope with
anything else) from his old push button TV (only an aerial input)
because the adverts say so. He thinks the whole thing is a racket to
cost him money "Why should I have to buy new a TV and recorder when
these have served me well and still work".

One of the more extreme technophobes, I'd guess, but I think that half
the population have no idea just how difficult it will be to record from
an STB (or even realise that there is a problem). It will be possible to
operate *some* analogue VCRs and analogue DVDRs directly from the STB's
Electronic programme Guide because the recorder responds to a switching
signal, but success in getting that working is hit-and-miss.
--
Dave Farrance
Petition to attach warning notices to analogue-only TVs:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/analogue-warn/

"Dave Farrance" wrote in message
...
Kay Robinson wrote:

Another neighbour and friend, aged only 45 and with a university
degree, but a technophobe. Is adamant that he'll be able to record the
new programmes onto his ancient VCR (manual because he can't cope with
anything else) from his old push button TV (only an aerial input)
because the adverts say so. He thinks the whole thing is a racket to
cost him money "Why should I have to buy new a TV and recorder when
these have served me well and still work".

One of the more extreme technophobes, I'd guess, but I think that half
the population have no idea just how difficult it will be to record from
an STB (or even realise that there is a problem). It will be possible to
operate *some* analogue VCRs and analogue DVDRs directly from the STB's
Electronic programme Guide because the recorder responds to a switching
signal, but success in getting that working is hit-and-miss.
--
Dave Farrance
Petition to attach warning notices to analogue-only TVs:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/analogue-warn/

My Panasonic VCR has been recording from my Sony STB for the last four years
without any major difficulties.

"Dave Farrance" wrote in message
...
Kay Robinson wrote:

The fact remains that there are a larger than you realise number of
such people. I am in regular contact with two neighbours, one, an
elderly lady, terrified of the coming disaster of digital changeover.
When I offered to fit her a STB, free of charge, she said I couldn't
because her TV is rented and as it wasn't hers only the owners could
fit one (rented for 16 years at over £11 a month). Her daughter gave
her a DVD player last Christmas, same result, it just sits there
unconnected.

If it's rented, presumably the rental company will change it for an iDTV
at some point.

There website says:

Do I need to change my TV?

No, you don't need to change your TV, you can simply update it by adding a
digital set top box to it.

Looks like, not only will they not give you a new TV, they won't even give
you the STB.

tim