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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: 1395985 on Tue, 03 April 2012, 15:04:21

Title: VIDEOS: For take apart enthusiasts: "The Secret life of Machines" (UK)
Post by: 1395985 on Tue, 03 April 2012, 15:04:21

When I was a teenager, many moons ago, I used to watch an amazing TV show in the UK called "The secret life of Machines", where a rather eccentric but likeable young guy would take things apart to show you how they worked.

The guy's name is Tim Hunkin, and this show was originally aired on Channel 4 (UK) between 1988 and 1993. I recall that my Dad sent off for the Heath Robinson-esque, illustrated fact sheet for me! Joy! (Where is it now? :-()

I hope you enjoy these as thoroughly as I did... and still DO!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47084[/ATTACH]

To get you started, here is "The secret life of machines - the word processor":

# SCENE 1: He appears to be typing on a Model M... can anyone clarify? It's the right era.

[video=youtube;nN9wNvEnn-Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN9wNvEnn-Q[/video]



The site:

http://www.secretlifeofmachines.com/the_tv_series.shtml

Now, what you really want... the VIDEOS:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ukorganist/videos?query=secret+life

Title: VIDEOS: For take apart enthusiasts: "The Secret life of Machines" (UK)
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 03 April 2012, 15:07:41

That was a bad-ass show.  I watched a few episodes when I lived in the UK, then PBS picked it up here in the US.  I loved that show.

Title: VIDEOS: For take apart enthusiasts: "The Secret life of Machines" (UK)
Post by: Ekaros on Tue, 03 April 2012, 21:41:06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=S2NIAD5qn7E#t=107s
I always wondered about blue color of engineer drawings...

Title: VIDEOS: For take apart enthusiasts: "The Secret life of Machines" (UK)
Post by: audioave10 on Tue, 03 April 2012, 22:17:59

nice videos...
brings back memories
14 minutes into the video...it looks like a Model F terminal

Title: VIDEOS: For take apart enthusiasts: "The Secret life of Machines" (UK)
Post by: Daniel Beardsmore on Mon, 09 April 2012, 15:56:20

Wow, that video was awesome. It's probably still too fast paced to use to help people now understand how computers work, but I have bookmarked it all the same.

Didn't hear anything that sounded like a model M, though one of the computer specifications given at the beginning advertises a clicky keyboard with their computer. Probably ALPS and other drier-sounding switches.

Also, notice the "here's one I disassembled earlier" Amstrad PC1512/1640 – in reality it's a heap of odd-shaped parts held together like Meccano with random screws. Wretched thing.