Thinking about the funny arrangements of video & audio heads on the VHS video drums.

The first two images are real units I have - JVC BR-S800U and Panasonic AG-W1, the latter is additional theory that explains difference between video and audio signals (VHS pushes Hi-Fi signal deeper into tape - requires special configuration of heads to write & read).

- SP/EP heads: different gap width to align with different track widths for SP (1x) or EP (1/3x) mode
- 35 micrometer heads: SP heads for NTSC-like systems (60 Hz)
- 49 micrometer heads: SP heads for PAL-like systems (50 Hz)
- Audio heads: Hi-Fi audio heads as described above (also double set on the multi-standard AG-W1!)
- Flying erase heads: allow erasing video signal on the basis of individual video tracks (for video editing)

AG-W1 plays tapes of many standards and uses it's NTSC/PAL head set to also provide SP/EP support on both standards. Totally deranged engineering!

#vhs #electromechanical #retro #retrotech

The electromechanical angle computer inside the B-52 bomber's star tracker

https://www.righto.com/2026/04/B-52-star-tracker-angle-computer.html

#HackerNews #B52Bomber #Electromechanical #Technology #StarTracker #AviationHistory #AerospaceEngineering

Pianet T by Martinic 🎹
Hohner electro-mech piano plugin, 3-mo license, ACE® modeled

💻 Win/Mac (AAX/AU/CLAP/VST2/VST3)
🎁 FREE until Apr 1
🔗 Link in bio!

👉 #freeplugin #martinicaudio #pianet #electromechanical #vintagekeys #musicproduction

HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS RARE ARCADE GAME LATELY?

#arcadegames museum curators!

I'm trying to find a working "Target UFO" by #Alca from 1970. I last saw it in a Welsh arcade c.1975. A rare #electromechanical #amusement.

See https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/target-ufo-by-alca.253651/

Used very little #electronics to support it. Relied on clever use of projections, I surmise.

If anyone knows of a working one, I would make a pilgrimage to play it! Might even buy an old one...

I found a 1980 Alps #electromechanical #handheld game in a brockihaus for 5 francs, so bought it and took it apart. Putting it back together again was somewhat harder. Thank goodness for 3D printers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwBfIazJR_I

Mechanical Hand-Held Games
Robin from 8-Bit Show-And-Tell has mentioned Loadstar, the magazine that I am trying to help preserve with the itch.io version of Loadstar Compleat. I say that just to mention anything that might even be slightly considered to be conflict of interest. There, done. All of this said, this post has nothing to do with any of that!

Before Tiger's li
https://setsideb.com/mechanical-hand-held-games/
#retro #8bitshowandtell #ElectroMechanical #handheld #retro #Robin