Beginner seeking expert help on setting up vintage system

[1100 man]

Originally Posted by stevehertz

Personally I don't think it was a wind up at all. I think there are genuinely people out there now with so little 'hands on' experience of doing much more than computer based tasks. It's a legacy of the computer age. And yes, the reference to plugging speakers into the mains would probably also be associated with 'computer speakers'.

I also think this was a genuine enquiry. We tend to look at things from a more technical standpoint, but I'm sure that to many people (not necessarily young either) its all utterly baffling!
Putting the boot on the other foot, If you gave me a set of 'plug in the wall' bluetooth speakers, I wouldn't have the first idea how to get sound from this computer to come out of them!!
In my world, audio comes out of a jack and down a wire- so I'd be looking for a line in jack on the bluetooth speakers
We've had lots of these sort of threads in the 'Audio' section. Maybe it should be like the 'new technology' section requiring new members to have a minimum of 10 posts before they can start a new thread?

It's also scary that lots of old valve stuff is ending up with people who are totally unaware of the safety implications. In a world where everything is left in 'standby', the idea of turning off and unplugging the record player when not in use may not occur. I've experienced a mains transformer fail spectacularly in a radio when I was upstairs for half an hour- the dense, acrid smoke that filled the downstairs was unbelievable!! It was still pouring out smoke when I got to it and slung it out the back door In the modern world, everything is assumed to be safe: not so with vintage technology!
All the best
Nick

[stevehertz]

I agree.

[paulsherwin]

Please note #35.

[dave walsh]

As Paul indicates, post 35* [the one before mine] says a lot and that's the position I started from. As you say Nick/Steve, it's quite possible that the OP comes from the "modern" world and is therefore disadvantaged in some way [especially with social skills] but perhaps no more than in earlier times when many of us actually had no real technical knowledge either [despite living in a more practical society perhaps] and had to do some preliminary research.
I think that there IS probaly a big disconnect between this Forum and others though and maybe that's why we appreciate this one so much.

I'm really not trying to assess "genuineness" just intent and attitude, including the difference between "I've read up on this but now I'm stuck-can I have some advice" versus "Can I have a step by step tutorial"? It really isn't unwelcoming to be cautionary from the beginning and anyone taking up a new interest will understand that-or indeed should already! It's all quite different from a long thread emenating from previous work in progress, in my opinion. Things have changed quite dramatically recently and there may be resource implications should the the "demand" keep building.
Some things just set my alarm bells ringing and presumably, the Moderators deal with a lot of scenarios that never even see the light of day

Dave W

Maybe it's a bad analogy but we had some Trick or Treaters round last night.
Lovely polite kids it was a delight to treat them! On another occasion, once I'd given the first few something, we were beseiged by all their mates and when I said we'd run out of change/sweets [we had] it all got a bit difficult
to say the least. I don't even agree with the Americanisation of British Traditions but you know, I'm a reasonable guy

[Ted Kendall]

Well if we don't want to waste time and temper, why not have a "basics" sticky?

There was a thread a couple of weeks back when the OP started lambasting the forum at large for "not having the manners" to respond to his obscure query on the instant. It didn't occur to him that maybe nobody seeing it had anything useful to say...

[dave walsh]

Good idea Ted. If it's the usual "I've just found/bought a record player" I sometimes mention the 2009 sticky re "Reviving A Record Player" which is excellent, detailed and sets out the stall quite directly re the possible difficulties and dangers!

Dave W

[AC/HL]

Lofty hasn't logged on since post 22, and I'd guess he now won't return. He did say that he hasn't used an amp before (as in separates I assume) and didn't know what cables to use and where to plug them in, but our advice was probably too technical. We tend to assume that we can explain anything to anyone, but it's getting more difficult when YouTube is the first port of call in many circumstances, and much nonsense is spouted everywhere. You can't win them all, but we have had a few successes along the way so take heart!

[dave walsh]

Nicely summarised Bill. I don't think, though, that anyone is scared off who really intended to develope his/her interest [as opposed to getting something to function] and there is a difference. Very basic things can only be too technical if someone is not really that interested in the first place I'd suggest. That's more about attitude than understanding! Certainly no one has ever come back to discuss things further [as far as I know] it's probaly too slow and boring They do all seem to arrive and depart in a very similar manner. I make no assumptions because other individuals have indeed stayed on and made a significant contribution to the Forum.

Dave

[Radio Wrangler]

"Haven't got a clue" is where we all started on everything. No-one was born knowing it all. So people in this category could become anything.

"Haven't got a clue, and aren't prepared to put any effort in" are lost causes and are wasting their own time.

Then there are people looking for help with a single problem. They get it, they vanish. This is good insomuch as someone got real help and the forum archive got another fix in it. There is value here.

Then there are people who stick around, bitten by the bug. Salt of the Earth, I reckon

I find it difficult dealing with people disinclined to put any thinking or physical effort in. Sometimes my personal devil suggests that I should refer them to the Russ Andrews website. There are cables there for every application...

David