Information Retrieval Domesday R4 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

dave walsh · 14th May 2011, 6:36 pm

There have been a number of threads on here related to future proofing digital info [ie raid arrays, the "best" HD's to use-other approaches etc] often as part of recovering analogue sources eg tape.
The general consensus was that it's a very hard problem to solve! One person even suggested chisellling code into stone! Tonight's Archive Hour on 4 [8pm] is the story of the ill fated "permanent" snap shot of the nation, recorded on a Video Disc system 25 years ago, that was almost immediately obsolete

. However the problem has now been solved.
Should be interesting. This subject was also covered in the last ten minutes of Material World broadcast on Thursday last.
Dave W

Big Band Heaven · 15th May 2011, 12:30 am

I saw the story about this on the BBC web site - very interesting. Apparently it will be all available to view on line. What surpriased me was how forward looking the system was in terms of what it could do - zoom in on maps - click a grid square and look at the information relating to that small area. The 1980's mouse looked very retro!

I remember these video disks being the "next new thing" in the shops....but then I also remember reading about the forethcoming launch of CDs....now I feel old!

dsergeant · 15th May 2011, 7:10 am

My nephew was involved a while back with this restoration project at Leeds University and I remember trying to sort out a power supply for him which was part of it. It is interesting looking at what is there and how very much it was a snapshot of that time. Looking at Bracknell for instance I see there is no mention of Martins Heron railway station which was built here in 1989, though the Princess Square shopping centre which had literally just opened was prominently included.

Dave

Lucien Nunes · 18th May 2011, 1:06 pm

Pity I missed this. We have a complete Domesday system at Electrokinetica which I remember in working order before we got it. However when I first ran the player up for test at home, there was a focus servo fault which we have not yet had the time to sort out. But we have the discs and a spare working stock Laservision machine so it should be possible to get it running.

Lucien

Telleadict · 20th May 2011, 4:57 pm

Lucien

In case you didn't alredy know Andy Finny of the origional Domesday Project has a web site at http://www.domesday.org.uk/ and says he would like to hear from anyone with a complete Domesday laser disk setup. There is an e-mail link about half-way down the page under "What Happened to Domesday?".

Just thought you might be interested.
Will

14th May 2011, 6:36 pm	#1
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Information Retrieval Domesday R4 There have been a number of threads on here related to future proofing digital info [ie raid arrays, the "best" HD's to use-other approaches etc] often as part of recovering analogue sources eg tape. The general consensus was that it's a very hard problem to solve! One person even suggested chisellling code into stone! Tonight's Archive Hour on 4 [8pm] is the story of the ill fated "permanent" snap shot of the nation, recorded on a Video Disc system 25 years ago, that was almost immediately obsolete. However the problem has now been solved. Should be interesting. This subject was also covered in the last ten minutes of Material World broadcast on Thursday last. Dave W

15th May 2011, 12:30 am	#2
Big Band Heaven Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 160	Re: Information Retrieval Domesday R4 I saw the story about this on the BBC web site - very interesting. Apparently it will be all available to view on line. What surpriased me was how forward looking the system was in terms of what it could do - zoom in on maps - click a grid square and look at the information relating to that small area. The 1980's mouse looked very retro! I remember these video disks being the "next new thing" in the shops....but then I also remember reading about the forethcoming launch of CDs....now I feel old!

15th May 2011, 7:10 am	#3
dsergeant Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire,UK. Posts: 1,175	Re: Information Retrieval Domesday R4 My nephew was involved a while back with this restoration project at Leeds University and I remember trying to sort out a power supply for him which was part of it. It is interesting looking at what is there and how very much it was a snapshot of that time. Looking at Bracknell for instance I see there is no mention of Martins Heron railway station which was built here in 1989, though the Princess Square shopping centre which had literally just opened was prominently included. Dave

18th May 2011, 1:06 pm	#4
Lucien Nunes Rest in Peace Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London, UK. Posts: 2,508	Re: Information Retrieval Domesday R4 Pity I missed this. We have a complete Domesday system at Electrokinetica which I remember in working order before we got it. However when I first ran the player up for test at home, there was a focus servo fault which we have not yet had the time to sort out. But we have the discs and a spare working stock Laservision machine so it should be possible to get it running. Lucien

20th May 2011, 4:57 pm	#5
Telleadict Hexode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nr. York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 348	Re: Information Retrieval Domesday R4 Lucien In case you didn't alredy know Andy Finny of the origional Domesday Project has a web site at http://www.domesday.org.uk/ and says he would like to hear from anyone with a complete Domesday laser disk setup. There is an e-mail link about half-way down the page under "What Happened to Domesday?". Just thought you might be interested. Will