CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[cedmagic]

I recently visited R5-D3 Electronic Surplus at 9770 SE Stanley Ave, Portland, OR 97222 and found three CED players in one of the sheds out back. Owner Bob Lee sells them for $10 each, so I purchased an RCA SJT090 in box and a Hitachi VIP1000 (no stylus cartridge). I left a SJT100 for someone else to get. Bob has been running this store for about 30 years and has a lot of cool tube-based electronics and test equipment. Below are a few pictures from my visit.


Owner Bob Lee. The picture to his right on the wall shows his eight children - five from his prior marriage and three from wife Diane. Hence the name R5-D3.



Looking back into the main R5-D3 store. Lots of vacuum tubes in the back and a large drugstore-style tube tester to verify operation.



First shed behind the main R5-D3 store. RCA VideoDisc players found on the left and right.



On the shelf - RCA SJT100 sitting on top of Hitachi VIP1000.



On other side of shed - SJT090 in box with Jane Fonda CED on top.



Second shed behind main store. No CED stuff found in here.



Bicycle trailer loaded up with the two CED players I purchased. The trailer can carry three unboxed CED players, or a row of 88 RCA VideoDiscs.

[blindfury420]

Nice find there! In the first picture on bottom right, is that the nintendo power glove?
_________________
I dont own

McMicheal 5001h
Hitachi VIP202P
JCP 686-5705
RCA SKT265, SKT300
RCA SJT400X, SJT425

[Alchemy]

Is everything he has tested for playability? I was looking at that Marantz cassette in your 1 pic and was wondering if it's worth the drive north.
_________________
Scott
SGT-200, CLD-79
http://bcw.utnij.net <--- CED/LD collection

[cedmagic]

Yes, that is a Power Glove with the cord shortened. Someone may have been modified it for Virtual Reality, which is something I tried out back in 1993 following instructions in this still-available book "Virtual Reality Creations":

http://www.amazon.com/Virtual-Reality-Creations-Explore-Manipulate/dp/1878739395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315205152&sr=8-1

The back of the book had this foldout Stereoscopic 3D viewer that could be taped onto a 640x480 computer monitor. Then using the included Rend386 program you could wander around in virtual worlds and pick up and carry objects using the Power Glove. The environment was surprising immersive considering how cheap the implementation was. I still have my viewer (pictured below) sitting on a shelf in the basement, although I haven't used the Rend386 program in about 15 years.

As for testing equipment at R5-D3, I don't believe Bob tests anything, although it could be tested in the store prior to purchase.

--Tom Howe

Virtual Reality Creations Stereoscopic Viewer for Rend386