RCA Dimensia

A place where you can chat about anything that isn't to do with games!
Post Reply
User avatar
Octopod
Posts: 670
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:43 am
Location: New Hampshire

RCA Dimensia

Post by Octopod »

So basically I want to piece together a RCA Dimensia home entertainment system but I dont really know where to start. I tried Ebay and Cragslist without much luck. Ebay had a few remotes and nothing local on Craigslist. Id probably be willing to ship most of it except for the monitor but I am unsure of everythings weight. I know the VCR weighs 20 lbs!
Anyone have any components for this sitting around by chance or have any tips for me on getting older electronics?


Also want the skt400 or sjt400 videodisc / CED player.
Last edited by Octopod on Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PC Engine Fan X!
Posts: 9129
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

For Octopod,

Over at Video Concepts speciality A/V store back in the early 1980's, they sold high-end A/V equipment back in the day from manufacturers such as RCA, Sony, JVC, Epyx, Pioneer, etc. I recall watching both Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back movies on the massive RCA front-end projection TV (the ones that had those three big colored projection lamps of Red, Green and Blue and used a reflective mirror to combine the three signals into a complete picture) that was displayed at the very front entrance of the store as you walked in. At the time, I didn't know that Video Concepts was owned by Radio Shack Corporation but yes, they were. It was cool to see customers gather around and stop to watch the Star Wars movies in front of Video Concepts because of the local ties of famous movie director George Lucas to the Modesto, CA area at that time. All the VC salesguys wore business suits since they were in the business of selling such expensive A/V gear.

In 1995, Radio Shack Corp. decided to shut down it's entire Video Concepts retail chain to focus more on it's new Incredible Universe mega-stores. I recall that you could buy a Pioneer LaserActive console and a bunch of LaserActive LD software for cheap when VC was going out of business. Eventually, even IU ended being closed down for good and all remaining IU store locations across the USA ended up being converted to Fry's Superstores. ^_~

I found a site describing what Octopod's looking for: http://www.cedmagic.com/history/dimensia-1984.html

Those RCA TV monitors were notorious for being fucking heavy back in the day. The bad thing about the side speakers is they couldn't be swung out but the other only alternative was to use some external speakers to get better sound that way. Back in 1983-1984, those 26" sized CRT-based RCA TV monitors were the largest ones to be made at the current time. Even such 26" RCA monitors were sold under the JCPennys brand name back in the day. Pretty cool monitor to play Atari 2600 games on and crank up the bass. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
kozo
Posts: 487
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:21 am

Post by kozo »

Yay, the RCA Dementia!!

Wait...

Looks cool though. Good luck to you!
User avatar
Jockel
Posts: 3073
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Berlin, Germany
Contact:

Post by Jockel »

Looks like it's not exactly ideal for tate. :wink:
Image
User avatar
Octopod
Posts: 670
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:43 am
Location: New Hampshire

Post by Octopod »

I cant see your pic Jockel.

Here is a good rundown with lots of pics.

http://www.cedmagic.com/museum/dimensia/dimensia.html

Edit: Just noticed my link is pretty much the same as yours is PC Engine Fan X! .... ohwell :lol:



Image
Post Reply