8-Track : Big in Japan? RQ-8 Dynamite from National

Today I'm talking about the 8-Track in Japan and then opening up two new-old-stock Japanese National RQ8 8-Track players. I'll show what makes these different from the US Panasonic RQ-830S - AKA the TNT or Dynamite.

00:00 TC8’s home-field advantage
04:20 The Japanese connection?
07:00 8 track 8-tracks.
08:05 At last - The point
08:47 Gonna fly now
09:04 Time for a new machine
09:49 My ‘New’ Japanese machines
11:00 BN out-of B
12:13 The Battery Test Channel
13:11 Paperwork
15:09 Cart
15:32 A Yellow RQ-8
18:36 Gonna fly now
19:21 Flyin’ high now
20:37 A Red RQ-8
20:47 Battery Test Channel - ep.2
21:42 Tests
25:27 East vs West
26:50 Fixes & dates
31:40 The inevitable cart fail
34:52 Summary
36:57 Patreon credits

LINKS

------------- Merchandise -----------------

--------------- SUBSCRIBE ------------------

------------- SUPPORT ---------------
This channel can be supported through Patreon

*******Patrons usually have early access to videos*******

---------- Outro Music -----------

------ Outro Sound Effect ------

------ AFFILIATED LINKS/ADVERTISING NOTICE -------
All links are Affiliated where possible.
When you click on links to various merchants posted here and make a purchase, this can result in me earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network & Amazon.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON Sites (including, but not limited to Amazon US/UK/DE/ES/FR/NL/IT/CAN)

Regularly asked question
Q) Why are there comments from days ago when this video has just gone live today?

[jakekong]

I am a battery engineer. That era battery was manufactured using excess asphalt sealant and beefy nylon gasket, not like nowadays delicate one. But watching live battery after 50 years passed. What a glorious scene!

[DJTI]

"This thing's only a few years younger than myself and it's certainly in better condition."

That really spoke to me.

[benjaminhanke]

What I learned today: Never ever skip a single Techmoan video!
It was fun to watch even over a year later.

[LatitudeSky]

The distorted Rocky theme is like the "Rocky 9: Hip Replacement" theme. Very neat seeing these 8-track machines. Growing up in the 70s, 8-track was all around but my family never owned one and never had one in a car.

[straightpipediesel]

The batteries kept their charge not only because they were carbon-zinc, but also because they coated the zinc with a nice layer of mercury, reducing self-discharge. So it's true, they really can't make them like they did anymore.

[uzaiyaro]

As Tech Connections would say; “through the magic of buying two of them…”

[ryandrouillard]

The real star of the show for me was the batteries. Quite fascinating, I was born in June 1974. Those batteries are 48 + years old. That’s freaking incredible Mat.

[flatpvnk]

I love Mat’s expression when he plays the music initially. He tried so hard not to laugh 😂

That slowed and out of tune rocky theme is my new favourite thing

I would watch a “battery test channel”, maybe bring back the puppets to do those?

[FerHivore]

From Cuba Baion to pioneering the Rockywave genre, this channel is introducing me to all kinds of new music!

[marcusdamberger]

Truly epic end credits, Vaporwave meets Rockywave sub-genre Techmoan introduces us all to. Thank you for that!

[TheMegaNanometer]

techmoan videos are almost like a ritual for a chill saturday for me. breakfast, a cup of tea, and something wholesome and informative to watch. thank you:)

[carolineleonard]

Mat, you have today cemented your status as a true gold medal legend, undisputed god like status. No matter how you look at this 8 track post, you drew me in a kept me hooked for the whole video, as I'm sure many other viewers have been. I even went away afterwards a relearned how they worked, robustness of engineering (machinery and cassette), sales figures and all sorts. Must have been at it for over 2 hours, easily. Once again fabulous post.

[jayducharme]

That was delightful! The Rocky theme alone was worth it. I still have a working 8-track recorder. I used to make my own 8-track mix tapes for my car. For me, it was a really reliable system.

[Eetenn]

I worked as a “Audio Specialist” for the Soundtrack audio Department of Dayton’s in MN USA during the 70’s through the 80’s. This 8 track player hit our store shelves and sold into the 1000’s of units. It was solid, well built and in context wasn’t terrible to listen to.

[brianobrien]

Regarding about the use of 8 track units in Europe i worked at a car stereo installation business in Dublin, Ireland.We fitted many luxury cars with 8 track systems.The most popular was the radiomobile108sr fitted to a jaguar Xj6 it required a days labour .The head unit consisted of 2 parts joined by a large cable, one part in the dash proper the other concealed beneath the dash and to complete the installation an electric aerial mounted on the left rear wing. The electric aerial was a 2 part also made specially by radiomoblie for the purpose.The drive motor sat between the 2 fuel pumps ( XJ's had two 11 gal fuel tanks one in each wing, driver selectable) the motor connected to the aerial mast via speedo type drive cable.I always thought the sound of an 8 track was better as it ran at 3 3/4 ips as opposed to a 1 7/8 ips.

[DavidStavegard]

-"of course I'm never going to play this cartridge again, but I just want to fix it..." = ❤️! This is why I love this channel.

[James_Ryan]

13:02 Those Panasonic batteries have legendry longevity: I have 3xAAs in a VCR remote-control from 1992 and it still works 30 years on!

[Christographer_UK]

My dad got a new Rover V8 in 1975 & that was fitted with an 8-track player. A few days after he got it the family drove down to the Costa Del Sol for a holiday. The only problem was he only had one tape, Carly Simon's "Hot Cakes". By the time we got home, I knew every word to every song, in perfect timing. Well, as much as you can be with the wow & flutter of an 8-track. The "old man" never seemed to notice the W&F, but I certainly did.

[UpLateGeek]

That rocky cartridge was hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing at how it sounded!

[excavatoree]

Matsushita (National, Panasonic, et al) had a great service organization. Great manuals, parts distribution, even factory service centers in the U.S. where they'd host service schools for the independent shops. The shop where I worked appeared on those lists. Those were the days.