EEVblog #1240 - Tandy In The 1980's

Go back in time to 1980 and a look at what consumer electronics and parts were available from Tandy in the UK.

#Tandy #1980s #UK

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[BradsGuitarGarage]

I used to go and drool at the blister-packed components while mum was clothes shopping as a kid. The guy with one arm in the Penrith plaza store chastised mum for letting me browse alone because it "isn't a child-minding center". Mum put him in his place. Good onya mum. Tandy's the one, good onya mum.

[dancollins]

Thanks for the memories Dave. Grew up right out in the bush (100km to nearest Coles supermarket) and saved up all year to buy kits and components when visiting Dick Smith Electronics store in Canberra. Would buy a catalogue too, that would keep me going for another year, read every word on every page

[fltechie]

Wow! Memories. I worked for Tandy Service Center in South Florida, USA from 1980 to 1998. I worked on probably half the items in that catalog. Tandy truly serviced what they sold!

[thomaskitz]

I worked at Radio Shack from 1972-1974 in The U.S. This was at the time when Tandy bought out Allied Radio. We were shipped a lot of the Allied(Pioneer made) stereo components and wooden cases and other name brand stereo items. I was the last customer at the Oshkosh WI store a few years back when everything was 95% off. My receipt went from the register to the front door.Fun time!

[prengineer]

It's nice to know I wasn't the only one hanging out to get the latest catalogues to go through them, looking at what was new and exciting. Always making lists of things I wanted to buy... Good times.

[smcic]

It’s like a catalog of techmoan videos 😂

* *Edit - this comment is sponsored* *

[czarodzi]

Yes! Battery of the Month Club member!
I would have a handful of cards and have to get one battery and have a card stamped, then leave and come back to go to another cashier. It would take most of the afternoon to get enough D-cells to power up the boom box!

[ShaneGadsby]

I joined Tandy in ~2007, well past it's prime, and just before Woolies finally re-branded us all to DSE, had a great time. One of the few retail jobs I've had that actually made you feel like you were helping people, more than just pushing more crap for people to buy!

[borisjevic]

Sure love these trips down memory lane, especially with authentic catalogues... Not the digital versions, but they are good enough if you don't have the original. Thank you so much for reviving my childhood memories. Very much appreciated.

[stonent]

I had a mid 90's set of Yamaha speakers that blew (purchased at Incredible Universe, one of Tandy's companies) and I was given a Tandy credit voucher for them and I purchased an absolutely identical set of Optimus speakers at Radioshack. They were identical in every detail except for the grille and back sticker said Optimus instead of Yamaha. So Yamaha was definitely a possible source for their speakers.

[TimeWasted]

Worked @ RadioShack '79-'84 in Canada and it was magical: CB Radios, Laser Disks, 2 inch screen portable TVs, the portable computers, 4-color portable plotter/printer for the handheld computer, and all the "holiday" toys. The catalog was truly magical.

[elcam]

I live in Fort Worth and used to go to the outlet store which was at the main distribution hub. They would have a tent sale every month or so with overpriced returns and damaged junk. As for the free batteries I used to get the N cells. They were only sold in 2 packs so they would give you a 2 pack of them. That lasted until they dropped the red N cells and only had the green. I also used to go to the Tandy center down town which had a nice parking lot by the river and a subway that took you under ground to the base of the tandy center right next to the skating rink. They had a radio shack on every floor on top of each other. The tandy center was great for jury duty as once you got out of the subway car you went out the door and directly across the street to the court house.

[TheDefpom]

Ahhh Tandy, my favourite place as a kid🔥

[root]

6:54 You can see on the right page, top in the middle "Music Synthesizer IC". That's the SN76488, which is very close to or maybe even THE IC used in the PCJr, the Tandy PC (actually they used the SN76489, IIRC). Has 3 voices of squarewave, plus a noise channel.

[regmigrant]

I got a Saturday job at the local store so I could spend time on their Model 1, taught myself Basic then figured out how to win one in a competition when they opened their dedicated computer shop

[jrhalabamacustoms]

i worked at Radio Shack (USA) in the later 1970's, man this brings back memories. Thank you Dave!

[julian]

In the mid 80s, the local Tandy store sold the last few remaining "Model II desks" at a very low price. We purchased a couple, and still use both to this day. They have been used for computers ranging from the 640KHz Epson HX-20 to a modern multi-GHz PC. They were made in Germany, and built like tanks - I suspect they will outlive us.

[jtirabasso]

I was a Radio Shack junkie, built a lot of project with their parts, ended up working for them part time, to purchase some audio gear (Sound of Gold System ). It was still worked when I sold it in 2010. The one nice thing about Radio Shack was you could order service manual and replacement parts for RS branded equipment and speakers.

[memriloc]

I'm a musician and run a recording studio. My first little mixer and mic was from Tandy circa '83 - 84 still got the little mixer!

My local was Top Ryde shopping Center.

[anthonyharrison]

Just watched this, I was an engineer for Tandy for a long long time, repairing the Scanner range, on the inside cover is the Tandy UK head quarters in Wednesbury, the repair centre was based there, happy days.