If a person who fell into a lethargic sleep 30 years ago woke up now, they would be very surprised at how much everything has changed. Yes, technology does not stand still, and some devices generally have a short lifespan.
Let's discuss 5 devices that we definitely lost forever.
Plasma TVs
Plasma can be called the era of transition between CRT monitors and thin screens. Plasma TV technology was very different from the classic kinescope. Not everyone had such TVs at the time – they were expensive, but they also showed an ideal picture for the technology of those years. Having such a TV at home emphasized the owner's wealth.
A plasma TV creates an image using millions of tiny cells filled with an inert gas. When an electric current is applied to the cell, the gas turns into plasma and begins to emit ultraviolet light. This light affects the phosphor coating inside the cell, causing it to glow red, green, or blue. By combining the glow of the cells of different colors, the TV forms the pixels that make up the picture. Plasma panels were distinguished by deep blacks and saturated colors.
They had, of course, a big minus – over time the screen “burned in”, especially from a static image. Many had a trace of the outline in place of the TV channel logo. Manufacturers, of course, struggled with this problem and constantly improved the technology, but plasma TVs disappeared.
They are too expensive to produce, they consume a lot of energy, they have a large volume and mass. But plasma TVs were quickly replaced by LCD TVs, and the modern LED screen is already much better in quality than the same plasma.
Such devices will definitely not be produced anymore – there is no point in it. That is why many people have been keeping their plasma panels for many years – those who are used to such an image. Well, in a small room you can live without heating: plasma will cope with this task with a bang.
Floppy disk drives
In fact, floppy disks are a very good storage device for transferring small files. It was convenient to give a floppy disk with documents and leave. But, for example, a flash drive is already an expensive storage device, and it would be a shame to give a flash drive away for the sake of a couple of files. Yes, you can also burn a CD, but that's a hassle.
But the capacity of a floppy disk was only 1.44 MB, and it was convenient at a time when a document file “weighed” kilobytes. Now a document with several pages can take up tens of megabytes.
With the development of Internet technologies, many drives have lost their relevance. Honestly, I don't remember when I used a flash drive to transfer files. Recently, my printer broke down, and I needed to print. I went to a printing house and simply dropped the document from my Telegram to the printing house number.
Floppy disks are 100% a thing of the past and will never return. Yes, now FDD drives are still on sale for those who have not yet managed to save important information from floppy disks.
Cassette and reel-to-reel tape recorders
Magnetic tape hasn't really gone away, and tape drives are still in use today, as they are inexpensive ways to store large amounts of data. But they are specialized devices that are no match for classic tape recorders.
But classic analog tape recorders will not return. This format is too capricious. The tape stretches, it is imperfect. Yes, as it was written above, a tape drive is good for storage, but not for use. And who needs cassette recorders if everything is already digital and, if desired, can be found in very high quality?
So classic tape recorders are long gone. Although they are on sale, they will never reach the masses. And collectors, music lovers and audiophiles will always find their favorite source of sound. Many, for example, like the long sound of an audio cassette.
This also includes VCRs – their era is long gone, only nostalgia remains…
Film cameras
At one time, photography was a whole lot of magic. Well, that was for those who developed the film and printed the photos themselves. Later, KODAK stores appeared, and everyone started going there. However, American film and equipment were of high quality, and the photos came out excellent.
Now, of course, there are still photo salons left. Cameras are sold. If you wish, you can buy a complete set for creating photo cards at home. There is even such a style – “film photography” – amateurs are engaged in this kind of photography.
But film photography will not return to mass production – the format will not be popular. Now even a budget smartphone takes decent images, but there are many nuances with film. This was in the old days, when people had a lot of free time, they could afford such a luxury. Now the information field is very wide, and only a few are engaged in film photography.
CRT monitors and televisions
You can say goodbye to the kinescope era — they will definitely never return. There is no point in this — LED screens are popular now, and there is no escaping them. Just imagine — a pixel can be made from several microscopic LEDs. Such matrices are not so harmful to the eyes, provide high contrast, viewing angles and color reproduction. And the kinescope? It consumes a ton of energy, heats up and requires a high-voltage circuit that often fails.
Yes, there are those who like to play Dendy on a kinescope TV or watch a movie from a VHS tape. So to speak, to immerse themselves in nostalgic feelings and memories. And nothing more.
