0x88 - Ben's Junk: Vtech Socrates Educational Video System

May 4, 2017

(conversation overheard at VTech, 1988) Boss: What’s a name that sounds good and smart for our quasi-educational video game console? Engineer: Um, Socrates! Boss: Is he smart? Engineer: Yeah. Boss: Perfect! What’s for lunch?

0x89 - Ben's Junk: Videocipher II Plus/Manhattan Cable TV Box

May 18, 2017

A couple of obsolete, useless (to me) bits of Pay-TV history—so, of course, I bought them.

0x90 - Ben's Junk: go reader (Audiobook Device)

June 8, 2017

Ben helps save the environment—with bad audiobooks on a cheap, low-capacity, unalterable mp3 player!

0x91 - Archive Riffs: Dear Miss Gloria

June 15, 2017

I’m ready for my mail, Mr. DeMille.

0x92 - DBX Noise Reduction System (Commentary)

June 22, 2017

Effectively tackling the three “(100% showtune-free) Musical March” episodes all at once. Who’da thunk old audio gear could be so controversial?

0x93 - Ben's Junk: Las Vegas Vacation (1997)

June 29, 2017

A decidedly different installment in the Ben’s Junk series. This time, I take a(n admittedly lengthy) stroll down memory lane about a family vacation from 20 years earlier.

0x94 - Ben's 10 Favorite Albums (Part 1)

July 13, 2017

Alternate Title: God, Ben! Don’t you listen to anything from this century?!?!

0x95 - Ben's 10 Favorite Albums (Part 2)

July 27, 2017

Remember kids, these are MY favorite albums, not yours. If there’s any overlap, consider it a happy accident.

0x96 - Ben's Junk: MFSL Geo-Tape (Azimuth Alignment Cassette)

August 10, 2017

A slightly askew edition of Ben’s Junk. Let’s rectify that situation.

0x97 - Ben's Junk: DBX Cassettes (DBX Addendum)

August 24, 2017

When researching the DBX episode, as best as I could gather, there were no (legit) pre-recorded DBX-encoded audiocassettes. Turns out there was a line of Classical tapes.

0x98 - Ben's Junk: MFSL Geo-Disc (Turntable Cartridge Alignment Tool)

September 7, 2017

…and the great Archive A/V tune-up continues.

0x99 - Ben’s Junk: (New) Speed Calibration Cassette

September 21, 2017

The Archive kicks it up a notch—or at least about one-fifth of one.

0x100 - Ben's Junk: CVS One-Time-Use Camcorder

October 5, 2017

Remember the single-use 35mm camera? How ‘bout a single-use camcorder?

0x101 - Conelrad (Halloween Special 2016) (Commentary)

October 19, 2017

The Archive gets nostalgic for nukes…

0x102 - Ben’s Junk: The World of Yesterday (& other Classic Hollywood Fanzines)

November 2, 2017

Ben gets nostalgic for nostalgia—he’s meta like that.

0x103 - Ben's Junk: Realistic Phono Pre-Amp (Model 42-2109)

November 16, 2017

Taking a look at an external preamp for the turntable—largely only because the cool kids are into it.

0x104 - Ben's Junk: Vidicraft Vidimate Video Enhancer (Model VDM300S)

November 30, 2017

An especially dull (or sharp) edition of Ben’s Junk—it’s capable of both.

0x105 - Ben's Junk: Star Shower Laser Light

December 14, 2017

Ben gets ambitious with his Christmas lights—in that, he’s putting any up at all.

0x106 - Ben's Junk: Sankyo Dualux Dual8 Projector (Model 2000H)

December 27, 2017

…or, Telecine redux.

0x107 - Ben's Junk: Allsop 3 Orbitrac Record Cleaning System

January 11, 2018

It’s no secret that the LP’s discussed on Archive were usually (presumably) buried in someone’s backyard. Naturally, we’re open to any new method of cleaning them up.

0x108 - Ben's Junk: JVC KD-A6 Cassette Deck

January 25, 2018

Ben’s second new (to him) cassette deck in a year. What makes this one so special?

0x109 - Ben's Junk: Discwasher Compact Disc Cleaner

February 8, 2018

Taking a look at (possibly) the first-ever CD cleaner/repair thing to ever hit the market. Is it a lost classic?

0x110 - Ben's Junk: Royal Disc Repair System

February 22, 2018

The second installment on CD cleaning/repair devices. Is it Royally good or Royal garbage?

0x111 - Ben's Junk: The Archive HQ Bookshelf

March 8, 2018

What’s that thing with the face in the background? This, and many (well, a few) other questions will be answered at long last!

0x112 - Ben’s Junk: MP32C64 Adapter (Commodore Datasette Substitute)

March 22, 2018

Let’s commit a bit of Luddite blasphemy, shall we?

0x113 - Archive Thrifting #1: Impromptu Investigations

April 5, 2018

Testing out a new, potential subseries—and hitting every conceivable pothole along the way.

0x114 - Archive Thrifting #2: Arc of a (Dumpster) Diver

April 19, 2018

…figured I’d better shoot at least one episode in Beautiful Downtown Aurora before leaving.

0x115 - Ben's Junk: K-Tel Record Selector

May 3, 2018

At last! Ben reviews a K-Tel product!

0x116 - Ben's Junk: Teac V-770 Cassette Deck

May 17, 2018

The MCS deck kinda got fried. Time for another fixer-upper!

0x117 - Discovision Dead Sides

May 31, 2018

Let’s unearth some (unintentional) pre-DVD Easter Eggs…

0x118 - Ben's Junk: ABC Talking Monday Night Football (Board Game)

June 21, 2018

An early, talking board game—whose (nearly) every move is dictated by a tiny record.

0x119 - Archive Riffs: Selling Your Home? (Talking House Transmitter Promo Video)

June 28, 2018

Rather serendipitously, just in time to move, we’ve unearthed a promo video for an item that we’ve used on Archive many times—namely, the Talking House Transmitter. Talk about timing!

0x120 - Archive Thrifting #3: Beautiful Downtown Aurora's Last Stand

July 5, 2018

…because I totally needed a bunch more junk to try and pack up.

0x121 - Ben's Junk: Rocketfish Wireless Rear Speaker Kit

August 2, 2018

There were a precious few hallmarks of the old Archive HQ that I did NOT want to carry over. Speaker wire running all over the room was one of them.

0x122 - Ben's Junk: Audio Technica AT-LP120 Turntable (Early Thoughts)

August 16, 2018

Already went over to a direct-drive cassette deck, might as well do the same with vinyl…

0x123 - Ben's Junk: Ben's Makeshift Bedroom Stereo System

August 30, 2018

Looking into the most intimate areas of Ben’s…half-baked stereo system.

0x124 - Ben's Junk: Ramsey FM Transmitter (Further Experiments)

September 13, 2018

Sergei’s Catacomb of Classics in stereo, anyone?

0x125 - Archive Thrifting #4: Elvis Sightings

September 26, 2018

Archive Thrifting®: Now in ESTEREO!!!

0x126 - Archive Thrifting #5: Low Money Hu

October 11, 2018

A mere 3½ months in the making!

0x127 - Sounds of Terror! (Halloween Album Review)

October 25, 2018

The return of the Halloween album reviews! Now in screaming, spooktacular stereo!

0x128 - Ben's Junk: Pac-Man Fever (Pac-Man Tiny Arcades)

November 8, 2018

I’ve got search-for-a-reissue-of-the-original-Pac-Man-arcade-game fever…it’s driving me crazy.

0x129 - Archive Riffs: Thanksgiving Commercials

November 22, 2018

A (non-filling) seven-course meal of Turkey Day commercialism!

0x130 - Ben's Junk: NES Classic Edition (The Last Word?)

December 6, 2018

So, what is the Oddity Archive guy doing with a reissue console?

0x131 - Christmas LaserKaraoke (Deleted Segment from Christmas Special 2018)

December 24, 2018

A little stocking stuffer of yuletide caterwauling—er, caroling!

0x132 - Ben's Junk: Nagaoka MP-110H Phono Cartridge

January 3, 2019

New year, more audio kit. It’s tradition, ya know?

0x133 - Ben's Junk: Sega Pico ("Edutainment" Console)

January 10, 2019

Time to learn…that edutainment consoles rarely end well.

0x134 - Ben's Junk: SNES Classic Edition (Belated) First Impressions)

January 24, 2019

Wait, didn’t we already cover this? Talk about déjà vu…

0x135 - Ben's Junk: Tyco VideoCam

January 31, 2019

Ben’s recovering from a virus (and middle-ear dysfunction). Sounds like a good time to do a (kiddie) camcorder review.

0x136 - Archive Riffs: Valentine’s Day Commercials (A Semi-Romantic Tale)

February 14, 2019

We’re just a bunch of old softies…with a taste for bent story arcs.

0x137 - Archive Thrifting #6: Frostbite Falls

February 28, 2019

Will our scrappy hero escape the clutches of the snow monster? Find out in our next installment: “Frosty The Slowman, or, Snow Thanks to You”!

0x139 - Ben's Junk: GAF Super 8 Sound Film Projector

March 28, 2019

Another fixer-upper? In Archiveland? Never!!!

0x140 - Ben's Junk: The Big Reel (Film Collector’s Magazine)

April 11, 2019

While researching the recent VHS Distributors episode, I kept running into references to a publication known as the “Big Reel”. Turns out, it’s most (in)famous of the old film collector publications—and it’s easy to see why.

0x141 - Discovision/Laserdisc Quirks (An Informal Discussion)

April 25, 2019

In a way, Laserdiscs never really outgrew their experimental phase. Here’s an informal, overview of SOME of the more idiosyncratic Laserdiscs out there (and/or their packaging).

0x142 - Discovision Dead Sides Vol. 2

May 9, 2019

DVD Easter Eggs? Nah, way too easy.

0x143 - Ben’s Junk: VGA Converters/Public Domain CD-ROMs

May 23, 2019

A double dose of turn-of-the-millennium PC goodness!

0x144 - Ben’s Junk: Innovative Technologies ITNS-500 Slide “Scanner”

June 13, 2019

After a long delay…well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

0x145 - Archive Riffs: Clutch Cargo (Big "X", Parts 4 & 5)

June 20, 2019

The Archive finally gets to “see the X”! Spoiler: It’s a rock.

0x146 - Mystery 8mm Films/The Ballad of Ben & 8mm (Commentary)

June 27, 2019

Let’s see if we can’t clear up some misconceptions about this episode…

0x147 - Archive Thrifting #7: Wii, Wii, All The Way Home

July 4, 2019

I was going a little stir crazy at the end of last season. So, naturally, I decided to add a little to my at-home clutter.

0x148 - Ben's Junk: Video Action Magazine (Issue #1: December, 1980)

August 1, 2019

Readin’ and dreamin’ ‘bout those Archivisms that’ll probably never happen.

0x149 - Ben's Junk: Ben's Laserdisc Collection (2019 Edition)

August 15, 2019

Uh, oh. Ben’s geeking out again. Get comfy.

0x150 - Fostex X-14 Cassette Multitracker/ Ben's Music "Career": The Gear

August 29, 2019

…or, how Ben unwittingly jumped on the “lo-fi” bandwagon.

0x151 - Ben's Junk: Whippany Rhythm Master (Circa 1972 Drum Machine)

September 12, 2019

Who says Ben’s got no rhythm? He’s got 10 of them!

0x152 - Ben's Junk: Burns Theremin

September 26, 2019

…or, The Space-Age Sounds of the Oddity Archive! (now available on vinyl and 3¾ips reel)

0x153 - Archive Thrifting #8: Break IT You Pay For IT

October 10, 2019

Featuring our very Special Guest: Zippy The Chimp!

0x154 - Haunted House (Halloween SFX Album Review)

October 24, 2019

Can your heart (or better yet, head) stand a trip through this haunted house? No, seriously, this is our most headache-inducing one yet.

0x155 - Ben's Junk: Realistic Concertmate (Moog) MG-1 Synthesizer

November 7, 2019

Whatdaya mean you forgot you had a Moog? Also, synth snobs need not apply.

0x156 - Ben's Junk: Sony DCR-TRV320 Digital8 Handycam (Video8 Addendum)

November 21, 2019

Since we were already talkin’ Video8, it only seemed right to cover the Archive’s first camcorder…not to mention, a piece of gear still (as of this episode, at least) in regular use around Archive HQ.

0x157 - Ben's Junk: Archer Video Processor/Stabilizer (Model 15-1272A)

December 5, 2019

Guaranteed to keep this (internet) video from rolling!

0x158 - Algorithmic Audio Mastering (CloudBounce Review)

December 9, 2019

Can online audio mastering render audio mastering engineers obsolete? The short answer: No. Having said that, it’s not as bad as you’d think.

0x159 - Archive Thrifting #9: Christmas Confidential

December 12, 2019

Just your standard, good, old-fashioned, combustible, unnerving, overpriced Country Christmas…

0x160 - Archive Riffs: Boxing Day Commercials (er, Adverts)

December 26, 2019

Celebrating the true meaning of Boxing Day… a whole lotta furniture and carpet sales.

0x161 - MovieCD

January 9, 2020

A would-be full-fledged video format episode…which got curtailed by (amazingly enough) a lack of computer stuff at Archive HQ.

0x162 - Ben's Junk: Cult VHS (& A Few DVD's) (2020 Edition)

January 23, 2020

An informal stroll few some cherry-picked titles from Ben’s (somewhat unintentional) collection of B-Movies and Cult Classics.

0x163 - Ben's Junk: Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD Audio Interface

February 6, 2020

…or, what happens when ol’ Benny-boy decides he needs more than 2 microphone inputs.

0x164 - Ben's Junk: Behringer neutron (analog, Monophonic) Synthesizer

February 20, 2020

Yes, I bought another synth. Yes, I swatted myself on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper over my lack of self-control.

0x165 - Ben's Junk: Industrial Laserdiscs/ Anderic (Reproduction) Service Remote

March 5, 2020

Lookin’ under the hood of Ben’s laserdisc player (quite appropriately) with some General Motors discs.

0x166 - Ben's Music "Career", Vol. 4.5: Greetings From Elderbush Gulch Multitracks (An Addendum)

March 19, 2020

Benny-boy’s (non-accredited) Audio School is now in session!

0x167 - Enhanced CD's (& other multimedia CD's) (an informal chat)

April 2, 2020

Please note that this episode may not run correctly unless your monitor is running at a minimum of 256 colors and your system has at least 12MB of available RAM.

0x168 - The OA (Semi-)Supercomputer/ The OA Recording Studio Redux

April 16, 2020

Well, my last attempt at a semi-regular home audio recording rig failed…and my regular laptop is on its last legs. Here’s my attempt at solving both issues at once.

0x169 - Ben's Junk: Sony SLO-325 Industrial Betamax

April 30, 2020

Time to take a bet(t)a look at the Archive’s first Betamax—from before the Archive even existed (in every sense).

0x170 - Ben's Junk: 1953 & 1956 Hoffman Television Catalogs

May 14, 2020

A genuine televisual feast.

0x171 - Ben's Junk: Tiger Quiz Wiz

May 28, 2020

Question #196.5: What is the Quiz Wiz lacking? Multiple Choice: A. An objective B. A reward C. Entertainment value D. All of the above

0x172 - Ben's Junk: First Alert FTR-960R Time-Lapse VCR (+ Time-Lapse Tape)

June 18, 2020

The Archive gets secure...or just paranoid.

0x173 - Archive Riffs: Moving Up To Amateur Radio

June 25, 2020

OA calling CQ, hopefully DX, lookin’ for the QT on the DL while TCB.

0x174 - Archive Thrifting #10: Before We Were SO Rudely Interrupted

July 2, 2020

Archive Thrifting is a magical tool of last resort…Why? Because it NEVER fails!

0x175 - Ben's Junk: Sony U-Matic & Industrial Betamax Wired Remotes

July 9, 2020

…or, Ben’s weirdest pet-project to date! (kerchunk)

0x176 - Archive Thrifting #11: This Can Not Be The Right Price Deal

July 23, 2020

0x177 - Ben's Junk: Pioneer RH-65 8-Track Deck

August 6, 2020

Meet the Archive’s new (to us) 8-track deck…

0x178 - Ben's Junk: Denon UD-M30 CD Receiver

August 13, 2020

A rare, intimate, bedroom edition of Ben’s Junk…

0x179 - Episode 200 Rebuttal & Deleted Scenes

August 27, 2020

Ok, time for my side of the story...

0x180 - Ben's Junk: JVC HR-S7600U S-VHS ET VCR (REVISITED)

September 24, 2020

Since I had S-VHS and VCR’s on the brain already (moreso than usual), it seemed like the right time to revisit one of the early, ultra-wonky Ben’s Junk topics.

0x181 - Ben's Junk: Buster Keaton Video Collection

October 8, 2020

October 4, 2020 marked the 125th anniversary of comedian/filmmaker Buster Keaton’s birth. Consider this the Archive’s (slightly belated and rambling) tribute to one of the greats…

0x182 - Archive Thrifting #12: (Not-So) Scary Deals

October 22, 2020

It’s the first Archive Thrifting Spooktacular! Strangely enough, it’s probably one of the least scary Thrifting episodes to date.

0x183 - Ben's Junk: (New) Polaroid 600 Film (& old camera(s))

November 5, 2020

You can keep your fancy digital cameras, thank you very much.

0x184 - Ben's Junk: (Some of) Ben's Audiocassette Collection

November 19, 2020

A slow-speed ramble for a slow-speed format.

0x185 - Ben's Junk: (New) Dubreq Stylophone

December 3, 2020

We be stylin’…stylus(in’), that is…y’all.

0x186 - Archive Thrifting #13: Deck The Hauls

December 17, 2020

Fillin’ up the ol’ one-horse open sleigh with…some junk.

0x187 - Ben's Junk: (some of) Ben's Vinyl Collection Vol. 2

January 28, 2021

Time to get back in the groove! (dodges tsunami of rotten produce)

0x188 - Ben's Junk: Sega Genesis Mini

February 11, 2021

Finishing up the trilogy of belatedly-acquired, nostalgically-motivated miniature video game consoles…