Awesome thrift store pickup(s).

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,655
688
126
You guys are making me want to check out the local Goodwills. I have two within 10 or 15 minutes of my house. Are they going to kick me out if they see me scanning everything with my iPhone?
 
Last edited:

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
That rounded Altec Lansing sub won't do you any good unless you have the other cables with it. The power button and volume switch are on a tether that connects with a proprietary hook up. There's also two satellite speakers that go with it. It's the same speaker setup I use for my son's room for him to watch movies on his PC.

I think you mean the other speaker no? Cause I know it's missing the satellites and cables. The round one though looks fine here. Power and volume knobs are right on it and aside from the power in plug there is no where else for such a control tether to plug in. There are just 2 sets of AV inputs and ouputs.
 

blinblue

Senior member
Jul 7, 2006
889
0
76
You guys are making me want to check out the local Goodwills. I have two within 10 or 15 minutes of my house. Are they going to kick me out of they see me scanning everything with my iPhone?

All the ones I've been to don't care, although I don't flaunt what I'm doing either. I have seen people who obviously are scanning everything and I've never seen an employee care. I'm pretty sure Goodwill is well aware that many people buy things solely to resell them later, and I'm sure they are fine with that. Be sure to check for good items inside the glass cases and by electronics too.

I'm about to go out on another Goodwill hunt today, hopefully something awesome will turn up.
 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
I mean the sub on the left that looks like a little bomb. It has two hookups for satellite speakers, then a round connector with a notch in the middle. The round notched connector is for the cable that ends in a volume control and power button. The "volume control" dial you see on the sub itself is just a knob to adjust the gain on the sub. I suppose you could still use this thing as is if you just hook it up as a sub, but you're gonna need some way to run out to regular speakers too.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
I mean the sub on the left that looks like a little bomb. It has two hookups for satellite speakers, then a round connector with a notch in the middle. The round notched connector is for the cable that ends in a volume control and power button. The "volume control" dial you see on the sub itself is just a knob to adjust the gain on the sub. I suppose you could still use this thing as is if you just hook it up as a sub, but you're gonna need some way to run out to regular speakers too.

Hmm. Well either way it's not a big deal to me if it doesn't work, I only took these cause I had to. :p This is a closeup of all the connectors on the sub though:

6270315994_44f4c8e136_b.jpg


The power prick I got looks to plug into the Power In connector on the left but has no volume controls attached to it, it could be easily for the wrong speaker set. When you say connections for 2 satellite speakers are you talking about the 2 sets of AV (reg,white,yellow) connectors? If so that's an odd arrangement for hooking up satellite speakers. Usually they just use a 3.5mm stereo jack or some proprietary jack.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
Hmm. Well either way it's not a big deal to me if it doesn't work, I only took these cause I had to. :p This is a closeup of all the connectors on the sub though:

6270315994_44f4c8e136_b.jpg


The power prick I got looks to plug into the Power In connector on the left but has no volume controls attached to it, it could be easily for the wrong speaker set. When you say connections for 2 satellite speakers are you talking about the 2 sets of AV (reg,white,yellow) connectors? If so that's an odd arrangement for hooking up satellite speakers. Usually they just use a 3.5mm stereo jack or some proprietary jack.

The speakers in this set had the white and red connectors. One speaker had the white and the other had the red. I had to get a 3.5mm to RCA wire to hook it up to my computer. The system was really made to go between your video game console and television.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
The speakers in this set had the white and red connectors. One speaker had the white and the other had the red. I had to get a 3.5mm to RCA wire to hook it up to my computer. The system was really made to go between your video game console and television.

Ahh of course. The 2 AV connectors threw me for a loop as that's not the norm you see when hooking up satellite to a sub, but I get you know. Did you also have a power brick with a volume control tether on it like MJ above mentioned? If so I obviously have the wrong brick here and it probably goes with the other speaker.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
Ahh of course. The 2 AV connectors threw me for a loop as that's not the norm you see when hooking up satellite to a sub, but I get you know. Did you also have a power brick with a volume control tether on it like MJ above mentioned? If so I obviously have the wrong brick here and it probably goes with the other speaker.

Hmmm... my memory is a bit fuzzy. i think there was a volume control knob that sat on your desk.

If I recall correctly there a a single power/control wire thingy that worked like:
Power brick -> desk control knob -> speaker input
 

drquest

Golden Member
Apr 18, 2001
1,148
7
81
Picked up a childrens Ben Cooper Lost in Space Halloween costume from the 1960's at a local shop a few years ago for $2. Ended up selling it for considerably more....
 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
I rarely ever see them listed for less than about $35 even without a game.
What they are listed for is meaningless. It's what they sell for that matters. Look at Completed Listings and you'll see that those systems listed for $35 or more simply don't sell unless there is a special quality about them or unless they have a couple of decent games included.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,904
31,424
146
you can find much better deals if you spend some time in the clothes section--but mostly women's clothing, though.

electronics like that are generally trash, as they devalue so quickly. The GF has made a killing picking up 100% cashmere sweaters and designer prints for a couple of bucks each and selling them on eBay for $50+
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
What they are listed for is meaningless. It's what they sell for that matters. Look at Completed Listings and you'll see that those systems listed for $35 or more simply don't sell unless there is a special quality about them or unless they have a couple of decent games included.

Well I know a used game store here in Vancouver that sells vintage games and hardware and they charge easily 40 to $50 for just the hardware! And they have been in business long enough, and even expanded, that I'm sure they sell at this price.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
you can find much better deals if you spend some time in the clothes section--but mostly women's clothing, though.

electronics like that are generally trash, as they devalue so quickly. The GF has made a killing picking up 100% cashmere sweaters and designer prints for a couple of bucks each and selling them on eBay for $50+

Yeah I'm sure that's true. But then I'd be looking at the cloths section. Which means I'd just have to kill myself. :awe:
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
Uh, I guess that's kind of cool.

Stuff like that to me is just more shit that you need to store and move. I'd dump that shit in the trash.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
I picked up this Fender Nashville Power Telecaster from a church rummage sale 2 years ago for $50. It was dusty, has a small chip in the paint, and the wiring was pulled out. Took 20 minutes to polish it, re-soldier the wires back to the knobs, and restring it.

5973_102003173147524_100000135244668_54838_1978053_n.jpg


It's a very unique guitar because it has active pickups (powered with a 9V battery), a Stratocaster pickup in the middle, and an acoustic piezo pickup in the bridge. I recorded a blues track with it sometime back playing slide at first, then around 2:00 I switched to the Strat pickup:

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_4295653
 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
Well I know a used game store here in Vancouver that sells vintage games and hardware and they charge easily 40 to $50 for just the hardware! And they have been in business long enough, and even expanded, that I'm sure they sell at this price.
A B&M will ask that much and find someone willing to pay what they are asking. Try taking your system to that same store and ask them how much they will give you for it.
 

nonameo

Diamond Member
Mar 13, 2006
5,902
2
76
That's a good find, however I think I made out better today. I found a complete in box copy of Mega Man(the first one) for 5 bucks :)
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Sucks now that the economy has gotten worse. Before not many people went to the thrift stores, now lots of people do and all the good stuff is getting gone quick.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
Sucks now that the economy has gotten worse. Before not many people went to the thrift stores, now lots of people do and all the good stuff is getting gone quick.

Probably because people like me stopped donating crap.
I drove by the Salvation Army and saw a buttload of Lincolns, Cadillacs and one Lexus. Said "fuck that shit" and never donated again.
Those people don't need bargain bin clothes and furniture.