Memorex Power Center
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- I think most people who used computers in the 90s will probably remember these. I've seen them all over and have at least three of them myself.
I know this was a simple video in concept but this was one of those things that put a smile on my face when I found it. So maybe there will be a few of you who have a similar experience with these. For me, this really helps tie this computer setup together as another one of those parts that was ubiquitous with the time.
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It was pointed out to me by a Patron that in this video I misidentified what I thought were poly-fuses. They are more likely MOVs which would be much more in line with what a surge suppressor does. The varistor will block the voltage from passing under nominal conditions. But when the voltage is above its rated threshold, as would happen with a power surge, then it will conduct. Typically it will be placed across the AC input so it will act as a short redirecting the transient back through the line.
I didn't study the layout of the power center all that closely and didn't have as much time to research as I would have liked. I am incredibly busy for December this year and had to get a few videos recorded in advance to make up for that. I should have caught that, the blue casing on the part did make me have doubts about them as fuses and I couldn't find evidence of a blue poly fuse online. But I went with it anyway. In the future I'll either ensure I have the research to back up statements like that, or I'll admit that I'm not confident in my understanding of the subject's design.
I installed many is our machines at work!!!!!
MOV: Metal Oxide Varistor
It has capacitance, and act like clamping switch when voltage exceed the threshold. High current version is usually install between live and neutral so it can pop the breaker.
I purchased one of these for my 486 build in 1994, as part of my KILLER gaming rig. It died due to a lightning strike in 1998, but the computer connected survived. I gutted a TV power center with a far better line filter cap rig and a more modern surge system, and then when I left my parent's house to my own apartment, it was left behind. Well, it turns out my father found it and the attic, and it has been protecting his computer for 10 years. I just recently updated it with new caps, and it's going strong, though the neon bulb in the printer switch is getting flickery.
Would the rated threshold be around 130V in some regions and 252V in others?
These blue "lollipop" like elements are not poly-fuses, but MOVs - over-voltage protecting devices. Quite efficient I must say. They are not in series (like PTCs), but in parallel. They short the circuit in case of over-voltage condition. Lights in the switches are not incandescent, they are neon lights (gas discharge lamps).
I have one of these, not Memorex branded, but clearly the exact same device. Mine had Neon lamps in the switches until some of theme started to fail. That's when I took all of the switches apart and replaced the Neon lamps with LEDs out of a string of Christmas lights.
Those tiny neons are so cute. I don't know if they're used anymore when LEDs are so cheap, but even in places built in 06 I see them on the wall switches for ovens and dishwashers and stuff like that.
I also have a bunch of 90s and early 00s (maybe late 80s? There's no date on them so I'm just going by how chunky they are and stuff) power strips that use them. I have one modern power strip that just uses a regular green LED though. Which is what makes me assume they're not used on modern wall switches anymore either.
I love the neons' colour, like how they're a little bit orange instead of just pure red, and the way they shine through the often-ribbed window or built into a switch. My old power strips usually have the light inside a switch, which I like. The modern one is as small as it can be around the sockets, with no switches, or phone protectors, or anything else like that. Much lighter, and smaller, but less charm.
Gas discharge lamps huh? I guess that might explain why all of the lights on mine at this point have basically failed or a couple of them occasionally flicker rapidly as if it's having its last gasp of air as it dies. Very weak if any brightness on my lights after about 20 years of usage now. The only light that is still bright is the printer button because obviously I don't use the printer as often so I keep it off most of the time. All of the other lights have been dull for years as a result of always being on though.
I love these types of power strips. Whenever I see them in thrift stores, I snatch them up. I use them for computers, electronics, and my fish tanks. Also check your BIOS. There may be a setting to always turn on with power.
I'd like to find a 240V version with IEC connectors one day... So far I haven't found any in Europe :x
one advantage of living in the uk, is that all of our plug sockets have switches built in to them as standard. that way we can switch off what isn't needed but keep the plugged in, less effort to switch than to push or pull.
Electrical engineers will tell you that the UK plug system is a near perfect design, partly because of little things like that.
My old engineering tutor used to constantly wonder aloud why it isn't more widely adopted as a standard because its pretty much the best and safest system for plugs.
I still use one of these. I have my computer, printer, two monitors, speakers, connected to this bad boy and it turns all those connections into one single AC connector which is fed to my APC UPS. This is a key trick to being able to still have a bunch of external hard drives running off of my UPS as well as my entire setup including two monitors. Essential piece of hardware unless you have another five electrical outlets available. That's really cuts down on how many cables actually need connected to the battery backup if you use this smartly. Been using it for years, swear by it. Will continue using it forever. And yes, my Memorex power center has the little lines on the logo on the left hand side. Strange this one doesn't. I never seen that before.
One of the most wonderful things about a setup like this is I leave my printer off most of the time since I don't use it very often. I only flip it on when I need to use it and then it goes off again but every other piece of hardware connected to it which is my computer, two monitors, and speakers, and never turn those switches off. All of them stay on all the time and I can cut power to each and every device when I'm done using the computer one switch turns everything off and even better when it's time to get my PC on one switch turns everything on. Makes the setup so much easier. One button, everything Powers up, one button, everything Powers down.
They're probably neons in the switches, not LEDs or incandescents
I thought that too.
Yeah, you typically have neons for this kinda job since they can run directly on mains voltage without any additional resistors.
That’s exactly what they are
@@Nukle0n Neons *do* need current limiting resistors when used with the mains, but yes they don't need to drop as much voltage as they would for an LED and thus waste less energy
@@LazoeJSCREI Yeah I wouldn't put a neon directly across the mains, good way to have them go black.
Hey tech tangents. Previously employed surge protection engineer here. Looks like you have a mov protection plus lc low pass filter in there. About 5ka of back end protection. Yeah the movs are a semiconductor that conduct at a particular DC voltage in Australia we use 431s which is 230v DC. In America it would be a 170v unit to cover the rms peak. 10 mm movs are usually 5ka in that era. Very empty switchbox without decent power and transorb protection on the signal line. Great nostalgia piece though. 😊
Also fuses do next to nothing to protect against surges as the duration is not long enough to impose enough energy on the element, so they just let is pass. multistage protection is the only series protection that works effectively.
I love how excited you get about vintage tech, and I can totally relate!
8:46 - Here's where those short 8-inch extension cords come in very handy.
Yep, that's what I was thinking! I remember seeing those sold in stores, albeit with Type I plugs rather than Type B.
12:30 If the BIOS supports it, anyone using one of these could always set their motherboard to power on when power is applied.
12:26 - That's some amazing boot time for a computer that age!
I had one of those for my computer that I've been using since I was a child, born in 2002. It's now sitting downstairs, but all functions are working.
These things are so useful. I've got a similar one part of my Amiga 500 setup, I can't imagine going without it!
I plug lamps, TV, recievers and phone chargers into the different outlets and color code my items so I know which plug to turn off, I have been using these for years. Thanks for the video.
12:16 the lights flickered slightly right after turning on the CRT, classic :D
Ya that's the degauss coil kicking in, it does take quite a whack on the mains. I remember I had a old IBM CRT that would dim the lights in the entire house whenever I degaussed it.
It was great to hear this epson printer starting. brings back memories.
Wow, that printer brought me back a lot of memories. Back in the late 90s my mom used to work from home as well on a 386SX laptop (a NoteStar NP-923 or an other, exactly same looking model) and she had an Epson LX-100 printer, the 9 pin version of the LQ-100/AP-3250 :)
Ahh the memories, I had one of these years ago on my Apple IIe which I then used on my various IBM PC and PC XT clones. I gotta say I love the old Packard Bell modem on your PC, that brings back memories too.
Wow, this brought back a lot of memories for me. I had two of these at a friends house that were perfect for getting that extra couple inches of monitor lift on his crappy spare desk when I would come for LAN co-op. Great memories that I thank you for resurfacing =)
Your videos are a pleasure to watch. Thank you.
Being excited by silly things is what keeps us alive and passionate. Keep up the good work. :D
Still using one. Mine is a 2000s unit when black took over from beige. A Sharpie took out the switch labels except Master. Switches are used for Monitor, Speakers, Swing Arm lamp, 'Mood' rope light and the Chinese bench power supply that I don't like leaving connected to mains.
Switch lights are NE2 neon lamps that tend to flicker as they get old,
The first one I had was when the computer was an XT clone. Master switch would power on the computer, the Okidata 9 pin printer, the monochrome monitor and the clip on desk lamp, all at once. A PGE power surge from a high voltage power line falling onto the service drop took it (and many other appliances) out but did not damage the items plugged into it.
I still use mine to this day, if these ever make a comeback I would love the ability to turn off the switch lights
The German company "Brennenstuhl" still makes something like that its called the "Power Manager". It's pretty good, i use it for my 3D printers.
drmr I looked it up and I see various styles: I like the one with the light up buttons the most, but they all look pretty cool.
I think you could find similar things here in Canada if you look hard enough.
I immediately recognized this, because I remembered it on top of the xServe in Druaga's videos somehow
Really lol I run my rack of xserves off of this.
@@winman4862 God I would love to see how much power those things pull through that little power center
@@nFiveTech Here add me on discord m8 Winman486#5798 I can send you screenshots of their power use lol
This appears SO MANY TIMES in Stargate SG-1. Or at least, something that looks almost identical to it.
I just got one of these. Always loved them and they're amazing for retro setups!
Edit: The phone :D
Have to say I was sceptical about the rebranding - but the TT looks quite cool!
Thanks for reminding me that I need these in my life. Especially for my games consoles. Granted it'll be interesting getting all the wall-worts on one, but it'll beat my present setup, as I don't want them running 24/7.
Also, proudly using a 1987 Model M with my modern workstation Mac.
I picked on up about a year ago at a thrift store and was ALSO extremely excited. I wanted one as a kid and now 30 years later, finally got one.
I had the same speakers for my first computer back in the 90's, real nostalgia trip right now .
That new intro animation is snazzy.
That lack of cable management is going to haunt my dreams for a while, but that phone made it worth watching.
Actually, those master power switchers would be nice for cable management as well. Especially for getting the cables off the floor. My long power strip is nice, but having it at my feet always makes me wary.
We never had one of these growing up, but I always wanted one. Now I have about five of them.
I also find these items at the thrift store and have Memorex but it was not in the box but it still works great and I use them all over my house. Thanks for the video.
In Germany we had a similar device in this time period. From the (at least in Europe) well known Conrad Electronic. It was called the "Power Manager". Pro, the sockets where much more spaced and turned by 90°. Contra, there was no modem protection. I still use my power manager from 1995. A neat device.
The elements in the switches, given it's age, are likely Neon indicators.
Its age doesn't matter; neon indicators are still basically the standard for this type of device because you don't need to bother with having any low voltage circuitry like you would with LEDs. You can still buy brand-new extension leads that use neons. At least in 50Hz territories, you can spot them immediately because they strobe visibly.
I remember seeing one or two of these in the box... when I installed them in 1985 and 1987. IIRC, ours were Kensingtons, but there were quite a few companies branding very similar units.
See these all the time at my goodwill
The new versions of these are the 'Smart power strips'. They have a "master socket" that detects standby power, and "Switched" or "Slave" sockets that are controlled by the master. When the strip detects standby power draw on the master socket, it will turn off all of the slaves, and turn them back on when the current increases. It doesn't give me as much control as having individual switches, but it's more convenient. My UPS has this feature.
I still have 2 radio shack power centers and still use them! Great video!
A modern take on this _specifically for computers_ would be to accommodate putting a widescreen flatscreen display on top, which would significantly shorten the length of the unit and include extra spacing, with upside-down keyed plugs with some having additional spacing (so the unit may be a bit more wide) to accommodate wall warts, with the option of rotating forty-five degrees in both directions to adapt for different orientation of AC adapters.
AkBkukU is so good, he can entertain (and inform) thousands of people for 14 minutes talking about a glorified power strip! I enjoyed every minute.
Powerstrips with switches are very useful, I just mount it into the side of my desk now. Walmart sells short extension cords for getting around wall wart problems. Many times old computer speakers are a big parasitic load, so its useful to have a switch.
You and LGR should make a secondary combined channel to fill out, and send in, those warranty cards. Nothing might happen... Probably, nothing will happen... But what if something DOES happen? I mean, most of them are 'free postage if sent within the US" so...
Around 12:40 - plenty of ATX BIOS configurations come with an option for what to do after a power loss, setting it to "On" will mean the PC turns on whenever power is returned to the power supply - the feature is often called "Restore on AC/Power Loss", "AC Power Recovery", "After Power Loss.", or something along those lines.
But doing that would require a forced shutdown (holding power button for 4 seconds), thus potentially losing data if you're booted into an OS.
@@schutz85 it doesn't on my current system - anytime power is lost, whether the machine was booted or not, it powers back on when power is returned.
@@theceilidhinthemists Hmm, I haven't had a board that does that in that way. What manufacturer is your current motherboard and is it amd or intel? To be fair I've avoided intel since around ivy bridge.
Literally just picked up a really nice condition exact one of these(without the box) at the local thrift shop for $2. Had to grab it. Still haven’t put it to use but definitely will as I’ve always found them to be awesome.
Both the family computer and my dad's computer had one of these under the monitor when I was growing up. Still love them and would like to see a modern version.
Problem is the footprint, since CRTs have been phased out. The power centre takes up more space than the monitor's stand does.
The lights in 110/230V switches are almost always neon glow bulbs, and those have the color a neon bulb has, so they're neon. It's funny when they get old as they have a flicker flame effect that works exactly like those neon flame bulbs, but it takes decades of glowing for them to grow that old.
0:39 I remember powering up my cousin’s dads PC with one of these and playing JetFighter II: Advanced Tactical Fighter on MS-Dos! I must of spent thousands of hours playing that game.
12:26 That's the fastest Windows 98 SE start-up I've seen!
I love these! I still have one in my modern office today! 👍
Ah, the MS Natural Keyboard! Got mine for Christmas 1996 from my parents, and I'm still using it today on my Lenovo workstation, which has a PS/2 port. ^^
Wow that's a long time.
IIRC, many modern mobo's can be set to turn on when they get power, it's probably called something like "turn on after blackout" or something similar
I don't know if that mobo supports it, but I remember that it's somewhere in the BIOS, presumably power management or similar
One thing you might wanna look into is that on amazon they have little 1 foot or even 5 inch power extension cables. might be worth picking up a 5 packs since this seems like the perfect application for them.
normally the switch lights are neon bulbs they hold forever and flicker like a candle sometimes :)
I've had a few power strips with these actually burn out lmao
@@Esdeath_0001 ok i never saw them fail in my life .so long the neon gass stays in the bulb there can't go much wrong ^^
@@Merlinkatamari neon gas needs recharging for so many hours in operation
The one I've got at work has all but two "burned out." They still technically light, but are very, very dim. And one of the two flickers like a candle as mentioned in OP!
i think the thermistors (blue round things) are to allow the power to come on slowly rather than instantly, they're designed to have 0 impedance at a certain temperature, but their impedance goes up as they get colder or hotter depending on the type... and then there's an AC lines rated filter cap to try to get rid of some noise...
We still have a very similar power director in use with our modern PC.
It still works perfectly as intended, considering it’s a laptop sized power strip.
Oh my gosh! I just saw one of these (or maybe some sort of clone) on the recycle pallet of the computer store I work at. That’s wild.
I've found 5 over the past months at thrift stores. Not that brand, but similar power stations. I had to replace the switches in one of the 2 light-up power stations as the lights were burnt out.
i just a trip back through time; i had one of those. I still have and currently use a Belkin Surge Master Model F5C140.
*Tech Tangents:* For straightening metal, you could put a block of wood, or even a hockey puck on it, and then hammer on that instead of the case itself. Anyway, we've had these power managers for decades and absolutely love them, but always plugged into a proper surge protector as I've sometimes needed extra space for bulky transformer plugs. I definitely need to replace the switch lights in mine; some flicker, others dim.
Just a note, the first time we had a power manager, was for my first computer, a (Philips) Vendex Headstart LX-CD, which is a desktop case. So, imagine a CRT on top of the power manager, on top of a desktop case. It was tall at the dining room table, but once we got a proper office desk, the monitor sat at the perfect height because of the power manager underneath.
When I first heard about the name change, I was sceptical, but now I like it, especially the new intro. 👍🏻
I remember having a couple of these ... long ago, and many computers ago :)
I have two of these in my electronics lab. They sit under test gear nicely.
You are now the center of POWERRRR!!!!
There's plenty of room inside that thing, maybe you could transplant the guts of a modern surge protector into it? (Though if those MOVs trip the breaker as fast as they should, that might not make much of a difference.)
And the best tool I've found for straightening out dents is a deadblow hammer. It's basically a rubber mallet head full of BBs that has some give. This spreads its impact out over a longer time than a solid hammer, so it's more like "pushing" the dent out than hammering it. Almost no chance of making little hammer head dents, too.
1. That tower is beautiful
2. The only thing Microsoft ever made that was worth buying are those ergonomic keyboards (I prefer black, though. :D)
3. That phone is sweet!
As mentioned, those things do look like MOVs, but you could also plug this into a better surge protector or UPS* and use it more for the switching than for any protection. You could plug it into something nice like an ESP-Surgex or Furman or Panamax or ZeroSurge or BrickWall, etc.
* surge protectors would be better on an isolated UPS; they aren't recommended on a smaller consumer transformerless one.
the lights in the switches are neon indicator bulbs neither incandescent or led
I remember seeing those quite often on a certain US Army base I was an onsite tech at in the mid-2000's. They were pretty neat and somewhat sought after if a user who had one was leaving their position for any reason.
Fort hoodz
Ah 3dfx. I miss you wing commander with the Logitech thrust master with force feedback.
Most ATX BIOSes have an option for power on after power loss, most are just on or off, but newer boards have an option for last state so what ever state it was in last when it lost power it would return to that. In fact my first Pentium board had that, M Technologies Mustang Super 7, and I had the same power center for use with it.
I have a Belkin SurgeMaster on my desk right now! and I have for several years. I also have a PowerMeiser and a couple others and I use them every day.
any time I go to a thrift store I look out for these. and YES I do hook mostly everything where it says it should be PC on computer monitors on a splitter from the monitor one and the AUX ones are my sound and mic dac respectively.
EDIT: I have mine hooked to a modern PC and in my BIOS i have the option to restore power after AC Loss. with that enabled the machine WILL autostart when you flip the switch on.
computer, monitor, epson dot matrix printer, labtech powered speakers (in which I rarely used the speakers but they had a headphone amp and volume controls on the front so awesome) and yes, my US-Robotic's modem was my configuration for a long time
PS the lights in the switches are miniature neon bulbs
didn't know you weren an InWin fan ;D actually never met a person that actually knew what InWin was... my first custom build back in the late 90's was set in an InWin S500G case and i cut a window in it's side and put some acrylic glass there!
I've been looking for one of these for years
I see them quite often at thrift stores.
Oh sweet. I literally use one of these on a daily basis. Same form factor and everything, different brand. Just a few more cigarette burns, still works a damn treat as well.
Wow! That takes me back
I would die for those classic speakers
the blue things are MOV's (metal oxide varistors) not polyfuses. they tends to sacrifice themselves in a spike conditions, and often needs replacing. I'm surprised there's no warning light attached to them.
Aaaand now I just saw the sticky post - looks like someone already mentioned this.
My Power Center has been in constant use since the early 1990's.
I'm sitting here looking at the one I have in use on my table while watching the video...
Me too only 2 switches light up now . (BEERS)
@@KAKAFU neon finally went out lmao
Wall wort fix was new for me as yes I have had that with newer devises!
These things would work a lot better with those little pigtails you can buy these days, and yet I don't remember seeing anything like that when I was younger, ironically enough.
If you REALLY wanted to use the switch on the PC, there may be a BIOS setting to restore the previous power on status after loss of power, and then Windows could be set to not automatically power the machine off, for that classic "It is now safe to power off your computer." screens.
this is one of the most barbarian pieces of electronics I've ever seen
Those power centres used to be everywhere. I've got the one without data/fax protection. I've also got two of the equivalent Tandy power centres. The Tandy ones are better built inside.
I had a belking one, much newer than that one. I'm sorry I only picked one at my old job it's so convenient to have all these independent power switches!
Many BIOSes have an ac power loss setting, the usual options are: "off", "previous state", or "on". If you do ON the computer will come on with the power commander.
Western Electric "Celebrity". The phone everyone's mom paid extra to have in the living room in the 1970's.
the keyed plug with the longer adaptor could be defeating the polarization of the plug. adaptor wasn't polarized so it could be reversed essentially plugging the big prong in small prong hole via adaptor
dude, ur as giddy
as i was when i found a switched scart splitter at a thrift store
I actually use MASTER/SLAVE automatic extension cable/switch for my main rig for the same purpose. Basically if my PC turns on, the extension cord detects a load on the MASTER plug, thus it turns my monitors, speakers, the spare "PC only" extension cord on.
I am quite surprised these aren't that common. Like a TV doesn't usually need it's speaker set when the TV is off, why not just click a relay and turn everything off? No annoying standby LEDs everywhere etc.
It's really funny we still use these at my place of work, and I was just thinking yestersay what was inside these things.
I just saw one at a Roche (big biotech/pharma company) office!
I never owned one of these...but I had the nicer and sleeker looking Kensington Masterpiece 62100. I am still using a Kensington Masterpiece 62112 with a remote power switch on my current computer.
I have 2 of these they are great for many things! On that you could easily add some surge protection to these.
If I recall a client at my computer repair job had one of these connected to his modern computer. If only they had something like this for modern power strips. You could stop so much parasitic load with the amount of cell phone chargers and whatnot that we have these days.
You’re such a pure soul
I grab them every time i see them too, but i don't find them in the box very often.
I STILL use that power dock... It's a glorified power strip, but it's handy.
What about those one-foot rattails? Oh, someone mentioned those already. XD