16 Forgotten Tech Accessories from the ’80s
These vintage tech accessories once adorned every desk, TV stand, or living room floor, shaping how people interacted with their machines during the analog-to-digital transition of the 1980s.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
The 1980s was a decade of rapid technological experimentation, and with it came a flood of accessories designed to patch, boost, or protect early consumer electronics. While most of these items have vanished from modern setups, they reveal how users adapted creatively to the limits of early tech. Looking back, they capture a charming mix of necessity, ingenuity, and the desire to squeeze more life out of every blinking gadget.
1. TV Antenna Signal Booster
Image from Wikipedia
Back when over-the-air television was still king, households turned to signal boosters to amplify the weak reception of their rabbit ears. You’d fiddle with knobs, stretch the antenna arms in every direction, and hope to clear up the snowy static. Sometimes, you’d swear the best reception only came if you stood on one foot and held the antenna with a spoon.
2. Disk Notcher for 5.25” Floppies
Fredy Jacob from Unsplash
Before writable floppy disks got double-sided, users had to physically notch the disks to trick the computer into using the flip side. This small punch tool created a second write-protect hole, allowing you to double your storage capacity. It felt a bit like hacking the system with office supplies.
3. Cassette Tape Head Demagnetizer
Namroud Gorguis from Unsplash
To keep your cassette players sounding sharp, you’d run a special tape or use a wand-like tool that removed magnetic buildup from the heads. This was part of routine maintenance for audiophiles, though it always felt a little like casting a spell. If you skipped it, your music slowly turned to mush.
4. Joystick Dust Covers
Igor Karimov from Unsplash
Arcade-style joysticks and early PC gaming rigs were prone to collecting dust, so protective slipcovers were common. These usually came in vinyl or faux leather, and some even matched your computer’s beige tone. They rarely stayed on, but it felt wrong not to have one.
5. TV Game Switch Box
Ajeet Mestry from Unsplash
Before AV inputs became standard, these switch boxes let you toggle between the TV antenna and your Atari or NES. You’d slide a metal switch to go from Saturday morning cartoons to blocky video game pixels. It was clunky and never quite stable, but it got the job done.
6. Cassette Tape Rewinder
Etienne Girardet from Unsplash
To save wear on your VCR or cassette player, you’d use a dedicated rewinder to spin tapes back to the start. These little boxes often resembled miniature sports cars and made a distinct whirring sound. Rewinding tapes became its own ritual before the next movie night or mixtape listen.
7. Data Cassettes for Computers
Daniel Schludi from Unsplash
Before floppy disks took over, some home computers like the Commodore PET used standard audio cassettes to store programs and data. You’d press play and wait as screeching tones loaded your game into memory. Loading times were long enough for a snack or a nap.
8. Computer Fan Add-ons
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Overheating was a problem for early PCs, especially after hours of gaming or spreadsheeting. Clip-on fans or little USB-powered blowers were sold as aftermarket cooling solutions. They barely worked, but users liked feeling they were helping their machines survive.
9. Dot Matrix Printer Paper with Tear-Off Sides
Mufid Majnun from Unsplash
Those long reams of continuous paper with perforated edges and tractor feed holes were essential for early printing. Tearing off the holes after a long print job was oddly satisfying, like peeling a label cleanly. You always ended up with a stack of crumpled edge strips, and no one knew what to do with.
10. Screen Magnifier for CRTs
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Before high-resolution monitors were affordable, some users attached large magnifying lenses in front of their CRT screens to enlarge the view. It was like staring into a fishbowl version of your desktop. The image was slightly distorted, but it helped tired eyes in dimly lit rooms.
11. Telephone Line Splitter for Modems
Alexander Andrews from Unsplash
Dial-up modems needed access to your only phone line, and a splitter let you use both your phone and modem without constantly unplugging. It added to the maze of cords under your desk. If someone picked up the phone during a connection, though, you’d hear that dreaded static squeal.
12. Car Cassette Adapter for Portable CD Players
Gregory wong from Unsplash
Before in-dash CD players became common, this gadget let you play CDs in your car through the tape deck. You’d plug one end into your Discman and pop the cassette into the stereo. It felt like tech wizardry on long road trips.
13. Printer Ribbon Re-Inker
Mahrous Houses from Unsplash
Inkjet and laser printers were still rare in homes, so people made do with dot matrix printers and their fabric ink ribbons. Instead of buying replacements, some frugal users bought messy kits to re-ink the ribbon themselves. It stained your fingers but saved a few bucks.
14. VHS Tape Splicer
Stephen Holdaway from Unsplash
When your favorite VHS tape snapped, you didn’t just throw it out — you fixed it with a tiny splicing kit. These kits came with a little cutter, tape, and sometimes a magnifier. Repairs weren’t perfect, but you could still finish your movie.
15. RF Modulator Boxes
Kammerin Hunt from Unsplash
Older TVs without AV inputs needed RF modulators to connect newer tech like VCRs or game consoles. You’d screw in coaxial cables and fine-tune the signal to channel 3 or 4. It was a workaround that felt advanced at the time.
16. Computer Monitor Anti-Glare Screen
Keith Kasaija from Unsplash
Before matte screens were a thing, these plastic filters hung over your monitor to reduce eye strain. They were usually tinted gray or gold and sometimes had a weird static buildup. You’d adjust the angle endlessly, but the glare still found you.