this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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Cassette Futurism

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Welcome to Cassette Futurism Lemmy and Mbin Community.

A place to share and discuss Cassette Futurism: media where the technology closely matches the computers and technology of the 70s and 80s.

Whether it's bright colors and geometric shapes, the tendency towards stark plainness, or the the lack of powerful computers and cell phones, Cassette Futurism includes: Cassettes, ROM chips, CRT displays, computers reminiscent of microcomputers like the Commodore 64, freestanding hi-fi systems, small LCD displays, and other analog technologies.

See this blog to know more.


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Oldest source I could find: 1985 Nissan CUE-X - Concepts

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[–] Cosmonaut_Collin 39 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Man I miss that aesthetic so much. Today's style is just too bland for me.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Most cars in that era were insanely bland as well. And this particular image isn't even from a production car, it's a concept. If we are just looking at awesome exceptions from these days, then Honda E or Hyundai Ioniq 5 could make the list and you can actually buy and drive them.

[–] Cosmonaut_Collin 2 points 1 year ago

I know it's a concept, and modern manufacturers wouldn't consider making a car with that style today anyway. I just wish there were more goods to buy that looked like they came out of Star Trek: TNG instead of the modern "sleek" design.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

"Shut up!" They hated them because they spoke the truth.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Wow, a car stereo with a large display like that is surprisingly advanced for 1985! I wonder if this is really a CRT, or a multi-segment display made to look like one

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

It's a segmented display. Color display on consumer computers was to expensive at the time. because of the limited memory you could either have high resolution or few colors and low resolution, and high resolution was required if you need text.

My guess is that all displays have fixed segments and warning lights that can only be turned on or of.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nissan loved to cram technology in their cars. See for example the GTR-34 in the 90s that has a full size LCD and real-time readouts on it, which was very usfule to tuners, hence it's prominence in the scene

[–] volleyballcrocodile 3 points 1 year ago

That, plus the brilliant performance.

[–] jace525 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I had a 1988 Buick Reatta with a CRT in it. Only had one color in it though... Green....... Looked like a terminal from fallout. I miss that car.

[–] agent_flounder 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

To me, it has the fuzzy look of a low res mid 80s CRT monitor. It doesn't look like a VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) to me, though I am pretty sure the clock may be one.

[–] CryptidBestiary 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This screams cyberpunk to me and I love it

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cyberpunk is the 2nd related aesthetic in Cassette Futurism page of the Aesthetics Wiki. There is some overlap.

[–] CryptidBestiary 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ah, explains why I'm so into cassette futurism or "vaporwave" lol

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah! Vaporwave, outrun / synthwave, retrowave, ... it's a bit of mess. Genre categorization is only useful up to a point :).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Everyone here is simping for the display, while this car had a CD player in 1985. Do you understand how wild that was?

[–] espentan 2 points 1 year ago

It was pretty early! The first DiscMan came out in 1984 and I think the first aftermarket CD car stereo turned up the same year.

[–] Maultasche 13 points 1 year ago

Nissan Trek: The Next Generation

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That’s fucking awesome. I’d love that console right now but with updated technology.

[–] JJROKCZ 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Requiring an airbag in the wheel basically rules out cool looking wheels like this. Rest of the cluster is certainly possible but the car companies want to do touchscreens over buttons since it’s simpler to install and replace one big screen that pull all the wiring out for one button that stopped working

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I can live without the centre wheel stuff.

[–] Num10ck 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wow that's so much worse...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I like the first one.

[–] JoeKrogan 10 points 1 year ago

That looks cool

[–] Tautvydaxx 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago
[–] clutchmatic 8 points 1 year ago

This is more.pleasing than that Italdesign approach