Last Updated or created 2026-08-06

Browsing though secondhand shops, and retro art shops, I came across a cool old piece of history.

I was planning to remove the internals (first checking if its really broken .. it is), and make a radio which plays audio fragments from the 50-60s.
(Music and News)

• Playing old media using a raspberry
• Using the original knobs and lights (more on this later)
• While tuning in on channels, static sound will be heard and country selection will be a used also for music/news selection
• Maybe I’ll use one of the turning knobs as decade selector (like the old band selector 25m/31m etc)

Type H265A01.
This one was made in de 50s in Nederlandsche Seintoestellen Fabriek (N.S.F.).
This factory was standing within 100 meters where I currently live

Another interesting thing: It has a Magic Eye (Philips MiniWatt EM4)!
This little thingy works like a mini CRT device.

A magic eye EM4 is a vintage vacuum tube (introduced around 1938–1939) used as a visual tuning indicator in old European radios and test equipment. It glows with a green or yellow-green phosphor pattern that narrows or expands based on signal strength, helping users find the exact radio frequency

Due too the high voltages needed for this device, I’ll be storing this in a safe place, and make a modern alternative using a microcontroller and a round display.