Jan 11, 2019
DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW ain’t got nothin’ on my man RAM. Oh yes, DVD-RAM, the format of mild obscurity which seems like it should have been friggin huge. Alas, it was but mildly useful.


Technology Connections is a series of YouTube videos that explores numerous aspects of technological history, including how things work, the way things developed, and anything in between. There is no limit to what kinds of tech could be covered — one minute you may be learning about how electron guns draw pictures on an analog television, and the next you might be discovering that your modern toaster is a piece of junk.
Browse every episode and jump into details.
Jan 11, 2019
DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW ain’t got nothin’ on my man RAM. Oh yes, DVD-RAM, the format of mild obscurity which seems like it should have been friggin huge. Alas, it was but mildly useful.
Jan 21, 2019
So, what’s the deal with the D? Why is it all, disclike? Last I checked, SD cards weren’t any sort of disc. What’s going on? In this video, we find out.
Feb 4, 2019
Analog video and frame-by-frame review don’t usually go nicely together (unless of course you’ve got a CAV Laserdisc onhand). So how did security camera systems stretch the normal recording time of VHS from a couple of hours to upwards of a week? Why, with ingenuity of course! Watch this video and find out the juicy secrets!
Feb 13, 2019
Unless my understanding of the universe is deeply flawed, something about space heaters just doesn’t add up. In this video, I talk about that.
Feb 26, 2019
This is the fun, weird, and surprisingly complicated story of Disney’s PeopleMover attraction and how it ended up somewhere unexpected. And maybe even somewhere *really* unexpected!
Mar 15, 2019
Ya ever wonder about what’s in a toaster? No? Well, too bad ‘cause you’re gonna find out right now!
Mar 30, 2019
It’s ink. But better!
Apr 9, 2019
Big things are coming soon. In some ways, they already have!
Apr 19, 2019
That title isn’t hyperbole or clickbait nonsense. This really is better than your toaster. At least, I think so. Seriously, can we make this the norm, please? If we figured it out in 1948, you’d think we woulda kept going with it. I mean, really.
Apr 28, 2019
Have you ever run across a cool idea that you desperately hope doesn’t catch on? Flexplay is one of those. In this video, we’ll talk about what it is, why it was crazy to think it would go anywhere, and why it’s probably a good thing it didn’t.
May 10, 2019
Boy do I have a COOL topic for you today. We’re gonna turn up the HEAT with this one!
Jun 2, 2019
Hmm. What were these things? Why were some record sets made to work with them? When did we decide we hated them? Was that the right call? Will I ask another question? These are the things you’ll learn in this video, where we explore the humble record changer. Seriously. They didn’t suck!
Jun 15, 2019
Oh no. It’s a new version of a well-established product that trades efficiency for convenience. But this time, it’s more than just being cool. It’s about cooling. Seriously, either we need to get more awareness of how dumb single-hose portable A/C units are, or we need to just use window units whenever possible. While I know that there are times a portable unit is the only option (remember, I’m in that boat), it seems that only very high capacity, premium machines have the facility to use two hoses. Which is frankly stupid but then again that’s what I’m trying to tell you now.
Jul 6, 2019
After much annoyance dealing with fiddly capturing methods, I thought I’d show you the method I stumbled upon that works amazingly well, is fairly cheap, and awfully easy. I’ve been thrilled with it, and I think you’ll be too.
Jul 19, 2019
Well. Isn’t that strange. Digital data through fiber optics, and in the home no less! Let’s explore this a little, shall we?
Jul 29, 2019
Fiber optics. A DeLIGHTful technology. Ooh that’s a groaner. Well, why don’t we see them around more often? Let’s find out!
Aug 11, 2019
Click clack I was taken aback. Wonderin’ ‘bout those switches of light, yeah. Let’s find out what the point is of all that clacking, shall we?
Aug 28, 2019
Have you ever wondered why the word looks so weird? Wait. Weird as in, like, all the time? Of course! We live in a weird world! But light, though! What about weird light? Ahhh, that's what this video is all about. This is the strangest vid. description I've written in a while. Cool.
Sep 10, 2019
Bring the magic home… with RCA! Please? We really want you to buy this. Please. Buy it now. Right now. It’ll be great.
Sep 21, 2019
It’s seriously not that crazy of an idea. RCA might have pulled this off in a couple of ways, and in this video we explore those new angles.
Sep 30, 2019
So. Ya want color, eh? But you don’t want any of them dots or stripes? We can do that.
Oct 18, 2019
Wouldn’t it be nice if VFDs made a resurgence? Just put VFDs on everything, already! Make VFDs the new “blockchain” or “neural networks” or whatever. Priorities, people!
Oct 29, 2019
Part three! It’s here! Huzzah! Let’s learn about what happened in the history of RCA that led up to the eventual failure of the CED.
Nov 8, 2019
“Oh nooo! Betah!” In this video, we discuss the endlessly discussed rivalry betwixt the Victorious VHS and the Bent-outa-shape Beta, but from an entirely new angle!
Nov 17, 2019
Yeah, so if you're new here, this is a thing that happens because I'm a curmudgeon about holiday lighting. Let's see what this year brings!
Nov 27, 2019
ahOOOOOga! All aboard the HONK HONK express! We're gonna learn a few things about horns and then probably there will be bloopers or something.
Nov 18, 2019
This is not the same video you watched previously. I promise. It’s a whole new video.
Dec 22, 2019
♫ last Christmas, I shot it on film ♫ ♫ but the very next year, I switched it to tape ♫ ♫ this year, to save me from tears ♫ ♫ I’ll just go and shoot in 4K ♫
Quick answers about this season's release timeline and episode lineup.
Technology Connections Season 5 premiered on January 11, 2019.
Technology Connections Season 5 has 28 episodes.
The season opens with Season 5 Episode 1, "DVD-RAM: The Disc that Behaved like a Flash Drive". It aired on January 11, 2019.
Go to Season 5 Episode 1