The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This just makes me think of the old Johnny Cash song "The One on the Right is on the Left"...

Then again, you have stage right and left which are from the actor's point of view, ie:on stage facing the audience. Here I agree with HMV that the sides are determined by how you observe the machine as you are facing the front of it. However, when working with movie projectors, 16mm in particular, are considered to be right-hand thread because if you are standing behind the machine facing the screen, the operating side will be on your right. I am sure my observations will futrther muddy the waters.

Jim

As a sailor, it is always the boat or ships starboard and port, (right and left). The sailor's left and right are irrelevant because they do not relate to the vessel. from the perspective of the machine, (and we are talking of the left and right side of the machine), I would expect the front to be where the sound comes out, (the part that faces us). If that is the front, (forward facing), then the left an right of the machine would be opposite from the person facing the machine.


Front: NOUN
1.the side or part of an object that presents itself to view or that is normally seen or used first; the most forward part of something:


If the front faces us, as I believe it does, then I have to conclude that the right side of the machine is to my left if I am facing it. My vote is that when speaking of the left or right side of the machine, that the typical crank side is actually the left side of the machine. As the mechanical reference stated, they never used left and right when describing vehicles, the same goes for sailing. It can be confusing. Different people think differently.

Django wrote:Front: NOUN
1.the side or part of an object that presents itself to view or that is normally seen or used first; the most forward part of something:


If the front faces us, as I believe it does, then I have to conclude that the right side of the machine is to my left if I am facing it.

I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion.

Just as port and starboard on a ship are not a matter of opinion (could be dangerous...), neither are the laws of other objects. Unless it is an object that moves (ship, car, etc), an object or place that involves an operator/audience (stage, projector - in which case we have differentiating terms like stage right and house right), or something that portrays a human (art, x-rays, photos - in which case the terms proper right and proper left are used, which are opposite of the viewers perspective), then a stationary object with an unambiguous front, such as furniture, or in this case a Victrola is always L-R from the viewers perspective. Have you ever looked at an Edison Diamond Disc? One side is L and one side is R. When putting them into the slots, the R side should face the crank...because that's the right side, and when you pull it out, the R is to your right.

HisMastersVoice wrote:

Django wrote:Front: NOUN
1.the side or part of an object that presents itself to view or that is normally seen or used first; the most forward part of something:


If the front faces us, as I believe it does, then I have to conclude that the right side of the machine is to my left if I am facing it.

I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion.

Just as port and starboard on a ship are not a matter of opinion (could be dangerous...), neither are the laws of other objects. Unless it is an object that moves (ship, car, etc), an object or place that involves an operator/audience (stage, projector - in which case we have differentiating terms like stage right and house right), or something that portrays a human (art, x-rays, photos - in which case the terms proper right and proper left are used, which are opposite of the viewers perspective), then a stationary object with an unambiguous front, such as furniture, or in this case a Victrola is always L-R from the viewers perspective. Have you ever looked at an Edison Diamond Disc? One side is L and one side is R. When putting them into the slots, the R side should face the crank...because that's the right side, and when you pull it out, the R is to your right.

The definition that I inserted was not of my making. What I am trying to say is that the machine's right side and the operator's right side are not necessarily the same. Even in drafting there can be confusion, (first and third angle projection are basically opposite, except for the front and back). I'm just saying that I can see how if an object has a front and back, it would have a corresponding left and right regardless of the viewers perspective. I guess that this disagreement is why this topic came up in the first place. Language is imperfect. I prefer drawings for that reason.

How about my Columbia buffet table machine - identical on both front and back and can be switched around so the crank can be either on the left or right Bill K

dutchman wrote:How about my Columbia buffet table machine - identical on both front and back and can be switched around so the crank can be either on the left or right Bill K

So crank side or something descriptive might be better than left or right. I deal with patents nearly every day and I have come to realize how inaccurate language is. That is probably why so many manuals have diagrams to identify the parts.

If we eliminate the crank from the equation, as it could be in different locations, what would be the right or left side?? What is the right side of a large radio.??? Do we look at the front or back most of the time?? Most people walk up to items in the front as that is the side that has been styled to look at. I feel most appliances or radios are designed to show the right side from the front so they can be used. What is the right side of a couch or bed.?? It probably is a consensus of how something is used. Tom B

Lucius1958 wrote:

Victrola-Monkey wrote:Thank you all for your opinion. Of the 3 "votes", 2 members say the right or left door designation is from our point of view and one member, with convincing reasoning say it's the opposite and from the victrola's point of view.

The Victrola's point of view is rarely, if ever, considered in this community. Finally, someone has the courage to stand up and speak out!
Bill

Finally, all Victrolas will have a voice!

Isn't it funny, how on forums, nothing is as simple as it seems?

Next, let's determine the difference between up & down. Oh, you think you know the answer, but I bet you don't!