Once upon a time, long before Twitter or Xbox live, you could turn on a TV that looked a lot like this and watch spacemen valiantly defeat their enemies with rayguns and plutonium-powered rockets. We can't travel back to that simpler age, but we can re-create the experience using 3D printing.


Especially since this two-inch wide replica of the iconic, 1950's Philco Predicta TV set actually works. It was created by Formlabs, a leading manufacturer in desktop 3D printing supplies. Formlabs printed the cabinet and television using clear resin, and built it around an LCD display and electronics from Adafruit.

This particular TV set has been programmed to play The Man from Planet X, but you can download the blueprints on Formlabs's blog and outfit your own nostalgia tube with whatever 50's-era entertainment you like. Happy time traveling. [Formlabs via CultofMac]


Top image via Cult of Mac via Formlabs