Fisher MT-6360
(1979 - 1980)

Ah - automation !

The Fisher MT-6360 is a short-lived programmable turntable with a little white lie : it isn't programmable. Programmable meant one could choose a program, one program, or one track - not that one could program in shuffle mode all the tracks of an LP. The Sanyo marketing department pused a little but, but it probably worked, as usual.

The IR remote control part of MT-6360 wasn't a lie at all : three buttons to cue, stop and start LP replay at the maximum distance of seven meters. The selected track is displayed on the front LED panel. But although the MT-6360 can keep sweet little sixteen tracks in RAM, only nine can be displayed, as said display only had one 7-segment digit :)

Still a big step forward in size when compared to the 1976 Accutrac 4000. Yet to come were such contraptions as remote-controlled-automatic-programmable-disc-changer from Sharp for instance.
Still too bulky, uh ? Enter Compact Disc - problem solved. Enter iPod - problem atomized, for sure. But I'd still prefer that Sharp RP-X2, even if to not use its programmable and changer functions.

Well, if the tonearm comes back all by itself at the end of the record, still has to put an LP on the platter to begin with, and the repeat function wasn't repeated on the remote control - automation has its limits. Just to remind us we're only humans after all.