seeking 'magic eye'/iris style pushbutton switch style

Front Panel of what?

err, the front panel of whatever the switch was fitted to? I am not sure of your point...

Search for "sleepy eyes". According to Google, Schadow used to make them. Memory is distant but, unless they have an internal solenoid, they indicate the position of the switch, rather than whether or not the circuit is energised. A modern replacement with an internal LED would be better, but that depends on whether you're trying to restore something that has to be historically correct, or just want the function.

Possibly RS part number 339-897A centre comes in white, yellow, blue, green or orange

Found from a google that brought up

"Magic Eye" was generally a term used for valve indicators of the EM81 or EM84 type. They were used for tuning stations when using a radio, or sometimes as amplitude indicators for the microphone input of tape recorders.

The "Magic Light Button" by the sounds of it:

I looked in the two paper versions I had - the oldest was the 1995 issue (which I keep since it was one of the last that included full pin outs of all the ICs in the semiconductor section) but realised that might have been too "new"!

I remember that cover ...

I can even smell the aroma of my Grundig reel-to-reel tape recorder, with its magic eye right in the middle.

Something like this:

Chris

Thanks for all the pointers, that has been a help. It is for a possible repair of the switch on a Tek scope.

I too remember that Maplin front cover!

I am aware of the more normal use of the 'magic eye' term - I have a Leak Troughline tuner etc. - but (mis?-)remember this term being used for these switches.

Cheers J^n

I had a Grundig TK20 in 1960. To this day I don't know when or where it went!

One of their 'newer' catalogues - no prices so this was after they switched to a separate and more often updated price list.

Where's the "magic eye"? Are you sure it isn't a "magic ribbon"?

It's that long, thin slot below the name "TK14".

It glowed green at both ends, with the gap in the middle getting less as the incoming signal increased. Just touching in the middle was good, as I remember.

nib

No . Magic eye is usally that fluorescent valve thingy. TRy visual indicator switch or something

Ah.

That was the first catalogue I had (I think there was only one catalogue before that - with a picture of Concord on the front)

-- Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\ | Internode Ltd -

Concorde ?

So it's a "magic ribbon". The original "magic eyes" were circular: you were looking at the end of the valve (tube), and there is a black circle like a pupil, and the fluorescent bit looked like an iris, that expanded around the pupil. There were also "magic mountains" where you looked at the side of the valve and the mountains rose up either side of the centre. I think these were only used as tuning indicators for radios, and the ribbon type for tape recorder level indicators.

When Grundig introduced their automatic level control, they called it a "magic ear" I think.

Many years ago I was given an old tape recorder, must have been one of the first, a "Soundmirror". It had originally used a paper tape though it also worked with the modern plastic backed stuff. The paper tape was described as a "magic ribbon".

Cheers, nib

Thanks - it is actually just that part (ie the indicator, not the electrical switch) that I am after.

First time I have ever seen a 'delivery' price for collection in person on eBay - cheeky!

J^n