AMI Continental Conversion

[Alan]

Here is my wife's Christmas present: a classic 1962 AMI Continental 2 jukebox reborn as a digital party audio system using DWJukebox/Wincab.

Her parents bought the AMI from an overseas army base that was closing and shipped it to her. It worked as-is for maybe two weeks and she was told it would cost about $3K to strip, clean, lube and restore the mechanical guts to a playable condition.

To hell with that. It sat idle for the last decade in our basement until she announced she wanted it working again as a Christmas present.

In went a P3 WinXP from the used computer store (maybe $50), a Turtle Beach soundcard from my junkbox and a budget LCD monitor ($80). The old tube amp, crossover and speakers were removed, replaced with a $70 computer speaker system with woofer and stereo speakers. The mechanical selection buttons were disabled, and an X-Keys keypad went in.  The sound is bright and loaded with good ol' jukebox bass, and she's a happy lady.

The loose wires and fluorescent tubes betray the fact that the lighting is not yet restored. Out came the frayed, hazardous ballasts and tubes, and modern LED and cold cathode lighting is being put it as I can afford to get it.

I'm saving the original parts, tubes, etc in the garage, should some collector come by and offer her a bucket of money for it, but only if it is in stock condition. Let him return it to stock if he wants it so bad.

Great program, and it saved this classic player. Thanks.