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Children's perplexed reactions to a Sony Walkman have been caught on camera, with the majority frustrated at operating clunky buttons over a touch screen.

Los Angeles-based filmmakers Benny and Rafi Fine asked volunteers aged six to 13 to guess what the bulky device was, with suggestions including a 'walkie-talkie' or 'boombox'.

'What is this?' one nine-year-old girl quizzed as she investigated the Eighties-era cassette player, while another exclaimed 'I'm not going to give up, I'm a survivor,' as she determinedly tried to figure out how it worked.

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A walkie talkie? The perplexed reactions from today's youth as they see Sony Walkman for the first time have been captured in a new YouTube video

After being told that it is used for playing music, a YouTube video shows each child being handed a cassette tape.

'I never seen this.' nine-year-old Kacey exclaims, while Krischelle, also nine, says 'oooo' in intrigue.

The next problem they encounter is how to insert the plastic audio case.

Some give up after spending several minutes prodding an poking the Walkman but others successfully discover that the front opens up.

Baffled: Los Angeles-based filmmakers Benny and Rafi Fine asked volunteers aged six to 13 to try and figure out how the bulky device worked

Historical artifact: Along with the Walkman, many of the children had never seen a cassette tape either

'I feel like I'm Indiana Jones or something,' 12-year-old Elle rejoices as she solves the mystery.

After the children have inserted the cassettes they are then confused why they can't hear any music.

'Ah this is a rip-off because you want to listen but you can't because you don't have any headphones,' seven-year-old Evan says.

So they can listen to their mix tapes, the young volunteers are given vintage headphones with foam pad ear covers.

'Ah my grandpa has these,' Jayka, 11, notes.

Still learning! Poor Maxim didn't figure out how to use the volume scroll before plugging in his foam pad earphones - like most of his peers he was confused by the number of different buttons on the device

Finally all of the children are seen smiling after getting the Walkman to work.

Asked if they prefer the technology of today for music or the past, the majority say that they would opt for their iPhone or iPads any day.

'I feel so lazy saying this but you actually have to do stuff,' Elle says.

Others are dismayed by the fact you can only play one tape at a time and also about the device's hefty size. The Sony Walkman, when it was first introduced in 1979, weighed 14oz compared to an iPhone 5 which weighs about 4oz.

End of an era: Sony produced the cassette tape-playing Walkman until 2010 and now there are dozens of more high-tech products in the Walkman family

However, Maxim, aged seven, says the Walkman might have some cost and time-saving benefits.

'It actually wouldn't take so long because on the iPad you have to go into the internet find Pandora, you have to click that thing, you have to make it play . . . and the iPad is $700.

To date the YouTube film has been watched almost three million times since it was uploaded on April 13. 

Many older viewers have said it's 'depressing' how old the children's reactions make them feel.

'I got my first Walkman back in 1997, I was soooo hyped!' one commenter reminisced.

Sony produced the cassette tape-playing Walkman until 2010 and now there are dozens of more high-tech products in the Walkman family.