On 3/14/2006 at 1:46 PM Richard wrote:
Given that H8s seem to sell for at least $300 in built,
used condition
(sometimes without manuals), the initial bid seems reasonable.
However, if I bought it, I don't know if I'd build it as the museum /
collectable value would be destroyed by that, which is mostly what
you're paying for.
I'm trying to recall how I felt about the H8 when it first came out, and it
seems to me that it cut some corners (e.g., Molex connectors instead of
card edge connectors; was the PCB solder-masked?). And the expansion
interface was limited, particularly when compared to the S-100 systems.
I toyed for awhile with getting an H11, but was put off by the slow speed
for lotsa money and the ambiguous attitude of DEC when it came to software
support.
Are my feelings pretty accurate, or do I have things confused again?
Today, I'd rather build a system from scratch if I wanted the experience.
Good selection of components to choose from, free PCB design software, etc.
makes it a little easier than it was back then.
Cheers,
Chuck