19 Apr
1999
19 Apr
'99
9:08 a.m.
I have a chance to buy a 4kW core stack for the PDP-8/i (-8/L). It's
more than I want to pay, $100. My question is, what are these things
going for these days? I don't really *need* it. The guy selling it
has more core than this that he saved from a "recycler", but he's in
it for the money, not out of a love for classic machines. Most of his
memory, he sells to people who want something to stick on the shelf and
"ooh" and "aah" at. :-(
So... for those people who have been trying to get core over the past year
or two, what's it costing? I'm trying to decide if I want to grab this
stack to put into my -8/i and bring it up to 8kW, an entirely optional
project (I have all the other parts I would need for the upgrade from a
PDP-8/L that I got in 1982 that was sold as parts-only, bad core, and most
of the I/O and part of the CPU missing).
I think he's charging too much, but maybe I'm disconnected with the
current pricing. I do know that if I pass on it, there are several
other people who are waiting for this exact piece, so it'll be sold
one way or the other when I answer him.
Actually, thats probably a reasonable price. Core memory boards,
probably non-working, have been going for a high price. Age and
a nice visible setup increase the price.
Now, I havent seen the memory in question. but the pdp8/e core
memory i've seen is all covered by a clear plastic shield. This
increases its value as a display piece, as you can easily see
all the core, and its all protected.
Of course, in order to use the core on a pdp8/? you would need
a couple of support boards in addition to the core plane board
itself. I would say that just the core plane, being of a nice
size, and being very good 'visually' to display, and somewhat
because its a PDP8 series board (nostalgia value), that its
probably worth $100 all by itself. If it comes with the 2 support
boards and the top connector things at that price, then i'd say
its a bargain.
Just my 2cents.
-Lawrence LeMay