24 Apr
2007
24 Apr
'07
12:34 a.m.
I'll be there again this year. I like to eat at an Indian restaurant
in Centerville ... Will there be a classic computing meet?
24 Apr
24 Apr
1:30 a.m.
I'd like to attend this year, so please do post any info about a meet-up.
I went last year, which was the first time I had gone since 1996 or
so. I was pretty disappointed by the lack of old computer (or phone,
my other collecting hobby) gear there. I did pick up a couple
interesting items including a Radio Shack Videotex terminal (precursor
to the CoCo) for $5 and a couple Decwriters from Don Kehoe. But in
general, I've had better luck at some local fests.
It's been my opinion for the last couple years that ebay is killing
the hamfest market, at least for things I look for. What say you all?
-j
4:32 a.m.
Hi,
It's been my opinion for the last couple years
that ebay is killing
the hamfest market, at least for things I look for....
I don't know if eBay is exactly to blame for that.
Here in the UK the "interesting" stuff started getting displaced by piles of
PC junk about 10 - 12 years ago (I can get PC stuff anywhere, without
travelling long distances to radio rallies). But then again, if you avoid
the traders in the main tents and concentrate on the "carboot" or "flea
market" sections there's usually more than enough goodies to be had. :-)
TTFN - Pete (G1NHD - lapsed).
5 a.m.
On 4/23/07, Ensor <classiccmp at memory-alpha.org.uk> wrote:
I don't know if eBay is exactly to blame for
that.
Here in the UK the "interesting" stuff started getting displaced by piles of
PC junk about 10 - 12 years ago (I can get PC stuff anywhere, without
travelling long distances to radio rallies). But then again, if you avoid
the traders in the main tents and concentrate on the "carboot" or "flea
market" sections there's usually more than enough goodies to be had. :-)
I'd agree, it's much the same way here. The indoor only 'fests (or
rallies :) are never as rewarding as those that allow outdoor (and
generally no-charge) sales. In fact I rarely even look inside as it's
mostly retail vendors these days, or the "professional" junk-sellers.
Also right-on about the PC factor. "Oh, you're into old computers,
eh? Well I've got this pallette of 286 clones back here...."
6:23 a.m.
New subject: Help with IMSAI docs
I picked up an IMSAI turnkey computer with dual disk drives and am
looking for some docs on the boards.
It uses an MPU-B card which has an 8085 and some software in a 2716. I
can't seem to find a manual on the
web for it, nor for the DIO & PDS II board (which are the disk
controller boards) can anyone point me to a
manual or schematic? I assume this boots from the EPROM and talks to a
serial port on the MPU-B card.
No cables, or software came with it. Here's all of the boards it has:
MPU-B
RAM III Rev 1
SIO Rev 3
PIO Rev 1.1 (Mits, not IMSAI)
DIO Rev 1.1 Disk Controller
PDS II STD Rev 1 Data Separator (w/above)
D.C Hays Micromodem 100
The dual floppy system uses CalComp, Caldisk 142M 8" drives.
I would love to try and get this running (CP/M?). I probed around the
serial connectors, but do not see any
data coming out after reset. Before I start to trace down the boot EPROM
circuit, I thought I'd ask here first.
Here photos of the system:
http://www.dvq.com/oldcomp/photos2/1k/imsai_8030_1.jpg
http://www.dvq.com/oldcomp/photos2/1k/imsai_disk_1.jpg
Thanks
Bob
4:12 p.m.
On Apr 23, 2007, at 9:30 PM, Jason T wrote:
It's been my opinion for the last couple years
that ebay is killing
the hamfest market, at least for things I look for. What say you all?
Last *couple* years?? Sheesh, try the last six or seven, at
least. It has also dramatically changed the nature of the surplus
market.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
4:30 p.m.
On 4/24/07, Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> wrote:
Last *couple* years?? Sheesh, try the last six or
seven, at
least. It has also dramatically changed the nature of the surplus
market.
You're probably right. Maybe it was only in the last couple years I
started giving up on coming home with something really cool at every
'fest.
You've still got to look in all your favorite spots, though. Just
last Sunday I was heading home from a 'fest in Wisconsin that gave up
very little and stopped at the thrift store near my old apartment.
After much digging and a double-take because I couldn't believe what I
found, an HP 35 calculator pops up from under the junk. And they even
managed to not lose the AC adaptor.
It's all about the hunt, I guess...
6:40 p.m.
Dave McGuire wrote:
Last *couple* years?? Sheesh, try the last six or
seven, at least.
It has also dramatically changed the nature of the surplus market.
What surplus market? I suspect in the late 90's the idea of home-brew
anything seems to have died completely.
-Dave
---
new ebay listings
L@@K RARE !!! I only have a 3 month old PC.
--Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
6:52 p.m.
On Apr 24, 2007, at 2:40 PM, woodelf wrote:
I'm talking about the large surplus dealers who buy the assets of
defunct companies and shop at DRMO auctions. There were several of
them who I used to visit weekly (or nearly so) back when money was
flowing more freely. Since the advent of eBay, their prices have
gone sky high and the "best" stuff is put up on eBay immediately upon
arrival.
Not that I'm complaining...I've gotten (and sold) tons of great
stuff on eBay; it has been of great benefit to me. But it has
changed things considerably, there's no doubt about it.
Last
*couple* years?? Sheesh, try the last six or seven, at
least. It has also dramatically changed the nature of the surplus
market.
What surplus market? I suspect in the late 90's the idea of home-brew
anything seems to have died completely. new ebay listings
L@@K RARE !!! I only have a 3 month old PC.
Yes, I hate that. And if ONE MORE SELLER pops up selling a "RARE
Z80 CPU" I'm going to go ballistic. How is a current product that
you can buy from any component distributor "RARE"?
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
4 May
4 May
10:13 p.m.
Just bought my vendor ticket and made my hotel res (a bit far away,
unfortunately, but that's what I get for waiting so long.)
I'll be in the black Honda Element, IL plates, selling some really
useless junk if anyone wants to say "hey."
-j
--
Retrocomputing and collecting in the Chicago area:
http://chiclassiccomp.org
6448
days inactive
6458
days old
9 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
bobalan＠sbcglobal.net -
classiccmp＠memory-alpha.org.uk -
kahrs＠caip.rutgers.edu -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
silent700＠gmail.com