What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

16 Jan 2017

Greetings from Australia, 'Down Under' and the Australian Computer Museum 
Society Inc.

Congratulations to Jay on his working HP-2000s.

I bought my HP-2000f from Liverpool Hospital (NSW) in the early 1980s for 
either $5,000 or $10,000.
A lot of money in those days - I had a crazy idea of setting up some sort 
of bureau.
I got it home (in a terrace in Chippendale) in two trips. Plus heaps of doco.
I re-assembled it, put in a switch for selectable baud rate on the console 
port.
Later the power supply for the disk failed and has not been repaired.
It now sits in the HP Museum in Melbourne, VIC. See www.HPmuseum.net home page.

The HP Museum is a vast store of HP information and artefacts.
Sadly, the curator/originator Jon Johnston died last year on Mt Everest.
His memorial service will be held next month, contact me for details.

Regards,  John GEREMIN, info at acms.org.au

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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2017 12:02:26 -0600
From: "Jay West" <jwest at classiccmp.org>
To: "'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'"
         <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: RE: What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item
         do you own? [Tek 4132]
Message-ID: &lt;000201d26f59$87e1cb60$97a56220$(a)classiccmp.org&gt;
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="utf-8"

I'd have to say my HP-2000 systems that are running are the rarest that 
I'm aware of. I know of a few folks who have various bits and pieces 
towards assembling one, but not complete. I know two collectors who (each) 
have most if not all of the parts, but the systems are far from 
operational and likely never will be.

So I fairly strongly suspect that my running HP-2000's are the only ones 
left, anywhere. I have one HP-2000/Access system using dual 2100A/S cpus 
with HP paper tape readers and punches, another HP-2000/Access system 
using dual 21MX/E's, and an HP-2000/E using one 21MX. Each of those have 
their own 7900, 7906 disc drives and 7970 (not the 2000/E) tape units.

I think the most I ever paid for a system at once was $1500 for a 
"system", and about $2000 for a pallet of two incomplete systems. But in 
order to get the 3 HP-2000 systems mentioned above and running, I'm sure 
it's edged uncomfortably into the 5 digit range.

All the other systems in my collection, while perhaps highly sought 
after... there are tens if not hundreds of identical systems in other 
collectors hands.

J 

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