Are DEC TK50/TK70 tapes worth hanging onto?

[Steven M Jones]

On 10/18/2016 08:32, Thomas Dzubin wrote:
> 
> But, I also have two big rubbermade containers (about half a cubic
> meter) filled with TK50 and TK70 tapes which I have never used.
> 
> In the past 25 years that I have had them, I have not once ever used
> my TK50 or TK70 drives...I've always either booted off the attached
> disks or netbooted.

Nothing wrong if that's what's worked for you. Glad to hear you've used
and enjoyed the machines.


> Should I just throw these things out?   Do any collectors consider them
> to be valuable?   Since it's now 2016 and I think the last TK tapes were
> made in the 1990s, I'm getting the urge to toss them.
> 
> Opinions?  Comments?

I think it would be a shame to just thrown them out, though ultimately
it's your call.

I don't know if anybody considers them "valuable," if you mean "can I
make some sweet cash selling them on eBay?" Which doesn't mean you
couldn't sell them on eBay, I just wouldn't expect much from it.

I think they're useful to folks who have drives that can use them, and
they aren't nearly as fragile as QIC or helical scan drives (4mm, 8mm)
of a similar age.

If you're amenable, perhaps somebody within BC might be interested in
them and willing to pick them up? I would, if I were close to one of the
cities you listed...

--S.