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Would this be a good buy?

Certainly a weird computer. Not sure if it's worth it or not, it's in that era of hardware that a lot of us don't consider collectible. But I've never seen a system like that before (not sure if that's a good thing or bad lol). Not knowing your disposable income on toys I'd have to guess at would $35 ($20+$15 shipping) be worth your computer pick for the month? Would you get use out of it or are you into collecting for eye candy?
 
I was looking at getting it to copy files to my 8086. At this point though, I'll be happy just to get a 386 motherboard :\
 
If it were me, I would be on the fence. An odd machine like that is always appealing, but shipping them is expensive sometimes. If funds are available for it, sure, make the offer for $20 and if he takes it great, if not, no great loss.

The seller certainly has a variety of odd hardware up for sale there. Neat stuff (he has an Alphasmart, they're great for tinkering).
 
What something is worth has a lot to do with how important money is to you. This is certainly a really desirable computer from my point of view. However, $35 sounds a bit steep since it isn't guaranteed to work. Is it fussy about the cpu it will take? With the right cpu does it work or is there some other problem to diagnose and perhaps spend money on. It doesn't look like a good deal to me. Five or ten bucks with local pickup would be my max.
 
Most likely but there's no AT keyboard port on the thing. I'm guessing that's what the PS/2 port is on the last card is for the keyboard and it also has VGA out on it.
 
It looks like an industrial style computer. I program robots, conveyors, material handling type stuff. This looks like a similar model to those. It's not a problem, just that sometimes these have limited expansion room inside. It seems to have a SCSI controller as well. Pretty good for the price.

Kipp
 
I enjoy cute and unusual computers like this, but with no CPU, I would only buy if it you're willing to accept the possibility that it might not work at all. And if the motherboard is dead, then it would be virtually impossible to find a replacement; you'd be better off trying to retrofit a modern Mini ITX motherboard into the case.

My own oddity in this category is a PC self contained into a keyboard, by a company called Cybernet. They still make new ones today (such as shown below), now with built-in CD/DVD drives, but mine is (I believe) a 486DX4-100. It's cute and unusual, but the downside is that you now have all your cables hooked up to the keyboard, so you end up with a C64-style rat's nest of wires coming out the back and getting in the way of the monitor. Also, mine has a very loud and whiney CPU fan, and I can't find a replacement due to its low profile design.

Inside+a+Keyboard+1.jpg
 
Wow, now that little keyboard computer is certainly neat heh. Yeah linuxlove, I didn't completely think of that either. If the processor is gone (salvaged) and no test can be done on the system it's another angle of is $35 important to you or throw away cash. My rule used to be $20 then later it was $40 for curiosity purchases (buy it to find out what it was) but now adays it's gone lower (the cash but not the desire which sucks heh).

But yeah, put a small SVGA monochrome monitor on it and a mini-keyboard and you'd have an interesting oddball mini computer.
 
kyeakel said:
It looks like an industrial style computer. I program robots, conveyors, material handling type stuff. This looks like a similar model to those. It's not a problem, just that sometimes these have limited expansion room inside. It seems to have a SCSI controller as well. Pretty good for the price.
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On closer examinaton, it looks to be an ISA SBC plugged into a passive backplane. So yeah, industrial.
 
barythrin said:
But yeah, put a small SVGA monochrome monitor on it and a mini-keyboard and you'd have an interesting oddball mini computer.
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You remind me that when I was a kid (early '90s) I always wanted to get a 9- or 10-inch color (S)VGA CRT monitor. But I was never able to find one advertised in Computer Shopper (remember when it was as thick as a phone book?), so I settled for a 12-inch IBM 8153 color VGA monitor (which my dad bought for me brand new at a computer store in 1992, for something like $350 if I remember correctly!).

Anyway, 9-inch monochrome CRTs are very common because of their use (even today) in POS terminals, some of which support SVGA up to 1024x768, but has anyone ever seen a standalone 9- or 10-inch color VGA/SVGA CRT? I know some "sewing machine" style "luggable" computers had a 9-inch Sony Trinitron color VGA CRT, but I never saw one on its own.
 
linuxlove said:
So, will it be worth trying to get the thing or should I just hunt some more?
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A nice case is worth a few bucks. I think that it is likely that most of it will work and if you _really_ like the case, then that in itself is worth it. If Chuck is right about it taking a baby AT then you can always stick another board in it.
 
I don't know--I don't think it'll take a baby AT--it's just a passive backplane with a plug in CPU+video card. It's interesting from that aspect, but it won't be something that you can load up much.
 
Chuck(G) said:
I don't know--I don't think it'll take a baby AT--it's just a passive backplane with a plug in CPU+video card. It's interesting from that aspect, but it won't be something that you can load up much.
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I remember those; I considered them when I was installing a bunch of systems in a copper mill, but although they looked nice and industrial I couldn't justify charging the extra bucks and getting non-standard and less flexible systems to boot. But I did and do think they're neat...
 
Fifty dollars for a computer that doesn't even work? Plus you gotta pay shipping?

And what after you track down and install an appropriate CPU and it still doesn't work?

My vote is "no way." I might take it for free if it were available local, and it had some parts I could use... or perhaps pay for shipping if it was something I really, really wanted.

Even if the seller accepts $20, best case, you're still on the hook for shipping and finding a CPU. Worst case, you spend all of that time and money and end up with a very expensive doorstop. Would be cheaper and easier to just buy a replacement Thinkpad, one guaranteed to work. No?
 
Now that I think about it more, I am leaning towards "no" as well. If it doesn't work or needs more specific parts you could end up with more of a headache and dust gatherer than a person (even a collector) needs. Lowball it if you must get it.
 
I would say no. Custom form factor machines are a pain and expensive to fix. Can't you hit the local recycler or put a wanted on freecycle for a 286-early pentium machine?
 
We're living in a college town, there ain't none of that here :(
I would not be suprised if my Model 25 is the only vintage computer here.
 
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