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DEC stuff from an estate and don't know where to begin

D

djc6

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Nov 25, 2020
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My friend's father passed away, and when cleaning his home out we found a lot of DEC stuff. He worked in sales at DEC for a long time. We've moved the equipment to a storage unit and now want to sell it, but I don't know what any of it is worth, especially considering we don't know if any of it works.

Can anyone provide ballpark prices on this stuff - considering its unknown state - or suggest how to sell it all at once? Then I'd like to try and sell it on facebook marketplace, craigslist, etc.. or if there are any other suggested methods.

I can see in the pile what appears to me to be VT52 terminal, two or more VT100/VT220 terminals, lots of external storage enclosures, and many Intel based computers like DECstation 316, 425c, 333c, VAXmate, etc.. Here is a list of SOME of the stuff I've been able to access and look at because its located on the exterior of the pile:
  • Media - large, what I believe are 9-track DEC tapes with DEC branding, software from the late 70s. 8" floppy disks DEC branded with original software. 5.25" floppy disks with DEC branding, various software. DEC DLT tape cartridges and other smaller tape cartridges.
  • PDP/11 empty rack.
  • DECmate II productivity software original manuals, original disks. GW-BASIC, hardware documentation.
  • Several boxes of look to my untrained eye as expansion cards dated from the late 1960's - see pictures for some of the cards.
  • Digital Model PC 3010 (Pentium II era)
  • VAXmate system with hard drive expansion
  • VT220/320 - one of the later, smaller terminals - haven't been able to access to confirm specific model number.
  • VT52 terminal
  • VT100 looking terminals - one says VT278-AC on the back, has some expansion cards installed, the others are too buried too me to access but have the appearance of a VT100.
  • Many Digital "Storage Expansion" boxes
  • DECstation 316, 425c, 333c - these appear to be Intel based looking online.
  • A few LA75 Companion Printer
  • Unknown boxes that look to be external HDD enclosure, they have a black full height 5.25" HDD installed in them.
  • MANY DEC specific cables, SCSI cables, etc...
Here is a google photo album of the inside of the storage unit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BEdBUkVVyegVrqkz6
 
Interesting stuff. A fair amount is PC things, but I do see a Pro/350 or 380 in a deskside stand (I have one of those, neat!) and a PDT11/150 in really good shape. The trick is figuring out people who would be like "Oh! I want that" and working out prices and such.

Oh wait, that's not a Pro, it might be a Decmate based on all the other stuff. Also some Microvax 2000's, and of course Vt52. Do you see any VT52 stands?

Please don't throw out disk packs, tapes, or documentation. That's the kind of stuff that normally doesn't get saved, and it's always helpful to have.

Selling a horde is always complex: Ebay takes 20%, have to take pictures and listings and all that. Might be best to do an open locker cash and carry day depending on where you are.
 
I'd be interested in see a list or photos labels on any disk packs or 9 track tapes. Lots of DEC software has been lost over the years, and it would be great to see if any of the more sought after products are in there.
 
I heard about the Large Scale Systems Museum which is not far away from us in Pittsburgh (like 2.5-3 hour drive) and thought that would be a good place for books and media, because I figured they might preserve anything that isn't already on archive.org or some other place.

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www.mact.io www.mact.io

I mostly need to get rid of the bulk of the gear ASAP since the locker costs money, and would like to sell it to at least recoup cost of the unit.

I collect Commodore / Apple II / Compact Mac stuff and knew enough not the throw out the DEC stuff, but I'm kinda over my head at this point due to sheer amount of it and not knowing anything about it.
 
Thats a pretty neat find. A lot of that will definitely be wanted. You could probably move a lot of it right here if you're willing to ship.
 
I would say this stuff appeals to three different types of collector, PC collectors, VAX Collector, and to be honest, for some of the stuff like manuals and printer, re-cyclers.
So that means getting rid of it all at once probably isn't a go-er. You might say they could sell it, but what sort of hourly rate are they going to make after they sort move and store it. If you want to get rid, you are going to have to split into multiple lots. Of course you then face the same dilema. The work in sorting your self might also be off putting.

If you want to actually get rid of it multiple e-bay auctions is probably the best place to go. I am in the UK so might have a different experience but Facebook Market Place is that its full of scammers both selling and buying. In the UK Craigslist is not much used as far as I can tell.
 
Every time you think it's starting to thin out, another pile shows up!

Al Kossow said:
LSSM would be a good place for the media because they have equipment set up to recover it
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Yeah and Dave can probably tell you offhand what they already have!

g4ugm said:
I would say this stuff appeals to three different types of collector, PC collectors, VAX Collector, and to be honest, for some of the stuff like manuals and printer, re-cyclers.
So that means getting rid of it all at once probably isn't a go-er. You might say they could sell it, but what sort of hourly rate are they going to make after they sort move and store it. If you want to get rid, you are going to have to split into multiple lots. Of course you then face the same dilema. The work in sorting your self might also be off putting.

If you want to actually get rid of it multiple e-bay auctions is probably the best place to go. I am in the UK so might have a different experience but Facebook Market Place is that its full of scammers both selling and buying. In the UK Craigslist is not much used as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...

That or a low price bulk sale, I know a few hobbyists in that part of OH, if I wasn't swamped I'd consider it myself. Is there $10K of stuff there? Maybe, if you list everything on eBay and wait a year for it to sell. Is there $1K of stuff there? ABSOLUTELY!
 
I am local and would be interested in looking at what you have. I purchased some DEC items from a man many years ago who had a storage unit on Brecksville Road...Maybe it's the same unit?
 
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[EDIT: that's actually a Rainbow, isn't it?] I would very much like this BA23 and/or whatever is inside it for my currently-naked above-ground Franken-PDP-11/73.

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mcguire said:
That is not a BA23. It's a Rainbow, Pro-3xx, or DECmate-II.

-Dave McGuire, LSSM
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There's nothing in the pic that matches a DECmate II (if that helps narrow down the remaining possibilities). Other photos do show DECmate I and DECmate III's.
 
ftcnet said:
There's nothing in the pic that matches a DECmate II (if that helps narrow down the remaining possibilities). Other photos do show DECmate I and DECmate III's.
Click to expand...

The floor stands are very similar between the DECmate-II, Pro-3xx, and Rainbow. Though I'm betting you know that very well. :)

-Dave
 
mcguire said:
The floor stands are very similar between the DECmate-II, Pro-3xx, and Rainbow. Though I'm betting you know that very well. :)

-Dave
Click to expand...
Thanks for mentioning that. I've worked on a number of DECmate's, but never encountered a floor-standing DECmate II. Apparently it was an available option.
 
ftcnet said:
Thanks for mentioning that. I've worked on a number of DECmate's, but never encountered a floor-standing DECmate II. Apparently it was an available option.
Click to expand...

Yup, we have a -II in a floor stand in storage at LSSM. (the one we have on exhibit is in a desktop config)

-Dave
 
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