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HP-85 (refurbished) on eBay

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Floppies_only

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HP-85 fans,

Just in case any of you didn't see the refurbished HP-85 on eBay, it's item number 290214406260. They cleaned it up, repainted it, and put a new tape drive in it. Comes with software titles and others are available. $795 Buy it Now (a lot less than it cost new, even not counting inflation).

"Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring": http://youtube.com/watch?v=iPeVIuRjUi4

Vintage computers as religion: what a concept. Worship daily at the silicon altar.

Sean
--
Jesu, joy of man's desiring
Holy wisdom, love most bright

Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned
With the fire of life impassioned
Striving still to truth unknown
Soaring, dying round Thy throne

Notes: Originally by Johann Sabastian Bach
The original song continues with these words:
Through the way where hope is guiding
Hark, what peaceful music rings
Where the flock, in Thee confiding
Drink of joy from deathless springs
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown
 
I was gonna keep my trap shut, but yeah, Bill, you're right...

It's like that dufus trying to sell a Kaypro 2000 for $1500...
There's another cat selling, dang now I forgot what it was, but in North Carolina, oh the Zorba Portable? I think they wanted *EIGHTY DOLLARS* to ship it from one of the Carolinas to here in Florida!!!!!

I mean, I shipped a Model 4 desktop to I think Texas for like $40 or so!!!!!

DId ya see the Altos 8000? THe guy started at like $899 about 1-2 months ago Buy-It-Now of Best Offer?

Sold last night for $165 Best Offer....

Some of these people are COMPLETELY unrealistic

And sometimes when you try to be nice, and really say it nice, and kind of let them know, "hey, you know, you're pricing yourself way out there," you know really nice just to give them advice, they'll throw "F-YOU" and "Kiss my @ss" and all this other junk...

I mean, can you imagine the listing fee on an item that's $1500???
KNOWING it ain't gonna sell???? I mean, I turned down a nearly-new-in-box Kaypro 2000 because of $25 - seller wanted $125 shipped, and I only had $100 earmarked as available for it....go figure. This guy has like an extra ZERO on the end!!!


T
 
Bill_Loguidice said:
With all due respect, no one is going to pay that for an HP-85, refurb or not, unless you get supremely lucky. Even loaded systems in working condition rarely go over $200.
Click to expand...

[wide-eyed look] Were, oh were can I get an HP-85 with a working tape drive for that price? I found a "tested" one for $400 buy it now, but in the description it was revealed that the tape drive was not tested.

I had one before but the rubber part of the pinch roller (against the capstan) was gone, and I'd heard that all of them had gotten sticky over the years.

I'd really like to be able to use some of the software that was made for the HP-85, or an HP-87 would be even better.

Sean
 
http://www.vintagecomputers.freeserve.co.uk/hp85/tips.htm


Go down to the section on capstan repair. I also used the latex tubing solution. Just cut a small ring off the tubing and put it over the capstan. Do the exacto knife trim trick if slightly too wide. Might last longer if you just leave it somewhat too wide. One of the links on that page has instructions on how to get to the drive motor. As explained there, the power leads to the motor are NOT soldered, they just use friction to stay in the connection tubes.
 
Hi
There is a HP-85 on ebay for about $75. I'm not sure if a piece of
tygon tubing increases the value by 10X.
Dwight
 
That guy has been listing those for around that price for literally years. I get the feeling he manages to sell some, else he would have lowered the price about 25 months ago.

Chuckle, no, he does replace the existing tape drive completely with a QIC one. Makes a few mods to accomodate the larger tape drive.
 
chuckcmagee said:
http://www.vintagecomputers.freeserve.co.uk/hp85/tips.htm


Go down to the section on capstan repair. I also used the latex tubing solution. Just cut a small ring off the tubing and put it over the capstan. Do the exacto knife trim trick if slightly too wide. Might last longer if you just leave it somewhat too wide. One of the links on that page has instructions on how to get to the drive motor. As explained there, the power leads to the motor are NOT soldered, they just use friction to stay in the connection tubes.
Click to expand...

I also found this on the forums:

http://www.msdsite.com/hpcalcs/hp85/capstan.html

It's pictures of the capstan and tubing.

But the item description of that increadibly expensive HP-85 said that the old tapes were bad. I wonder how true that is?

By the way, it sold for $795.

Does anybody know of the websites that have free HP-85 software?

Thanks,
Sean
 
http://www.series80.org/Programs/index.html

You will need to have a working diskette drive to use that above stuff. I managed to buy a 3.5" dual drive awhile back. Wasn't cheap! I did want it to work when it got here, which is why it was about double the going rate. We all have to learn about the now infamous ebay "not tested". Snicker, as in, (well.. I know it doesn't work but I'll just say not tested).
 
Oh, yes, the old tapes are all close to worthless. They delaminate, which means the coating comes off the mylar backing. So, the "end of tape" light shines thru the tape and the tape drive thinks that it at the other end of the tape. Doesn't work very well. I keep tossing out my old ones.
 
chuckcmagee said:
That guy has been listing those for around that price for literally years. I get the feeling he manages to sell some, else he would have lowered the price about 25 months ago.

Chuckle, no, he does replace the existing tape drive completely with a QIC one. Makes a few mods to accomodate the larger tape drive.
Click to expand...


It's not "really" an HP-85 anymore then is it.
Basically if all original systems have faulty capstan wheels now then any existing HP85 should be faulty to be genuine. silly but true.
Repairing the capstan wheel is a better option IMO.
For some collectors existing operational systems can still have programs run off floppy or hard disk systems, or emulated on a pc. The software function is still the same.
 
I ahve one of these systems but it's knackered. It's fun however you need to expand it before it's actually usefula nd so far it seems the expansion cartridges are more valueable than the systems themselves.
 
Hi,

I am a bit of an HP-85 fan (you can find my site '1980s vintage computing' if you Google HP9915).

I have every respect for the seller of this refurbished HP-85, and have corresponded with him a few times. There are still several labs that use HP-85s for controlling test instruments over HP-IB (IEEE-488), due to the very powerful extended Basic. I am aware of one place that uses about 6 such machines daily. When you buy the $795 machine it has been carefully checked over and re-sprayed, these machines will keep going for decades. The tape drive can be modified to take modern off the shelf tapes, which are much more reliable than the old DC-100 tapes which by now are largely useless. Personally I use a mix of 3.5" and 5.25" floppy drives on my HP-85, tapes are only for showing off the 'vintage' way!

Regards,
John
 
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