badmojo wrote on 2021-09-20, 23:33:

I’m going through a purge phase currently and the higher prices people will pay means that the it’s actually worthwhile to sell 5.25 drives, etc. Selling stuff takes effort and I’m not going to bother for 10 bucks per item.

So higher prices isn’t all bad - it gets hardware back out into circulation that would otherwise just sit in storage or go into ewaste.

that's a good point, there is a level below the 'worth selling' point where things just go into trash and out of circulation, so higher prices keep things in circulation to some extent

i cant get angry at others for buying a thing i wanted at a price higher than i was prepared for it - even though they may not use it or 'appreciate' it as much as i would - how would i know that anyway!

but mainly i avoid the woes of the high prices because i tend to buy stuff that's cheap and will be patient and happy to wait for mid range stuff, forgetting high end stuff completely

Local and international market values differ by 10x multiplier or more. Well maybe it is the problem with how big the market is, and how rich and active the community. And we live in a free capitalistic market. Hey I do have some 486-Pentium era stuff that can make some nice coin, but only in Ebay. Not our own Estonian www.osta.ee. And somehow I just never got into Amybay.... tried few times, but you have to be an active member there, my stuff just gets deleted. Even gave references from Vogons who are active members in Amybay too, who I have sold some stuff directly. No dice, so I just quit. Now I thin that I will return to Ebay, if I really need to sell something. Or do you have alternatives for Ebay and Amybay?

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-09-20, 17:15:

Love to know where you can get a good Core 2 system for only $10... As in, not OEM and not crappy components.

I'm sad your area sucks for this, but I'm not the only one seeing them go real cheap Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Antec case, Intel board, I wouldn't say that's all that crappy.

Edit: Just realised my batting average is $12 though, 3 for free and two "chosen ones" I paid $30 for a Q6700/Asus in a Corsair case, and a E8400/intel in a cute Apex ITX.

Access to cheap retro gear is hugely location dependent.

Ewaste and recycling schemes over the past decade can mean that an entire region's old computers are mostly gone now.

For example in my area, I have specific memories of a couple of huge centralised "Come and dispose of your old computer and electronic stuff" days since 2000, and they were very popular with the citizens, so a huge % of the local retro computers all went away forever on one day alone.

On top of that there is the local recycling center which acts as a magnet for most of what's left, and at least one retro computing enthusiast works there in a senior position so, understandably, there is little chance of random cheap/lucky finds for thrifters. And every city now has several such retro enthusiasts, so we are all fluttering around the same few roosts constantly, competing for the same diminishing supply.

Even so. I have still been able to pick up several good PCs worth of old stuff for around $500 total over the past couple years (including a few CRT monitors, 4:3 LCDs, Socket 7's, Q6600 system, ISA/PCI cards, a Voodoo, and a ton of other stuff). Which would have been 3x the price on ebay. A mere once or twice per year, a persistent eye spots a modest retro dump in a local online classified or similar, to be instantly leapt upon with great vigor. Times when a confident + reasonable cash offer for a quick sale, or the willingness to do an inconvenient remote/rural pickup, can be the difference between getting or missing out.

But then, I look at people with other historical interests outside computing, e.g. mate who is a Land Rover enthusiast and has One From Each Era in his collection, and they face exactly the same kind of struggles with the retro stuff too.

I guess it's mostly about Time in the end, isn't it?

It's amusing how over the years most of the desirable retro hardware got expensive nowdays. I got a SB16 CT2230 at a low price in 2017 and now almost any real SB card with real OPL2/3 are currently overpriced, the same goes to the GUS which are now unobtanium. The only risk I did take was to get a voltage adapter for my Socket 7 motherboard as these didn't appear very often on eBay and was bundled with a K6-III/450 CPU at a decent price.

While there are some shady business, most of this is partly due to recycling and YouTubers doing retro reviews. The latter which can increase demand for hardware that doesn't get manufactured anymore.

1: Collect underdogs.
2: ??? probably involving sending one to LGR and Phil
3: Profit.

Shreddoc wrote on 2021-09-22, 21:41:

Access to cheap retro gear is hugely location dependent.

Ewaste and recycling schemes over the past decade can mean that an entire region's old computers are mostly gone now.

For example in my area, I have specific memories of a couple of huge centralised "Come and dispose of your old computer and electronic stuff" days since 2000, and they were very popular with the citizens, so a huge % of the local retro computers all went away forever on one day alone.

that's largely what drives scarcity- not failure of components or anything, just things being thrown out

the same is true for all kinds of 'things that still work' - cars, washing machines, power tools and a huge about of industrial equipment

to see any recycling centre is a harsh lesson in our wastefulness. A few reasonably skilled people could fit out several homes in a curious mix of household goods, put a factory into some kind of purpose with old industrial gear and indeed - build a lot of vintage PCs

but as you say it's about time, and the world moves on like a speeding train - no time for anything, not even looking back

as for buying locally - absolutely if its possible. i have a few PCs from that route and also some tools and household things, it'z amazing the good stuff you can get if you just accept not having it new from the store

BitWrangler wrote on 2021-09-21, 02:21:

I kept a load of stuff over the years because I thought it was underappreciated and it was a waste for it to go to landfill, so in some respects I'm happy to see high $$$ value as an appreciation score. I bet a lot of guys though are just selling the one thing at inflated price and buying something different at inflated price with the proceeds.

Or just trading those pricey items instead of giving ebay their cut.

Just ended was a listing for a "parts/not working" slot A AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1000 MHz. It sold, in auction style, for $250 + $15 shipping. I thought for sure it wouldn't go above $100. When something is listed as "parts/not working", is there any grounds to return it with eBay's MoneyBack Guarantee? https://www.ebay.com/itm/174965219698

I've got a dead one of these; I didn't think it would be worth $250 USD.

feipoa wrote on 2021-10-12, 06:47:

Just ended was a listing for a "parts/not working" slot A AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1000 MHz. It sold, in auction style, for $250 + $15 shipping. I thought for sure it wouldn't go above $100. When something is listed as "parts/not working", is there any grounds to return it with eBay's MoneyBack Guarantee? https://www.ebay.com/itm/174965219698

I've got a dead one of these; I didn't think it would be worth $250 USD.

that just sounds suspicious to me given that other 1ghz athlons sold for under $20

Slot A Athlon-Thunderbirds weren't very common. You are probably thinking about Socket A.

Slot A Athlon-Orions were pretty common.

feipoa wrote on 2021-10-12, 08:37:

Slot A Athlon-Thunderbirds weren't very common. You are probably thinking about Socket A.

Slot A Athlon-Orions were pretty common.

ah of course, i just saw the A!

Still find it strange, noting that while other slot A athlon of lesser Mhz were still expensive at least they still worked!

It would be cheaper to get a good Socket A board and Athlon, once its all in the case and running it really wont feel different when you double click on the quake 3 icon

I was quite surprised by the winning bid for boxed HIS Radeon HD3850 IceQ3 Turbo AGP 512MB:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/284480541279

kixs wrote on 2021-10-15, 11:55:

I was quite surprised by the winning bid for boxed HIS Radeon HD3850 IceQ3 Turbo AGP 512MB:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/284480541279

About $315 USD. Ouch.

Did you see how much that boxed NV1 sold for? $612
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255068681453

One of the positives about the prices going up like this is that I've started saving money. There's no way I'm paying this kind of dough.

The last boxed 3850 AGP sold for around 80€. I guess this one is somehow special.

How about this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393615931095

Creative 3DO Blaster - boxed... I knew it will be expensive in the end.

PS:
Read the description 😉

The description on that 3DO Blaster is great. "if you like giving me large sums of money".... 😁

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-10-15, 13:26:

The description on that 3DO Blaster is great. "if you like giving me large sums of money".... 😁

that was funny, but really the amounts are crazy. people getting carried away watching lgr oddware!

If ya wanna see crazy

This Gravis Ultrasound 16 bit recording board went for US $1,000.00

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/124938965621?hash … z0AAOSwFMlhOoQv

Like I know the recording board for the gravis is rare , but I think the later max has it built in if I'm not mistaken.

Which went for US $202.50

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/334145128858?hash … o0AAOSwhhhhPR2i
You can see the CS4231-KL chip on both PCBs.

Which means you could just buy the max if you were desperate , netting yourself a GF1 gravis along with recording board while pocketing the extra change.
Hell for 1000 USD you could probably get a boxed NOS gravis.

So I'm guessing this is purely a collectors affair.

The collectors be crazy. I don't go buying stuff for inflated prices just because it has the original box. I do buy boxed stuff when I see it pop up for cheap though.

kixs wrote on 2021-10-15, 13:04:

How about this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393615931095

Creative 3DO Blaster - boxed... I knew it will be expensive in the end.

$1875 to put a 3DO console onto your PC. I guess it didn't appreciate much in value. What was the new cost, around $400 (3DO) + $300 (sound/CD-ROM)?