NEC PC-8201A on eBay

[Sharkonwheels]

300034604071

worth it? $30 +s/h. just units, + serial cable, tested to power up, and display.

So...should I get one? 10 available, at the moment....



Tony

[NathanAllan]

I agree, that's a bit much. Did you see this one? 130030874241 Just looks more interesting, imho.

Nathan

[chuckcmagee]

Huh? Looks like a STEAL at $30 to me! That's the BuyitNow price, not a starting bid. I'm tempted to buy it just for the cables but likely won't as my "not so pretty" cable is working already.

[NathanAllan]

The more I think about it the more I find it appealing. I wonder if there are any text-based games for that kind of computer, like dungeon crawl. Hmmm... How many lines and columns does the screen show, chuck?

[chuckcmagee]

Listing say "8 lines by 40 chars". There's bunches of
8201A fans on VCF. My recent PX-8 purchase is enough CP/M for me right now. I do miss my trusty LS ADM3A from time to time. I don't miss only have one floppy drive! Making copies with one floppy and 32K is no fun.

[chuckcmagee]

I just went and looked REAL CLOSELY to the ebay pictures of the 8201. There is a bit of false info in the listing. The SIO1 & SIO2 ports use RJ45 connectors. The cables provided for your $30 won't actually work with the 8201. LOL, who really cares for $30! Just a FYI.

[Terry Yager]

I just went and looked REAL CLOSELY to the ebay pictures of the 8201. There is a bit of false info in the listing. The SIO1 & SIO2 ports use RJ45 connectors. The cables provided for your $30 won't actually work with the 8201. LOL, who really cares for $30! Just a FYI.

Actually, SIO1 is RJ45, and SIO2 is RJ11, but the 8201A also has a standard RS-232C port (not visible in the picture), which will communicate with a PC via a null modem & adaptor/gender-bender. I don't know if anyone has ever figgered-out a use for the SIO ports. I'm also wondering about the memory in 'em. Unlike the TRS-80 Model 100, the NEC version can take up to 96K, addressable as three banks of 32K.
Thirty bucks ain't a bad price for one, IMHO. It's a multiple auction too, so the seller might have enough to go around for all of us (10 available). I'm counting my pennies right now...

--T

[EvanK]

Of course, the REALLY interesting computer from that family is that Kyotronic (Kyocera) KC-85. The Tandy Model 100, NEC PC-8201, and Olivetti M10 were merely clones with some very mild feature differentiation.

[chuckcmagee]

What's Erik's phone number? I'm gonna blame him and his VFC for my latest 8201A purchase. That'll work, uhhuh!

And then there were 9 ...

[Sharkonwheels]

Yeah - no kidding.

I was SELLING stuff when I joined.
I've ended up BUYING more han I've *SOLD* Uh, HELLO!

Erik - your fault, man. All your fault.



Tony

[EvanK]

I have Erik's home and cell numbers. Who's got $100? :D

Uh-oh, wait a sec... he knows MY number too. I better shut up now.

[chuckcmagee]

I would have had my "new used" 8201A yesterday but UPS had the wrong part of Nevada :confused: I am glad I parted with my $30 + s/h. In very good condition for used. Checking out if the nicads will take a charge or not now, jury still out.

[chuckcmagee]

Chuckle, the jury is back! I had to go find some "spare" nicads around the house and solder them together to make a new battery pack. As explained on here numerous times, not hard to do. Everything is working great now.