Large number of cheap X68000s available

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papa_november
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Large number of cheap X68000s available

Post by papa_november »

They're all the Compact XVI model. They all seem to have the mouse/keyboard and they are all are priced at around 4680 Yen (that's about $56USD) before shipping and commission and re-shipping with the YAJ proxy service of your choice. These machines were actually listed a few weeks earlier, but they got lost in the shuffle as there were 50 of them. The ones that didn't get sold have now been relisted:

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h145158842
http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m80947085
http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w54288227
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e107141097
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h145302339
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h145158894
http://page11.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/n92144602
http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/139777921
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/X68000CompactXVI-%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89-%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8D-%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF%E6%89%B1%E3%81%84-09/auction/e107141181
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h145302379
http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m80947185
http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w54295510
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e107141229
http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k132956261
http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r69570984
http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/139778003
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f95985545
http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r69851629
http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/139778029
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/X68000CompactXVI-%e3%82%ad%e3%83%bc%e3%83%9c%e3%83%bc%e3%83%89-%e3%83%9e%e3%82%a6%e3%82%b9%e4%bb%98%e3%81%8d-%e3%82%b8%e3%83%a3%e3%83%b3%e3%82%af%e6%89%b1%e3%81%84-20/auction/e107141301
http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w54295720
http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b114961607
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e107141459
http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g94982787
http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m80947431
http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/134550198
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f95985957
http://page11.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/n86470771
http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d108645946
http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d110668491

There's some caveats. First is that they're all untested (but they do power on, and show signs of life). Second is that they're Compacts. The disks can be written on modern hardware, though the software hackery needed to do so can get troublesome under modern Windows (it's probably easier under Linux, but that's just a guess).

The biggie, as I've just found out, is that Compacts use SMT electrolytic capacitors. From the early 90s. If you've ever owned an Amiga 4000, or a Turbo Duo, or any number of 68K Macs from that era, you know what you could be in for if they've started to leak.

A friend of mine bought one from the last round, and it arrived in good working shape. It was showing signs of cap rot, but that was eventually fixed. It should run fine for years to come.

Like with all X68000s, you will have to build a (fairly simple) custom monitor adapter to allow a VGA monitor to work. The system does not play nice with LCDs, either. Don't let the appearance of the controller ports deceive you- Genesis/SMS controllers will NOT work with them without modification.

Anyway, these are a bargain if you want to get a real X68000 of your very own. They usually go for a LOT more, and don't always come with the (ultra-proprietary) mouse and keyboard. If you go for surface shipping, your grand total will be just under $150 - which is less than a quarter of what these machines typically go for when they show up on eBay.
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ZOM
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Re: Large number of cheap X68000s available

Post by ZOM »

Interesting stuff there~! The caps are easily replaced, the only thing that's still holding me on the fence is the fact that there's no guarantee to get a flawless working machine.
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njiska
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Re: Large number of cheap X68000s available

Post by njiska »

Damn, i'd pick one of these up in a heart beat if i wasn't completely broke.
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antron
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Re: Large number of cheap X68000s available

Post by antron »

So you are in Cali but they are in Japan?
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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Large number of cheap X68000s available

Post by Ed Oscuro »

papa_november wrote:Like with all X68000s, you will have to build a (fairly simple) custom monitor adapter to allow a VGA monitor to work.
Really? This is still the only thing keeping me from playing around with my X68000s. Would be very thankful if you could hook a brother up.

Worth mentioning that the Compacts (I have one, gotten cheaply a few years ago) don't have the right size floppy drive, so that is an additional expense if you want to play around with original media.
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