Help Identifying Japanese PC (PC-98)

[rancor]

As I think I said in another thread somewhere, my father-in-law is a retired architect here in Tokyo. He has a string of offices that are now abandoned and hold host to untold treasures from the 80s up until the late 90s. The wife and I are attempting to do something with these offices, and in the process we've uncovered literally dozens of these PC-98 computers. So - the question to the community is: Are these worth anything? Are these the doujin-PC powerhouses that everyone lusts after? .. Or should these go in the garbage? They each weigh about 20-30lbs each and contain about 90% steel it seems. What should I do with these!? Does anyone have any details about this certain model? Anyhow, I'll shut up and get to the pics.

[Domino]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_PC-9801

[rancor]

Saw that, but there's zero info about that particular model.

[Domino]

Well then, I dunno.

[shmuppyLove]

Can it play Crysis?

I wonder if there might be a museum (run by NEC?) that might be interested in them?

Found some Japanese pages with info

http://www.pasocomclub.co.jp/datas/nec_ ... ap_u2.html

Specs, mostly readable

[Ji-L87]

Super sweet find, man I would love to get me one of those. I can't help you with the model sadly, but here's a wiki link to the that specific series of PC-98 computers:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC-9821%E3 ... C%E3%82%BA

(here's a google translation)

It's too much moonrunes for me to go through right now but it's probably similar to this one, owned by another member here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35KYkoN3BDQ&feature=plcp

Here's some specifications:
http://www.pasocomclub.co.jp/datas/nec_pc_9821ap2.html

Edit:

Are these the doujin-PC powerhouses that everyone lusts after? .. Or should these go in the garbage?

There should be lots of software & games for it, not to mention all the doujins. Nothing you'd throw away, I'd say : )

[robivy64]

The 9821 can play just about any worthy PC98 game. Those are a great find! It's much easier to load games onto a 9821 than a 9801 (although the 9801s look much cooler IMO).

The 9821 uses more standard PC I/O and installing a CD-ROM makes loading your own games easy.

That should be a 486/Pentium era machine.

[MX7]

Wow... I would love to have one of these. Can they boot copied floppies and CD ROM games?

From my knowledge, they're a highly desirable item, yet are worth very little money. I'd love to get one, but shipping/surprise tax would be ruinous...

[robivy64]

The 9801s can be very expensive, but the 9821s are not.

I presume it's because the 9801s have more of a dated 80s-tech look, and the 9821 looks more like your average Wintel beige PC.

[Ji-L87]

The 9801s can be very expensive, but the 9821s are not.

I presume it's because the 9801s have more of a dated 80s-tech look, and the 9821 looks more like your average Wintel beige PC.

I love biege PCs I suppose that would make me a bit weird.

[ED-057]

Here is another page with info (nihongo)
http://www.amy.hi-ho.ne.jp/nakajima-jr/ ... te/ap2.htm

looks like this particular box (486-66MHz) could take an IDE HDD, SCSI CD-ROM, and Matrox MGA or S3 Vision video card, but didn`t necessarily ship with those parts included.

So... how rich is international shipping for one of these bad boys?

[Ji-L87]

Just out of curiosity, are they all more or less the same model?

So... how rich is international shipping for one of these bad boys?

Wondering this as well

[GaijinPunch]

If they were used for architecture, than surely somewhere on at least one of them is the answer to why in the winter, it's fucking colder in Japanese houses than it is outside.

[nZero]

If they were used for architecture, than surely somewhere on at least one of them is the answer to why in the winter, it's fucking colder in Japanese houses than it is outside.

Obscure hardware bug silently deletes any mention of fiberglass insulation from building plans?

Pic related, my best friend during Japanese winter:

[GaijinPunch]

Personally I think the construction industry was in cahoots with the electricity industry. Too bad Japan's (bullshit) "persevere" attitude which was already in the stratosphere was even further solidified by the Earthquake. Why persevere? Use your fucking head and make it better.

[Ed Oscuro]

asbestos? I dunno, my house was built in 1994 and it has terrible insulation. Not colder inside than outside...but getting there!

These look neat - I'm in no position to try to adopt one at the moment, but if somebody gave it to me I'd take it in, sure. But 90% steel + shipping = yeowch. I still gotta get NFG to send me a X68K Pro I bought years ago, too

[trap15]

You just missed him; he was in Japan a month or two ago. You'll have to wait another year to get it now

[Obiwanshinobi]

If they were used for architecture, than surely somewhere on at least one of them is the answer to why in the winter, it's fucking colder in Japanese houses than it is outside.

I read (in some fairly credible source, possibly The Chrysanthemum and the Sword) that the Japanese consider cold healthy (good for brawn and brains alike). They probably find cold indoors as natural as snow and rain outside. Just the way things are.

[GaijinPunch]

If they were used for architecture, than surely somewhere on at least one of them is the answer to why in the winter, it's fucking colder in Japanese houses than it is outside.

I read (in some fairly credible source, possibly The Chrysanthemum and the Sword) that the Japanese consider cold healthy (good for brawn and brains alike). They probably find cold indoors as natural as snow and rain outside. Just the way things are.

Or it's just an excuse to hide up one of their shortcomings. Like saying Sumo wrestlers are chosen at an early age. I assume they are, but it's b/c they're fat. They don't become fat b/c they've been chosen to partake in Sumo.

[Ed Oscuro]

You just missed him; he was in Japan a month or two ago. You'll have to wait another year to get it now

Well, I bought it back in 2003, so it's not like another year is a huge deal! (Just so long as it didn't get sold to somebody else in the meantime...that would be awkward to deal with)

[trap15]

Actually, I get the feeling that said Pro is the one NFG said he'd sell me next year

You should talk to him on IRC or something and clear it up

[Ed Oscuro]

It's one that has a new power supply. For a while I know he had forgotten he sold it to me - I paid shipping on a bulk of items (we actually don't know anymore exactly everything that I bought) and I thought it was included, but wasn't, so I'd have to try again.

For all the good the X68000 has done me, maybe I'd be better off letting it go after all...dump the collection, even. All these years and I still haven't got a working display solution (just need a cable for a VGA monitor) but I have pretty much literally everything else you could want...MT-32s, the huge Cyber Stick, yadda yadda...

[robivy64]

Trade me some X68000 stuff and I will make you a VGA cable.