DOS Box Restoration

Jake Grey · 26-04-2008, 01:26 PM

If someone were to offer reconditioned DOS and 98SE machines for sale on Craigslist, mostly Pentium Is and IIs with maybe the odd 486 if there are any working examples in existence, would you lot consider buying one and how much would you be willing to pay?

dosraider · 26-04-2008, 02:03 PM

PI: between 5€-10€
PII: between 10€-25€
486: between 1€-5€ -(or even free to get rid of them)-.
Of course in good working order, included monitor, keyboard and mouse.
As listed on kapaza.be
What the situation is in GB, don't know and don't care.

That's what they are worth here in Belgium.

The prices for sec hand PC begin to rise above 50€ for PIII minimal.
A good working complete PIII with enough RAM (+512) that's able to run XP goes approx 100€-200€ here.

*The Fifth Horseman* · 26-04-2008, 08:13 PM

Perhaps you could explain what do you mean by "reconditioned"?

Kugerfang · 27-04-2008, 05:12 AM

Why would I buy one if there's already DOSbox?

dosraider · 27-04-2008, 06:16 AM

Why not?
Did you ever used a 8008-ZILOG Z80-8086-286-386-486-PI-PII-whatever? Apparently not.
I even wonder if you ever saw one.

And FYI: a PI is still capable enough to use as internet PC.
Even a 286 can be used on internet.
Never heard of Arachne, just to name one? Hmmmm,no ,probably not.
:laugh:

*The Fifth Horseman* · 27-04-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Why would I buy one if there's already DOSbox?

For you there is no point. But older gamers might want to set up one just for the sake of its sentimental value - or perhaps because DOSBox just can't beat the real thing in their minds.

Jake Grey · 27-04-2008, 02:33 PM

Dosraider: Thanks for the info. Do I take it that that excludes shipping costs in most cases? No promises about peripherals, I'm afraid; the ones that work will most likely be sold separately. Everything will however come with a warranty of some description, the details of which are not yet finalised.
Fifth Horseman (May I call you Reggie? :amused

: By 'reconditioned', I mean that they will be put into as close to as-new condition as possible, with any worn or defective components replaced. There'll probably be a few 'new' machines assembled from several non-functional ones, as well.
Krugerfang: Because even the best emulator is no substitute for the original hardware, even if you can afford a machine powerful enough to run one without difficulty.

dosraider · 27-04-2008, 02:48 PM

Prices on Kapaza.be are always 'cash and carry', if the buyer wants home delivery the extra costs are fully for the buyer.
Not a big problem in a small country as Belgium .....:laugh:

@Kugerfang: lots of people still use old dos based DB programs, and other similar programs, dosbox works great for gaming, but 80% of those old dosprogs won't run in it.-(try to get a label print prog to work in dosbox with an antique daisy wheel printer .......)-
Another reason? Why would I fire up my XP or Vista when I have some 10 minutes to lose and on top of that dosbox when I can boot a dos 486/PI in 4 seconds?
Not enough? Some games only will accept a joystick through a real hardware game port, the joystick simply won't work on an emulated one.
And of course, my grandkids love those ol'PCs.
Etcetera etcetera etcetera ............

But rest assured, for most of the dosgames I also prefer dosbox.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Grey

No promises about peripherals, I'm afraid; the ones that work will most likely be sold separately.

That could be a problem, I may suppose you know that most modern keyboards/mouses/.... won't work directly with those ol'PCs-(DIN plugs!)-? So if you sell them separate it means extra cost for the buyer.

Jake Grey · 27-04-2008, 06:17 PM

I can see the problem, but unfortunately there may not necessarily be enough working peripherals to include one of each with every base unit. Keyboards and mice can certainly be shipped free with a base unit, of course.

Sebatianos · 27-04-2008, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dosraider

That could be a problem, I may suppose you know that most modern keyboards/mouses/.... won't work directly with those ol'PCs-(DIN plugs!)-? So if you sell them separate it means extra cost for the buyer.

Yeah, but I dread to go back to a wheel mouse! I mean, those things started acting up on you in a month or so and you had to clean them all the time and stuff - and still they were hard to use for precision clicking.

The keyboards are less of a problem, but still...