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[–] 1 pt

It's assumed that things such as this are buyer beware, and many of the vendors have things they have no idea what they are - one of the people I went with was training one vendor on a low-frequency HP SpecAn the guy had, no idea how to use it or anything about it other than SpecAn.

While it's possible the thing is broke, you're not really buying something like this to use. It's a piece of computing history.

[–] 1 pt (edited )

Sure, but pieces of history are more valuable when they’re in good or working condition, which should be taken into consideration when deciding what to offer.

Two decades ago I was a reseller, professionally. I’d go to open air markets, yard sales, estate auctions etc, buy things cheap and sell them for what they were worth. Mostly I stuck to easy stuff, new in box/sealed items, but every now and then I’d dabble in highly collectible items if the price was right.

I went to one estate auction where they were selling off a collection of a well-known brand of antique pottery, piece by piece. I bid on every piece, but they were all going for $500-$800; less than what they were worth but too expensive to make any real profit. The last piece I won for $85, couldn’t believe it, was gonna make a killing.

Immediately upon researching the piece I discovered it was fake. Like an actual well-made counterfeit. Of course realized why I got it for 10% of value.

I couldn’t take a total loss on it, so I listed it on eBay in an auction starting at $10. Posted tons of photos from every angle showing clearly that it was fake to anyone who knew what they were looking for. Listed “as-is,” “no knowledge of manufacture date,” etc.

It sold for $18, and I still had to give a refund to the winner of the auction because they eventually figured out it was fake for themselves.

Just saying, any reseller has the ability to learn how to properly test/check the quality or authenticity of an item, so if they say that they’re unwilling/unable to, my first thought is that they’ve actually done it and just don’t want to tell you.

I’d pay $300 for a piece labeled as “xxxxxx doesn’t work” over paying $400 for a piece labeled as “untested” any day.

[–] 1 pt

I fully agree, but most stuff like what's being sold there isn't going to be tested beyond it lights up. That's the fun of the electronics world.

I did post the rest of my pictures, take a look. https://pic8.co/a/c8bd1c6a-da81-4062-98bc-2b011654a79f/

[–] 1 pt

Cool pics, definitely looks like a fun place to shop around.

But do you really think that someone in a market full of old electronics like that really doesn’t know how to test old electronics? There’s a reason the asking price is less than half of a verified online sale. If it doesn’t matter to you whether it works, then have fun and enjoy; i’m just saying that that sign screams to me “please be willing to gamble on my ignorance that doesn’t exist.”

Not saying the piece is worthless, just that it’s probably worth less than what’s being asked, predatorily looking for people who actually don’t know what they’re looking for