Author: Matthew Hull
Date: 14:29:27 06/03/05
Go up one level in this thread
On June 03, 2005 at 16:25:35, Steve B wrote:
>Collecting the old computers can be a daunting task IF one wants a complete
>package
>in addition to the pieces the original manual are both musts
>however the Original box can sometimes be impossible to find
>
>the Genuine collector however cannot allow a computer to sit naked and without
>shelter from the harsh elements
>
>an entire cottage industry has developed to provide the collector alternatives
>to the "missing box" dilemma
>
>often collector's will pay private individuals to make wooden carry cases and
>leather carry cases to meet this need
>sometimes these cases could be even more expensive then the computers themselves
>
>indeed if you follow some of the auctions on Ebay you will oft times see a run
>of the mill computer going for alot of money because it is also being sold with
>a nice Mephisto or Fidelity leather carry case
>
>sometimes the companies releasing the computers even provided carry cases as an
>option
>
>some times the computer was only released in a carry case
>
>a well known example of this is the Fidelity Designer Mach 4 which was not
>released in a box but in a Leather Carry case only(the case was made in Germany)
>
>one of the rarest examples of the carry case "option" is this leather Case sold
>by AVE(and with its insignia)for the Grandmaster Series ARB board
>
>the ARB computer was the very first full sized Tournament Auto-Sensory board
>ever released
>and as such it is a highly valued computer for historical reasons
>
>the leather for the case was a reddish brown,and soft like butter
>
>even after 20 years the leather is magnificent to touch
>
>the ARB Dedicated Chess Computer:
>
>http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=6218.jpg&.src=ph
>
>The AVE leather Carry case..(note the pouch for the pieces and Power Supply)
>
>http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=fa0c.jpg&.src=ph
Steve, that ARB is a real beauty. I remember when that unit was reviewed in
Chess Life long ago ("Katz on Computers" was the column in those days, IIRC).
Does your ARB still function? I always wondered if the switches ever wore out
on those things.
The only auto-sensory unit I've ever seen in person was Mephisto Modular with
MMII cartridge. A professor at college had one back in the early eighties. We
played many games with it, and also pitted it against my Fidelity Challenger
SE12.
Regards,
Matt
>
>Best
>Steve
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