(computergeeks.com)

Synopsis:

Norm supplied a link to these folk; got a 600 MHz P-III w 128/ 20 GB/ DVD/ 8mb Invidia AGP 100-bus / Winmodem + 2 teeny speakers. $349. (for me) By time I got around to trying for 2 more for friends - all gone :[

So this is about #2 (and 3 if not broke), even discounted another 10 over fone to $317:

"E-Machines Monster 500 labelled, 'The World's Best Gaming Machine!'"

500 MHz P-III, 512 cache, 64 MB/ 13 GB, DVD and Voodoo-3 w/16 mb AGP etc. (Paid 28 for another 128 stick = 192 MB)

Amazingly the Winmodem hits connect at 50k regularly. With the great, young Russian trumpet virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov playing, the Arban variations on 'Carmen' (via cable to my awesome stereo system) + 8 mB download occurring + a few URL-surfs for hell of it:

SysMon (FWIW?) shows CPU-util. a pretty flat <8% and a solid near-flat line ~ to 50ishK download speed (!! ??)

SpinRite rates the Ultra-DMA drive as faster n' tachyons and error free.

So everything Works.. may not be 200-bus or even 133; there may now be 256 MB video cards! yada yada.. but it sure blows away my now aging Tecra 700 (P-120 or 150?), and while I had to scrounge for the Crystal sound driver and the Voodoo - this seems like one Hell of a lot of stuff for $300ish (and these may also be gone too, now -- but they expect more, maybe faster stuff from E-machines).

Still, teeny PS with a fan on the outside! and rest of stuff Korean - no effort to ID mb. But at 80 F in room and all above activity - nice tepid heatsink.

Damn.. when I think of my $3K+ (discounted) Otrona CP/M portable :[

(You guys are jaded !)


Ashton

*Everything* is a commodity.. Well.. I feel less abused by my Otrona "semi-permanent computer purchase" now. But only briefly.

I recently snagged on eBay a fine French* product from Adret Electronique - a 600 MHz synthesized signal generator in near-mint shape all around: for <$300. ~ 5? years ago: cost near $20K !!! here. (This to go with a couple other of their products also stolen earlier)

* Was planning to ask you if.. next time you head for local Rundfunk GmbH, [Radio Schaken Vertrieb Donnervetter?] you might keep eyes peeled for the cute round 1-1.5 cm dia? AC connector cordset (or a half dozen!) = kind whose chassis jack has a fluted outer surface = the cordset would have 3 female sockets. AC wall plug end immaterial of course and, best taken off.

I presume that this business (chassis) end style is used by quite many electronics mfgs - and is not stupidly an Adret-specific design..

Maybe I can grab you something equally shippable, off the local pallets (either actual or virtual) [??] Also I'd really like to find a source for Tech Manuals for 3 Adret thingies - gets reward if you find either of above! Yeah English would be nice, but.. diagrams are polyglot. No joy tryin searches for such - the French aren't biting on such queries as I've made re manuals, and Adret likely has now tossed in the towel to the mega-Lectronic combines.

Nutso world - no one will be able to dupe many of the Tek & other items now going for peanuts, but perhaps soon there won't be as many people capable of using them - either (?)

I'd guess that sending you a box ~ to above, might incur somewhat self- deal-cancelling postal overhead (?)




Cheers,

Ashton
who didn't mean to gloat at our Overseas denizens of less $-besotted locales, still relatively Mall-scourge free [??]