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A unique opportunity for only US $4,999.99 ?

One wonders what part it plays in computer history. It looks like a keyboard and a wire wrap computer. I see nothing to specifically tie it to TRS-80, maybe the keyboard?? The description is clearly vague as to what the connection is.
Dwight
 
It looks to be a cobbled together clone of the TRS-80 with 64K, a lead-acid battery, and a one line LED display. I don't like the battery sitting there exposed like that but the rest makes for an interesting curio. I doubt it is worth $5,000 but it is also quite unlikely to see another unit similar to it anytime soon.

Items specific to the TRS-80 is the source listing of a modified Level II BASIC. I think the memory map looks inspired by the Model I.
 
Well, according to the seller

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a true piece of technological history that deserves to be in a museum. Don't hesitate as this won't last long at this amazing price!
Click to expand...

We will see about that :D
 
The source listing mentions "Modifications to run PERMATRASH"; on 2 documents (modifications to Level 2 BASIC).
I guess it required a lot of patches for the LED (!) Display.
Googling for "PERMATRASH" didn't bring up anything...
 
Massive price drop!

"You have received an offer of US $4,371.99 from the seller."
 
Not that anyone will ever power that thing on again, but it sure is kind of suspicious just how many empty sockets there are on the circuit board. Almost like the guy who built it might have borrowed bits off it over the years.
 
It doesn't say anything about what the provenance of this thing is. It's a bunch of chips and an old keyboard, shoved in a briefcase.

"So what"

For an historical item, there sure doesn't seem to be a lot of history associated with it.
 
It's "historical" because it's old, I guess.

It's kind of sad, really. This is the sort of thing that 25-30 years ago I would have been *thrilled* to pay $10 for at a garage sale and have fun reverse engineering what the local maniac built with his own three hands. In my opinion that's entirely where any value in this thing lies; it'd be great for the right gifted teenager to play with.

I guess the seller thinks it *looks* like an Apple I-era homebrew machine and those are automatically valuable (haha), but if I had to hazard a guess it postdates 1980, probably by a significant margin. There's probably an interesting story behind its creation, but you don't even get that outside whatever the scribbles in the manuals might say.
 
Eudimorphodon said:
Not that anyone will ever power that thing on again, but it sure is kind of suspicious just how many empty sockets there are on the circuit board. Almost like the guy who built it might have borrowed bits off it over the years.
Click to expand...

Maybe he eventually gave up on the project, or borrowed too many chips, and then relabeled it "Permanent Trash"-> PERMATRASH :)
Well, it is sold as untested - no kidding :D
 
Yep, what history is there?? Missing parts??
I suspect it may be a home project TRS 80 from parts? But then, why would one not just buy a TRS 80?
Is it suppose to be an engineering prototype? and of what?
With out some additional information, my SDK 85 in a brief case is worth more and no where near that price.
Dwight
 
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