Powertran Cortex Available

[Stuart]

I've been approached by someone in the UK who has a Powertran Cortex they want to get rid of. It hasn't been used for 30 years. They don't want any money for it, but are keen that it goes to someone who will get some use/enjoyment out of it.

 

I understand that it's a kit-built version with the disk interface added, and is in reasonable condition. He can't get it to work with a modern TV - which might mean it's not working, or the TV just can't sync to the video output. If it's not working, it should be repairable - all the ICs used are still available.

 

Is anyone in the UK interested? It will need to be picked up from the owner in Birmingham on a date to be agreed, but NOT over the Christmas period. If no one in the UK wants it, I'll consider picking it up myself (it's at least a half-day round trip) and packaging it for shipping (which will be quite expensive - it's heavy, and I'd like a contribution to my petrol costs!)

 

PM me if interested.

 

Stuart.

 

 

[+Ksarul]

Stuart, please tell me someone picked this one up--there are too few Cortices in the world to have another one end up in a landfill somewhere. . .

[RickyDean]

Stuart, if it is still available, what would you estimate the price to be in dollars, to have it sent to southeastern USA(Georgia). Thanks for letting us know about it, I would be interested after the holidays and if price is reasonable.

[Stuart]

Stuart, please tell me someone picked this one up--there are too few Cortices in the world to have another one end up in a landfill somewhere. . .

 

Hi Jim,

 

Someone from the UK was interested but hasn't yet responded to an e-mail from the owner. The owner and I will chase him up. If he has changed his mind then I'll try to pick it up from him for shipping to the US - with RickyDean's message below, two people in the US are now interested.

 

Was the Cortex that you got from the UK sent separately or with the Marinchip system? If separately, do you recall (a) approx. how much the shipping cost, (b) who it was shipped with, and © what sort of packing was used (wooden crate, cardboard, ...?)?

 

Stuart.

[+Ksarul]

My original was shipped to me as a mail parcel. IIRC it was about $200 to $250 to ship it. The box was a nicely-armored triple-wall cardboard box with a whole lot of bubble wrap and peanuts inside, along with a few smaller cardboard boxes to provide additional stiffness and to ensure that the computer stayed centered in the box. Cortices are a bit heavy with that massive transformer doughnut in them. . .and it was a good thing that I already have a step-up transformer at the house, along with an appropriate adapter to mate the British plugs to the transformer's socket. It probably would have been easier to replace the cable with one using a Schuko connector, but I had the right parts on hand, so I decided not to modify it.

 

The Marinchip was significantly more, but that was to be expected, as it was shipped in a wonderful aluminum shipping crate. . .and it was worth every penny to ship it that way, considering how hard it is to find one of them that is working.