Collector's Corner..On Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers

[Steve B]

Now This is absolutely revolting...

look at the second photo in this auction.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mephisto-Academ ... 3cf04c8427

How in the world does damage like this happen?
i suspect foul play
this is a job for the ...

Schachcomputer Police Regards
Steve

[pr1uk]

Now This is absolutely revolting...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mephisto-Academ ... 3cf04c8427
/quote]

Shame was 'once' a nice Chess Computer and the word "untested" to me normally mean it's nackard anyway




Peter

[vonderlasa]

Wow! I actually own a rare one: the Septennial.

[pr1uk]

Not seen one of these before

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Compu ... 3a9fbb264a

[Steve B]

Not seen one of these before

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Compu ... 3a9fbb264a

These old USSR chess computers are always a puzzlement
the board looks like a Fidelity Excellence
i am guessing it is a clone of that
most probably made without permission from Fidelity

Illegal Clone Regards
Steve

[IvenGO]

Not seen one of these before

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Compu ... 3a9fbb264a

this model was made in Bulgaria, not USSR

[Steve B]

I Dont collect boards attached to Pc's but...

this is very very rare

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-MATE-A-Ches ... 418e1d2e29

i have read about the Chess Mate but never actually seen one
i am not certain but i think this is the very first chess board that could be attached to a PC
Released By Applied Concepts..at one time one of the premiere manufacturers of dedicated chess computers

Rare Bird Sighting Regards
Steve

[mclane]

I Dont collect boards attached to Pc's but...

this is very very rare

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-MATE-A-Ches ... 418e1d2e29

i have read about the Chess Mate but never actually seen one
i am not certain but i think this is the very first chess board that could be attached to a PC
Released By Applied Concepts..at one time one of the premiere manufacturers of dedicated chess computers

Rare Bird Sighting Regards
Steve

Wow. This IS indeed rare. I didn't know that this exist.

[Bryan Whitby]

Nice view of The Mate here.

http://www.schaakcomputers.nl/hein_veld ... 201981.pdf

[Carl Bicknell]

This is quite interesting.

There's a Mephisto RISC on ebay, already around 1000 euros with another two days to go!

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mephisto-Exclusi ... 1483741101

I asked about the item and whether it could be reprogramed to a RISC II.

The seller said:
"I asked the repairman of Hegener & Glaser. He can Change to the newer program for about 50,- EUR. "

Does this imply H&G are still going in some way? I wish someone would realise there's still a market for these machines...

[Steve B]

One thing that makes Montreux/RISC 2500/TASC R30 valuable: they were the only De Koning engines. If one were collecting the Big Six programmers (Spracklen, Kittinger, Morsch, Schroeder, de Koning, Lang), every other programmer had dozens of dedicated models to choose from, many at the middle-end so you didn't have to bust your budget. But De Koning came late to the party and only programmed for those three high end machines. Not even our hero Ruud Martin has included him in the stable of engines emulated on the Revelation.

And the last thing that makes Montreux/RISC 2500 valuable, they have an expiration date so working ones are in dwindling supply. They used a cheap ASIC technology for a logic chip that only has a twenty-year nominal lifespan, making the R30 the only good long-lasting investment.

Actually i am starting to think the Montreux is a rare computer
not for the reasons you mentioned but for the fact that i dont see it actually being sold for more then a year.. resulting in a very small supply today
the 2500 and R30 are expensive computers but they are not rare
(the R/40 is of course quite rare)
both appear with some regularity on Ebay ,were sold for several years after their release and many collectors own them
the Montreux seems different..
not as many collectors own one and i have been able to find only one 1995 Saitek/Mephisto brochure advertising the Montreux
by 1996 it was no longer advertised for sale
also unusual is that they used the same exact housing for the never released Turbo-Star 2600 which appears in ads in 1994
the TS was supposed to have 512kb Ram and a Schroeder program ..i think perhaps Saitek scraped the extra Ram and released the Montreux(128kb) in this housing instead
this coupled with the fact that the Montreux is seldomly seen for sale on Ebay leads me to believe the Montreux was not on the market for very long making the supply severely limited
if anyone in our listening area can provide any evidence that the Montreux was advertised for sale AFTER 1995 it would be greatly appreciated

i am considering filing an application on the Montreux's behalf for induction into the "Ultra Rare"Collection...an honor bestowed upon very few computers and auxiliary items(modules,printers,boxes..etc..etc..)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@ ... 923814103/



Montreux Moment Regards
Steve

Well its been almost two weeks and there has been no evidence offered that the Montreux was sold By Mephisto for more then one year
i will allow another another two weeks of open public comment
if no one comes forth..for the reasons mentioned above.. i shall be inducting the Montreux into the hallows halls of the Ultra Rare Collection

Application Pending Regards
Steve

The Time for Public Comment has passed
the Montreux has now been inducted into the Ultra Rare Collection

In an unprecedented moment in dedicated chess computer History ..there has been a dual Induction on the same day

along with the Montreux.. the Tryom Cardinal CC700 in the White/Light Housing will take its place in the hollowed halls of the Ultra Rare
very rarely seen...far more common is the Brown/Darker housing

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@ ... 0923814103

this is only the second computer inducted based upon color alone

Diversity Regards
Steve

[Larry]

the Montreux has now been inducted into the Ultra Rare Collection

I was thinking just the other week, how much longer is Steve going to
carry on insulting the Montreux by leaving it out in the wilderness. A
production run estimated at just 500 units and some of those cooked with
wrong adaptors,
stood on, thrown out because of a bad led light etc and possibly fewer
than 350 working examples worldwide. The Montreux original box would
be far rarer still.
The CAPS lady sends her regards (in upper case).
L

[Steve B]

The CAPS lady sends her regards (in upper case).

you have a great memory
anyway..sorry you couldn't attend the Induction Ceremony
they served great Hors-d'oeuvre's

Pigs In A Blanket Regards
Steve

[Larry]

The CAPS lady sends her regards (in upper case).

you have a great memory
anyway..sorry you couldn't attend the Induction Ceremony
they served great Hors-d'oeuvre's

Pigs In A Blanket Regards
Steve

Have you considered adding the Fidelity Poppy to the ultra rare
section? In all these years I can't remember seeing one on eBay
or anywhere else.
L

[Steve B]

The CAPS lady sends her regards (in upper case).

you have a great memory
anyway..sorry you couldn't attend the Induction Ceremony
they served great Hors-d'oeuvre's

Pigs In A Blanket Regards
Steve

Have you considered adding the Fidelity Poppy to the ultra rare
section? In all these years I can't remember seeing one on eBay
or anywhere else.
L

Excellent Suggestion Larry
i cant believe The Little Poppy Challenger has been overlooked for so long
i have requested that its Induction be fast tracked
the Elders have complied...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@ ... 0923814103

SC6-SC8 Regards
Steve