RE: Multiplication of White Elephants

[Tom Droege <tdroege2@earthlink.net>]

Rob and all,

Well, you all are too slow.  I guess every time that someone buys one they 
raise the price.  I see that it is now $1800.  However, I suggest that you 
just wait and watch.  Or call them up and make them an offer.  Looks like 
the price is pretty flexible.

They do sell a version with a CD-RW.  You can upgrade to CD-RW but they 
require that it be done by authorized service personnel.  I think it is not 
a standard unit as there is no cover to get in the way of the 
mechanism.  There is a big section in the manual about doing this.

Looks like I now have a $2700 profit.  Just like investing in internet 
stocks.  But try to sell one for that price.  ;^)

Tom Droege



At 01:59 PM 10/3/02 -0600, you wrote:

>Two questions:
>
>How did you rate $350?  I see $599...
>
>In your browsing, did you see any problem with putting CD-RW in it?
>
>Thanks,
>Rob
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tom Droege [mailto:tdroege2@earthlink.net]
> > Sent: October 03, 2002 1:29 PM
> > To: Creager, Robert S
> > Subject: Multiplication of White Elephants
> >
> > Rob,
> >
> > Note that they are not yet tested to work.  Ron will shortly have one and
> > I
> > have 2.
> >
> > The jukeboxes came from:
> >
> > "Louie The Liquidator " <louie@machine.hitechcafe.com>
> >
> > Looks like they still have 8 left:
> >
> > http://www.hitechcafe.com/eshop/product.asp?sku=DRM+5004X+&dept_id=3
> >
> > Now you can get your very own!  My two cost $700 + $200 shipping.
> >
> > Yours may cost less due to you being closer.
> >
> > Mark Twain understood well that humans will all jump on a good
> > thing.  Later we will all keep quiet about our White Elephants.
> >
> > Tom
> >
> >
> > At 01:15 PM 10/3/02 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> > >I'm jealous.  Where did you pick them up from?
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Tom Droege [mailto:tdroege2@earthlink.net]
> > > > Sent: October 02, 2002 10:31 PM
> > > > To: tass@listserv.wwa.com
> > > > Subject: CD Jukeboxes
> > > >
> > > > I am now the proud possessor of two 500 disk Poineer DRM-5004x CD
> > > > Jukeboxes.  It is a not so long story.  Ron Wickersham sent me a note
> > > > telling me these were available surplus for $350 each.  I could not
> > resist
> > > > and thinking I would send one on to Ron I ordered two of them.
> > > >
> > > > Today a big truck pulled up.  About 500# of stuff was unloaded.  I had
> > > > been
> > > > looking at desk top CD units and did not think much about the size.
> > 500
> > > > is
> > > > a lot of disks.  So the unit is refrigerator size.
> > > >
> > > > So far I have only gotten part way into the box, but the suspicion is
> > that
> > > > it comes with no documentation or software.  Besides the changer
> > >mechanism,
> > > > it comes with two 4x CD readers.  I suspect that one might be able to
> > > > change out to faster units.
> > > >
> > > > The control is SCSI.  You can find out more by searching on DRM-5004X
> > > > using
> > > > Google.  I quickly found a lot.  It would appear that I will need
> > software
> > > > to do the simplest things.
> > > >
> > > > Possibly one of you uses such drives in their work.  Possibly someone
> > > > knows
> > > > how to select software for this unit.  I would be willing to buy
> > > > commercial
> > > > software to run these units from a Linux box if that is possible.
> > > > Possibly
> > > > one of you can get hold of a service manual for this device.
> > > >
> > > > Note that I already have enough good data on disk to fill both of
> > these
> > > > units.
> > > >
> > > > I suspect that I have purchased two white elephants.  Still, nice to
> > have
> > > > a
> > > > pair if I do make use of one of them.
> > > >
> > > > You will be amused that I get a 90 day warranty.  To activate it I
> > send in
> > > > a letter to ***IBM*** with which Pioneer has arranged to provide
> > > > service.  If it do this, then an IBM service representative will show
> > up
> > > > promptly when I need service.  No doubt one service call will cost
> > more
> > > > than both units.
> > > >
> > > > Tom Droege