Emax

Ted,

I could not agree with you more.

I have undertaken a similar project, recreating a rare upgrade for the Korg DSS-1. It has 
taken me 6 months and probably over $2500 in parts and expenses. 

When I posted the news of this on the DSS-1 user group, I had people complaining about 
the price tag, saying $400 was too much for a 2 meg memory expansion, even though it 
was a whole new main CPU board. One user suggested that I should just use a cheap 
modern microcontroller with a compact flash card and re-write the entire OS, as in his 
opinion "it should not be too difficult", so the project should "not cost more than $50"
Another reader suggested that "maybe someone will make a DIY kit available one day" 
even though my project is the only one in 20 years that I've ever heard of.

Nevertheless I have had many positive comments and compliments on the project, 
although I have yet to sell any (although people have expressed interest in buying it).

I wouldn't get disheartened...I'm sure that the sales will come eventually...and your hard 
work will pay off.

regards,

Tom



--- In emax@yahoogroups.com, Ted Summers <djtbs1@...> wrote:
>
> Group Members-
> 
> For those of you that have ordered- THANK YOU!
> I do appreciate the purchases you have made.
> 
> After the chatter on the group from time to time that has happened  
> over the years wanting this upgrade to be available, I thought I would  
> be doing a great service for our members to make this happen.
> I wanted SCSI for my keyboard, waited a long time for it to happen,  
> and had to cannibalize a dead rack bought off ebay to get it.
> It was a crap shoot because I wasn't even sure the chips would work.
> The emax was dead, but the chips were ok. I felt lucky.....
> 
> But it is a sad thing to have to destroy 1 to make 2 or take a risk  
> purchasing something HOPING it has good chips or is not dead, etc.....
> 
> Then things came together, I was finally able to make the kits  
> available.
> 
> That being said, I have been quite underwhelmed at the number of kit  
> orders I have received.
> 
> Does everyone already have SCSI and I just didn't know it so this has  
> been for the most part a worthless effort?
> 
> That would be truly disheartening.....
> 
> 
> I understand that some folks may not like the $50 price tag.
> 
> In regards to that, let me explain that I didn't come to this figure  
> lightly.
> 
> 1) It has cost me almost $900 to make this happen -this does not take  
> into account my time to research, gas to go get parts, etc.....
> 
> 2) The costs of the raw parts in each kit make up half the selling  
> price.
> 
> 3) Some of the raw "obsoleted" parts MUST be ordered in quantity to  
> get them at a reasonable price (SCSI controllers and PALs).  $150 goes  
> away pretty quick.
> 
> 4) The money is going towards getting back my costs and as I receive  
> orders it allows me to purchase some more parts to make more kits.
> 
> 
> So please keep the above in mind if you are considering a purchase.
> 
> Please don't think that the $50 price is because I am being greedy.
> 
> Even with the kits I have sold, I am still about $300 in the negative.  
> I haven't broke even.
> 
> 
> 
> I am selling the kits on Ebay- but for a little more money due to ebay  
> fees. It is still cheaper to buy from me off the Emax group.
> 
> I look forward to any orders you might have.  I always try my best to  
> ship your order the very next day after receiving payment.
> 
> 
> Respectfully,
> Ted
>