[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] Results - Damark KLH '386 system

wkb@cbnews.att.com (Wm. Keith Brummett) (01/09/91)

    Recently I asked for opinions on the following ad in a Damark (catalog
    liquidator) catalog:


    >> On the cover of the December '90 Damark International, Inc. catalog,
    >> there is a KLH '386 system for sale.  Specs are:
    >>
    >>	- 25 MHz '386 w/ 64K cache, expandable to 128K
    >>	- 1M RAM, expandable to 8M on the motherboard
    >>	- one 1.2M floppy drive and one 1.44M floppy drive
    >>	- one 80M, 28mS hard drive
    >>	- one 8-bit slot, six 16-bit slots, one 32-bit slot
    >>	- six 1/2-height drive bays (five exposed front)
    >>	- two serial ports, one parallel port
    >>	- 101-key AT keyboard
    >>	- 16-bit VGA card: 800x600, 256K
    >>	- color VGA analog monitor: 14", .31mm, 640x480
    >>	- MS-DOS 4.01 included
    >>	- instructional video tape for setup included
    >>	- factory new, one year warranty
    >>
    >>	- price:  $1999.99 + $69 S&H  (claimed mfr sugg retail $5194.00)


    Well, these are the responses I got.  Not really encouraging.


    > From: Dr Prabhaker Mateti <pmateti@eve.wright.edu>
    > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 91 11:04:15 EST
    > Subject: Re: Damark - KLH '386 system
    > Organization: Wright State University
    > 
    > ...  In Dayton <Ohio>, both Sam's Warehouse Club and Office America
    > stores carry KLH computers at prices similar to DAK's.  ...
    > I do not think this KLH is related to KLH of hi-fi speakers etc.


    > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 91 11:49 CST
    > From: Buckaroo Bonzai and the Team of Baker Street Irregulars
    > <ELEE6WK@jetson.uh.edu>
    > Subject: Damark - KLH '386 system...glorified clone
    >
    > ----------------------
    > Lots of drive bays is not a problem.   Go with a tower configuration,
    > and you will have at least 6 h/h bays available with some full height
    > 5.25 recessed bays.
    > ----------------------
    > KLH, I believe, is owned by the same holding company that owns
    > entertainment marketing, a cut rate - we don't know what it is, i'll
    > sell it to you at this price - wholesale electronics and computer firm
    > based in dallas with offices in houston and elsewhere. The price from
    > Damark isn't bad.  I know that I can match or beat the price (I work
    > for UBM in Houston, TX, a computer manufacturer thats been around
    > since '84).
    >
    > If you're interested in a comparitive price quote on this, give me a
    > call thursday or later and i will have some info for you.  Or perhaps
    > I can email it back to you.
    >
    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    > |William Sanders, University of Houston     elee6wk@jetson.uh.edu    |
    > |Electrical Engineering Student at Large    elee6wk@judy             |
    > |Voice-H# 713-666-2533^W#680-2862 Box 270539, Houston, TX 77277      |
    > |Modem (2400B) 713-666-6853 (11PM - 8AM Central Time M-F)            |
    > |Fax           713-666-6853 (8:01 AM - 8PM Central Time M-F)         |
    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------


    > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 91 11:34:55 PST
    > From: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com  (Russ Poffenberger)
    > Subject: Re: Damark - KLH '386 system
    > Organization: Schlumberger Technologies, San Jose, CA.
    > 
    > Note that you will have to upgrade the VGA card to 512K before you can
    > use 800 X 600 mode (16 color).


    > From: John DuBois <johnd@sco.COM>
    > Date: Wed, 02 Jan 91 13:13:28 PST
    > Subject: Re: Damark - KLH '386 system
    > Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
    > 
    >      I called DAMARK about this system... they had zilch info that
    > wasn't in the ad.  If you get any replies to your posting I'd appreciate
    > it if you could pass them on.  Thanks!


    > From: dwm@msc.edu (Don Mears)
    > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 91 12:29:07 -0600
    > Subject: Subject: Re: Damark - KLH '386 system
    > 
    > Sorry, I don't know anything about the KLH system.
    > Last time I looked, I think I could put together a 33Mhz 386 system
    > for about $2200.   $1200 for the base system + $400 for SVGA + $500
    > for 80MB disk or $800 for 200MB disk.
    > 
    > I ended up not buying anything. I don't know if any of this stuff works 
    > together:
    >
    >                       A-tronic    A-tronic  NICware     NICware  KM Tech
    >                     (unassmbld) (unassmbld) (Tower)  (MiniTower)
    > 
    > Motherboard, 0K        800.00      800.00    825.00      825.00   995.00
    > 4MB memory, 70ns       220.00      220.00    240.00      240.00   240.00
    > Large tower case       165.00      165.00      *                  175.00
    > Keyboard                45.00       45.00      *           *       80.00
    >
    >                                             _ System Prices _
    >                                            /                 \
    > BASIC SYSTEM TOTAL:   1230.00     1230.00   1380.00     1235.00  1490.00
    >
    > EXTRAS...
    >
    > Floppy drive            65.00       65.00                          70.00
    > Connors 200MB IDE drv  880.00                                     899.00
    > IDE/flop controller     45.00
    >
    > VGA card                98.00       98.00
    > .29mm CTX VGA monitor  295.00      295.00
    > 
    >                      2613.00     1688.00


    Oh, well ...    -- Keith

-- 
    | W. Keith Brummett          (614) 860-3187          AT&T, Room 3B-202 |
    | att!cblph!wkb                                    6200 East Broad St. |
    | or, wkb@cblph.ATT.COM                        Columbus, OH 43213-1550 |
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