[mamed]

noob here ebay prices are a bit bananas, most surplus that ive found(all expired is max 50bucks). Im interested in getting an octane and im wondering if anyone here would sell something for a reasonable price. So like 300-500 type of deal seems reasonable.

[weblacky]

Hi,
Since you say you're a noob,

There are prices like that on eBay as well, however due to system age please be aware that your chances of getting a machine that isn't on it's last power supply legs or otherwise needs work is low for those prices. We don't have PSU rebuild services yet, but in the near future we hope to. So I'd advise you not take a system you get out for a triathlon run without knowing the risk of heart attack.

For a Turn-key Octane with a known working PSU $500 is the bare start (and has been for a long time, Octanes were never inexpensive - even 13+ years ago, they are expensive). Also be aware as someone who just bought a higher-specced Octane2 on this very board last week, shipping was ~$150 for ~60Lbs of machine, not including the double-walled box and expanding foam packing. If you don't already own the expanding foam, expect to buy $50 for a case of it (smallest bags).

So $200 to ship within domestic USA, anyone who tells you it's $50...expect a system in small brittle pieces when you get it (and not working). Most SGIs cases are peanut brittle, handle accordingly.

But if you stick with a SINGLE CPU Octane around 195Mhz to maybe 300Mhz, with low-end graphics, no options, you can find a price closer to $400.

[Raion]

Well Weblacky, don't take the user's wind out of his sales. He can probably get an Octane in that price range. Keep in mind the one I sold you, before you insisted on a skin swap, was going to be $350-400 to a user. So he can totally get one for lower. I sometimes get them in myself.

[weblacky]

I apologize, that wasn't my intention. Nice pun by the way.

I was trying to set realistic expectations as Octane prices haven't actually increased much, Octane, Fuel, and Tezro prices were always high compared to Indigo2/Indy (though I have no idea why those older systems are rising in price...given they need more work). I started by saying eBay does have Octanes come up at that price, but that AT THAT PRICE, there are risks that a newbie might not want to take (needs work). Plus that price may not cover S&H. That was my other huge point.

Also you yourself said you did CPU upgrades and such (so really over time, you enjoyed it, but that doesn't always match up to ROI). Now a basic octane, like I ended my statement with, is within that price, however factor in shipping and you may be on the low side. Also, as a newbie, they'll want something they can trust a little that works...a second-hand scrap find...isn't that.

That's all I was trying to get across, I like to ensure people have realistic expectations. The chances of getting a $300 unit + S/H and have no issues (these days, assuming the unit was untouched) is very low. You're highly likely to need fixes. The units for more, that have been recently used by someone and have more features, you can be a little more sure they will work for a few months or so.

I still won't run even the system I just bought for a long time, all of these need PSU refreshes. Once you cross that failure line, it's another story. My first few systems I paid up for (back in the day) and they were only like 5-7 old at the time (everything worked, I ran them for like 2-3 years). These days, give age, suspect everything you run across and be aware.

I wasn't trying to say they shouldn't buy anything, just to know what the real skinny is theses days on eBay and the private second hand market.

[Raion]

No worries. Just keep it in mind that such a lengthy post can chill a new person's enthusiasm a bit. We should always keep in mind that if a user has a price range in mind, it's important to respect that, and right off the bat not bombard them with our opinions.

[mamed]

I apologize, that wasn't my intention.  Nice pun by the way.

I was trying to set realistic expectations as Octane prices haven't actually increased much,  Octane, Fuel, and Tezro prices were always high compared to Indigo2/Indy (though I have no idea why those older systems are rising in price...given they need more work).  I started by saying eBay does have Octanes come up at that price, but that AT THAT PRICE, there are risks that a newbie might not want to take (needs work).  Plus that price may not cover S&H.  That was my other huge point.

Also you yourself said you did CPU upgrades and such (so really over time, you enjoyed it, but that doesn't always match up to ROI).  Now a basic octane, like I ended my statement with, is within that price, however factor in shipping and you may be on the low side. Also, as a newbie, they'll want something they can trust a little that works...a second-hand scrap find...isn't that.

That's all I was trying to get across, I like to ensure people have realistic expectations.  The chances of getting a $300 unit + S/H and have no issues (these days, assuming the unit was untouched) is very low.  You're highly likely to need fixes.  The units for more, that have been recently used by someone and have more features, you can be a little more sure they will work for a few months or so.

I still won't run even the system I just bought for a long time, all of these need PSU refreshes.  Once you cross that failure line, it's another story.  My first few systems I paid up for (back in the day) and they were only like 5-7 old at the time (everything worked, I ran them for like 2-3 years).  These days, give age, suspect everything you run across and be aware. 

I wasn't trying to say they shouldn't buy anything, just to know what the real skinny is theses days on eBay and the private second hand market.

Indeed most noobs would. I don't care if somethings broken or barely working, as I do component level repair on many systems much smaller and more complex than these and have for years. Most users I've talked to seem to turn these on 1 every 6 years spin the plane or use image distort then turn it off put it in storage for another 6 years. I actually enjoy buying broken or barely working things and fixing them. My goal here  would be to get a system for a decent price and then maybe slowly spec it out. preferably i'd like to find the octane that can handle 8gb of ram and maybe get the r12 graphics. I dont really need a hard drive as id do scsi to sd. 
You are right about that shipping cost tho, I found a guy on reddit with a pretty busted up o2 with cracked plastic for really cheap shipping to me is 111$ tho, but he is selling for really cheap so that's not a big deal. I would prefer an octane tho. on sgi user group I got a bite some guy might have a test bench he can sell me. 
ive contacted my local university radio station and hospital to see if they have anything. I know the octanes come in GE CT scanners bot octane 1 and 2s, so im hoping they have something in storage. the airport def wouldn't have anything by now.
my local school will be getting back to me and i still have to call biomed. So far ive gotten a few replies on forums but nobody who concretely has offered to sell even without mentioning price. So its been a tough journey just finding a unit to even get started with:(

No worries. Just keep it in mind that such a lengthy post can chill a new person's enthusiasm a bit. We should always keep in mind that if a user has a price range in mind, it's important to respect that, and right off the bat not bombard them with our opinions.

haha yep gotta keep morale up in these newbies

[Raion]

If I didn't have the "testbench" machine here spoken for i'd offer it, but again, I'm in the US, and cross-border shipping to CA is retardedly expensive