LaserActive w/ PAC-N1 w/ Region Switch

[kattare]

I have it up on ebay here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330366136208

Pretty sweet setup with the region switch mod.  I have it up for $1299.95 + shipping.  If anyone here wants it I'll sell it to a forum member for $1199 with free shipping plus an opportunity to choose different games.

Cheers.

[SignOfZeta]

Um...I've never heard of anyone paying that much for a LaserActive. Obviously someone did since that's close to MSRP circa-1992, but most people I know who have one only only paid a few hundred. Did the value just skyrocket Magical Chase-style, or what?

[kattare]

Sure, I don't mind explaining my reasoning.  Most of it is based on ebay sales I've taken note of over the last couple of months.  Unfortunately ebay doesn't go back very far when you do completed listings searches, so you'll have to take my word for some of it...

It's fairly common to see the CLD-A100 w/ Sega PAC for $200 - $400, depending on what all it comes with in terms of laserdiscs and games.

I consider my Sega PAC to be worth an above average amount because it has had over 50 caps swapped out of it.  The Sega PAC's have the same issues the Turbo Duo and PC Engine Duo's do with caps, except it's not limited to just audio issues... So here's a Sega PAC that should have a significantly improved shelf life.

The NEC PAC-N10 (US PAC) I've seen once in the last several months using several saved searches.  (Seems like mid-june?)  It went north of $700.  My suspicion is that it sells for so much because:

    (a) It's very rare:
        - Nobody bought them back in the day... they were just too expensive for a niche system.
        - With the caps issues, half of the ones that were bought are now going to be trashed by most people.
    (b) You can't just buy the PAC-N1 (JP) version and use a region converter.
        - 98% of the region converters don't fit.  (don't have a long-enough tongue)
        - Even if they did, since it's a JP unit, the region unlock mod has to be done.

Thus I consider my PAC-N1/PAC-N10 combo to be worth at least as much as a PAC-N10, if not more since to play both JP and US HuCards you'd essentially need both a PAC-N1 (~$400) AND a PAC-N10. (~$700+)

And... beyond all of that... if you're worried that I'm trying to get rich quick or something... If I calculate out the $$/hr I would be making repairing, modding and flipping these things... it comes out to less than $20/hr.  IE... if it wasn't a fun hobby for me, I would be much better served putting in the extra hours at work, where I can charge more than quadruple that for my time.  ;-)

Hope that helps.

Edit: Adding the following snippit just for fun, from the original 1993 press release announcing the CLD-A100:

-----
Product Availability

The LaserActive player and control packs will be available in
October 1993 at the following suggested retail prices:

CLD-A100        $970

PAC-S10         $600

PAC-N10         $600

PAC-K1          $350


LaserActive software will retail for $120 per title.
-----

Amazing they ever sold any!

[kattare]

I mis-spoke about how many other PAC-N10's there are out there.  I should clarify that I was referring to stand-alone semi-reasonably priced ones.  ;-)

Another auction where you can get a pac-n10 right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110437932365 Package on sale right now for only $3,399.99.

And here's one with a pac-n1:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250509595240 Package is mostly JP and only $2,999.00

[kattare]

Heh, I just keep thinking of stuff...

You can still get an original remote direct from Pioneer for ~$50.