Skroo'd No More

[Ral-Clan]

There are already online escrow services (can't remember their names right now - "e-escrow"?).

You're right that Amiga hardware prices (especially for graphics cards & CPU cards) is skyrocketing right now.  Since these cards seem to be fetching above $200 US (and sometimes much higher in the case of PPC boards), I am suprised no-one has tried to do a further production of some of the old hardware.  I'm thinking the Cybervision 64/3d or one of the faster CPU cards for the A1200 or A3000/4000.  It could be a modestly profitable venture.

As the designs are already done, there would be no R&D costs.  The price of the components (i.e. 68040 & PPC processors) would be slightly lower than they were originally.  The only expensive part would be the initial "tooling up" at the factory for first-run production.

They only difficult part would be acquiring the original plans of the boards, and the legal right to reproduce the hardware.

This has been done with the A1000 Pheonix boards, and I think the Cybervision boards had a second run....I know I have about three big box Amigas that would love a fresh new updated accelerator (I would much rather sink a few hundred dollars into a brand new "retro" board than a used one off Ebay I don't know the history of).

[Ral-Clan]

The fact these old PPC boards and graphics cards are getting such insane bids on ebay is a testament to the fact there is a DEMAND out there for them.

I do think a lot of people are buying them to hold onto now.

Even if only 100 Cybervision cards are sold on Ebay each year for $300 each, that's $30,000.  Enough to at least break even on the re-run production.  I personally think that if these were new boards (not used as on Ebay) even more could be sold.  

If lots people are insane enough to spend $300 on a USED (possibly abused) piece of Amiga hardware with no support and no warranty, there are probably 3 or 4 other people who would be willing to buy a re-release of this hardware NEW from a reputable dealer with a return policy.

Not to mention the fact, that if original plans for the boards can be found, it might be possible to re-engineer them with a smaller, more modern design that is esentially a clone the original hardware in a cheaper, smaller and more efficient design (like the difference between an original C64 and the circuit board of a C64DTV).

Hell, if I knew I could get a new 060 board for my A2000, I would be much more likely to plop down $400 for it than risk that same money on a used one with an unknown history, from a person I've never met before (see the scams thread on A.org).

The Shark, Dragon, etc. are all vapourware so far....we have designs for older cards already that have software support and a tested track record.  There is a demand for them if someone would just produce some more.

[Ral-Clan]

That's the thing: the CAD files, etching films, or whatever for this hardware must still be on file.  R&D costs would be nil.  Tooling & legal copyright costs would be all that is required.

Heck!  I know it's not cutting edge technology, but I could be far more productive with a circa 1999 designed 68060 board in my Amiga than I could with a modern (vapourware) PPC or Coldfire board that runs faster but has no software for it.