TWGS & Zip GS Group Buy Upgrade Kit: UPDATE March 27

[mystix@direct.ca@direct.ca]

OK, I'm trying to do a little bit of organizing, and in the process
updating everyone about the progress.

So far we have the following firm commitments for the following
items:

Total:
2 65C816
4 32k boards
3 EPROMs
2 TWGS cable
5 sets SRAM
2 sets of oscillators

There is someone who has to get back to me yet about exactly
what he wants.

At this stage I have enough commitments to buy a rail of 12ns
SRAMs, and when I hear from that guy above I will start to
correspond with SHH/// Systeme about what we want, and
hopefully see if we can swing a deal. Now that we're on the
subject of SHH, I only notice that two people stated that they
wanted new cables. I personally would recommend getting one,
mostly because if you muck up your current one when you do your
upgrade you're stuck. That and the old cables aren't supposed to be
all that good.

Also, if you've been thinking about any of SHH Systeme other products,
now would be the time to express an interest. Shipping from Germany is
quite expensive, and I'm not sure when myself or anyone else here for
that matter will do another group buy. Take a look at their website:
http://www.wbwip.com/shh/index.html

I need two to three more people to order a CPU before I can consider an
order with WDC, so come on people. Even if you don't change anything
else, at least do this one.

Also to note, everyone who's responded to me have TWGSs. This order
I'm planning is good for Zip GS users as well.

Here's a list of who and what I'm planning on ordering from:

Western Design Center:
	14MHz 65C816's

SHH/// Systeme
	32k cache board
	1.8S TWGS EPROM
	TWGS gold cable
	(If there's a demand, any other of their products)

DigiKey (Or Arrow Bell, I haven't decided yet)
	crystal oscillators

Active Components
	32k x 8-bit 12ns SRAMs

Group buys are realistically the most cost effective way to do it, mainly
because of WDC's minimum order amount of $100.00, and SHH/// Systeme being
in Germany has extremely high shipping costs. Oscillators and SRAM's are
pretty much readily available to most people, but since I've decided that
if there was enough demand, (and there is), I'll get these items too.

Here are the prices as such:

WDC 65C816	$26.00 (This is based on earlier buy, includes all shipping,
duty, GST, etc)

All SHH Systeme prices are before any shipping and related costs
factored in:

Transwarp GS Cache Board (populated)	US $ 32.00
TWGS Firmware ROM v1.8			US $ 12.00
TWGS Cable (short or looped)			US $ 15.00

Active Components (These guys are local for me so no additional shipping)
Cypress:	12ns	=3.56 each	x3=10.68

I'm also looking into other sources for oscillators to see if I can get a better
deal. But in general it looks like between 3.50 to 5.00 each.

I guess I'll have to look into Canada Customs to see if they can waive duty
charges if I'm a middle man. I don't know where this will go yet.

That's all the news I have for now. All those who confirmed with me will
get an e-mail in the next couple of days as I make time to organize things.