nes test station on ebay

[Nes Freak | 584]

found this listing in case anyone was looking for one.  man they sure arnt cheap no more lol.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285227608373?hash=item4268e3e935:g:9u8AAOSweBdkMwN6&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4JmXDtbEIeRzsNmwKneiv4uXhcuYX6kbWd5ZeZCJEiFx92zgXobWDhq3Wo03oStopsf5WfSQ2ep%2Fql75Mo1PU7hSkGPFZLkffF8t9zZ0g7mRKAb%2BAiOygosd%2FbwytP5EICwOleP%2FNq4T7AtdBbM9ywtGvl60ioKzoqyx8uppofeIVyuxttkky689LPfpp5CnYjFBCt1lxvX3O4%2BjXO3ihP7LAp6djCGqW3cYRuWUykTF%2FsyOGK%2Fk6jDl0HSVSihhxuONIT4RXfic2Grso8dVua4DsnnszyhyWzoxFMlwMldC|tkp%3ABk9SR4ao0NryYQ

[DarkTone | 984]

They look great. Would love to have one. 

[Jfreakofkorn | 282]

Your not the only one 

Love have that displayed as well or even use . . . 

[Link | 2,709]

19 hours ago, Nes Freak said:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285227608373

ftfy

[phart010 | 1,707]

On 4/18/2023 at 3:50 PM, Nes Freak said:

found this listing in case anyone was looking for one.  man they sure arnt cheap no more lol.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285227608373?hash=item4268e3e935:g:9u8AAOSweBdkMwN6&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4JmXDtbEIeRzsNmwKneiv4uXhcuYX6kbWd5ZeZCJEiFx92zgXobWDhq3Wo03oStopsf5WfSQ2ep%2Fql75Mo1PU7hSkGPFZLkffF8t9zZ0g7mRKAb%2BAiOygosd%2FbwytP5EICwOleP%2FNq4T7AtdBbM9ywtGvl60ioKzoqyx8uppofeIVyuxttkky689LPfpp5CnYjFBCt1lxvX3O4%2BjXO3ihP7LAp6djCGqW3cYRuWUykTF%2FsyOGK%2Fk6jDl0HSVSihhxuONIT4RXfic2Grso8dVua4DsnnszyhyWzoxFMlwMldC|tkp%3ABk9SR4ao0NryYQ

How many would you estimate are out there?

[Tulpa | 3,493]

27 minutes ago, phart010 said:

How many would you estimate are out there?

Well, they only needed like one or two per Nintendo service center, and there weren't THAT many of those around. I remember the nearest one to me in the Great Plains was in Denver.

Plus, some of those might have used test carts instead.

I'd be shocked if more than a thousand were made, and I suspect it's somewhere lower.

[a3quit4s | 4,097]

It’s definitely neat but there isn’t much need for them anymore so $9,000 for basically a piece of furniture is a lot lol

Id rather a M82 cause at least you can still play the games on it!

one of those is for sale too! https://www.ebay.com/itm/402631317875?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=AUKisH60Qgy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=zMW-ZRboSgS&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Edited April 19, 2023 by a3quit4s

[phart010 | 1,707]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Well, they only needed like one or two per Nintendo service center, and there weren't THAT many of those around. I remember the nearest one to me in the Great Plains was in Denver.

Plus, some of those might have used test carts instead.

I'd be shocked if more than a thousand were made, and I suspect it's somewhere lower.

Yea. I guess if you averaged 5 service centers per state that would make 250 of them. I wonder if they had more than one of these per service center

[Tulpa | 3,493]

2 hours ago, phart010 said:

Yea. I guess if you averaged 5 service centers per state that would make 250 of them. I wonder if they had more than one of these per service center

I imagine some of the busier centers in New York or LA might have had two or even three, but that's probably balanced by states like Wyoming or North Dakota that probably didn't have any service centers.

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

Just now, Tulpa said:

I imagine some of the busier centers in New York or LA might have had two or even three, but that's probably balanced by states like Wyoming or North Dakota that probably didn't have any service centers.

I was like, did Alaska have 5? What about Rhode Island?  Sounds liek they would have one center per slice of the USA where everything from that region went to

[Tulpa | 3,493]

The other thing to remember in terms of units surviving is that these things were never seen by the general public. M82s? That was often people's first NES experience, and I'm sure a bunch of those were spirited away by store employees or given to people who asked once the SNES was in full swing, especially since M82s could play games.

Test stations were only used by techs, and while I'm sure some were Nintendo enthusiasts who hung onto them (and are probably the source of the ones still out there), most were electronics repair dudes who just saw Nintendo repair as a paycheck and probably disposed of the stations after the NES ran its course.

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

There was one of these on Big Pine Key the island I grew up on that had a population of like 3000 people. The guy ran what was primarily an appliance store and in the back he had just a small area with the test station. I remember He always had the signs like the fake smb2 (Mario madness) I can’t remember if he had any light ups. I took him a zelda 2 that he put in the test station. It wouldn’t boot I think he was gonna charge me $8 to fix it but he had to send it in. I said ok and he took the game. I remember going back but the guy who ran the Nintendo repair had left. I also remember he held a super Mario kart competition one weekend. Shame I didn’t get the refurbed zelda 2 back…

Edited April 20, 2023 by docile tapeworm

[Penguin | 198]

I know for all the test stations I’ve seen over the years the highest serial number I’ve ever seen was in the 500’s.  My estimate was 1000 or under of these were made. Most service centers I think were required to buy one at the start of their contract, some even had more than  1 of them.  One of the centers in Cali I bought out had 2 of the nes ones.  As far as how many of these are still in existence, probably a few hundred.  I’ve had about 7 of them pass through my hands over the years, these were always undervalued I thought and I knew after a while the price would increase on these.  Conservatively I’d say they are probably with around $5000 for a nice one nowadays.

[Penguin | 198]

On 4/19/2023 at 9:50 PM, Tulpa said:

The other thing to remember in terms of units surviving is that these things were never seen by the general public. M82s? That was often people's first NES experience, and I'm sure a bunch of those were spirited away by store employees or given to people who asked once the SNES was in full swing, especially since M82s could play games.

Test stations were only used by techs, and while I'm sure some were Nintendo enthusiasts who hung onto them (and are probably the source of the ones still out there), most were electronics repair dudes who just saw Nintendo repair as a paycheck and probably disposed of the stations after the NES ran its course.

Yeah I’ve talked to a few service centers over the years where they literally had the stuff sitting in a warehouse, and got rid of it or even just threw it in the trash. Those were the saddest places I talked to

[Link | 2,709]

before ebay expires the information: 

Description: Nintendo NES Test Station from a World Class Service Center. 

Condition : Used ,test and works 

Returns:  No returns

Questions:  If you have any questions, please ask before purchasing an item, I don't bite.

Shipping:  free to lower 48, no international shipping

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Link

[Tyree_Cooper | 755]

9000 rupees and not even a photo of the back, i guess no time

[Link | 2,709]

8 hours ago, Tyree_Cooper said:

9000 rupees and not even a photo of the back, i guess no time

$40,000 OBO for 9.0 graded Nintendo Power #1. 

[Nes Freak | 584]

On 4/19/2023 at 1:58 PM, a3quit4s said:

It’s definitely neat but there isn’t much need for them anymore so $9,000 for basically a piece of furniture is a lot lol

Id rather a M82 cause at least you can still play the games on it!

one of those is for sale too! https://www.ebay.com/itm/402631317875?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=AUKisH60Qgy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=zMW-ZRboSgS&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

the test station can be used as a regular nes actually.  its fully compatible with all licensed games.

[Nes Freak | 584]

On 5/13/2023 at 12:36 PM, Penguin said:

I know for all the test stations I’ve seen over the years the highest serial number I’ve ever seen was in the 500’s.  My estimate was 1000 or under of these were made. Most service centers I think were required to buy one at the start of their contract, some even had more than  1 of them.  One of the centers in Cali I bought out had 2 of the nes ones.  As far as how many of these are still in existence, probably a few hundred.  I’ve had about 7 of them pass through my hands over the years, these were always undervalued I thought and I knew after a while the price would increase on these.  Conservatively I’d say they are probably with around $5000 for a nice one nowadays.

ive had a few test stations.  i took one of them apart cleaned it and recapped it with japanese caps  and sold it of for 5k so you are right on the price.  i would say 1k is about right on how many were made.  they rarely show up these days.  even 15 years ago they were still expensive to get.

[Nes Freak | 584]

On 4/19/2023 at 6:50 PM, Tulpa said:

The other thing to remember in terms of units surviving is that these things were never seen by the general public. M82s? That was often people's first NES experience, and I'm sure a bunch of those were spirited away by store employees or given to people who asked once the SNES was in full swing, especially since M82s could play games.

Test stations were only used by techs, and while I'm sure some were Nintendo enthusiasts who hung onto them (and are probably the source of the ones still out there), most were electronics repair dudes who just saw Nintendo repair as a paycheck and probably disposed of the stations after the NES ran its course.

actually depending on the shop some people had these out for public to test their games and controllers as theres a sign the saids "nintendo test station. get your product tested here for free"  im sure the majority of shops kept them in the back vs allowing the public to mess with these things though.

[Tulpa | 3,493]

4 minutes ago, Nes Freak said:

actually depending on the shop some people had these out for public to test their games and controllers as theres a sign the saids "nintendo test station. get your product tested here for free"  im sure the majority of shops kept them in the back vs allowing the public to mess with these things though.

Yeah, I imagine there were a few exceptions, but as you said the vast majority outside the repair dudes never knew they existed. When they became obsolete, we had to rely on the dudes who either were NES enthusiasts or just happened to have extra space to keep them stashed in the back gathering dust to prevent them from going into the trash.

M82s had more of a fighting chance to get into the collector scene, though I imagine some of those are buried under tons of landfill, too.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Tulpa