How to order EBTKS

Production and shipping status

EBTKS is a hobby project, and as such there is no current sales website, this page is it. As of May 6th 2024 there are over 50 EBTKS ready to ship. At the current rate of orders, this will probably last until the end of 2024. So far 339 units have been shipped to 31 countries.

Pricing and 3D cases

EBTKS currently sells for $160 + shipping, and includes the SD Card and plastic guide rails.

The STL files for 3D printed cases can be found here EBTKS 3D Printable cases. If you have a 3D printer, you can print it your self or find a local printing service. One of the two case designers offers a printing service.

Videos and Forum

Other than the rest of this site (see the links at the top of this page), if you are new to the Series 80 community, you may also want to look at the following:

  • Youtube video of EBTKS unboxing with CuriousMarc and Philip. The rest of the CuriousMarc channel has lots of vintage computer and Apollo era deep dives, and repairs, and probably the best Series 80 repair videos.

  • There is a general user forum for Series80 computers here: Series 80 forum at groups.io
    The group has about 300 members, of which maybe 50 are active, and is low noise, quality content. There are many EBTKS discussions on this forum, and the EBTKS developers (Philip, Russell, Everett) answer questions usually the same day.

Please read the appropriate section below carefully. You will need to do the following:

Ordering details - Please read carefully

Send an email to me (philip@fliptronics.com), with

  • Shipping address

  • Phone Number

  • Specify your System Configuration so that I can pre-configure your
    EBTKS for the best out-of-the-box experience.

  • Please follow the layout described below, and the example at the bottom of the page

For USA customers, proceed to the USA payment section .

For non-USA customers I need the above email to do a shipping cost estimate for your country. I will email you with the total cost, and some bank account info for payment using Wise.com then proceed to
the non-USA payment section

Shipping and Payment for USA customers

USA Shipping is $10 for any number of EBTKS. Shipment is via US post with tracking.

Payment - USA

I use Zelle for payment transfer, which is direct bank to bank transfer, without any fees in most cases. This does not support credit cards, it requires you to have money in your bank account.

You should be able to go to your online banking and find an option to make a payment with Zelle (most USA banks support this). If your bank does not support Zelle, or you use a credit union, email me for an alternative payment method.

My Zelle account is at Bank of America. You will need the following information:

Please make your payment (covering any fees if needed) such that I receive $160 per EBTKS + $10 for shipping.

A note about Zelle:

  • If you understand how scams work, you can just skip this section.

  • This is just my public service announcement.

  • To my knowledge, no EBTKS buyer has been scammed via Zelle.

  • I provide this info, because many EBTKS buyers have never used Zelle.

I use Zelle for payment since most US banks support it, it is free to use, has no fees, and the transfers happen the same day. While Zelle is not a particularly new service, it has become a new target for scams, and has been in the news. Using Zelle to pay me does not make you more or less likely to be exposed to a scam. Invariably scams involving payment services (like Zelle, Western Union and PayPal) require you to be tricked into sending money to the scammer. This includes phone calls that claim to be from someone at your bank asking you to log into your account, and then doing what they tell you. Often associated with some fake issue that is urgent. Sometimes with phone caller ID that indicates it is from your bank, or IRS, or FBI, or other government department. Caller ID can be faked, so never trust it when money is involved. Anyone asking you to pay for something with a gift card that you need to buy, is a scam (unless it is me). Any government department wanting you to pay with a gift card is an insane scam, the government does not need gift cards. Threats from “government departments” that require you to pay right now, or you will be arrested, is a scam. The government does not phone you with such threats, it’s a scam. There are many other indicators, but these are all ones I have experienced (and never been scammed because I know they are fake). As a general rule, if you get a call from someone claiming to be from your bank or government department i.e. IRS, and they want any of your login information, or want you to log into your account, it is probably a scam! Even if caller ID indicates it is from your bank etc., this is unreliable and can be faked.
What should you do
Ask for specifics of the claimed issue and the account number involved. If they can’t provide that info, just end the call. If it isn’t a scam, keep that info, end the phone call, and call your bank using the phone number provided on your bank statements. Your initiating the call using a legitimate bank phone number can get you (via the normal phone menu and queues) to talk to a real bank representative, and find out if there is a real issue.

You can google for “Zelle scams” to read examples.

Here is a sad example

Shipping and Payment for non-USA customers

Please send the email as specified below. Currently I have to figure out shipping costs on a case by case basis, so I need your full address and phone number. Shipping is by UPS, with tracking and for most countries is between $40 and $50. Due to the high shiping costs, for the last 4 months I have been giving non-USA customers a $20 discount, so your actual shipping cost will be $20 to $30. Import duties and taxes are your responsiblity when your package arrives. I will reply to your email within 2 days with shipping information and cost.

Unfortunately, for some countries there is no low cost shipping option.

Payment non-USA

I use Wise.com for non-USA customers.

Although not necessary, if you are creating a new Wise account, you can create your account by using my invite link, which may give me some extra money in the future (if you ever do a transfer over $300) and give you a discount (a few dollars) on your first transfer, paying for EBTKS.

In my email reply to you that provides shipping cost, I will also provide the information for step (f) below.

Invite link: Wise.com invite link

=== Payment with Wise.com

  1. If you don’t already have an account on Wise, create an account

  2. Go to the account home

  3. Press the “Send Money” button

  4. In the upper currency box, select your currency, and in the lower currency box, select USD

  5. In the “Recipient gets” field next to the USD, enter the amount in US Dollars, and it will calculate the amount in your currency in the upper box “You send exactly”

  6. Fill in the Bank details on the page labeled “Send to someone else” using the information I supplied in my email providing shipping cost and my bank account details.

Address and System Configuration

This section is for all customers

I will pre-configure your EBTKS to give the best Out-of-the-Box experience. Mostly this means editing the CONFIG.TXT file. All of the settings that I will do for you can be changed easily with a text editor.

After you have made your payment, please email me with the following information (don’t include the quote (”) characters)

A) Your full name

B) Your Phone Number

C) Your shipping address.

  • Street Name and Number (or Number and Name)

    • (however addresses are normally written in your country)

  • Apartment/Suite number/Post box number

  • City/District/County/Municipality/Hamlet/…

    • (however addresses are normally written in your country)

  • State (if appropriate)

  • Post Code or Zip Code

  • Country

    • (and anything else to help get the package to you)

D) The computer you will be initially plugging EBTKS into, One of:

HP83       HP9915A    HP85A      HP85B      HP9915B
HP86A      HP86B      HP87       HP87XM

E) If it is a model that has a tape drive (HP85A/B, 9915A/B)

  • enter either

    • “Tape Drive Disabled”          or

    • “Tape Drive Enabled”

  • (disabled means either by physical removal, or by unplugging the two flat flexes cables.)

  • For all other models (HP86A, 86B, 87, 87XM), enter “N/A” (not applicable)

F) RAM for HP85A, 83, 9915A

  • Enter “EBTKS provides 16 kB RAM” (if you have a 16 kB RAM module you will need to unplug it)

  • For all others Series 80 models, enter “N/A”

G) EMC memory for HP85B, 9915B, HP86A/86B, HP87/87XM

  • Model (same as C above) + how many 82908A (64 kB) and 82909A (128 kB)
    will be plugged in and how much EMC memory do you want EBTKS to provide,
    in banks of 32 kB each. 0 to 8

  • For non-EMC models (83, 85A, 9915A): “N/A”

For example:

HP85B + 64 kB + 64 kB + EBTKS 8 banks       if you have 2 x 82908A
HP86A + 128 kB + EBTKS 2 banks              if you have 1 x 82909A
HP87XM + 128 kB + 64 kB + EBTKS 0 banks     if you have a 82909A and a 82908A
HP87  + EBTKS 4 banks                       if you don't have memory modules

Note: On HP86/87 the boot up time is impacted by how much EMC memory there is. Working with CONFIG.TXT

H) If you have a ROM drawer, please list the ROM names. You will be unplugging your ROM drawer

before plugging EBTKS in. I will pre-configure your EBTKS to provide these ROMS, as well as the default ROMs that are enabled for all EBTKS users.

I) Make sure if you have any I/O modules plugged in (like HPIB)

that the select code is not 3, which is used by EBTKS. After you have checked you computer, enter “No other modules use Select Code 3”

For all Series80 models, I will assume that you have unplugged any ROM drawer. EBTKS can be configured for any ROM combination. I will assume the default built-in ROMS for HP85B, 9915B, and all 86 and 87 models. HPIB and other modules can be plugged in, but must not use select code 3.

Here is an example of a correctly formatted email:

A)  Mark Smith
B)  (123) 555-1212
C)  1234 HP85 Way
    Apt 488
    Springfield  TX 23456
    USA
D)  HP85B
E)  Tape Drive disabled
F)  N/A
G)  HP85B + 64 kB + 64 kB + EBTKS 8 banks
H)  ROM Drawer:  MATRIX , I/O
I)  No other modules use Select Code 3

When sending me this email (philip@fliptronics.com) , you are welcome to ask any questions or clarifications.