HISTORY:
My previous business for 25+ years was audio post production but there was a time when I considered moving into the world of video. I collected together a lot of interesting (but retro) equipment and thought that one day we might press them into service but in the end, the video side of things never happened because we were far too busy dealing with audio.
Since those days I have had this equipment sitting in my storage units and finally I have had the chance to dig them out, fire them up and get an idea of their condition.
The following description details brief info about what the equipment is designed to do, what the cosmetic condition is like and some limited testing…read on

SONY Picture Computer
Made in Japan
Model: XV-T600
120V ~ (USA) input
Supplied with the ORIGINAL SONY User manual – very useful and this machine can do a lot of things!.
Supplied with an ARLEC AC Power Step Down transformer- ARLEC Model: 2164 ST 100W (so this equipment can be simply plugged in to an Australian general power outlet (GPO) and away you go having graphics fun!)
Also supplied with the necessary input devices:
Image Scanner/Data Recorder
Sony GB-6 Trackball
Please note that I have already had a LOT of interest in just this trackball, it seems many people are on the lookout for just the GB-6 but at this stage I will only include it with the picture computer, it really is necessary for drawing etc!
Funny enough I had a look around to see how “common” these picture computers are – they are not common! Lots of manuals abound but only a couple of machines and I didn’t find one single machine that was complete with the scanner AND trackball.
This equipment is estimated to have been released by Sony to the market in the 1990’s (based on the analog technology and electronic design/construction techniques – discrete components with no sign of SMD)
In brief, this “picture computer” is intended to be used with two video/audio sources e.g video tape recorders and allows the user to create a local graphics using paint/draw functions or the scanner and then superimpose this locally created image on top of an externally supplied video source(s).
Keep in mind that this is VERY RETRO – the locally created graphics look like something from Minecraft! Very “blocky”
For example, to quote the user manual specs:
Normal scan mode is 4 dots/mm or you can set for fine at 8 dots/mm – that’s pretty coarse
Picture memory (from the scanner) is 320×200 picture elements (just 1 page memory)
Yes you can paint, but your pallete is 15 colours and you have 3 brushes, thin/thick and airbrush
I mention these specs to give you the correct impression of the graphic capabilities – this is one very “old school” piece of technology from the visual perspective.
Forget USB, HDMI even SDI – this machine has not even heard of these things.

COSMETIC CONDITION:
Front panel, top, sides and rear are in great condition although I did notice a couple of light/insignificant marks to the top of the case (only).
All front panel connectors, buttons and the one rotary knob are undamaged and clean
The connectors on the rear panel are also undamaged, clean and shiny.
The image scanner uses a special 13 pin connector and the trackball a standard D9 connector
You can easily access the inside of the trackball – I have opened it up and given it a really good clean. It uses standard optical/rotating disc technology.
Here is my only negative note about the equipment. The scanner has a special 13 pin plug which has a lock/securing arm so that when it is pushed into the front panel socket it stays locked in place until released.
The little metal arm which provides this locking has come adrift and I could not seem to get it back in place properly so I will be supplying this “locking arm” but it is not fitted to the plug.
IN NO WAY DOES THIS AFFECT THE PLUG/SOCKET ARRANGEMENT FOR THE SCANNER, IT JUST MEANS IT WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY IN PLACE (AT