[sdiy] 2sd1293m replacement?

[James Coplin]

Transistors are one of those things that I have to admit just flummox me.
I am in need of a pair of these now obsolete transistors to repair the
display board on a MKS70.  I can't believe there isn't a suitable
replacement part out there.  Anyone happen to know or can tell me the
rules for selecting a suitable replacement?  This is a regularly recurring
problem for me lately.  It seems there are just thousands of these things
- do we need so many?  Are there really that many variations?  How do you
know which to use and sub?

James R. Coplin