Resurrecting a Mac TV

[geeko]

On a recent trip to the recycling center, I found a Mac TV. When I brought it home, it would not turn on. I though the power supply may have died, so I decided to do a Takky mod to one of my CCs using the logicboard from the Mac TV. Well, as it turns out the power supply of the Mac TV is fine, but the logic board is non-responsive. It does not work in my CC, but the CC's logicboard worked fine in the Mac TV, even though it couldn't fully boot b/c it was using the wrong version of the mac os, at least it turned on. I have already cleaned the Logicboard from the Mac TV with 91% rubbing alcohol and left it to dry, but it still does not work. Any suggestions? I'd love to get a working Mac TV.

[Byrd]

The next step would be to go over the MacTV board with a magnifying glass looking for any component damage. Make sure you also clean the edge connectors well (same goes with the internal motherboard connector)

[tomlee59]

On a recent trip to the recycling center, I found a Mac TV. When I brought it home, it would not turn on.

Some models will not start up if the PRAM battery isn't healthy, so you might want to check that first. In many cases, a completely dead battery will enable startup, but a kinda sorta dead one will prevent startup. If you don't have a voltmeter handy, just try removing the battery altogether and see if starts up then.

Good luck!

[geeko]

well, It Works! I let the logicboard sit outside of the computer for about a week, and now it works. the computer is giving me a question mark floppy though. any suggestions of which OS i should use? also, how the heck do i use the CD drive? (i think it is caddy load)

[geeko]

And after another reboot... every thing works. 8MB ram, 30MB free on the HDD, and OS 7.1. now to find an old antenna

[Mac128]

now to find an old antenna

what do u hope to pick up with an antenna? There's nothing being broadcast on those frequencies anymore (well almost nothing). You need to plug it into a digital converter or cable box to recieve anything.

FYI, if u put the logic board into a Color Classic, it will function the same, and for some yet unexplained reason will set the CCs display to 640x480 without any software or screen mods whatsoever. And as far as I can tell causes no damage to the CC. Kind of cool having a little 10" TV at that resolution. More practical in my book than that big honking 520-based TV case.

[geeko]

what do u hope to pick up with an antenna? There's nothing being broadcast on those frequencies anymore (well almost nothing). You need to plug it into a digital converter or cable box to recieve anything.

well, i realized that after about spending an hour trying to find/make an antenna. I guess the only reason the new tv works with an antenna is because it is digital.

FYI, if u put the logic board into a Color Classic, it will function the same, and for some yet unexplained reason will set the CCs display to 640x480 without any software or screen mods whatsoever. And as far as I can tell causes no damage to the CC. Kind of cool having a little 10" TV at that resolution. More practical in my book than that big honking 520-based TV case.

considering i have an "extra" CC, i tried this, but instead of resetting the screen resolution, it kind of just bunched it up in the left side of the screen, then told me it couldn't boot with the version of Mac OS on the CC, even though it is 7.1 (i think) just like the mactv.

[Mac128]

Yes I believe I was using 7.3 or later. 7.1 requires a custom driver which I believe later OS did away with. The Mac TV came after the CC, so perhaps this is the issue.nWhen u feel like playing someday, try booting the CC off an external SCSi with a later OS installed and the TV board installed. Someone here will know the details of this particular quirk ...