latest conquest - Macintosh ED

[macman142]

Finally got my hands on a Platinum Macintosh ED (512k).

Powers on to the over-voltage crowbar. Hopefully it's repairable, I'll have a look sometime though I'm not overly worried, just glad I've finally found one.

A quick cleanup reveals it's in good cosmetic condition other than a few small marks.

It's weird to see a 512k rear bucket in Platinum...

[jsarchibald]

Is this the one from Victoria? I find it is so much easier when all they have to do it pack it up and leave it at the door for collection by the courier!

Nice looking unit, don't forget to give us some more pics so we can see it in more detail. I think from memory both of my EDs don't have the silkscreening on the front?

[jsarchibald]

Wait a sec, that one had no silkscreening on the front!

Where did this one pop up from?

[macman142]

G'day Jason. You're right, this isn't the one from Victoria - that bloke still hasn't replied to me...! Perhaps he's ??

This ED came from the Netherlands. Cost me a fair whack in freight but the guy did an awesome job of packaging and it only took a week or so to arrive. I think the European ED's are the only ones with the silk screening.

It has the model number M0001D and has a 220-240v PSU. Made in Ireland but no copyright date anywhere. Has some corrosion on the battery terminals (as you'd probably expect). Also has a small number engraved right at the bottom on one side - evidence of it's "Educational" roots, which personally I think is nice and "authentic" so that doesn't bother me.

Your two ED's are the beige 512k only identifiable by the M0001ED model number and the Platinum 512k with the same front but minus the silk screening - is that right? The one in Victoria was a Platinum 512k M0001ED like yours. Still fuming that he won't get back to me and sell it to me!

Need to get myself a Platinum ED like yours, a Performa 275 and a Macintosh Plus ED and I'll complete my collection... Then what will I do!?!?!

[jsarchibald]

Hmm, I hope not! He went to all the effort to remove it from the listing in his description, and then nothing. It is a little odd. Are you able to get his contact details through their system?

I think you're right about the silk screening and European models. We always seem to have two different versions, and then they got the other two. At least you've gotten one of the hard ones out of the way! I think you're also right on mine - both have 512K rear cases, one is beige and one is platinum.

The 275 is a sweet machine. I've got one in great condition, but no Colour Classic II - oh well, the only difference is a tiny badge so I'm not too worried.

What will you do then? Well, you can start collecting all the Powerbooks, or just concentrate on the hard to find prototypes. Or you can do what half of collectors do and get over the whole scene and sell off your entire collection, just to regret it in 10 years time.

[macman142]

Yeah that's the thing - I offered him more than it was worth just to secure it. I think he was surprised with my offer as he accepted very eagerly. As you said, he removed it from the ebay listing for me and was going to get back to me with postage but said he was "busy with work, sorry for the delay" and that he'd get back to me in a couple of days. Then NOTHING... So disappoint...

Want to do me a favor? You could contact him through ebay asking if he still has any of the Macs and see if he replies to you? Actually, now I'm sounding REALLY desperate...

I look forward to completing my collection with all four ED variants - I think they're a very strange and intriguing variation.

The Performa 275 is the same as the Colour Classic II isn't it. I've got a Colour Classic II logic board, case sticker and front badge - just need to get myself sorted out and stick them all on my "spare" Colour Classic that one of my good friends (who also collects Macs) donated to me. It's the closest I'll ever have to a "genuine" CCII and as far as I know only the badge and logic board were different anyway? Do you know?

I think once my collection is "complete" I'll actually get into gear and setup a shelf/display in the family room. Maybe...

[jsarchibald]

I was actually going to offer to contact him. PM me the details and I'll give it a go. We must have synched with iTunes and now think alike

Just looked at my Platinum ED, it's funny how I always forget that the badge is flush with the case on the front and then find a 512K back. Such an odd beast.

I'm pretty certain the 275 and CCII are basically the same machine. I'm sure I've looked on Mactracker to compare and couldn't see a difference. They are a great little machine, well and truly worth having. It is easily the most capable compact, power and size are on it's side - quite ironic it took the last of the series to finally keep up with the rest of the range.

[bigmessowires]

Just curious-- what's the over-voltage crowbar? Is that some kind of on-screen icon? I've never heard of it before.

[CelGen]

It's when the PSU kicks out because there is a hard short but it does not blow the main fuse. I suspect the analog board is funky.

[gobabushka]

That's an awesome find!!!

[TheIanMan85]

Very cool, I'd love to get one of those up here in the USA, especially with the silk screening.

[Scott Baret]

All of the Dutch EDs seem to have a name screened to the front. It's also proof the 512Ke was continued past September 1987 in some markets. My ED, which I bought from a fellow MLAer last year, was manufactured in 1988.

Ian, most of them seem to be in The Netherlands, where they were evidently quite common. I paid a small premium to get one shipped to the US, but it was worth it since they're very rare west of the Atlantic!

[TheIanMan85]

That's probably what I'll have to do if I ever decide to get one. Probably cheaper to ship in then one of those black 5X00s from down under I've always admired...

Maybe Travel Channel will give me my own show: MacHunter. I'll travel around the world getting these, a PowerBook 550c, and some other non-US goodies. I'll have to get to work on a pitch...

[Scott Baret]

If you do start Mac Hunter, track down a IIvi for me!!! I know it's not that great of a computer, but I'd love to find one simply because it's not a US model!

With the ED, there are actually many different variants, including Plus ED models. Search this forum and you'll find an old thread about the many different ED (and compact) models.

[theos911]

Don't forget to look for a 240MHz "Mighty Cat" 2400c.

[TheIanMan85]

"Observe...the Mighty Cat in its natural environment. Look at it eat that 486 Compaq for lunch. The Duo 280c will have to wait until the Cat finishes to scavenge for scraps."

I did some reading up on the EDs a few years ago when I actually learned they exist. I was surprised I had missed it for so long. I blame it on being an ignorant American. It was about the same time I learned that Australians do not actually use kangaroo pouches as their primary mode of transportation.

I still think I'm onto something with the show.

[jsarchibald]

Ironically, some Americans DO think that is true. I've seen one kangaroo in the past year, and no koalas. We drive similar cars, eat similar foods, and have similar interests. We enjoy similar sports, and watch the same TV and movies and books. We are probably the most alike country in the world, with some exceptions (ie. We call Appetizers an Entree, and an Entree is a Main. We call Shrimp a Prawn, and add a 'u' in a lot of words you guys have deleted them). My wife and I have visited Hawaii three times, and the mainland twice, and always feel at home, even driving on the left side of the car on the right side of the road is second nature now. We even have a larger usage of Apple products percentage wise than you guys. Smart phone usage is about 70%, and mobile browsing about the same %.

[TheIanMan85]

I'd actually love to take a trip to Australia one of these days. The same is true for many places. Heck, I thought it was exotic the one time a friend and I were bored one weekday night at a ski resort 45 minutes from the Canadian (Quebec) border and took the trip for the fun of it. This was before you needed a passport to do so. The Canadian Border Guard did not want to believe we were crossing the border for the fun of it. But we had nothing to hide so we were eventually turned loose. I finally got to use the kilometers per hour lower part of my speedometer, and confuse some poor french speaking clerk with our American money while buying a french labeled Coke and some gum! Ahh, traveling...nothing like driving an hour and a half round trip to spend 40 minutes in Canada and 20 minutes detained by an unimpressed man in a funny hat!

To make this somewhat about the original topic, if I go down under I'm bringing back some varient of a Mac ED.

[Scott Baret]

I too have always been interested in Australia and have wanted to take a trip at some point.

At my first school, we studied Australia in first grade and one of my buddies had his grandmother come in to talk about it (she had been there). One of the things she had brought in was vegemite, which only one guy in our class tried. He wound up spitting it out, and this guy was known to consume anything. I'm not sure what exactly is in it or if it's really that huge of a huge deal in Australia, but I'm sure some of you Aussies can help me out on this one!

When I moved, we did something called International Days every April at my new school. This involved each grade level researching and presenting on a country. The fourth graders always did Australia. My role in the presentation was to share about the great white sharks. I got to stand in the hall near a poster and speak in a fake Australian accent as I told the students about the animal. Yes, I did greet each class with "g'day, mates".

Also, not sure if the Aussies on here know about it, but we have a place in the States called Outback Steakhouse. It's supposed to be Australian in theme, but most of that seems to be some of the decor and the names of the items (like Kookaburra wings). It's not a bad chain steakhouse, but not somewhere I'd go on a date--it's a bit noisy and bar-like. It's best for a night out with your pals, er, mates. Woz is a huge fan of them (evidently he eats at the one near Cupertino several times each week), as is former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jason Kendall (who used to eat at the one near me).

[jsarchibald]

Vegemite is a yeast extract, some people eat it every day on toast or a sandwich but peanut butter is more common. We keep Vegemite in the house for mouth ulcers, the yeast clears them up pretty quickly!

Let it be known that we do call people mate, but I rarely hear g'day - ever. You'll hear a 'how you doin', or 'what's up', but again, we are very 'Americanized', so we say a lot of stuff you guys say. It's funny, I now refer to a windscreen as a windshield, the footpath as the sidewalk, and an accident as wrecking out, purely because of the time we've spent in the US.

I've seen that restaurant, but would never eat there. Way too cliched and OTT for me. It would be like us walking into a restaurant over here with bears, rifles, American flags, and a guy with one tooth greeting us with a 'How y'all doin, pardner?'. It's all hammed up to get people in and isn't very accurate of life for 95% of Australians. Yeah, we do have people who may be like that, just like you have people who live in swamps and chase gators, but it is a very small minority. We don't talk about the Outback, we call it the bush, and we never refer to ourselves as being down under - this is a very American thing to say. Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking at all, and find it humorous, just telling a few truths. We were following Woz on Twitter and he always seems to check into Ruth's Chris - that guy must love a steak!

PS - Sorry Dave for the MASSIVE thread creep!

[TheIanMan85]

and an accident as wrecking out

Haha around these parts you hear accident more, I think "wrecked" is more of a southern thing...like y'all. And the gator wrestling. I call it "I ****ed up my ****ing car."

As for the bear head and flag covered joint with the one toothed dude...I just had dinner there. I drove there in my lifted old rusty truck painted orange with the rebel flag on top to look like the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard (Google it if you don't get that there) with a loud exhaust, 9/11 terrorist hunting permit bumper sticker, "Don't tread on U.S." sticker, "These Colors Don't Run" American Flag sticker, naked lady side silhouette sticker, and a "My Other Truck Is Also A Truck" sticker, fake inspection sticker, truck nuts on the tow hitch, and honked my custom horn that plays the first five notes of the National Anthem (instead of Dixie, 'cause y'know, I'm original) as I came to a screeching stop across three handicapped spaces so hard three of my five rifles came off the gun rack in my rear window. I then continued to talk loudly on my cell phone through the entire meal. Afterwards I did a wicked burnout as I left and floored it so fast out of the parking lot at least twenty empty beer cans fell out of the bed. Too bad about the cans, I was gonna put those in my retirement fund...my 401k. I call it that because I estimate there's about 401,000 cans and bottles I have saved up in the old school buses in my back yard. You can pick those things up cheaper than an you can build a real shed you know.

OK so I made that last rambling mess up, but it has always been a goal to get at least five people in five different time zones to fall out of their chair laughing.

And yeah, sorry macman for encouraging the off topicness....still jealous of the 512k Platinum Macintosh ED.

[jsarchibald]

LOL! Very good, I laughed the whole way through. Maine is such a pretty state, glad I've been there if only for one day on the way through to Canada.

[TheIanMan85]

I like it here. Still gotta make my way down there. All the Aussies I met while selling boat parts were always laid back and cool Except for one. There's always the exception. Don't get me started on that one. Worse then the ones here who think you're supposed to drink a six pack before attempting to do an engine repair you have no knowledge on. Then they call me. Reason # 117 why I don't work there anymore...clueless people. I just deleted the beginnings of a big rant right here. Even further from the original topic. The sun seems to be up so it really must be past my bedtime. To the sleepatorium...

[macman142]

Permission granted to remain off-topic.

A good laugh and moderately insightful

Go on....

[Scott Baret]

I know how it feels to have places go over the top with your heritage. I'm from Pittsburgh, where there's a certain dialect called "Pittsburghese". Look it up sometime and you'll see many people think of Pittsburghers as people who can't speak proper English. There's also this notion that every man, woman, and child in the city lives and breathes Steelers football. Pittsburghers are also associated with drinking beer, hunting deer, eating Primanti's sandwiches, holding on to the past too long, hating Cleveland, loving zombies, and using local names to refer to roadways instead of what they're actually marked as. If they made a Pittsburgh restaurant, it would probably follow this exact formula.

Now, time for the myth busters:
1. I probably know about 3 people who speak Pittsburghese. Everyone else speaks fluent, proper English.
2. Most people do love the Steelers, myself included, but I do know a few people who don't really follow football.
3. I don't drink--never have touched alcohol in my life. I actually know a lot of people who don't drink or drink very little, although Pittsburghers, in general, do enjoy beer.
4. I don't hunt either, but it seems the majority of guys here do it.
5. Primanti's sandwiches are awesome, but again, I know a lot of people who would never eat one. (The reason these things are special--they put meat, cheese, cole slaw, tomatoes, and french fries on a sandwich all at once--OPEN WIDE!!!)
6. Some Pittsburghers do hold on to the past too long (namely with old buildings), but that seems to be changing lately. I'm one for rebuilding if necessary, and it seems more and more are thinking like me.
7. I've been to Cleveland a few times and don't mind it at all. We do have a rivalry with the Browns and some people do get carried away, but I think most Pittsburghers respect everything else Cleveland has to offer.
8. I can't say I know anyone who gets into the whole zombie thing.
9. The ones most at fault for referring to roadways are the news anchors. I've lived here my entire life and still don't know the difference between the three roads they call "Parkway _____" (with the blank being a cardinal direction other than south). This is a shame, since a visitor would have no idea what they're talking about (and many locals really don't either).


Yeah...that just got this post even more off-topic, but since macman142 gave permission, I thought I'd share...