redphantom
Member
Hello Again!
After my successful installation of a RaSCSI (now PiSCSI) in a Powerbook Duo 280c, I took on a slightly different project which would allow me to tackle multiple challenges. This time, I took the case of an old Macintosh Classic, which I used some Retr0brighting to restore, and installed some new hardware in it.
Before anyone frets, please know that when I found the Macintosh Classic, it was already dead. And being the responsible retro enthuaist I am these days, I did my best to part any of the internals that seemed like that may be working out on eBay. As many components that could be re-homed were. From that point, and using several guides where people built Hackintoshes inside these cases, I was able to install a 4:3 9.7 inch LCD screen that works at full HD, as well as a Raspberry Pi 4 with 2 GB of RAM. I had a custom metal bracket fabricated to mount the Pi in such a way to give me enough space to run, and plug cables into.
Booting into Raspberry Pi OS Lite, I was able to install Basilisk using cebix's version, and without using a desktop interface, set the OS to boot straight into System 7. (I managed to save the speaker from the analog board, and re-wire it into the Raspberry Pi, so that the machine plays the Macintosh Classic Chime once it clears its Linux Boot, and before it loads System 7). It will also play normal system alerts, and I was able to play an MP3 using a System 7 MP3 decoder.
I was able to find an internal Sony Disk Drive that I could convert to USB and the Pi would recognize. Installing some libraries even let me read Macintosh Floppy Disks and their file structures in the Pi OS. However, despite my best efforts I was unable to point Basilik at it. While the drive is present in the machine, and works it will not mount floppy disks in the emulator. Perhaps one day I will be able figure this one out.
I was able to save parts from the analog board, and was able to hardwire the power switch, and the power plug straight to a mini power strip which now lives inside the case. The Pi, and the Display both power off of the Power Strip, which switches on when I turn the power switch on in the Classic Case.
The final hard part involved replacing the back ports with more modern ports that the Pi could use. I turned to some options on Thingiverse to 3D print two large holders for both USB 2.0, and USB 3.0 ports which would replace the floppy and the SCSI ports respectively. Using USB extension cables, the female ends go into the 3D print which holds them, and allows the clips on the end to grab the shell and not go anywhere when you plug, or unplug cables.
I then purchased some of tinkerBOY's converters to USB for both ADB and the original Mac Extended Keyboard (the RJ-11 Connector). A USB hub for the 2.0 ports allowed me to run the extender, the keyboard and mouse ports, and the Disk drive off of the two 2.0 ports, while I merely used extenders for the 3.0 ports. I then 3D printed brackets that would hold the tinkerBoy cables in place inside the case. Lastly, I also managed to make a washer that would slim down the modem port for use with an Ethernet cable (even though the Wi-Fi works fine on the Pi).
It was a fun little project to work on, and allowed me to put my different skills to work. There's a few odds and ends that I still need to figure out, such as extending the audio port, which I would need to split with the speaker, and of course getting the disk drive to work as well. The screen may need a little adjustment as well.
After my successful installation of a RaSCSI (now PiSCSI) in a Powerbook Duo 280c, I took on a slightly different project which would allow me to tackle multiple challenges. This time, I took the case of an old Macintosh Classic, which I used some Retr0brighting to restore, and installed some new hardware in it.
Before anyone frets, please know that when I found the Macintosh Classic, it was already dead. And being the responsible retro enthuaist I am these days, I did my best to part any of the internals that seemed like that may be working out on eBay. As many components that could be re-homed were. From that point, and using several guides where people built Hackintoshes inside these cases, I was able to install a 4:3 9.7 inch LCD screen that works at full HD, as well as a Raspberry Pi 4 with 2 GB of RAM. I had a custom metal bracket fabricated to mount the Pi in such a way to give me enough space to run, and plug cables into.
Booting into Raspberry Pi OS Lite, I was able to install Basilisk using cebix's version, and without using a desktop interface, set the OS to boot straight into System 7. (I managed to save the speaker from the analog board, and re-wire it into the Raspberry Pi, so that the machine plays the Macintosh Classic Chime once it clears its Linux Boot, and before it loads System 7). It will also play normal system alerts, and I was able to play an MP3 using a System 7 MP3 decoder.
I was able to find an internal Sony Disk Drive that I could convert to USB and the Pi would recognize. Installing some libraries even let me read Macintosh Floppy Disks and their file structures in the Pi OS. However, despite my best efforts I was unable to point Basilik at it. While the drive is present in the machine, and works it will not mount floppy disks in the emulator. Perhaps one day I will be able figure this one out.
I was able to save parts from the analog board, and was able to hardwire the power switch, and the power plug straight to a mini power strip which now lives inside the case. The Pi, and the Display both power off of the Power Strip, which switches on when I turn the power switch on in the Classic Case.
The final hard part involved replacing the back ports with more modern ports that the Pi could use. I turned to some options on Thingiverse to 3D print two large holders for both USB 2.0, and USB 3.0 ports which would replace the floppy and the SCSI ports respectively. Using USB extension cables, the female ends go into the 3D print which holds them, and allows the clips on the end to grab the shell and not go anywhere when you plug, or unplug cables.
I then purchased some of tinkerBOY's converters to USB for both ADB and the original Mac Extended Keyboard (the RJ-11 Connector). A USB hub for the 2.0 ports allowed me to run the extender, the keyboard and mouse ports, and the Disk drive off of the two 2.0 ports, while I merely used extenders for the 3.0 ports. I then 3D printed brackets that would hold the tinkerBoy cables in place inside the case. Lastly, I also managed to make a washer that would slim down the modem port for use with an Ethernet cable (even though the Wi-Fi works fine on the Pi).
It was a fun little project to work on, and allowed me to put my different skills to work. There's a few odds and ends that I still need to figure out, such as extending the audio port, which I would need to split with the speaker, and of course getting the disk drive to work as well. The screen may need a little adjustment as well.