Apple Interactive TV Box

[haplain]

I've only got one of the boxes but you saw all the ROM chips I have. I didn't test them all. I figured the highest ROM rev had the best chance of working. Plugged it in, saw it turn orange, pushed button again and boom. I'm going to work on it next week as I'll have a lot more free time. 

 

[olePigeon]

I'm a fan of 7.1.

 

[haplain]

Ok I'll try both but start with 7.1 then move to 7.6. 

 

[uniserver]

 when i said 7.6, there wasn't really any thought behind it, other then because its an 040 you know its a 32 bit clean machine.

and that 7.6, in my thought process might have more built in support for the H/W that is soldered onto that PCB.

But then if i keep going with that thought process, maybe 8.1 might be a good OS to try

 

[flashedbios2012]

If you are looking for the Disneyland server software, I'd bet my home, car, job, and wife that its A/UX Based and ran on a Quadra 950 with TV Input boards and a 10GB Monter of a SCSI Hard Drive with compressed videos on it.  You can store a lot of video at 240i resolution with 14k sound

 

[CC_333]

7.6 is essentially 7.1 with some reworked PPC code and a bunch of extra bells and whistles piled in, isn't it?

Either way, anything in the 7.x.x series should be fine (especially 7.1 or later). 8.1 might be pushing it a bit, but I see no reason why it wouldn't technically work (especially if the thing is '040 based).

If/when you do get it working, I'd like to see it in action sometime!

c

 

[haplain]

I think that 7.1 and 7.5 are going to have the best shot of working. After looking at the OS release dates, I think 7.6 isn't the best idea. Given it was released after the box, it might have some issues running. 7.1 was before this box probably started production and 7.5 was probably undergoing testing during the time the box was being developed. Not to say it isn't worth trying, just know that with my other proto's, they usually like the closest OS to what would have been on them stock at the time. 

 

[uniserver]

aux?

 

[Paralel]

If I remember correctly, 7.1 on an external drive was the one that someone tested to work the best.

Good hit on the ROM, looks like you're well on your way to actually getting one of these suckers up and running

 

[Strimkind]

I think your best bet might be to find the OS released around the time of the ROM revision.  Perhaps even a 7.5.x beta that was in development may have the correct code that would have been removed for the production releases.

 

[Paralel]

Now that's interesting, I've never heard of one actually coming up to an Apple anything, the ones I've seen produce video show up with the nCube logo saying something is wrong.

Seems like with this ROM you have a good chance of actually getting it work as a real Mac.

 

[haplain]

Yeah I was really excited when I saw that pop up on the screen. Did a little jig in my back shed for sure. I'll keep everyone posted and hope we can get one of these working to get many more working soon.

 

[uniserver]

Hey hap try and see if you have another one(simm) that works, just like the one you have installed. and send it to me so i can make an image of it? and i will send it back.

 

[haplain]

Ok sounds good. I got lucky and the first one I popped in worked. I assume the ROM chips with the same rev and version should produce the same results. I'm happy to send them on once I have a chance to confirm. Always fun bring back something from being dead 20 years! Thanks everyone

 

[Hotdog Zanzibar]

It's like finding a time capsule...

 

[haplain]

Exactly. When I saw the orange light on the box I knew I was close. Then button pressing took over and voila 

.

 

[switch998]

This thread makes me sad that I sold my iTV years ago :-/  

Hap, any chance you can try the other revisions too? I'm mainly interested in the differences of the startup screens and whatever info it dumps onto the display, a couple of the SIMMS are labeled 'debug' which might output some interesting info.

 

[haplain]

But of course. Just blind luck on the first one and I didn't have much time. I will be sure to post more here shortly. 

 

[Bunsen]

(simm) that works / send it to me so i can make an image of it? and i will send it back.

Probably worth tracing the edge connector pins to the ROMs and identifying the ROM size/type while you're there.  Just in case someone needs to make a new one in the future

 

[unity]

Another one on eBay.

But this one has a video card I have not seen before. Or did I miss a post about it on here. I know mine never had one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iTV-Set-Top-Box-Developer-Prototype-with-factory-DB15-Video-Card-/271762146859