DayStar Turbo 040 in the SE/30 - Problems?

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I've seen a lot of this crop up, but just found something interesting on LEM:

The two most common computers to upgrade with the Turbo 040 are the Mac IIci and the SE/30. These two are the best of their peers – and some of the most desirable Macs without acceleration, too. The Turbo 040 fits directly into the IIci without any adapters, so that’s no sweat.

The SE/30, however, requires a special DayStar Adapter for SE/30. This special adapter is an incredible collectors’ item and fetches several hundred dollars on the rare occasions one can be found on eBay. How do so many SE/30 users use these accelerators, then?

Creativity.

The SE/30’s PDS slot is the same as that of the Mac IIsi. Because of this, the IIsi adapter is electrically the same as the rare SE/30 adapter, only the shape is different. Some users just remove the floppy drive from their SE/30 to make room for everything, while others modify the IIsi adapter for a better fit. Gamba’s home page has more information about this.

So how many of you have the gen-u-wine Daystar Turbo 040 Adapter for the SE/30 and how many of you are going with what LEM calls "the creative approach?" Who's having problems with the Turbo 040 in the SE/30 and who's not? I'd love to see a high res pic of the real deal. While PowerCache and Turbo 040 adapters might appear to be "electrically the same" because they serve the same purpose when used with the accelerators for which they were intended, I'm willing to bet a shiny nickel that they're not the same at all when it comes to the particulars of the two different accelerators.

I'm also wondering if the IIsi 030 PDS is electrically the same as that of the SE/30 in all particulars? Specifically, the IIsi (as well as the IIci) are a mix of TTL type Schottke 74LS series logic and 74HC series CMOS logic. That's from a quick look at all three schematics. If the DayStar Turbo 040 Adapter for the SE/30 is designed to overcome its limitation of having only TTL type logic on board, using LEM's "creative approach" doesn't sound like a very good strategy. Your basic PowerCache Adapter (assuming all 74LS logic) will not do the job effectively, if at all.

TTL (74LS) outputs won't drive CMOS (74HC) inputs, so the IIsi and IIci may get the by there, but the SE/30 has to win the wild card playoffs between TTL and CMOS to work properly by my read.

Probably all silly concerns based on misunderstandings on my part yet again here  .  .  .  but maybe not? Dunno, my (_|_) is once more hanging out there on the fence line for the critters to gnaw on. :mellow:

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I spent a little time poking around. Looks like there's not much at all on the gen-u-wine SE/30 adapter for the Turbo 040. But if those are both GALs, it would be interesting to know if they were of the HCT, TTL/CMOS compatibility technology type? It seems like too many problems have been reported about this Turbo 040 stuff over the years. DayStar's compatibility matrix specs which adapter is needed. Is the adapter above for the Turbo 040 the same part number as for the PowerCache?

Dunno, going to bed, I'll see if it's been chewed entirely off by the AM. 8-o

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Took a look through the manual and the adapters for the Turbo 040 appear to be the same as those user for PowerCache, so there goes that hope for a fix.

DayStar Turbo 040 User Manual

Found a pic of the 23k Unobtanium IIsi Adapter - NuBus in there. Perchance to dream of vaporware condensation into my hands.



74F573

74HC(T)573

Confuzzled Turbo 040 and Carrera 040 with a side of Sonnet. [:I]