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DuoDock Nubus card compatibility

Challenger 1983

Well-known member
Hi all, I was wondering if all Nubus cards are compatible with the DuoDock, I feel as if the Accelerator cards would not be, but would they damage the dock/duo?

 

Byrd

Well-known member
I've not heard of any accelerators that'll work in a Nubus DuoDock (and yes damage is likely); however your standard video, network cards all work fine.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
I'd thought the Radius Rocket "worked" in the DuoDock? It's standard NuBus on a (bridged) 68030 bus. Other than power/cooling budget limitations, I can't think of any reason trying it out would break anything offhand. Not much airflow in that cubic for any accelerator I'd think.

edit: you could try running the installer to see if that causes an incompatible Macintosh lockout as it does when it detects the IIsi, almost certainly for the same reason. You could install the software on a boot drive for the DuoDock in IIcx and it might "work" the way I got mine running in the IIsi, but I wouldn't recommend running a Rocket down in there for anything more than a feasibility study. Yowch!

 
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Challenger 1983

Well-known member
I'd thought the Radius Rocket worked in the DuoDock? It's standard NuBus on a (bridged) 68030 bus? Other than power/cooling budget limitations, I can't think of any reason trying it out would break anything offhand. Not much airflow in that cubic for any accelerator I'd think.
I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to fit a fan, plus as long as it's not being used for long periods of time hate should not be a big concern

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Installing a fan with no intake/outflow in a box doesn't do much good. There are four tiny air intake slots above the slot covers, so there is some provision for airflow, maybe just enough? I'd check the docs for slot power rating and overall power requirements/provisions before experimenting. More power and cooling are the plans for my sanity challenged IIsi project.

 

Challenger 1983

Well-known member
Installing a fan with no intake/outflow in a box doesn't do much good. There are four tiny air intake slots above the slot covers, so there is some provision for airflow, maybe just enough? I'd check the docs for slot power rating and overall power requirements/provisions before experimenting. More power and cooling are the plans for my sanity challenged IIsi project.
I'm guessing the second NuBus slot could be used as an exhaust? 

 

Byrd

Well-known member
I'd thought the Radius Rocket "worked" in the DuoDock? It's standard NuBus on a (bridged) 68030 bus. Other than power/cooling budget limitations, I can't think of any reason trying it out would break anything offhand. Not much airflow in that cubic for any accelerator I'd think.


Didn't think of the Rocket - assume stage II?  I can still see it struggling for power and potential incompatibility in a dockable Mac such as the DuoDock.

 

Challenger 1983

Well-known member
Either way I will not be attempting to run any accelerator in my dock when I receive it, just curious if it was possible, thanks again guys

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
De nada, curiosity is what this place is all about. [:)]

Didn't think of the Rocket - assume stage II?


Dunno, all I've got it the Rocket 33. It won't run as an accelerator under RocketWare in the IIsi as I'd hoped. But it does run under RocketShare, which is the Stage II Rocket's only mode of operation. Who knows?

I can still see it struggling for power and potential incompatibility in a dockable Mac such as the DuoDock.


Inadequate power seems almost a given to me. Available cooling capacity may approach the marginal level, but I doubt it. That's why I fully expect the "Incompatible with this Macintosh" result.

Now you've got me curios, I should fire up a Duo with Floppy/MicroDock just to see what happens when I insert Install Disk 1.  [}:)]   Maybe after Christmas when I have more time off?

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
The first thing the installer does is check the ID of machine for compatibility. So Disk 1 stops the process dead in its tracks when it detects a Mac on the no can do list. Radius worked get machines off that list, undoubtedly to increase the target market. ISTR the IIfx wasn't compatible at first release of the Rocket, and then was shifted it to the other side of the list.

 
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Challenger 1983

Well-known member
Ah I see, Like you said I doubt the Dock would even be able to supply enough power for the rocket, it would most likely be unstable under load 

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
I went ahead and pulled the Dock Plus out from under the Portrait atop it and the Portable shelf support atop that from the Macintosh shelf display unit out of curiosity. Haven't opened it up and won't before a Disk 1 test but from what I recall, there may be an answer to the cooling issue.

DuoDock-NuBus-Cage-Cooling.JPG

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well, so much for not opening it up. [:)] Thanks for the topic! The center hold-down bolt for the bottom assembly was frozen into its brass insert so badly I twisted a nice Craftsman screwdriver tip to death breaking it loose! I got it out, but just in case a dab of white lithium grease in there doesn't keep it free for the next time, I drilled a nice little pilot hole through the center of the insert and out the bottom of the case. It's all set up if I ever need to drill it out from the bottom. I sheared the side insert off when drill's chuck hit the side of the unit. Should have used a much longer drill bit, not sure a sacrificial piece underneath would have prevented the mishap. It's a nice clean break, so a little ABS cement should fix it right up. If it's stuck, there's nothing doen there a couple of drops pf penetrating oil will kill.

When you get your Dock, open it up and do some preventive maintenance when it arrives if you're not installing a card or HDD right off the bat. Also that NuBus Card Guide guide is a perennial PITA and will have become brittle with age, so take care that you don't break off your handle. ::)

DuoDock-NuBus-Cage-Cooling-01.JPG

Airflow is from the corner near the speaker, over the cards and out the main air intake of the PSU right where the dotted lines are in the back, so I don't really see a problem from that end. Power is still and issue, but then again there's plenty of cubic and a nice big fan for 300W of FlexATX. [}:)]

Don't replace the PSU for only the flick of death, that's a one thruhole resistor/capacitor/diode/whatever replacement fix.

pics are up:

DuoDock-FlexATX-01.JPG

DuoDock-FlexATX-00.JPG

 
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Challenger 1983

Well-known member
Definitely, when I used to have a dock I replaced a few of the smaller electrolytic capacitors and the RIFA cap, When I get one soon It will be at the top of my list to do again. As much as I like putting a modern and stable power supply in I absolutely hate hacking the casing to fit it, I love originality.

 
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