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Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.
I just bought a TAM!
- Thread starter Rick Dangerous
- Start date
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Interesting RE the 6400/6500 dual riser:
"The riser card has no logic, no PCI bridge; it's a simple PC board with traces"
and so:
"The lack of bridge is what I needed because of the TAM/6500/6400 firmware bug preventing additional PCI bridges without a patch."
So I could theoretically use both slots without things getting glitchy? Even with things hanging, maybe better than the alternative (not being able to access the PCI slot at all.)
I'm sure both the "fat backs" and OEM Single slot risers for the TAM are rare as hen's teeth these days.. I've seen a number of TAM's on youtube and elsewhere with open backs and a bunch of upgrade cards stuffed in due to lack of Fat Backs (or even space in those) I assume.
The flex cable is a cool idea, but not sure where i'd then put the card. I would have to fab some sort of anti-static housing which I think is a little beyond me.
Thanks for the disk drive tip, its on my watch list and will give it a try!
"The riser card has no logic, no PCI bridge; it's a simple PC board with traces"
and so:
"The lack of bridge is what I needed because of the TAM/6500/6400 firmware bug preventing additional PCI bridges without a patch."
So I could theoretically use both slots without things getting glitchy? Even with things hanging, maybe better than the alternative (not being able to access the PCI slot at all.)
I'm sure both the "fat backs" and OEM Single slot risers for the TAM are rare as hen's teeth these days.. I've seen a number of TAM's on youtube and elsewhere with open backs and a bunch of upgrade cards stuffed in due to lack of Fat Backs (or even space in those) I assume.
The flex cable is a cool idea, but not sure where i'd then put the card. I would have to fab some sort of anti-static housing which I think is a little beyond me.
Thanks for the disk drive tip, its on my watch list and will give it a try!
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omidimo
Well-known member
http://www.ebay.com/itm/162688216411
This might have enough clearance of the hard drive for the USB card.
This might have enough clearance of the hard drive for the USB card.
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Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Whats the maximum video card that you'd want to use on a TAM with 9.1 and 128 mb ram? I have an extra ATI Radeon 7000 32mb card that I was going to use in my cube but decided against because it doesn't fit properly. Would that be excessive? Whats the ideal video card for a TAM?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Well.....sad news folks.
I tilted my TAM forward last night to re-seat the RAM dimms (only reading in system profiler as 64 MB, despite 2x 64mb dimms) and when I up-righted it again and turned it on I found that my screen refuses to work/turn on.
I tried restarting it probably a dozen times but I now have a black, non-functioning screen. Just what I needed when investing hundreds of dollars in an old computer...lol.
ANY ideas short of having to replace the screen?
I tilted my TAM forward last night to re-seat the RAM dimms (only reading in system profiler as 64 MB, despite 2x 64mb dimms) and when I up-righted it again and turned it on I found that my screen refuses to work/turn on.
I tried restarting it probably a dozen times but I now have a black, non-functioning screen. Just what I needed when investing hundreds of dollars in an old computer...lol.
ANY ideas short of having to replace the screen?
aplmak
Well-known member
Hmmmmm. I've had this happen before to me... I personally DON'T think it is the screen.... Make sure you are getting the little green light on the bottom left.. It could be something improperly seated.. or the PRAM is not cleared... When this has happened to me it was never the screen.. I also had to fix the wires in the bose subwoofer... I actually directly soldered them onto the pins.. Also try wiggling the connector in the back of the unit. Once again I think there is a config issue here... perhaps the HDD is not plugged in properly or all the way... Try eliminating stuff by removing things from the unit..
I honestly would be amazed if it was the screen...... I've had this happen to me multiple times...
I honestly would be amazed if it was the screen...... I've had this happen to me multiple times...
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EvilCapitalist
Well-known member
Yeah, if the machine is still chiming, the green light on the front is lit, and you haven't already cleared PRAM and done a CUDA reset I'd do both of those.
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Thanks everyone! Will give these a try tonight!
Found this also which should be helpful:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/tam-with-power-up-boot-problem.62603/
Found this also which should be helpful:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/tam-with-power-up-boot-problem.62603/
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haplain
Well-known member
Bought/sold about 25 TAM's... only time it was ever the screen was when I bought a unit from someone and they had been in there messing around/didn't properly secure the screen's ribbon cable. I highly doubt it's the screen.
Also, you should trying toggling the CUDA reset and power button on the back i.e. Power button on then CUDA and repeat 2-3 more times.
Also, you should trying toggling the CUDA reset and power button on the back i.e. Power button on then CUDA and repeat 2-3 more times.
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Tried unplugging PRAM, computer, left for 3 days, hit CUDA, no luck.
Tried toggling power on button and cuda no luck as well
Also tried unplugging and pressing power button while holding CUDA for 30 seconds to drain the capacitors.
Computer fan and HD spins up, it sounds like its running, but still nothing on the screen. CD-ROM tray will open if I hit the button.
Green power button near headphone jack also not on, not sure what that means..
Thanks for your help everyone..hoping to get this running soon so I can keep upgrading it and having fun with it!
EDIT: MYSTERY SOLVED
New 64mb RAM sticks were not seated properly. When I was doing the CUDA reset I looked down the profile on the computer and noticed the RAM was sticking up on the left (both sticks-was only reading as 64 MB in the system profiler).
I put the TAM facedown on a towel, reseated the RAM, and it started right up! It's also now reading 128 MB of built in memory as it should be!
Feel slightly like an idiot.....oh well..on to enjoying it, haha.
Tried toggling power on button and cuda no luck as well
Also tried unplugging and pressing power button while holding CUDA for 30 seconds to drain the capacitors.
Computer fan and HD spins up, it sounds like its running, but still nothing on the screen. CD-ROM tray will open if I hit the button.
Green power button near headphone jack also not on, not sure what that means..
Thanks for your help everyone..hoping to get this running soon so I can keep upgrading it and having fun with it!
EDIT: MYSTERY SOLVED
New 64mb RAM sticks were not seated properly. When I was doing the CUDA reset I looked down the profile on the computer and noticed the RAM was sticking up on the left (both sticks-was only reading as 64 MB in the system profiler).
I put the TAM facedown on a towel, reseated the RAM, and it started right up! It's also now reading 128 MB of built in memory as it should be!
Feel slightly like an idiot.....oh well..on to enjoying it, haha.
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Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Ordered the dual PCI riser and a new floppy drive...New PRAM battery is inbound. Taking the TAM apart to install that is going to be fun (I jest...but hopefully it is a little)
Luckily this guide to breaking down the TAM exists:
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Twentieth+Anniversary+Mac+Teardown/12702
Sadly the floppy is pretty buried..
ALSO: Can't seem to access the radio tuner on my TAM. Looked for it in Finder and Applications but no luck. Only the TV tuner function will pop up. Is it buried in that program somewhere?
Luckily this guide to breaking down the TAM exists:
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Twentieth+Anniversary+Mac+Teardown/12702
Sadly the floppy is pretty buried..
ALSO: Can't seem to access the radio tuner on my TAM. Looked for it in Finder and Applications but no luck. Only the TV tuner function will pop up. Is it buried in that program somewhere?
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EvilCapitalist
Well-known member
Nope, it's a separate application called "Apple FM Radio". It might be hiding under Apple Extras as well.
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
Strangely not on my computer. Found the "Apple Extras" folder but it's nowhere to be found. Will have to find the .sit of the program on mac garden hopefully..
Rick Dangerous
Well-known member
I hooked up my 2600 to the TAM tonight through RF and played some River Raid (pictured and in it's new home next to my Cube.)
The TAM must have not liked the RF box from the NES/SNES. Strangely there was no audio, despite setting it to "mono" in controls and turning up the volume.
I want to try the S-Video next, but that definitely carries only video signal and as far as I can tell, there are only two headphone jacks on the TAM, and two microphone inputs, no audio input. Why they would do that, i'm not sure...especially given the speakers and that it's an AV machine? Does the microphone input below the S-video jack actually take input by any chance?
The TAM must have not liked the RF box from the NES/SNES. Strangely there was no audio, despite setting it to "mono" in controls and turning up the volume.
I want to try the S-Video next, but that definitely carries only video signal and as far as I can tell, there are only two headphone jacks on the TAM, and two microphone inputs, no audio input. Why they would do that, i'm not sure...especially given the speakers and that it's an AV machine? Does the microphone input below the S-video jack actually take input by any chance?
EvilCapitalist
Well-known member
I'd be curious how much input lag is present. If it's not terrible this would be a fine machine to tie with my Genesis and SNES (not that I need another reason to hang on to my TAM) since they don't play nicely with my Plasmas.
