IIgs Prototype

[Performa450]

I spotted a strange looking IIe with IIgs upgrade on eBay earlier this week and had to buy it. Here's the auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Apple-IIe-/182464335513

It arrived last night so I've added some pictures of the board to a gallery here:


 
Main differences so far - it is labeled "SKA321-03" instead of "Apple IIgs" and the part number is "6xx-xxxx". Googling that found a very similar one https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/first-bytes-iconic-technology-from-the-twentieth-century/a-prototype-apple-iigs-computer-8/894/

 

[Carboy7]

Nice catch! Does it boot to the regular iigs screen?

 

[Performa450]

Don't know yet and prob won't for a little while as I don't have the correct iigs accessories or a 240-110v adapter to test with. I think I have a compatible display, and also have local American friends. Don't think I will get to power it on until next week though.

 

[Performa450]

Seems there two more of these around here: http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?35356-Apple-IIBF-Cortland-Prototype

 

[olePigeon]

:O

I've been watching eBay like a hawk trying to find a hidden IIgs upgraded //e.  Second one to slip between my fingers, and a prototype at that.

Congrats man, count me as one of the insanely jealous.

 

[Cory5412]

Out of curiosity, what specifically gives this away or makes you think this is a prototype?

If you have it, does it look in software to be any different from a regular early IIgs?

As olePigeon mentioned, this was available as a retail product. The motherboard looks pretty normal in the images, and it's possible that the different labeling is normal for a board upgrade system, since those upgrades weren't really performed with IIgs motherboards that were pulled out of retail system bundle boxes and dropped into IIes.

 

[Johnnya101]

It also could've just been an early one.

I don't think they made many of these upgrades from what I've seen.

 

[Performa450]

Could be an early one, however I had a look at macgeek - they have a gallery here http://www.macgeek.org/museum/appleiigsupgrade/page02.html

Their board is labelled IIGS and has a proper part number under the keyboars. Also, another owner points out on vcfed, the 344S0046 is socketed on the iigs and upgrade and soldered on my board. Also, my board has hand-soldered wires on it, and a handwritten serial number.

Can't wait to get power to it to see if reports that it's a IIBF

 

[Gorgonops]

I think it checks out, at least as a PVT/pre-commercial dev/demo machine if not a pure development prototype. The "SKA-321-03" and other silkscreening on the motherboard matches that in this known PVT unit and the lack of sticker residue on the case is pretty convincing. It appears that some very-early ROM 0 boards didn't have "Apple II GS" silkscreened on them, but they still don't have that yellow silkscreening, and it's also interesting that this board has a very early ceramic 65816 CPU, which I've *never* seen in a GS before looking at the prototypes.

The one thing it doesn't have is that EPROM adapter board, but the PVT unit I linked to doesn't have it either, having been upgraded to a ROM-01. So... yeah, I think you pretty much stole it for $69. Congratulations!

 

[Performa450]

Thanks! Having a look at the dates on the chips (shame the board doesn't have one) - the RAM chips on mine are dated 8530 (Vegas: 8531), the sound GLU 8605 (V: 8605), U1P 8604 (V: 8610) and the Ensoniq 5503 8543 (V: 8549). Those are slightly earlier manufacture dates which suggests to me that the board is older or of a similar age at best.

Mine will probably say IIGS on boot (if it does boot...) as it appears to have a ROM 0 installed.

 

[snuci]

Mine, which is a full retail version with proper bottom and sticker, has a IIGS marked board.  This looks like a prototype to me.  Awesome find!

 

[Performa450]

Also just noticed that the VGC is part # 343S0046-1 - The ROM-0 IIgs VGC is apparently 344S0046-1

 

[Huxley]

Man, this is an awesome find, especially for that price. Congrats! I'm just annoyed I didn't spot it myself - I live ~45 minutes from Sunnyvale and I could've just run over to pick it up on my lunch break!

 

[ScutBoy]

:O

I've been watching eBay like a hawk trying to find a hidden IIgs upgraded //e.  Second one to slip between my fingers, and a prototype at that.

Congrats man, count me as one of the insanely jealous.

yeah - I'd like to find one of these someday myself

 

[North Hedge Ned]

I know that this thread is old, but I thought that I had better chime in too.  I have a real head scratcher then - a IIe case, a IIgs board within.  ROM is missing completely.  The Board is marked with the SKA321-03 but with a 1985 date!  Also, the board is blue!  The thing powers on and shows an odd video image, no doubt due to the missing ROM.  Have a look!  I will write more about this in my blog at http://techcollector.northhedge.com/blog where I write about each of the finds in my heap.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Fabulous, if ever there were a case for a clear case  .  .  .

 

[maceffects]

I'm not sure if its a prototype or early production unit.  Withe way, they are not common in general so it is a good find!

 

[North Hedge Ned]

I'm not sure if its a prototype or early production unit.  Withe way, they are not common in general so it is a good find!

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  The mystery with this unit here is that, contrary to all else posted in this forum and found online (whose boards have a 1986 date), this one of mine has a 1985 - so pre-Vegas units, for sure.  I find details of development of the IIgs sketch at best online.  Anyone have any input on the dev timeline, and where this 1985 board may fit in?

 

[North Hedge Ned]

Small update here to my unit with the 1985 date.  I popped out a ROM OO 342-0077-A from a production IIgs that I have and popped it into the empty ROM slot of this proto - IT LIVES!  Speaker works but makes a lot of static.  However, there is life - at least in boating up.  Now, if I could only find that original ROM daughter card that it would have likely used back then - good luck, right?