Mac Plus accelerator time = Novy 20 vs Performer + Killy clip options

[Byrd]

Hi,

My first Mac was a Plus, and I've been collecting some parts over the years to restore a Platinum model.

These are the parts I have on hand and querying what others would choose, and any snags I might encounter (eg. need to re-solder connectors, put in a CPU socket, clearance of parts).

- Spare Mac Plus board - will keep the other stock, happy to desolder add CPU socket on this
- Early Novy 20 board - 68020 12Mhz with 68881 FPU, never tested, one broken pin on socket - is that wire 12V?
- MicroMac Performer with what appears to be some clip on socket for a Classic, appears to have once had an SE PDS connector (removed)
- Original Killy clip, looks like had some use but no solder traces on it

I'm leaning towards setting up the Performer card but think I'll need to remove that Classic socket for clearance, then consider soldering on the Killy clip (or solder on a machine pin header to clip this into? Alternately desolder the CPU, put in socket then can test both accelerators (think the Performer needs the 68000 kept no idea on the Novy board).

Thanks and looking forward to your thoughts!

JB

 

[JC8080]

I don't have any experience with the Novy board, but I have built a couple Performer clones, and have one in my Plus. I detailed the build in another thread (link), as well as showing a pic of the pin headers I used to mount the board to the 68000. I also have some benchmark info in that thread. I am not sure if the Novy or Performer would be faster. The Performer has a 16mhz 68030 but is limited by using the RAM on the Plus board, while the Novy has onboard RAM but a slower clock speed.

Many Killy Clips have become brittle by now, that's a bit of a rare find. I think adding a socket for the 68000 will cause clearance issues. With pin headers soldered to the 68000, my board still has some clearance issues in the case. It fits, but the chassis is putting a bit of downward pressure on the accelerator, which is not ideal. I think if I had used two rows of regular pin headers instead of those "ladder" pin headers the accelerator may have sat a bit lower and not had clearance issues, but I am not sure about that. The benefit of the style I used is the two rows of pins stay in alignment.

The Performer definitely needs the 68000 to function, I have no idea about the Novy, but I would assume it needs the 68000 as well.

Does the Classic socket actually interfere with the Plus logic board? The board sits high enough in my Plus that the SE PDS connector has no clearance issues, though the Classic connecter is in a different spot and may well run into something. I think the Classic version of that board is rare, specifically the socket to clip over the Classic CPU. Bolle reverse-engineered the Performer, and mentioned he had not been able to find a suitable socket to attach it to a Classic. Since Classic accelerators are so rare, it might be worth picking up a Classic to put the Performer in, or seeing if someone with a Classic would be willing make a trade for a different accelerator.